Baby food for dog diarrhea
Five Foods to Feed Your Dog When He's Sick – American Kennel Club
Feeding a sick dog is challenging. Decreased appetite, upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting make caring for a sick dog stressful for both you and your pet. A bland diet can help relieve some of these symptoms while also giving your dog the nutrition he needs to recover.
The following five recipes are intended for use for dogs with mild stomach upset, including gas, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. As these symptoms are occasionally signs of a more serious problem, always check with your vet before taking treatment into your own hands. Only use these recipes once you have ruled out other health risks and discussed your plan with your veterinarian; and remember that dogs with existing health conditions like diabetes, cancer, allergies, and senior dogs might need additional nutrition to stay healthy.
Chicken and Rice
Chicken and rice are prime ingredients in many dog foods, and these mild foods sit well on upset canine stomachs. Plus, this bland meal is easy to prepare. All you need are boneless, skinless chicken breasts and rice. White rice is lower in nutritional value than brown rice, but its blandness makes it more suitable for upset stomachs. Oils, butter, and added seasonings can irritate your dog’s stomach and make the problem worse, so stick with plain boiled chicken and rice and save the extra stuff for your own meal. Make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly and cut or shred it into small, bite-sized pieces for your dog, since enthusiastic canines might choke on this unexpected treat. You can also purchase many bland chicken and rice foods if you prefer not cooking.
Shredded Chicken
Shredded chicken is easy on upset stomachs and acts as a huge eating incentive for dogs with decreased appetites. Plain, unseasoned, boiled, shredded chicken is easy to digest and is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fats, and amino acids, making it a great snack for dogs feeling under the weather. Chicken keeps in the fridge for three-to-four days, or you can freeze it for two-to-six months. Packaged shredded chicken is available to buy online.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin and sweet potato have similar digestive health benefits. Like sweet potatoes, pumpkin is also high in fiber, which helps regulate canine digestive systems. Cooked, peeled, unsalted, and unseasoned pumpkin contains vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, copper, and manganese, giving your dog a nutritional boost along with a little digestive help.
Adding pumpkin to your dog’s meal usually helps regulate mild constipation. Veterinarians recommend one to four tablespoons of pumpkin, depending on your dog’s size. Canned pumpkin is a convenient alternative to preparing pumpkin yourself, as long as it is unseasoned. Feeding your dog a can of pumpkin pie filling might end up sending you back to the vet, as the spices and sugars could irritate your dog’s stomach and cause further complications. There are also many pumpkin powders you can buy to add to your dog’s food.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is a very mild, liquid meal that sits easily in upset canine stomachs. It is also a nutritious and delicious way to add moisture and flavor to dry food and encourage dogs with reduced appetites to eat. To make a bone broth for dogs, fill a crock-pot with beef marrow bones or bones with plenty of joints, like turkey and chicken legs. Cover the bones with 2-3 inches of water, cover, and cook on low for 20-24 hours.
Let the broth cool for 2-to-3 hours in the fridge to let the fat form a hardened layer at the top. Scoop it off and store the jelly-like broth in the refrigerator. If you want to use the broth to add moisture to dry food, microwave the broth just long enough for it to go from a semi-solid jelly to a liquid, but not long enough to get hot, as hot broths can burn your dog’s mouth. Freeze the broth in small containers like an ice cube tray for later use.
While bone broth is full of healthy bone marrow, cooked bones themselves are incredibly dangerous for dogs. Make sure you remove all of the bones from your broth before serving. Save yourself a trip to the emergency room and strain the broth just to make sure no small bones escaped your notice. For convenience, you can purchase a bone broth safe for dogs online.
Baby Food
Veterinary emergency hospitals often use certain types of baby food to feed the dogs in their care. Baby food is very easy to swallow and digest and is a great way to give oral medications. Veterinarians recommend feeding Stage II meat-based baby foods like chicken, lamb, and turkey, as long as the baby food does not contain any garlic or onion powder.
You may also consider an over-the-counter stomach and diarrhea treatment.
While none of these recipes should be used as a replacement for proper medical care, feeding a bland diet can alleviate some of your dog’s intestinal discomfort while also providing him with foods he’ll love. These five recipes for dog digestive health also make delicious treats for when your dog starts feeling better, so consider saving some for later to reward your canine patient.
