TREATMENT & MANAGEMENT OF COMMON DOG DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and diseases affect a dog’s stomach and intestines, resulting in pain and other problems. Any disorder that reduces the digestion or absorption of food, or alters its passage through the digestive tract, can be called a digestive disorder. Healthy digestion is essential for your dog to be able to use the nutrients from his food to build and repair tissues and obtain energy. GI disorders can lead to dehydration, acid-base and electrolyte imbalances and malnutrition so it is important to recognize the signs and consult with your veterinarian.
Your dog’s digestive system can normally look after itself, as long as it is getting the right food and nutrition. But even with your care it can sometimes encounter unexpected problems.
Your dog loves the nutritious food and occasional treats you give them – a great meal time is all part of their fun and active lifestyle! When their food is such a source of excitement for them and a pleasure for you, it can be easy to forget about keeping an eye on their digestive health.
Gastroenteritis in dogs refers to an inflammation or irritation of the stomach and intestines. There are many possible causes, such as viruses, cancer, or simply ingesting something that disagrees with the digestive system.
The usual symptoms of gastroenteritis include vomiting and diarrhea, though a range of other digestion-related symptoms may also occur.
Because the causes are numerous, treatment can vary widely. In one case, it may be as simple as withholding food for a time, and in another case, it could be as invasive as surgery.
If you see the symptoms in your dog, you must consult your veterinarian so they can form a proper diagnosis and recommend treatment. Here’s what you should know about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for gastroenteritis in dogs.
Symptoms Of Gastroenteritis In Dogs:
Symptoms of gastroenteritis in dogs typically include vomiting and diarrhea, and an examination of the feces or vomit can sometimes indicate the cause of the problem.
If there are foreign objects like bones, grass, or bits of non-food items, then your dog may have swallowed something disagreeable. If the vomit is dark, then it may indicate internal bleeding.
Dark, tarry feces can also indicate gastrointestinal bleeding. Watery diarrhea often means a problem with the colon, while blood in feces may mean a problem in the colorectal area.
Your vet can rely on samples and tests to determine the exact cause.
Here are a few other symptoms that accompany gastroenteritis:
Dehydration (from fluid loss due to diarrhea and vomiting)
Nausea
Foamy bile in vomit
Dry heaving or gagging, especially after eating or drinking
Abdominal tenderness
Low-grade fever
Depression
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Weight loss (if the condition persists)
Causes Of Gastroenteritis In Dogs
There are many possible causes of gastroenteritis in dogs. They range from simple dietary indiscretion to serious diseases. You should always consult your vet when your dog shows signs of illness so they can determine the cause.
Be ready to provide information about your dog’s diet, any medical conditions, symptoms, information about their vomit and feces, and anything else your vet might ask about further in relation to your dog’s health. This will help them find the underlying condition responsible for your dog’s medical issues.
Here are several possible causes of gastroenteritis in dogs:
Common Causes of Gastroenteritis
Some common causes of vomiting and diarrhea are:
Dietary indiscretion:
Foreign material ingestion, such as toys, fabric, clothing, hair ties, baby pacifiers, and feminine products
Human food/table scraps
Sudden, non-acclimated diet change, like switching from one type of food to another with no gradual introduction phase
Toxin ingestion of items like medications, toxic plants, toxic human food, or chemicals
Ingestion of another pet’s food, such as an older pet eating high-fat/calorie puppy food
Metabolic causes:
Liver failure
Kidney failure
Neoplasia
Low red blood cell count
Inflammatory bowel disease
Infection or virus, like parvovirus in puppies
Gastrointestinal parasites
Foodborne illnesses, such as salmonella poisoning from raw food diets
Food allergies
Stress/anxiety
Allergic/anaphylactic reaction
Reactions to prescribed medications
Dietary indiscretion
Exposure to toxic or poisonous substances
Cancer or tumors
Bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection of the gastrointestinal tract (including stomach flu)
Infections in other areas of the body (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, meningitis, etc.)
