Diarrhea is a very common clinical problem in both humans and animals. Among the features of the manifestation of loose stools, a sudden onset and a short duration of this process are usually distinguished. As a rule, diarrhea can last no more than 3 weeks.
If we talk about four-legged pets, then loose stools in a dog are often accompanied by watery or mucous secretions. Also, in some cases, blood may come out with feces.
Sometimes dogs suffer from fairly prolonged diarrhea, which can last up to several months. In some situations, diarrhea manifests itself constantly, and sometimes only 1 time in several days. If the indigestion was sporadic, then there is nothing to worry about. However, in the case of a constant loose stool in a dog that has been going on for more than a day, you need to consult a specialist as soon as possible. The fact is that this phenomenon is not at all harmless.
The consequences of diarrhea can be quite deplorable. Due to diarrhea, electrolyte abnormalities may occur, fluid loss will occur, as well as dehydration. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the causes as soon as possible, and treatment of loose stools in the dog should be started immediately. Why do animals suffer from this ailment? What to do if a pet has loose stools?
Fluid stool in a dog: causes
As a rule, specialists associate the appearance of diarrhea with malnutrition of the animal. This can happen if you change your pet’s usual diet very sharply. For example, if he switched from ordinary food cooked by the owners to finished feed.
Diarrhea can also begin as a result of eating a stale treat that the owner has given his pet. In some cases, an allergic reaction to one of the components of dry or liquid food is manifested.
Also, stools in a dog may begin due to an accidentally swallowed foreign object. In addition, experts note that diarrhea develops in four-legged pets with the appearance of viral infections. For example, such symptoms are characteristic of hepatitis or plague.
Small puppies often suffer from parasitic diseases, which in turn can lead to acute form of diarrhea. Most often, pets of more rare and decorative breeds suffer from this ailment. In addition, vomiting and loose stools in a dog can cause worms or vitamin deficiency. Also, the cause may be a poor-quality drug, which was part of the routine vaccination.
In addition, similar symptoms develop with:
- poisoning with chemicals or toxic substances;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- mechanical injuries of the intestine;
- cancer of the stomach.
Sometimes the causes of diarrhea can be determined by the color of the stool:
- A yellow hue indicates parvovirus enteritis. Also in this case, impurities of blood or mucus will be observed in diarrhea.
- Black color is most common with intestinal bleeding.
- White stools indicate possible liver diseases.
- Green diarrhea is dangerous because it can be one of the symptoms of canine distemper.
Manifestation of diarrhea
To independently determine why a dog has loose stools, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms:
- feces have changed their density, that is, they have become liquid;
- a very sharp and unpleasant odor appeared;
- blood began to appear in feces;
- during defecation, the animal experiences severe pain.
At the same time, pets often begin to behave very nervously. Dogs whine and stop eating in the usual way, which is why they lose weight very quickly. Diarrhea is often accompanied by vomiting. In this case, the dog may cease to control the bowel movement.
Diarrhea with blood
And if the pet has diarrhea with blood clots, it is quite possible that the dog suffers from a rather serious disease. In this case, you must definitely show the animal to the veterinarian. Most often in such situations, poisoning is diagnosed.
The fact is that dogs very often pick up and on the street a variety of small objects and foreign bodies. If they enter the stomach to the pet, then this can cause irritation of the intestinal wall. Also, loose stools with blood in a dog may appear due to developing parvovirus enteritis. As a rule, this disease is observed in puppies aged 2 to 12 months. Unfortunately, this virus most often leads to the death of a young pet. Therefore, it is necessary to assist him as soon as possible.
In addition, feces may appear due to the dog suffering from traumatic enterocolitis. In this case, it is likely that the pet ate some kind of sharp foreign body, which could injure the walls of the stomach or intestines.
Acute form
This type of diarrhea is quite common in veterinary practice. In this case, the animal begins to suffer from attacks of diarrhea suddenly. In this case, the symptoms go away pretty quickly, but they constantly recur after some time. As a rule, such diarrhea does not last more than 3 weeks.
So, the dog has loose stools - what should I do if the illness is acute? In this case, do not underestimate the danger of the situation. This disease requires appropriate treatment. If the animal suffers from acute diarrhea, the feces will be watery, sometimes they contain impurities of blood impregnations. If the animal will defecate quite often, this will lead to disruption of the internal organs.
Chronic form
In this case, we are talking about diarrhea, which can last more than 3 weeks. If the dog has loose stools with mucus, then this is the first sign of a chronic form of the disease. Most often, such a pet leads to the use of poor-quality foods or damage to the gastric mucosa. Sometimes this form of diarrhea can develop due to an infectious disease. Therefore, if the dog has loose stools with mucus, you should not close your eyes to this.