What to Feed a Dog With Diarrhea: 6 Foods to Try
By: Dr. Sarah WootenUpdated:
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What Do You Feed a Dog With Diarrhea? Try These 6 Foods
Let’s be honest: No one wants to deal with dog diarrhea. But if you’ve landed on this article, chances are that your dog is suffering from the dreaded “runs”—and you want to clear it up fast. (Who wouldn’t?) Here’s the good news: By feeding the right foods in the right way, you can help stop your dog’s diarrhea and heal their gut. So what do you feed a dog with diarrhea? Here’s what you need to know.
Click the buttons below to jump to that section:
Is My Dog’s Diarrhea an Emergency?
When to Feed a Dog With Diarrhea
6 Foods to Feed a Dog With Diarrhea
Other Dog Diarrhea Solutions
When to Feed a Dog With Diarrhea
OK, you’ve ruled out a medical emergency and you’re ready to feed your dog. But is your dog’s body ready for food?
Whether your dog has a single bout of diarrhea or has had multiple episodes, the recommendation remains the same: You need to rest your dog’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Resting the GI tract by withholding food for a short period of time allows the intestines to heal because they aren’t busy digesting food.
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So how long should you withhold food after an episode of diarrhea? The answer depends on several factors, including the overall health, age and size of the dog, the underlying cause of diarrhea and any medications that are being administered.
For healthy, adult dogs, try withholding food for around 12 hours. So, if your healthy, adult dog has a single bout of diarrhea in the morning, withhold food for the day and offer a small amount of bland food at dinner time. (More on that below.) If your dog has diarrhea in the evening, withhold food for the rest of the evening and offer a small, bland meal in the morning. It is OK to offer water as long as your dog can hold it down and it doesn’t trigger more bouts of diarrhea.
There’s one important exception to this rule: Do not withhold food from dogs who need regular feeding to survive. These include:
- Puppies
- Toy breeds like Chihuahuas and Maltese
- Senior dogs
- Dogs with health issues
Withholding food from these dogs can lead to dangerously low blood sugar levels and other emergencies. For these pups, consult your veterinarian at the first sign of diarrhea.
Is My Dog’s Diarrhea an Emergency?
Before we can even talk about what to feed a dog with diarrhea, you need to rule out a medical emergency that needs immediate veterinary attention. Diarrhea in dogs is sometimes no big deal, but it can sometimes be severe or life threatening. Signs that your dog needs to see a vet include:
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Bloody diarrhea, or diarrhea that has digested blood, which looks like coffee grounds
- Diarrhea that has lasted longer than two days
- Signs of dehydration, including dry gums and skin tenting (aka skin that doesn’t snap back into place when you pull it)
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Signs of abdominal pain (bloating, groaning, panting rapidly, not wanting to be touched, or “prayer position,” aka a stance with the dog’s rear up in the air and their front legs and head on the floor)
- Acting excessively tired or weak
In some dogs, diarrhea is always an emergency. For these pets, call your vet at the first sign of diarrhea:
- Puppies
- Senior dogs
- Dogs who are already sick or debilitated due to a pre-existing condition such as diabetes or heart disease
- Dogs on new medication (which could be causing the diarrhea)
If your dog fits any of these criteria, call your vet for advice immediately.
What to Feed a Dog With Diarrhea
It’s finally time to for your dog to have a small meal—but what do you feed a dog with diarrhea? Look for bland, easily digestible food that is soothing to the GI tract. (We’ve got six tried-and-true suggestions below.)
No matter which of these foods you choose, you should start with a small amount:
- For small breeds, start with a tablespoon of food
- For large breeds, start with a golf ball-sized portion of food, around 2 tablespoons
Here are a few great foods to try:
1 Lean Protein
Low-fat meats are gentle on your dog’s stomach, while still providing important protein. Try meats like:
- Chicken breast (no skin)
- Lean ground hamburger
- Turkey
To Prepare: Chop into small bites, boil until uncooked, then drain. Do not add seasoning, oil, butter or salt.
2 White Rice
White rice provides healthy calories without much flavor that could irritate the GI tract. Avoid serving “minute rice” or brown rice to your dog; high-quality white rice is best.
To Prepare: Rinse the rice well, then follow the instructions on the rice package. Serve at room temperature. You might consider adding lean protein (see above) to make a 50/50 mixture of lean protein and rice.
3 Potatoes
Both white potatoes and sweet potatoes are easily digestible starches, making them ideal to serve to dogs with diarrhea. But do not serve raw potatoes to a dog; they must be cooked. That’s because potatoes contain a compound called solanine, which can be toxic to dogs. Baking reduces the levels of solanine in a potato, making them safe to eat.
To Prepare: Cut into bite-size pieces and boil or bake until cooked through. Do not fry or add butter, seasonings or salt.
