Bowel obstruction in dogs is one of those diseases in which a delay in veterinary care can lead to the death of a pet. Primary symptoms are not always immediately pronounced and very similar to various poisonings. Some owners unknowingly try to help the dog themselves, exacerbating the situation and losing valuable time. It is important to know the causes, symptoms, and treatment of bowel obstruction in a dog. In this case, noticing the signs of the disease, you can consult a doctor in time.
GIT in dogs
In the gastrointestinal tract of dogs, a large number of juices are constantly produced, which are responsible for the digestion processes. It should be noted that the production of such juices occurs regardless of whether the pet consumes food or water.
A healthy intestine is in constant motion, because it moves the contents of the stomach in the direction from it to the anus. And while food is moving, juices, along with nutrients, are absorbed by the dog’s body through the intestinal wall.
The mechanism of the development of the disease
In the case of manifestation in a dog of symptoms of intestinal obstruction, regardless of the causes that caused the pathology, the circulation processes described above cease. Gastric and intestinal juices continue to be produced in the same volumes, but they can no longer be absorbed and advanced.
With every minute, the volume of stagnant fluid increases and accumulates in the stomach, as well as in the small intestine, provoking vomiting and nausea in the dog. In this case, the animal’s body quickly loses a large amount of minerals and water, especially potassium and sodium.
Many owners try at this moment to give the dog water in order to avoid dehydration. Unfortunately, this only speeds up these processes. As a result, the condition of the pet worsens, and in the places of blockage, necrotic areas of the intestine become dead.
This process develops quickly enough, because the intestinal walls have a delicate and vulnerable structure. When tissue necrosis occurs, the chances of a dog surviving rapidly diminish.
Causes
The reasons for which there are signs of intestinal obstruction in dogs are many, conditionally they can be divided into three main groups:
- Mechanical blockage. The most common type of pathology. It occurs in the following situations: difficult to digest food (bones, veins, etc.), a large portion of food, especially for a long time starving dog, accidentally swallowed foreign objects, accumulation of worms in the intestines. Mechanical obstruction most often occurs through the fault of the owner. After all, when acquiring a dog, you need to know the nutritional rules and become familiar with the fact that you can’t turn on the pet’s menu. Deworming should be carried out at least once every three months. And for games you need to use only special toys. Small household and interior items should not be accessible to the dog. During the walk, you need to ensure that the pet does not try to swallow anything. It happens that even trained animals, having seen an object with a seductive smell, forget about all the prohibitions and skills and swallow it.
- Pathological obstruction. It occurs due to neoplasm in the intestines.
- Physiological blockage. It occurs in connection with activity immediately after feeding and manifests itself as a twisting of the stomach or intestines.
Forms
Symptoms of bowel obstruction in dogs can be chronic or acute. The first do not appear immediately and are most often associated with diseases of the digestive tract. Acute rapidly develop, come suddenly and pronounced. With this form of the disease, the probability of death is high, but since the signs are clearly visible, the owners most often manage to go to the clinic on time.
How to determine
Symptoms of bowel obstruction in dogs resemble poisoning:
- malaise and weakness;
- refusal of water and food;
- nausea and vomiting;
- bloating and abdominal pain.
These signs appear first. Walking the dog, it is worth paying attention to whether there was a bowel movement during the walk. Its absence, combined with a refusal of food, vomiting and abdominal pain are the main symptoms of an obstruction of the intestine, having noticed which, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic.
Without treatment, the pet’s condition will worsen:
- the tone of the abdominal muscles will increase, the dog can stretch its hind legs and strain their tips;
- the owner may notice a strong grunt in the stomach due to accumulated gases;
- unpleasant smell of their mouths, strong belching;
- incessant vomiting.
At this stage, there is necrosis and rupture of the intestine, intoxication of the body, loss of protein and salts, severe dehydration.
