Introduction
Pet dogs play a significant role in many people's lives, and their owners frequently worry about their health. Pet dogs occasionally experience unexpected episodes of vomiting and diarrhea, which not only lowers their quality of life but also causes owners to worry about the sickness spreading to other household pets or even to people.
This article's goal is to explain what to give dog vomiting and diarrhea. That is, the best remedies and solutions for quick relief.
Bookmark this article and take care of your dog's diarrhea without confusion.
Causes of Vomiting and Diarrhea in Dogs
Dog has diarrhea? Pet parents are worried! There are many possible causes.
Dogs genetically influenced by specific breed genes are also more prone to intestinal sensitivities. If you experience sudden diarrhea in your dog, it is recommended to purchase specialized nutritional formulas designed for specific breeds of dogs, which can reduce the incidence of similar situations. Common breeds of dogs with intestinal sensitivities include poodles, shiba inus, golden retrievers, labradors, shih tzus and French bulldogs.
Puppies are relatively fragile and sensitive because their intestinal tracts are not yet fully mature. The following conditions may cause your puppy to develop diarrhea:
- Tendency to become nervous when encountering new environments.
- Getting too excited about playing.
- Eating raw and cold foods.
- Eating foods to which they are allergic.
Some feeds contain allergic substances or food additives that may also cause diarrhea in dogs. If your dog has a sensitive gut, it is advisable to consider hypoallergenic ingredients when choosing food and feed.
If parents want to help their children change feeds, they should also use a gradual approach to changing feeds. Because each feed brand has a different nutritional composition, a sudden change of feed may result in diarrhea as the dog's intestines are unable to adapt for a while.
Vet advice: If pet parents want to change the feed, you can add a small amount of the new feed to the original feed, and then slowly change the ratio of the old feed to the new feed within 1 week, which can effectively avoid the gastrointestinal discomfort caused by changing the feed.
If your dog accidentally ingests foreign objects, such as toys, rubber bands, wires, and small items, as they are indigestible, they can easily lead to intestinal obstruction, which can cause your dog to vomit, have stomach pain and diarrhea.
In addition, if your dog accidentally eats insecticides, medications or fruits that are poisonous to dogs in your home, it may also lead to poisoning and diarrhea.
If it is determined that the diarrhea is caused by gastroenteritis, then it needs to be taken to your vet as soon as possible for a more precise examination and treatment to avoid delays.
Weather changes such as the big temperature difference between day and night during the change of seasons can also easily cause diarrhea, gastrointestinal sensitivity and abnormal peristalsis in dogs. In winter, you can prepare a warm kennel for your dog, so that your dog can have a warm and suitable sleeping environment, and at the same time, you can avoid and improve the diarrhea caused by the weather change.
Nervousness and anxiety can also easily lead to diarrhea in dogs. It is best to bring along carry-on items that can put dogs and cats at ease, such as small quilts for cats, toys and fur puppets for dogs, so that they can slow down their nervousness due to the unfamiliarity of a brand new environment.
Infection with parasites is also one of the most common causes of diarrhea in dogs.
Other diseases that cause symptoms similar to gastroenteritis, such as peritonitis, kidney disease, pancreatitis, nephritis, viral infections, and parasitic infections can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea in dogs. If parents are unable to determine the cause of their dog's diarrhea, it is recommended that they take their dog to the doctor as soon as possible in order to clarify the cause of their dog's diarrhea and to detect and treat it as soon as possible.
What Kind of Poop Means Health?
According to the Bristol Stool Classification published in 1997 by the Department of Medicine at Bristol Royal Infirmary University in the United Kingdom, this is the world's leading authority on stool classification and is used by doctors around the world as a reference for reviewing fecal matter. Dr. Bristol's classification of human stools into seven categories can be applied to your furry children's stools as well!
Type 1: Dry, hard and granular
May be due to the lack of water and dietary fiber, resulting in slow peristalsis, thus showing a granular shape.
