Everyone gets stomach ache and even dogs are not exempt from it. If you are concerned that your furry friend is suffering from this disorder, there are steps you can take to help him feel more comfortable and reduce the risk of vomiting or diarrhea.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Treating the Pain
Step 1. Do not feed the dog
If his digestive system is upset, you need to let him rest a little while not letting him work. If the animal eats, the stomach and intestines release the gastric juices which are used to digest the food and which can increase the state of inflammation or cramps, making the situation worse.
- Don't feed him for 24 hours.
- If despite fasting, he still shows symptoms of stomach pain, you must take him to the vet for a checkup.
Step 2. Provide him with fresh, clean water
Check if your furry friend drinks; if you find that you are taking less water than usual for more than 24 hours and you feel that you are feeling some discomfort, you should have him examined by your vet. Also pay attention to excessive thirst. When sick, some dogs drink more than normal. A whole bowl of water drunk in one go could weigh down his stomach and make him vomit.
- If he starts to regurgitate water, you need to ration it in small amounts every half hour.
- If the dog weighs less than 10 kg, give him an amount of liquid equal to the volume of an egg cup every half hour. if he is larger, give him half a cup of tea, always every half hour.
- If he can hold on to fluids for 2-3 hours without throwing up, then you can again give him free access to the bowl.
- If, on the other hand, he continues to vomit despite the small amounts, then it is necessary to have him examined by the vet.
Step 3. Gradually go back to feeding him his usual diet
If after a day of fasting your dog seems to have returned to his normal state of health and you find that he is hungry, feed him a light diet for the next 24 hours. Low-fat, easy-to-digest foods include chicken breast, rabbit, turkey or cod. You can also combine these meats with white pasta, rice, or boiled mashed potatoes (but without the added dairy).
- Do not give them "chicken flavored" foods, as they contain a very small amount of chicken meat and are very poor quality substitutes.
- Alternatively, you can also ask your vet to point you to some foods to speed up your dog's healing process, such as Hill's or Purina, which are of good quality.
Step 4. Offer him small portions at first
After the 24-hour fast, you need to give him small meals, which are about ¼ of the usual rations, to check if his stomach is able to process the food. Reduced doses have less impact on the digestive system than large meals. This way you have a chance to verify that the dog is really starting to feel better.
If after 24 hours of fasting the animal is still not hungry and in any case has not recovered completely, you absolutely must take it to the vet
Step 5. Be loving to your faithful friend
When you are sick, you too appreciate having someone give you the care and attention that makes you feel better. Sit next to the animal and speak to it in a quiet, reassuring voice. Stroke his head and smooth the fur along his back.
Don't massage his stomach. The dog cannot tell you if your touch makes him feel better or worse. If you stimulate a particular sensitive spot, it could cause a sudden sharp pain and it may bite you
Step 6. Provide him with a soft heat source
Some dogs seem to benefit from the heat. If you see him fidgeting a little, try wrapping a hot water bottle in a cloth and placing it on his stomach. However, make sure your pet can get away from the heat if he feels discomfort. Avoid tying the warmer to his body, as this will force him to remain attached to the heat source, regardless of his will.
Step 7. Contact your vet if necessary
If you realize that your dog is experiencing slight discomfort, but is generally fine, you can just monitor him and implement the steps described so far. However, if he starts to get worse, you need to take him to the vet. In particular, get him examined if you notice the following symptoms:
- Unproductive retching: If you see him trying to vomit but without success, he may be suffering from stomach torsion. In this case, do not hesitate to take him to the vet as a matter of urgency;
- You have been vomiting for more than 4 hours;
- Vomits and cannot retain fluids: this can lead to dehydration, so you should contact your doctor who will administer fluids intravenously if needed.
- You seem confused or have less energy;
- Doesn't eat for more than 24 hours;
- Has diarrhea (bloodless) for more than 24 hours;
- Has diarrhea with traces of blood;
- Become more anxious, whine or bark.
Step 8. Give him anti-emetic drugs
If your wagging friend often has digestive problems and you know the cause (for example, he is on chemotherapy or has kidney problems), your vet may prescribe medications to treat the problem.
Maropitant is usually prescribed for dogs undergoing chemotherapy. The tablet is administered once a day and its effect lasts for 24 hours. The oral dosage is 2 mg / kg, which means that a medium-sized Labrador should take one 60 mg tablet once a day
Part 2 of 3: Diagnosing Stomach Pain
Step 1. Pay attention if he is particularly restless
You know your four-legged friend and can tell when he behaves in an unusual way. He may be naturally quite lively and full of energy, or very lazy, but you can tell if he is more agitated than usual. This could be a sign of a stomach upset.
- May not be able to find a comfortable position when lying down;
- He may also continue to walk back and forth without rest.
