Diarrhea is a common problem among dogs. Most of the time it is not serious and resolves with simple home care. By putting the right remedies in place, you can help resolve diarrhea episodes and prevent them from getting worse without going to the vet. Sometimes, however, home treatments are not enough, and in the most serious cases it is necessary to contact the veterinarian.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Treating Dog Diarrhea with Diet
Step 1. Fast your four-legged friend for 12-24 hours
The food present in the intestine causes contractions of the intestinal walls to push the food towards the anus, but with diarrhea these contractions can be excessive and push the food too quickly, making it liquid. One solution may be to not eat for 12-24 hours, so as to allow the irritated intestinal walls to calm down and return to normal.
Step 2. Provide him with fresh water constantly
In this fasting phase it is important that the dog has access to fresh water. Check the bowl to make sure that the level is reduced (therefore that the animal is drinking). If you drink heavily, your risk of dehydration is greatly reduced.
Step 3. Start feeding him after fasting with some light food
After the fasting period, do not immediately return him to his normal diet. Instead, start by giving him food that is stomach-friendly and easy to digest.
- An ideal bland diet does not include foods and red meats with a high fat content.
- Give it real chicken meat, not chicken flavored food. Make sure you only give him the meat and not the skin, which is oily.
- Add boiled white rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes to the chicken.
- Avoid milk and dairy products, as many dogs have lactose intolerance which could trigger diarrhea. This means not putting butter in mashed potatoes.
- Light food produces little (and pale) stools, so don't expect it to drain normally during this diet. The important thing is that you start making excrements that indicate that the animal is slowly healing.
Step 4. Have him follow a diet prescribed by the vet
If you see that the animal does not respond well to light meals that you prepare for it at home, ask the veterinarian to indicate suitable foods for its discomfort. Some specific diets such as Hill's and Purina have been shown to speed up the recovery time from diarrhea.
Step 5. Ration your portions
Give him small meals to make his bowel less spasms. When the dog ends the fasting period, always give him the same amount of food as during his normal diet, but divide it into four smaller portions and distribute them throughout the day. This is to prevent diarrhea from returning.
Step 6. Slowly bring your faithful friend back to a normal diet
When you see that the diarrhea has passed and you can consider the moment of discomfort over, you can begin to gradually give him back the usual foods. Don't go back to your normal diet suddenly, though, as your intestines need time to heal. Maintain a light diet for a couple of days to make sure the diarrhea ends. Then maintain a "transition" diet for another 2 days before returning him to his normal diet, following the method described here:
- Combine ⅔ of bland food with ⅓ of the usual diet.
- The next day change and switch to ⅓ of light diet and ⅔ of normal food.
- On the third day he goes back to his normal foods.
Step 7. Give him some probiotics
These are bacteria that are useful for digestion and accelerate the healing process from diarrhea. In fact, during violent discharges of diarrhea, the useful bacteria normally present in the intestine can be lost, and it therefore takes time for a new bacterial flora to reform and digestion to return to its full efficiency. A probiotic supplement increases the bacterial population; you can usually mix it into dog food once a day for 5 days.
- The natural bacteria present in the dog's intestine differ from those present in humans. Do not give your pet probiotics for human consumption.
- You can find several canine probiotic supplements that don't require a vet's prescription at top drugstores or large pet stores.
Step 8. Do not give the dog antidiarrheal drugs for human use
When diarrhea is mild it should be treated without problems by following the advice given so far. If you give him a drug that reduces bowel movement, you risk hiding a more serious problem until it's too late. If the original symptoms do not subside after 2-3 days with the methods described in this article, it is likely that your four-legged friend has a serious condition that requires veterinary care.
Part 2 of 2: Determine if Your Dog Needs a Vet Visit
Step 1. Determine if they have eaten anything dangerous
Diarrhea in dogs is usually caused by some food that was not meant to be ingested. In most cases, the problem resolves itself when the body eliminates the toxic food.
However, if you notice that he has eaten something poisonous, such as rat poison or cleanser, take him to the vet immediately
Step 2. Take his temperature
Simple diarrhea is rarely accompanied by fever. However, if the animal has a fever, it probably has some infection. To measure its temperature, ask a friend to hold the animal still by sliding an arm under its stomach and holding its rear thighs against your chest. He must put his other hand firmly and firmly under the dog's chin. Hold the pet gently and speak to him in a relaxed tone of voice if you see him starting to wriggle. Put a muzzle on him if you are concerned that he may bite during the procedure.
- Lubricate the thermometer, then, lifting the tail, gently insert it into the anus. If you have a female dog, be sure not to put it in the vulva, as it is located just below the anus.
- Do not force the thermometer when it is inside as you could injure the dog.
- Wait for the thermometer to emit the classic “beep” which indicates that the temperature has been detected.
- A normal temperature is 38-39.2 ° C.
- Any reading above 39.7 ° C indicates fever.
Step 3. Pay attention if diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting
These combined discomforts are dangerous because the dog loses fluids from both ends of the gastrointestinal tract, putting him at a serious risk of dehydration. This is even more troubling if the dog is unable to drink and cannot hold on to fluids. If so, contact your vet urgently.
Step 4. Check for symptoms of dehydration
Diarrhea basically consists of stools that contain a large amount of fluids. If the dog loses a lot of fluids in this way and does not replenish them, he becomes dehydrated. Dehydration reduces the blood supply to organs such as the liver or kidneys, resulting in dangerous damage.
- To check if he is dehydrated, lift the dog's scruff away from the shoulder blades and then let go.
- If the skin is perfectly hydrated, it immediately returns to the right position with a click.
- If the dog is dehydrated, the skin is less elastic and it may take a few seconds - or more - for it to come back into position.
Step 5. Check for blood in liquid stool
If the diarrhea shows traces of blood, it could mean that the dog has inflammation or internal bleeding. While inflammation is a discomfort, bleeding is potentially life-threatening. You may not be able to tell the difference at home, so don't take any chances - see a vet right away as soon as you notice blood in your furry friend's stool.
Step 6. Monitor your dog for signs of weakness, lethargy or collapse
If the diarrhea is mild the dog always remains lively and active. If the animal has bright eyes and is dynamic but has diarrhea, check it carefully in case it develops symptoms like those described above. This is where you can proceed with home care.
However, if the dog has no energy, is listless and unable to remain stable on its paws or, worse, collapses completely, seek professional help
Advice
- When you go to the vet, bring a fresh stool sample for them to analyze.
- Some dogs don't respond well to canned food. In this case, consider feeding your pet quality dry food or a mixture of morsels and dry food.
Warnings
- Don't feed him new foods he has never eaten before when he still has diarrhea.
- If you notice mucus in diarrhea, it means that the intestine is irritated. Parasites, raw pork heart food, and medical conditions can all cause mucus in the stool.
- Very liquid diarrhea in puppies can be life-threatening if not treated immediately by a veterinarian.
- If you decide to change your dog's food, do so gradually, otherwise the animal could get sick or suffer from worse diarrhea.
- If you notice green diarrhea in puppies it can be a sign of coccidiosis. Contact your vet right away.