4 Canned Pumpkin
Plain canned pumpkin can be very helpful for some dogs with diarrhea because of the high fiber content, which helps to regulate digestion. Plain canned pumpkin is different from pumpkin pie filling, which also comes canned and can look similar. Do not serve pumpkin pie filling to dogs. Serve only plain canned pumpkin that you will find in the canned vegetables aisle of your supermarket. Because the two can look similar, double-check to be sure you’re using plain canned pumpkin before serving to your dog.
To Prepare: Simply spoon out small amounts into your dog’s bowl. For small to medium dogs, offer 1-3 teaspoons. For large dogs, offer 1-3 tablespoons.
5 Prescription Dog Food
Many dog food brands have therapeutic lines that target specific health issues, including diarrhea. Therapeutic diets are formulated to specifically address the cause of diarrhea and resolve it, and typically require a prescription from your vet. Some widely used therapeutic foods for dogs with diarrhea include Hill’s I/D and Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Formula.
Depending on the cause of your dog’s diarrhea, your dog may benefit from a food made for specific health conditions. For example, feeding a hypoallergenic food or a novel protein food (food made from a type of protein your dog has not eaten before) may help dogs who suffer diarrhea due to allergies. Read more about food allergies here.
To Prepare: Follow the instructions on the food package.
6Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs
Other commercial dog foods are formulated to help dogs with GI problems and do not require a prescription from your vet. These include Hill's Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food, which includes prebiotic fibers to assist in digestion; and Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Lamb & Oatmeal Formula Dry Dog Food, which contains live probiotics to regulate your pup’s gut.
These foods may not help all dogs, but they can be helpful in some cases. If you don’t notice any improvement within a day or two of feeding this food, consult your vet.
To Prepare: Follow the instructions on the food package.
Continue feeding your dog a bland diet until their stools have been normal for two to three days. In the meantime, you can slowly increase the amount of food you give them, if your dog will tolerate it. Remember: If your dog’s diarrhea has lasted longer than two days, call your vet.
When it’s time to transition back to your dog’s normal diet, make the switch slowly to avoid upsetting your pup’s stomach yet again. Start by mixing a small amount of your dog’s usual food with the bland food. Over the course of three to five days, slowly increase the ratio of regular food to bland food, until your dog’s diet is 100 percent back to normal. Find out more about switching your dog’s food.
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Other Dog Diarrhea Solutions
Sometimes, bland food is not enough to heal the gut and stop the diarrhea. Additional support, such as medications or supplements, may be required to resolve the problem. But before you offer any of the below to your dog, consult your veterinarian—they’re in the best position to assess your dog’s condition and determine what treatments will most effectively treat it.
Probiotics
Think of probiotics as the “good guys” in your dog’s GI tract. When “bad guys” like e. Coli or salmonella overgrow inside your dog’s gut, they can throw the whole system out of whack, resulting in diarrhea. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help resolve diarrhea by restoring that internal balance.
If your dog is on an antibiotic, separate administration of probiotics and antibiotics by at least one hour to prevent the antibiotic from killing the probiotics, and choose a probiotic that has guaranteed live bacterial colony forming units, or CFUs. Many products list a CFU count right on the label of ingredients. Zesty Paws Probiotic Pumpkin Chews, for example, comes packed with 3 billion CFUs.
See the best probiotics for dogs as rated and reviewed by dog parents like you.
Kaolin Clay and Pectin
Kaolin clay and pectin and bismuth subsalicylate—as found in OTC products Kaopectate and Pepto Bismol—are protective of the intestinal lining, and may resolve diarrhea and help heal the gut. Vetoquinol Pro-Pectalin Medication for Diarrhea for Cats & Dogs contains both to treat diarrhea caused by stress, dietary changes, and other non-medical causes.
What to Feed a Dog With Diarrhea: Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
Can fruits help a dog with diarrhea?
A:Giving fruit to a dog with diarrhea is unlikely to help their condition. Many fruits contain acids and other elements that may upset your dog's stomach even more. Stick to bland, easily digestible food to help your dog.
Q:
Can vegetables help a dog with diarrhea?
A:Starchy vegetables like potatoes are bland and easily digestible, making them a good choice to feed your dog with diarrhea. Other vegetables are not recommended, as they could further upset your dog's stomach.
Q:
What should I not feed a dog who has diarrhea?
A:When a dog has diarrhea, a wide variety of foods can make it worse. Stick to a limited diet of bland, starchy foods, and do not feed seasonings, butter or oils. Keep your pet's portions small at first, too—a meal that's too big can delay their recovery.