Thyroid disease
Pancreatic disease
Addison’s disease
Treatments For Gastroenteritis In Dogs:
Treatments for gastroenteritis in dogs vary widely depending on the underlying cause of the inflammation or irritation of the stomach and intestines. In the case of dietary indiscretion, your vet may recommend withholding food for 24 to 48 hours.
Keeping your dog hydrated after loss of fluids due to diarrhea and vomiting is important. Depending on the severity of your dog’s dehydration, a vet may recommend intravenous fluids in order to replenish electrolytes and hydration.
For infections, your vet may prescribe medication and advise that you also monitor the situation closely at home, making sure that your dog only gets small amounts of bland food and plenty of water.
Here are some general tips for feeding your dog:
Your dog will enjoy a good quality, complete dog food most, as not only will it have the right balance of nutrients, a good level of palatability will ensure they really enjoy it.
Your dog probably knows all kinds of tricks to persuade you to give them table scraps! Firmly but kindly ignore ‘begging behaviour’ for additional food.
When your dog is focused on getting table scraps, give lots of hugs, praise and playtime instead, which you’re both able to enjoy!
It’s best to feed your dog at regular scheduled times. Use the correct amount of food to maintain your dog’s optimum body condition so they stay in tip-top shape.
Signs of dog digestive problems to look out for:
If your dog’s appetite changes, or they become a fussy eater, it may be normal – dogs can sometimes be unpredictable, after all! However, it could also indicate an underlying medical problem, so if you are worried about their health make sure you seek veterinary advice. If you don’t think the problem is to do with their digestive system, you can read about other general symptoms to look out for instead.
Digestive problems in dogs are wide-ranging and can include symptoms such as:
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Excess gas or flatulence
Straining when passing stools
Blood or mucus in the stools
If your dog is showing any of these signs it could be an indicator of dog digestive health problems such as gastroenteritis, colitis, stress diarrhoea, or constipation.
Of course it’s impossible to keep an eye on your dog every second of the day, but watch out for what they eat when out and about – they might see something that looks ‘tasty’!
Keep rubbish and other ingestible materials out of reach of your dog, as their natural curiosity might lead them to have a nibble!
Managing your dog’s gastroenteritis:
First of all, your vet will be the best person to diagnose your dog’s gastroenteritis.
If your dog has gastroenteritis you will want to treat it right away, but remember that the management of your dog’s digestion condition will depend on its severity.
If your dog is dehydrated, fluid therapy may be required. If they’re vomiting frequently, your vet may recommend withholding food and/or water for 12 to 24 hours.
Before making any dietary changes, any dog showing signs of vomiting or diarrhoea should be seen by your vet.
How can you help to prevent gastroenteritis?
As gastroenteritis can be caused by many different things it’s hard to totally prevent, but there are ways in which you can help to reduce the risk.
Discourage your dog from scavenging (if your dog persistently eats things they shouldn’t when out and about, consider training them with a muzzle to stop this)
If you are planning on switching your dog’s diet, do so by slowly introducing the new food bit by bit to give your dog time to adjust
Ensure your dog is up to date on their vaccinations to prevent them from serious diseases such as parvovirus, which affects your dog’s gastrointestinal tract
Make sure that your dog is up to date on their worming medication.
Colitis in dogs:
Colitis, another digestive disorder in dogs, is the inflammation of the colon (also known as the large intestine). Colitis can be ‘acute’ (beginning suddenly and ending quickly) or ‘chronic’ (where it will last longer and keep returning).
Signs of colitis in your dog include seeing blood and/or mucus in their stools, diarrhoea, and frequently passing small amounts of stool. If your dog has chronic colitis, they may lose weight too.
Things that could cause colitis in your dog include:
Bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections
Eating non-food items such as grass, plastic or fabric
Food allergy
How to reduce your dog’s risk of colitis:
As far as you can, keep an eye on your dog and what they eat, and keep rubbish and other ingestible materials out of reach. Sometimes they’re a bit too adventurous in their tastes, no matter how bad something might be for them!