Type 2: Sausage-like, rough surface
That is because it stays in the intestinal tract for too long and has a bumpy and rough appearance. If your baby's poop falls into types 1 and 2, you are in danger of constipation!
Type 3: Also sausage-shaped, but with cracks on the surface
There is still a little bit of dryness, but overall it is very close to the standard range, and it would be nice to have a little more water!
Type 4: Sausage or snake-shaped strips with a smooth surface
Congratulations, Mommy and Daddy, your baby's poop is healthy!
Type 5: Soft lumps with clear edges
If your baby's poop is in this category, it is slightly soft.
Type 6: Pastey, but with fluffy edges
This is a clear sign of diarrhea! Be careful! This can lead to dehydration and malnutrition in the long term.
Type 7: completely liquid, no solid shape
This is a sign of severe diarrhea, and in addition to liquidy stools, it may even produce a foul odor. Types 5 to 7 indicate mild to severe diarrhea.
You can try a low-fat, high-fiber diet, adjusting meal times to small, frequent meals, or adding probiotics and other supplemental foods to improve your baby's intestinal health. However, if your baby has diarrhea along with loss of appetite, vomiting and weight loss, or if the diarrhea persists for a period of time and does not improve, it is important to bring your baby to the veterinary clinic!
In addition to looking at the shape, you should also look at the color to get information about your baby's health! You can refer to our color card~ when picking up the poop, you have to pay special attention to observe it! There are 7 colors, representing 7 conditions:
Yellow
A healthy color.
Brown
The fawn and brown colors of your dog's stool represent normal bile secretion and a healthy gut. However, if the feces are too thin and soft, you need to watch out for indigestion, please refer to the next paragraph for more details on feces shapes. Usually, brown is the color of normal stool, which means that your dog is digesting normally.
Orange
Orange-colored stools can also be caused by dietary factors, such as corn, rice, carrots, and other foods with a yellow hue. However, if food factors are ruled out, it could be indigestion or a sign of pancreatitis or gallbladder problems.
Red color
Dogs may turn their poop red if they eat foods with red coloring, like tomatoes, watermelon, and dragon fruit. However, if the owner finds red mucus or blood in the poop after excluding dietary factors, it may be lower gastrointestinal bleeding or anal bleeding. If the baby is depressed and accompanied by fever, it is likely to be acute gastroenteritis. It is recommended to take the animal to the veterinary hospital for further examination.
Black color
The black color of your dog's poop may be a result of eating foods and medications that are high in iron, such as beef, spinach, and iron supplements. Of course, apart from diet, there is also a possibility that the dog has upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and the blood will turn black after digestion just like the iron-containing food. Therefore, owners need to keep an eye on their dog's vitality and appetite, and recommend that they have their dog checked by a veterinarian if there are any abnormalities.
Green color
The green color of your dog's stool may be due to too much green pigment, such as eating too much grass or dark green vegetables. Owners can observe their dog's reaction and stool color over the next few days. If the dog's vigor is normal and the stool gradually turns brown, it means the condition has improved. If there is diarrhea, antibiotics, or rodenticides, the stool may turn green, so bring your dog to the doctor right away!
Gray
Gray stools are caused by jaundice, stones, hardening of the bile ducts, etc., causing obstruction of the intestines and preventing bile from being excreted. Just like humans, the yellowish-brown color in your dog's stools comes from the bile in his body. Therefore, if the stool loses its color and takes on a grayish-white appearance, it is very likely that the pancreas or liver is inflamed, resulting in a blockage of the bile ducts, and the bile cannot be smoothly mixed with the stool, and this is the type of stool that needs to be sent to the veterinary hospital for examination as soon as possible.
Does diarrhea equal gastroenteritis in dogs?
When a dog exhibits any of the following four conditions, it is highly likely that it is suffering from a gastroenteritis reaction:
- Appears in a strange arched back position (or keeps his stomach pressed against the cold ground).
- Watery poop with a strong, foul odor.
- Unexplained vomiting.
- Elevated body temperature to fever.