So yeah, diarrhea is one of the ickiest parts of pet parenting—but you can help speed your pup’s recovery by knowing what to feed a dog with diarrhea. Before long, both you and your dog should be back to normal—and if symptoms persist after two days, your vet can help, too.
To recap:
- Determine whether your dog’s diarrhea is a medical emergency, and consult your vet if needed.
- Withhold food for 12 hours to let your dog’s GI tract rest and heal. (Consult your vet before withholding food from puppies, small breeds, senior dogs and dogs with health issues.)
- Serve a bland diet in small amounts.
- When your dog’s stools have returned to normal for two to three days, gradually reintroduce their usual diet.
- Call your vet if your dog’s diarrhea does not resolve within two days.
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What to feed a dog with diarrhea: rules and features of clinical nutrition
Every dog owner sooner or later faces diarrhea in a pet. A number of questions immediately arise: feed, what and when? Inexperienced dog owners, who cannot determine the cause of the disease, honor themselves especially uncomfortable. Let's figure out whether it is necessary to feed a dog with diarrhea and how not to aggravate the pet's condition.
Contents
- 1 Causes of diarrhea
- 2 Diet and home care
Causes of diarrhea
Indigestion and its consequences in the form of diarrhea is far from a harmless disorder. It should be understood that diarrhea caused by some reason will not go away on its own, and the dog's condition will worsen. Unfortunately, in most cases, diarrhea is just a symptom of an illness that has already reached the digestive system. A relatively harmless condition, except that diarrhea caused by stress, can be considered, and this statement is doubtful.
Conclusions about how to treat and whether it is possible to feed a dog with diarrhea will vary greatly depending on the causes of the disease. Changes in diet and a special diet can really help if diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems are triggered by malnutrition. For example, if a dog receives bones and suffers from a disorder, removing them from the diet will greatly improve the situation. Of course, a lot depends on the time during which the disturbances fluttered, the state of metabolism and the health of the dog in general.
A fairly common mistake that leads to the development of diarrhea is feeding too much after a fast or a sudden change in nutrition . The owner picks up a puppy on the street or buys from a breeder. A pet that has appeared in the house is surrounded by care and receives a variety of sweets. The puppy's digestive system is not ready for drastic changes and the expected reaction occurs - a disorder develops. Attributing what is happening to adaptation, the owner continues to feed the puppy with diarrhea, which aggravates the situation even more.
Important! All new foods should be introduced into the puppy's diet gradually and in small portions.
Diarrhea is a natural reaction when eating:
- A large amount of food (overeating).
- Spoiled products.
- Treats from the owner's table.
- Leftover food on the streets.
- Some captured insects.
- Poisonous plants - in this case, there is also a threat of poisoning.
In all the above cases, abrupt relief of diarrhea is contraindicated. By producing large volumes of mucus, the body protects the intestinal wall and is cleansed. You should not drastically intervene in the process even if diarrhea has become one of the symptoms of an allergy. In this case, the more important goal is to find and eliminate the product that caused the sharp reaction in the body. However, it is not worth letting the development of the disease take its course. If the allergen is not eliminated in time, diarrhea will worsen. which will lead to the loss of large volumes of fluid and dehydration.
Please note! Diarrhea should be considered as a complex problem or symptom, since it rarely acts as an independent disease.
Before diagnosing a pet with diarrhea, you need to make sure that he does not suffer from constipation. This is also a digestive disorder, but it leads to the fact that feces accumulate in the intestines and do not come out naturally. Most often, the condition develops due to a lack of fluid, the feces become too dry, compressed and hard. When constipated, the intestines also produce a large volume of mucus and it comes out of the anus. This condition is called false diarrhea.
Diarrhea often indicates parasite infestation . It is generally accepted that a dog that has fleas is most likely affected by worms. The reason is that blood-sucking parasites are carriers of helminth larvae. The development of diarrhea often leads to severe infestation with roundworms, such as roundworms. The fact is that in the process of life, worms constantly release toxins, which irritates the intestinal walls. In order to protect the mucous membranes produce more fluid, which provokes the development of diarrhea.
Important! If the dog has not received deworming prophylaxis for a long time, after taking the drug, after 2-3 hours, it should be given a laxative. The problem is that dead worms gather in lumps and quickly decompose, and a lot of toxins enter the dog's body.
In case of poisoning, the dog's body suffers from intoxication. Rapid clearance mechanisms, vomiting and diarrhea, are the first warning signs. The development of the clinical picture depends on the nature of the toxins. If the dog has food poisoning, surgical treatment at home will give good results. When it comes to poisons or chemicals, antidote injections and detoxification should be included in the therapeutic measures, and only a doctor can apply such measures.