The consequences of diarrhea
The most dangerous thing for a dog is diarrhea with blood. If in the feces there is abundant bloody discharge, then you need to immediately call a specialist and not reach the last moment. It is worth considering that in rare cases very terrible diseases, for example rabies, appear in this way.
Also, if the animal suffers from acute diarrhea and at the same time there is strange discharge in the feces, then this may indicate damage to the internal organs by some object. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, then the animal may die from loss of blood or malfunction of internal organs.
Self-treatment of loose stools in a dog or ignoring problems can greatly affect the health of the pet, up to his death. Also, do not self-medicate if there is blood or mucus in the feces. However, in some cases, you can try to help your beloved pet yourself.
The dog has loose stools: how to treat at home
In a situation where diarrhea lasts less than 2 weeks and there is no blood or mucus in the feces, you can make an independent treatment. To do this, follow these steps:
- Stop feeding the pet. Such a diet should last 1-3 days.
- Give him as much potable boiled water as possible.
- When the pet stops vomiting, and he does not run to the toilet so often, you can prepare a rice broth for him.
- In the subsequent diet, include only fermented milk products (give about 3 days).
- Give him a solution of Regidron.
- Prepare medicinal decoctions of plants such as sage, St. John's wort, blueberries or alder.
It is very important to monitor the body temperature of the animal. If it rises, then in this case you need to stop self-medication and immediately contact a veterinary clinic.
In the case of an infectious form of the disease, which led to the appearance of loose stools, antibiotic therapy is used. It is strictly forbidden to treat a pet yourself with such strong drugs!
If the pet suffers from traumatic damage to the intestines, then surgery is likely to be required. A similar procedure is also impossible to perform at home.
What to give a dog from diarrhea
To try to help the animal cope with unpleasant symptoms, it is worthwhile first of all to prepare a rice broth. It also helps to fix feces, so the animal will not suffer from severe diarrhea. To prepare such a mixture, pour rice cereal into a small amount of water. After this, it is enough to put the mixture on the stove, collect all the thick, and give the broth to the dog.
Features of animal nutrition for diarrhea
If the animal does not want to eat on its own, then it is not worth feeding it forcibly. However, when the pet refuses water, it is necessary to take any measures, but make him drink the liquid. To do this, you can purchase the largest syringe in the pharmacy, remove the needle, pour water into it and thus give the pet water.
When the dog feels better, you can introduce low-fat foods, such as boiled eggs, chicken or fish, into the diet. However, during the first 3 days, the dog must be given rice broth.
Prevention
To prevent the animal from becoming ill again, it is necessary to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Never feed the dog from the table. For four-legged pets, the food that their owner eats is very harmful.
- It is recommended to visit a doctor who will develop a special diet for your pet.
- In no case should you overfeed an animal. The fact is that the intestines of dogs tend to stretch, which is why it loses its functions.
- Periodically, it is necessary to treat the animal against parasites. Do not forget about the mandatory vaccination for dogs, which is carried out in veterinary clinics.
- Do not allow the pet to pick up any objects or food from the ground.
If the owner notices at least the slightest ailment in his pet, then you need to consult a specialist as soon as possible.
Husky
As already mentioned, rare breeds of dogs suffer from such ailments much more often. Therefore, you need to select a diet based on the characteristics of the animal.
To husky does not suffer from such ailments, you need to feed her immediately after she came from a walk. At the same time, the amount of food directly depends on how old the pet is, as well as on the conditions in which it lives.
A huge number of specialized dry feeds have been developed for this breed, which can make up the main diet of the animal. You can also give him canned food and some types of natural food.
Sharpei
It is worth considering that this breed of dog has a rather poor appetite. However, they have a very sensitive gastric system. Therefore, the composition of the feed is necessarily developed for these dogs individually. Overfeeding sharpei is by no means possible, since they can become less mobile, and because of this, pets will develop kidney diseases.
Diarrhea in these dogs very often begins due to an allergic reaction. This is due to food sensitivity. Therefore, do not change the feed too often, it is better to choose a specific menu with a specialist and stick to it. In addition, sharpei should never be given liquid food (such as broth). It is necessary to ensure that the food is thick and dry, so it is best to feed the animal with dry food.
Labrador
This breed of dog also has its own specific features. Very often, these pets have parasites in the ears. Because of this, an infectious disease can develop, which in turn will lead to diarrhea. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the pet’s ears as often as possible.
If we talk about diet, it is necessary to calculate the norm for each meal. The fact is that these animals spend a lot of energy and constantly want to eat, but in no case should they be overfed. Labradors are recommended to be fed natural meat, but vegetables and cereals should be given to them as little as possible. Also, pasta is contraindicated for these animals.
Smaller representatives of rare breeds need increased attention. It is important to consider the reasons why a dog has loose stools. What to do in this situation, we described in the article.