It is worth knowing that there is also partial bowel obstruction in dogs. At the same time, a small lumen is present in the intestine through which feces and gases can escape. This can be misleading to the owner of the animal, as a result of which he refuses to visit the veterinarian. It should be remembered that partial obstruction is as dangerous as complete obstruction.
Treatment of bowel obstruction in dogs at home
If you suspect an obstruction of the intestine, the animal cannot be treated on its own.
It is forbidden to give antiemetic drugs, laxatives for constipation, as well as to force the dog to drink and eat forcibly.
To facilitate the well-being of the pet, you can give him an anesthetic or antispasmodic drug.
The only right solution is to visit the veterinary clinic. The death of an animal if untreated can occur 2-3 days after the onset of the first symptoms, in some cases a little later.
Diagnostics
If there are symptoms of bowel obstruction in dogs, the veterinarian uses the following methods to make an accurate diagnosis:
- palpation of the abdomen to detect increased tone, lumps and pain;
- blood and urine tests to identify the degree of poisoning of the body;
- X-ray
- Ultrasound
There are objects that are not visible on x-rays of the intestine. To detect them, the dog is given a special contrast agent.
The main task of the veterinarian is to determine the ability to remove a foreign object without surgery. If this is the case, then carry out the following manipulations:
- washing the intestines with the help of special means or decoctions of herbs with the help of an enema;
- a medicine can be prescribed that stimulates the intestines, is administered in the form of droppers and injections;
- to restore the water-salt balance, the introduction of saline is necessary;
- with pain, painkillers are used.
Treatment
If bowel obstruction in a dog, what to do and how to treat? Only a doctor can prescribe the correct therapy. The effectiveness of conservative therapy is most often questionable. With partial blockage, you can try to use laxatives to eliminate constipation and enemas. But if the pet has complete obstruction, then these methods will cause a bowel rupture.
To facilitate the process of defecation, the animal is poured vegetable oils through the mouth. Use laxatives with caution - it is better to use fruit products, such as lactulose, they improve the secretion of the digestive glands. Enemas give a good effect when blocking the colon with feces or sand.
In most cases, treatment of symptoms of bowel obstruction in a dog is done with surgery. An exception is objects located in the stomach or in the duodenum, which can be removed using gastroscopy.
When making a diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, it is important to operate on the animal without wasting time. Very often it’s difficult for the dog’s owner to decide to give it for surgery, but in the case of obstruction, this is the only salvation. If the animal does not receive surgical assistance, mortality in most cases is one hundred percent.
Prevention
Most often, obstruction is associated with improper feeding of the animal. Most dog owners are sure that the best food for the pet is bone, flour products and food from the table. But the body of a four-legged friend is arranged with significant differences from humans. And the food that is well absorbed by our intestines in the dog’s body leads to pathologies or is rejected.
Dog bones cannot be considered normal foods, especially boiled ones. They turn into sand in the intestines and clog the lumen. Fresh bones are also not considered the best option for feeding - they are only suitable as a means of combating tartar or as a toy. Small bones with sharp edges are especially dangerous for the digestive tract.
The owner of the dog needs to be careful so that she cannot eat various household items and interior items, as well as children's toys if there are children in the house. The best option is to teach the pet to take food only from the owner and only in a certain place. It is worth noting that even trained dogs can eat a rag, branch and other foreign object during training or playing, so it is better to prevent such situations.
The right diet helps to ensure the normal functioning of the digestive tract. Therefore, after acquiring a dog, you should familiarize yourself with the rules of animal nutrition. In addition, it is worth regularly visiting a veterinarian to prevent gastrointestinal pathologies.
Treatment of bowel obstruction in a dog in Moscow
In the capital, as in other cities of Russia, almost every veterinary hospital provides professional treatment for bowel obstruction. Dog owners are advised to pre-select a clinic in which the animal will be regularly examined and treated in case of urgent need. After all, animals, like people, are prone to various diseases. And in order to prevent them, it is necessary from the moment of acquiring the puppy to consult with a specialist and become familiar with the rules of feeding and caring for the dog.