Step 2. Make a note if you look at your hips
The hips are located on the hind legs, in front of the thighs. Sometimes dogs fail to understand the source of their discomfort and keep spinning around trying to figure out what the problem is. If your friend keeps looking at his back and hips, he may have an upset stomach.
Step 3. Check if he licks continuously
Stomach pain or cramps can make your dog nauseous; when this occurs, the animal tends to lick its lips very often. Some specimens, on the other hand, lick their paws or other parts of the body in an attempt to comfort themselves.
- Excessive or unusual drooling can mean that you are nauseous or have some stomach upset. Some breeds naturally drool more than others, so only you can gauge whether this behavior is abnormal for your friend.
- If you keep swallowing, you may get stomach pain.
Step 4. Pay attention to stomach noises and the presence of flatulence
If the cause of your stomach pain is due to a digestive system disorder, you may hear your stomach "rumbling". This sound is nothing more than the air present in the intestine that could cause flatulence when it comes out.
If you don't hear this noise, don't rule out the possibility that it may be some digestive problem; it just means you can't feel it
Step 5. Observe if the animal assumes the "prayer position"
This is a fairly common sign of a stomach ailment. The position is very similar to that which the dog assumes when it leans forward to play; however, thanks to the knowledge you have of your pet, you can easily understand if it is a manifestation of pain or not.
- The animal stretches by lifting the lower back up and lowering the front legs to the ground.
- Doing so tries to stretch the stomach to soothe the discomfort.
Step 6. Check for vomiting and diarrhea
If you have these symptoms, you probably don't need to check for many others. Just like humans, dogs with these signs also have digestive problems. While you don't like cleaning up where your furry friend has messed up, try not to be too hard on him. He certainly couldn't do without it!
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Stomach Pain
Step 1. Remove spoiled food from her reach
You've probably already figured out that dogs tend to eat everything. Unfortunately, this also includes decaying foods, which can cause severe stomach problems or even more serious damage. Absolutely avoid that your faithful friend has access to spoiled foods and keep out of his reach those foods that could harm him. Check your entire garden periodically to make sure there are no pests or other dead animals on your property. Remember that the dog smells a corpse well before you do.
Step 2. Don't let your furry friend eat as much as he wants
Some owners allow their pets to eat freely, providing them with a large amount of food throughout the day. This method is much easier to manage the dog, as you do not have to schedule meal times, but experts advise against it. Letting the dog eat whatever he wants means allowing him to overeat more than necessary; as a result he can become obese, with all that that entails in terms of health. Furthermore, if he eats a lot in a short time, it can damage the stomach, while rational meals prevent this from happening.
- Feed the dog the same amount of food twice a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon. The correct amount depends on the size of your furry friend. Since there are countless products with different characteristics on the market, ask your veterinarian for more information.
- You can also find online calculators to find the right calorie intake. Once you've found the correct amount of calories your friend needs each day, check the nutrition information on the package and adjust your portions accordingly.
Step 3. Buy good quality food
In specialized stores you will find different types of specific foods for different breeds. However, the breed has nothing to do with the food the dog has to eat. Instead, you have to focus on the size of the animal and choose that food formulated specifically for its metabolism.
- Choose a product with high quality ingredients. Cheaper foods also contain similarly poor and hard-to-digest substances.
- Just as is required for food for human consumption, even those for dogs must list the ingredients and their quantities on the label. Make sure they have proteins, such as fish, meat or eggs, as their first or second nutritional element. The higher the protein content, the greater the digestibility.
Step 4. Don't give him leftovers from your table
While some dogs enjoy almost all human food, their bodies cannot process it the way we do. Most of the foods on our tables are toxic to dogs. If your furry friend's stomach pain is caused by ingesting these foods, even in small amounts, it could be a reaction to poisoning. Never give him the following foods:
- Avocado;
- Raw bread;
- Chocolate;
- Alcohol;
- Grapes or raisins;
- Foods containing hops;
- Macadamia nuts;
- Onions
- Garlic;
- Xylitol, a popular ingredient in "sugar-free" foods.
Step 5. Do not allow him to play with other sick specimens
Just as children get infected with each other at school, dogs are also transmitted diseases through physical contact. If you know a dog has recently been sick, keep yours at a safe distance until you are certain that it is no longer contagious.
- When you take your friend to the park, it is not easy to prevent him from contacting other animals, as there are many dogs playing in the same place. Also every day there are different specimens.
- If your dog gets sick, you can try asking other owners who frequent the park if they know of any animals that have recently been sick.
- If you can spot it, talk to the owner of this dog for more information, to find out what has affected your dog and if it is a serious problem.
Step 6. Consider all underlying conditions your friend suffers from
Some diseases, such as pancreatitis, cause frequent stomach pain. If you are aware of these issues, monitor your dog closely for pain or other ailments promptly. Pay attention to lethargy, signs of illness, or diarrhea. A quick intervention by the vet can resolve the episode in a short time and with little pain.