The most alarming case is when diarrhea is a symptom of the virus infection. With such a development of events, self-treatment is unacceptable and dangerous. Viruses progress very quickly, so delay can lead to serious complications. Naturally, in addition to diarrhea, the dog develops other symptoms, for example, a fever.
Diet and home care
The only right decision you can make is to go to a clinic for qualified help. If treatment by a veterinarian is not possible, you have no choice but to try to help the animal. During diarrhea, the main goal is to prevent dehydration . If water, salt and electrolyte metabolism is disturbed in the pet's body, it will be much more difficult to achieve positive dynamics.
It happens that dehydration sets in very quickly, even before the owner has begun to take action. In this case, if the dog is being treated at home, buffer solutions should be administered subcutaneously. If the pet does not refuse water, he needs to drink Ringer's solution. In case of refusal to drink, the total volume of fluid administered subcutaneously should not be less than the daily rate of water.
Important! Refusal of water is a serious symptom. If you are unable to take your dog to the veterinarian, you need to contact the doctor at least remotely.
In most cases, diarrhea occurs due to damage to the intestines by colonies of protozoan, unfriendly bacteria. Metronidazole and analogues of this drug have a wide spectrum of action and often improve the condition. The use of drugs is contraindicated if the dog suffers from chronic liver diseases.
Important! Self-treatment of diarrhea should not be delayed for more than 3 days. If there is no positive dynamics, you can consider the situation critical, and the chosen therapy is erroneous.
Diarrhea with blood can indicate a number of ailments, the most difficult of which is internal bleeding. If your dog is constantly bleeding, there is nothing you can do on your own. If the inclusions of blood are due to partial damage to the intestine, Dicinone and similar preparations. To control the condition of the animal, it is recommended to constantly measure the temperature and monitor the color of the mucous membranes.
On the first day (puppies in the first 10-12 hours), the dog should not be fed. A starvation diet helps eliminate intestinal irritation. In the normal course of events, the dog will look dull, but not too sickly. Blueness of the mucous membranes, a drop in body temperature, tremors or convulsions, and breathing problems indicate that the dog has more than just diarrhea.
If the dog is drinking well and the diarrhea is not chronic and has decreased after the fast, you can try the therapeutic diet . Naturally, the condition of the pet must be strictly monitored. If your pet is on a commercial diet, the therapeutic diet should be natural.
Feeding should be started gradually, in small portions. The daily norm of food is divided into 4-6 parts. The dog will eat with great appetite and ask for more, but you should not succumb to manipulation. Low-fat broth is good for the first feeding. Chopped, boiled white meat can be added to the broth. Even in a state of severe dehydration, dogs usually take rice water and boiled rice well. For puppies, baby food (meat puree) is often recommended, but here you need to be vigilant and carefully read the composition.
Important! During an attack and 3-4 days after diarrhea, the dog should not be given milk. If you are sure that diarrhea is caused by poisoning, the recommendation is reversed, since milk is a natural absorbent.
30-40 minutes after feeding, the dog should be given activated charcoal, which will quickly eliminate the formed toxins. Water can be partially replaced with a decoction of chamomile, flax or St. John's wort, these herbs help to heal the mucous membranes. If, after eating, the stool fluid increases, the dog is drunk with a decoction of oak bark. This liquid is bitter and, most likely, you will have to drink it forcibly, but the decoction has a good astringent effect.
It is recommended to give the dog Smecta or other enveloping preparations during the diet. After diarrhea, the walls of the intestines and stomach are irritated, which leads to a more acute, atypical reaction to food. An overdose of enveloping preparations, as well as absorbents, is practically impossible, so they must be applied several times a day until the symptoms of the disease disappear completely. After recovery, the dog's intestines will be partially filled with unfriendly bacteria, resulting in partial indigestion. The dog will get back in shape faster if probiotic supplements or natural fermented milk products are introduced into his diet.
The dog has diarrhea - what to do at home
The pet's diarrhea interferes with the usual way of life. You have to walk more often, anxiety for health distracts from everyday affairs, doubts torment you - to take to the doctor or treat yourself. In the article I will tell you when an animal needs veterinary care, in what cases you can stop diarrhea in a dog yourself, what to do at home.
Contents:
- How does diarrhea develop?
- 8 causes of dysbacteriosis with diarrhea.
- Overview of infectious diseases with diarrhea.
- How to stop diarrhea in a dog, what to do at home - step by step instructions.