Managing dog’s colitis:
Your vet will tell you how your dog’s colitis can be managed; normally this is easily done through diet and medication, such as a dietary supplement. A dietary supplement will provide additional nutritional support, ensuring your dog still gets everything they need to stay on top of the world.
Stress diarrhoea in dog:
Dogs can suffer from diarrhoea just like we do. Stress diarrhoea in pets is a common response to stress or anxiety – that is, your dog’s diarrhoea might happen because they’re worried about something. Examples of stressful situations that can trigger digestive problems in dogs are wide ranging – and it depends on what your dog finds particularly anxiety-inducing!
Stressful situation that may trigger stress diarrhoea in dogs include:
Adoption
Boarding
Separation from you
Changes in your household or their environment
The introduction of a new pet or family member, even if they are destined to become best friends!
How to reduce your dog’s risk of stress diarrhoea:
Your dog will be at less risk of stress diarrhoea if you ease them into changes gradually and make transitions as smooth as possible. Some vets may recommend a pro-biotic supplement, which adds beneficial bacteria to your dog’s intestine to restore balance.
Pro-biotic supplements can also be used if you know a stressful situation is coming up; this way, you may prevent the problem before it starts.
As with prevention, a pro-biotic supplement can be used to calm your dog’s digestive tract and make everything ‘normal’ again.
Constipation in dogs:
Another treatable digestive disorder in your pet is constipation. If your dog is straining to pass stools, or if they are hard or particularly small, this might be the problem.
Causes constipation:
There are many reasons why your dog might become constipated. These include:
Dehydration
A lack of fibre
An enlarged prostate
However, constipation can also indicate more serious digestive disorders in dogs such as a growth, a tumour or neurological problems. These wouldn’t be the most common causes of constipation by any means, but your vet will happily check your dog over to make sure.
How to reduce your dog’s risk of constipation:
To reduce your canine companion’s risk of constipation, make sure they have enough fibre or ‘roughage’ in their diet. It is also important to make sure your dog is drinking plenty of water and getting enough exercise, which can all help.
If your dog has sudden or persistent constipation, it’s time for a trip to the vet just to be sure that nothing else is wrong.
Managing your dog’s constipation:
Fibre, which your dog should get in their food, helps reduce constipation. This is because fibre absorbs water, which makes the food in their intestines bulkier and easier to pass. It also stimulates the movement of the intestinal tract and normalizes the passing of stools.
A good quality, complete dog food is formulated to provide the right nutrition for your dog, including levels of fibre. The fibre often found in complete, manufactured dog foods include beet pulp or the bran of oats, rice and wheat – all of which are tasty for your dog too!
Fibre is good for your dog, but remember that too much can have adverse effects. These include loose stools, flatulence (gas) and increased stool volume.
Effective treatment for your dog:
Treatment for dog constipation may be different depending on the cause. Possible treatments include medication, a stool softener, or a high fibre diet – whatever you need to keep your dog’s digestive system healthy so you can enjoy each other’s company without worry!
Depending on the severity of this digestive problem in dogs, treatment can also involve short-term or long-term dietary management or medicine. If additional tests are needed to find out what’s wrong with your dog, your vet may recommend laboratory analyses, x-rays, or endoscopy. (Endoscopy involves inserting a tube with a small video camera into your dog’s digestive tract so the problem is visible.) In some cases, a sample of gut may also need to be taken, or abdominal surgery required – none of these sound particularly pleasant, but in the end they will all help your dog.
General treatment of dog digestive problems:
Some problems may simply resolve themselves once your dog’s digestive system is given a chance to rest. However, as more serious conditions could result in weight loss, dehydration and debilitation, you should see your vet with any concerns – they can easily advise you and determine the appropriate treatment for your dog.
Dr. Santosh Giri
B. V. Sc & A. H.
Veterinary Officer,
AHD,Ghazipur, U. P.