When owners see their dogs vomiting and having diarrhea and the above symptoms, it means that this may not be a normal dog diarrhea, and they need to be alert immediately and bring their dogs to the veterinary hospital as soon as possible to take advantage of the golden period of treatment and seek veterinary treatment.
Best Remedies and Solutions for Quick Relief
When a dog has gastroenteritis, the veterinarian will give antibiotics or anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrhea medication. If the gastroenteritis is caused by parasites, a course of de-worming medication will be given. During treatment, the dog should be on a reduced diet (or fasted) and given adequate nutrition and hydration in addition to the medications prescribed by the veterinarian. If antibiotics are given, a course of canine probiotics should be given for a period of time after the course of antibiotics is completed.
Since antibiotics tend to inhibit and alter the balance of bacteria in the dog's digestive system, it is best to take a probiotic supplement after antibiotics to help maintain good intestinal bacteria and build up natural immunity.
When Should I Take My Dog to the Doctor?
Many dogs can recover on their own within 1 - 2 days after having diarrhea, so if a healthy dog suddenly has diarrhea, the owner doesn't necessarily have to rush to take the dog to the doctor, but can observe whether the dog's appetite and activity have decreased afterwards before making further decisions. If the dog meets the following 3 conditions, it is recommended to consult a doctor as soon as possible:
The dog has diarrhea for more than 2 consecutive days and shows other symptoms suspected to be gastroenteritis, such as bloody stools, vomiting, weakness, and loss of appetite.
Dogs with severe abdominal pain and symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, owners find that the dog may have accidentally ingested foreign objects or medicines, it is recommended that urgent medical attention must be sought, which is the most dangerous situation.
Dogs with chronic diseases or cancer, such as diabetes, acute and chronic kidney disease, pancreatitis, etc., once diarrhea occurs more than 2 times, it is recommended to seek medical attention.
What Can I Eat If My Dog Has Diarrhea?
Take care of your dog's stomach and intestines just as you would your own. Try to avoid over-seasoned or foods that your dog cannot eat, such as raw foods.
Especially after a dog has diarrhea or gastroenteritis, you should pay more attention to your dog's diet, and you can prepare the following foods to help your dog get the nutrients it needs:
- Rice flour water: boil high quality rice flour in plenty of water, remove the grains and give your dog the rest of the white soup.
- White rice.
- Pumpkin puree / sweet potato puree.
- Unadulterated unflavored yogurt with beneficial bacteria.
- Probiotics for pets, good bacteria that help with digestion and rectify the stomach.
- High quality protein source: hard boiled eggs or chicken.
- Herbs such as fennel have soothing properties for the stomach and intestines.
- Functional formulated feed with pet probiotics.
What Do I Need to Do Before I Go to the Vet?
When you are sure you want to take your dog to the veterinary hospital for a checkup, owners can utilize the 6 questions below to quickly grasp key information that will help the veterinarian more accurately determine your dog's condition and prescribe the appropriate medication.
- When did the diarrhea start?
- Has the dog's diarrhea gotten worse? Are there any other symptoms?
- What is the shape and color of the dog's stool? (Photographs are recommended)
- Is the dog on any medication? Any previous medical history?
- Has the dog been rummaging through garbage cans or food waste bins recently?
- Any cases of accidental ingestion of foreign objects?
- Has there been any recent change in the dog's diet? Has the dog eaten any human food?
Summary: How to Effectively Prevent and Care for Dogs with Diarrhea
Easy-to-digest formulas: Choosing easy-to-digest formulas with small, frequent feedings helps maintain digestive function.
Low-fat design: Helps maintain digestive health in dogs with acute pancreatitis and those who need to restrict fat, and the low calorie content helps maintain ideal body weight.
Contains adequate fiber content: A balanced fiber content is added to absorb excess water from the intestinal tract and aid in stool formation.
Choose a 100% verified additive-free pet probiotic designed specifically for furkids: adheres to a zero-additive policy that effectively avoids artificial chemical additives and rejects food additives that tend to cause abnormal gastrointestinal motility in furkids.