- When you need the help of a veterinarian - 9 alarming symptoms.
- What to feed and water a dog for the first 7 days after diarrhea?
- 3 veterinary preparations for diarrhea and analogues from the human pharmacy.
- Video. The veterinarian tells about first aid for a dog with diarrhea.
How does diarrhea develop in a dog
The intestines of a dog consists of 2 sections: thin and thick. In the first, food from the stomach is broken down, useful components and water are absorbed. Unnecessary residues move into the large intestine, then to be excreted in the form of feces.
Inflammation of any origin disrupts this well-established process:
- absorption of mineral compounds is disrupted, they attract water, which immediately comes out;
- the mucous membrane is damaged, blood and pus seep into the lumen;
- increased secretion of intestinal juice, mucus, which increase the volume of feces;
- accelerates peristalsis.
One or a combination of these disorders becomes the precursors of diarrhea, according to scientific diarrhea. Inflammation of the small intestine is called enteritis, and that of the large intestine is called colitis.
By the nature of the stool, one can determine in which section the inflammatory focus has formed:
- A lot of fluid enters the small intestine, food is broken down, so the stool is plentiful, watery, sometimes with pieces of undigested food.
- There is little liquid in the large intestine, the inflammatory focus is closer to the anus, it is more difficult to hold feces. The stool is frequent, small in volume, often contains blood, mucus.
Acute diarrhea occurs suddenly and lasts from 1 day to 2 weeks. If the cause is not eliminated, it becomes chronic and does not stop for weeks.
The main danger of diarrhea is dehydration. Water maintains normal blood pressure, participates in metabolic processes. With a lack of fluid, the functions of the kidneys, liver, and heart are impaired. Puppies and older animals react more severely to lack of moisture.
Non-infectious causes of diarrhea in dogs
About 500 types of microbes live in the intestines of animals. In a healthy dog with normal microflora, 90% are necessary for the body, “good” bacteria, 9% are conditionally pathogenic, less than 1% are random from the external environment.
Friendly bacteria perform a lot of useful functions, preventing harmful microbes from multiplying. When the ratio changes, the protection weakens, this condition is called dysbacteriosis or dysbiosis.
The animal loses its appetite, diarrhea occurs, gas formation increases, here are the possible causes of this disorder:
- Improper feeding. Dog digestion is sensitive to excess carbohydrates and fat.
- Abrupt feed change. Certain enzymes are responsible for breaking down food. When the diet changes rapidly, digestion does not have time to rebuild.
- Incorrect use of antibiotics. Antimicrobials kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria. With the right dosage, the intestinal microflora self-regenerates in 2 to 3 days without consequences. Complications begin if the dose or duration of the medication prescribed by the veterinarian is exceeded.
- Overeating. The digestive system can not cope with a large amount of food.
- Food intolerance. This property is congenital and acquired. The body lacks the necessary enzymes for the processing and assimilation of feed components.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Yellow or orange diarrhea indicates problems with the liver. Black stool is a sign of bleeding in the stomach, small intestine. They occur with ulcers, tumors, poisoning with chemicals that have corroded the mucous membranes. Gray or gray-green indicates inflammation of the pancreas - pancreatitis. White diarrhea occurs when the bile ducts are blocked.
- Mechanical damage from bits of swallowed bones or other objects. If the wounds are formed in the stomach or upper section, the diarrhea is black. In case of damage to the large intestine and anus - stool with stripes of scarlet blood.
- In sensitive dogs diarrhea begins after nervous tension. Stress hormones - cortisol, prolactin, adrenaline - interfere with the digestive system, disrupt the water-salt balance. The animal urinates more often, the stool becomes liquid, light. Dogs of small, decorative breeds are more susceptible to stress.
Chronic diarrhea often occurs due to impaired digestion and absorption of food. This happens due to improper feeding, lack of bile flow to the intestines, damage to the mucous membranes.
Infectious diseases with diarrhea
This group includes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites:
- Food toxic infections. This word hides disorders associated with conditionally pathogenic bacteria - clostridia, campylobacter, less often Escherichia. They live peacefully in the intestines of a healthy dog. With an increase in the population, the release of toxic products increases. The animal begins watery greenish diarrhea, sometimes vomiting. Bacteria enter the body along with infected meat, dairy products.
- Intestinal parasites. Worms mechanically destroy the mucous membranes. Microtraumas bleed, waste products of helminths are toxic to dogs. When examining feces, mucus, streaks of blood, traces of parasites are found - eggs, larvae, adults.
- Parvovirus enteritis. The first signs of the disease are a complete refusal to eat and drink and exhausting vomiting with mucus. After 6 - 24 hours, diarrhea begins. The stool is at first watery, yellowish-gray, then brown, dark red, fetid, sometimes with traces of blood.
- Coronavirus enteritis. The disease develops as a parvovirus infection, but dogs tolerate it more easily.
- Adenovirus hepatitis. The dog becomes lethargic, the lymph nodes and liver increase, the eye cornea becomes cloudy, severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea begin.
- Plague of carnivores of the intestinal form. Symptoms of the disease resemble parvovirus, but the animal does not refuse water. Initial symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea with white or yellowish foam.
- Piroplasmosis or babesiosis. The disease is carried by ixodid ticks. The dog's temperature rises sharply to 40, the color of urine changes from dark yellow to brown. On the 2nd - 3rd day, yellow vomiting, diarrhea with blood and mucus begins.
Unvaccinated animals under one year of age are more likely to suffer from viral infections. Puppies under 5 months often die. The only way to protect your pet is to vaccinate on time.
The dog has diarrhea - what to do at home
Do not put off visiting the doctor if the dog refuses to eat, especially drink, looks lethargic, reluctant to go for a walk. Veterinary help is needed when warning signs occur:
- unusual stool color: yellow, gray, white, black, with greenery;
- impurities in the feces - mucus, streaks of blood, pus;
- profuse diarrhea - profuse, watery, incessant;
- wasting vomiting;
- body temperature 40 - 41;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- swollen abdomen;
- purulent discharge from nose and eyes;
- convulsions.
Home treatment is allowed when the dog does not appear ill and does not have the severe symptoms listed.
In this case, proceed in order:
- Temporarily remove any food, but leave water.
- Remember what the dog was fed for the last 2-3 days, what he could swallow on the street.
- If poisoning is suspected, gastric lavage. First, drink plenty of water at room temperature of 21 - 24 degrees, then lightly press your finger on the root of the tongue to induce vomiting and clear the stomach of some of the bacteria. If the animal refuses to drink, inject liquid through a syringe.
- After rinsing, give the dog a sorbent: it binds and removes toxic compounds. In mild cases, it helps to quickly stop diarrhea.
- Give antimicrobials for frequent diarrhea and repeated vomiting.
- After the diarrhea stops, add probiotics to the food, they restore the intestinal microflora.
- If diarrhea is caused by helminths, then give antihelminthic drugs, but 2 weeks after the diarrhea stops.
If the diarrhea persists the next day or other warning signs appear, take your dog to the vet.
NSAID painkillers for dogs
How to feed a dog with diarrhea
Any food irritates the stomach, intestines and increases diarrhea, so put your pet on a therapeutic fast: a puppy for 12 hours, an adult dog - for 1-2 days. It is impossible to keep the animal without food for longer.
The dog loses a lot of fluid, so leave water freely available. In a bowl, add a weak herbal decoction - chamomile, string, marshmallow root, oak bark.
If diarrhea occurs more than 5 times a day, the dog refuses water, dilute the Regidron solution. It is sold in a regular pharmacy.
- Pour a sachet of powder into a liter of warm boiled water, mix well.
- Then measure out the required volume of the solution at the rate of 10 ml per 1 kg of animal weight.
- Gradually inject liquid into the pet's mouth through a syringe without a needle over 1 hour.
On the second day, give your dog rice water. Boil the grits in water or beef broth, strain the liquid through a sieve, cool and leave in a bowl next to the water.
From the third day, gradually add new dishes, one daily:
- Rice, herculean porridge. Boil the cereal well in water, let's decoction together in a semi-liquid form.
- Pumpkin puree without additives. Peel the vegetables from the peel and seeds, cut into cubes, boil in unsalted water, grind in puree with a fork or blender. It is convenient for puppies and small dogs to give canned vegetable baby food.
- White meat of chicken, turkey, rabbit. Boil, chop, mix with broth or add to porridge.
- Dairy products: fat-free kefir, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, yoghurt without additives.
- Boiled eggs. Grind, mix with porridge, cottage cheese.
Let's eat food warm, so it smells more attractive and is digested faster. Triple the usual portions, but feed more often, every 3 hours. Maintain the diet for 7-9 days, depending on how the animal feels.
What not to give a dog with diarrhea
For the time being, completely eliminate:
- raw meat;
- fresh vegetables and fruits;
- milk;
- potatoes in any form;
- fatty foods, lard;
- butter and vegetable oil;
- sweets and pastries.
If the dog is accustomed to eating only industrial food, switch it to veterinary lines for animals with indigestion. Do not change the brand, this is an extra load on the stomach and intestines.
Soak dry granules in water for the first week to make them easier to digest. It is useful to transfer the animal to wet food of the usual brand - pates, stews, canned food.
Medicines for diarrhea for dogs
Three groups of drugs can stop diarrhea:
- Sorbents - absorb harmful compounds, pathogenic bacteria and excrete them with feces.
- Antimicrobials - inhibit growth and kill harmful microorganisms.
- Probiotics - contain live beneficial bacteria, displace pathogenic microbes in the gastrointestinal tract and restore normal microflora.
After acute poisoning with debilitating diarrhea, you can pierce the Catozal stimulant solution in a course, it will help you recover faster.
It is safer to treat a dog with veterinary drugs, they give fewer side effects, the exact dosage is already written in the instructions. If the desired medicine is not found, it is replaced with a human preparation.
EnteroZOO for dogs
The drug is produced in the form of a paste based on an organosilicon compound. This porous substance absorbs bacteria, toxins, allergens like a sponge. EnteroZoo is not absorbed into the blood, does not affect the stomach, intestines, does not change the microflora.
4 or 1 st. l. and 1 tsp.
The medicine is injected directly into the mouth close to the root of the tongue or mixed with water and poured through a syringe. Terms of admission depend on the severity of the animal's condition:
- acute poisoning 3-5 days;
- intestinal infections, food allergies, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - up to 3 weeks;
- for prophylaxis - up to 14 days.
Animals respond normally to the drug. It has a neutral taste and smell, it does not contain dyes, sweeteners, preservatives. The drug goes well with other drugs, there are no contraindications.
EnteroZoo is similar in composition, release form, therapeutic effect to the human medicine Enterosgel. It is approved for the treatment of dogs. The regimen for taking the drugs is the same, but the dose of Enterosgel is halved.
Diarkan for dogs
Diarkan for dog diarrhea.The main component of the drug is the antimicrobial substance sulfaguanidine, which suppresses pathogenic bacteria. Ratania extract as part of the preparation envelops the mucous membranes, forms a protective film, prevents toxic substances from penetrating into the bloodstream.
The drug helps with bacterial intestinal infection when the dog ate stale food, picked up discarded food on the street.
Diarkan is produced in the form of sugar cubes, animals willingly eat it with food, water or from their hands. The medicine is given 2 times a day at regular intervals.
Dog weight, kg | A single dose, cube |
to 5 | 0.5 |
1 | |
15 - 30 | 1.5 |
30+ |
You can replace Diarkan with Enterofuril from a regular pharmacy. It is available in powder form in gelatin capsules and suspension. It is more convenient for dogs to use the suspension, it tastes sweet, animals accept it without resistance.
Enterofuril is given twice a day at the rate of 1 ml per 2.5 kg of body weight. It is difficult to measure such an amount with a spoon, so a 5 or 10 ml syringe is used. The course of treatment lasts a week.
Zoonorm for dogs
The preparation contains live bifidobacteria bifidum located on activated carbon particles. Lactose in the composition of the drug promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria.
The drug has a double therapeutic effect: it normalizes the microflora, collects and removes toxic compounds. Zoonorm is prescribed as an additional remedy for diarrhea of any origin:
- bacterial and viral intestinal infections;
- after a course of antibiotics;
- when changing food, food allergies;
- for diarrhea for unknown reasons.
Zoonorm for dogs is available as a powder and packaged in bags of 5, 10 doses each. Single dose of medicine depends on weight and age:
Age | Weight, kg | Single dose |
Puppies up to 3 months | up to 5 | 1 bag/ 5 doses |
more 5 | 2 - 3 doses | |
Adult dogs to 5 kg 9 Kg 9 Kg 9 Kg. 5-dose sachets | ||
5 kg+ | 2-3 10-dose sachets |
Mix with food or cool water. At temperatures above 38 degrees, it loses its medicinal properties. Zoonorm dogs are given for 5 to 7 days 1 time per day. With severe diarrhea, the dose is increased by 2-3 times. Animals tolerate the medicine well, it has no side effects and contraindications.
Other probiotics with a similar therapeutic effect are sold in veterinary pharmacies:
- Lactobifid;
- Laktoferon;
- Bactoneotim;
- Evitalia vet;
- Biocorrector RD.
Now you know how to stop diarrhea in a dog, what to do at home. The main thing is to separate cases of mild illness and serious illness when veterinary care is needed.
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