Diarrhea in dogs: causes, treatment, prevention at home

Causes of diarrhea in dogs

Just like in humans, diarrhea in dogs can be a manifestation of a variety of diseases.
Of course, the most common and obvious cause of indigestion is food poisoning or another malfunction of the digestive system. Due to the powerful bactericidal properties of saliva, dogs are less sensitive than other pets (particularly cats) to low-quality or stale food. Moreover, in the wild, the closest relatives of dogs, foxes and jackals (1), are generally able to feed on carrion, but it is worth understanding that most domestic dogs have gone so far from their wild ancestors that they have long ago lost all these talents. Their body has become as sensitive to food as ours. And the first reaction to any problem in the body is diarrhea or, more simply, diarrhea. There are also many breeds that are particularly demanding on the quality and type of food (for example, Chihuahuas), the same applies to white dogs, most of which are allergic.

But it should be understood that malnutrition is far from the only cause of diarrhea, and sometimes we can talk about really serious diseases, such as enteritis, hepatitis, helminthiases, the gastric form of distemper - officially this disease is called carnivore distemper (2) and others. Also, diarrhea in dogs can be a symptom of other ailments that at first glance are not related to nutrition.

“If you notice diarrhea in a dog, we always recommend seeing a veterinarian,” says veterinarian Ruslan Shadrin, “because what manifests itself as a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract does not always relate directly to it, it may be a secondary manifestation of some then another disease. And if it is viral, then it is quite serious, and the owner, unfortunately, will not help here in any way. Also, many diseases not related to digestion can manifest themselves in the form of diarrhea. This is primarily kidney damage. When toxins are not eliminated in sufficient quantities in the usual way, the body gets rid of them where it can: through the skin, through the mucous membranes, resulting in irritation and inflammation. These may also be problems of a cardiac nature: disturbances in blood pressure due to the work of the heart can also manifest themselves as various dyspeptic disorders. Also, the cause may be problems with the central nervous system, since the control of internal organs by the brain is disrupted. We can also talk about problems of organs that are associated with the digestive tract, but function outside it, for example, the liver. As a result, both the endocrine and exocrine systems of the animal’s body suffer.

Therefore, if you notice that your dog has been suffering from an upset stomach for more than a day, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

Which clinics should you go to for help?

Moscow:

Biocontrol. A network of clinics with a long history. Many positive reviews about the work of specialists. Initial appointment from 1500 rubles.
White Fang. The clinic has only modern equipment. The staff is guided by the principles of evidence-based medicine. Initial appointment from 1200 rubles.

Saint Petersburg:

Veterinary Center of Dr. Bazylevsky A.A. All diagnostic methods are available. The initial appointment with a narrow specialist is 1000 rubles, with a therapist – 600 rubles.
Dog and cat . The clinic employs many high-quality, well-known doctors. There is a gastroenterologist on staff - Surikova R.Yu. Initial appointment with a therapist is 800 rubles.

Rostov-on-Don:

Veterinary Clinic named after. HELL. Tretyakov. Employees provide a wide range of veterinary services. There is a doctor's house call. The initial appointment costs 250 rubles, a repeat appointment costs 150.
Amigo Clinic. In addition to receiving qualified assistance, you can consider the service of a pet hotel. The initial appointment costs 350 rubles.
Veterinary clinic of Dr. Zarubin. Open seven days a week and on weekends. Wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Initial appointment is 200 rubles.

Quantity

Classification of diarrhea in dogs

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No matter how unappetizing it may sound, but if you notice that your four-legged friend is moving differently than usual, pay attention to the nature of the stool.

If the only deviation from the norm is its consistency - it is more liquid than usual, then the reason for this is most likely a change in diet: either you recently switched the dog to a different type of food, or treated it to something unusual for it. In a word, the food did not go to waste. Draw conclusions and don’t experiment anymore.

However, if the feces have changed not only the consistency, but also the color or they contain mucus, you should be wary. They can be yellow, black, green and completely watery, and sometimes contain an admixture of blood. And here it’s worth contacting a specialist.

It is also necessary to distinguish between temporary diarrhea due to accidentally eaten low-quality food and chronic diarrhea that occurs against the background of more serious diseases.

Bloody diarrhea

If you notice that your four-legged friend is bleeding heavily, this is a reason to sound the alarm. As a rule, such manifestations signal serious disturbances in the functioning of the dog’s body.

The cause may be severe poisoning, and we are no longer talking about stale food - most likely, your dog has swallowed real poison. Also, bloody diarrhea in dogs, and especially in puppies, is a consequence of infection with an enterovirus. And here it is very important to provide timely veterinary care, since, unfortunately, the mortality rate from it is very high.

Enterocolitis (3), caused by foreign bodies entering the dog’s digestive tract, is unfortunately also a common cause of bloody diarrhea. Dogs, like small children, sometimes tend to swallow objects they play with, which in turn injure the delicate intestinal walls, causing bleeding. Sometimes such carelessly eaten little things are eliminated from the body naturally, but sometimes it’s impossible to do without the intervention of a veterinarian.

Bloody diarrhea can also be a manifestation of such a terrible disease as a tumor. In this case, the sooner you contact a veterinarian, the greater the chance of saving your friend's life.

Yellow diarrhea

If your dog's stool is yellow or yellowish in color, this is a sign that something is wrong with his liver. As a rule, this happens due to the fact that the pet is overfed with tasty handouts from the table. Fatty, overly sweet and rich foods can cause disruption of the liver and bile ducts.

If you know that you are weak in following the lead of your dog, who is a master at begging for tidbits, make a strong-willed effort on yourself and stop it. In this case, the yellow diarrhea should go away in a couple of days. But if this does not happen, take the dog to the veterinarian - most likely, we are talking about more serious disorders in the liver.

Green diarrhea

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If you notice this color in the piles left by your dog, then first you need to observe its behavior. There are usually two reasons.

First: the dog started eating grass. There is nothing wrong with this - in the wild, all canines from time to time eat some types of plants to maintain immunity and their own health. At the same time, instinct tells them exactly which types of grass are worth eating.

Second: if you have not noticed any tendency to eat green spaces, you should be wary - in this case, the green color of the feces most likely means congestion in the gallbladder. You are unlikely to cope with this disease on your own, so without delay, take your dog to the veterinarian.

Black diarrhea

This is quite an alarming symptom that you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to. The black color of stool is given by blood that has had time to coagulate, that is, its source is most likely the upper intestines. The cause may be a peptic ulcer or tumor, so it is better to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

However, before you sound the alarm about the color of your pet’s feces, first remember what he ate the day before. It often happens that owners are worried about the dog’s red or black feces, but it turns out that the dog just recently managed to pluck raspberry or blackberry bushes in their garden.

Types of diarrhea

If your puppy has an upset stomach, pay attention to the color of the stool and the content of impurities in it.

Bloody diarrhea indicates a serious illness. Seeing a doctor is mandatory, because only a specialist can diagnose the cause and prescribe medications.

Diarrhea with mucus may indicate inflammatory bowel disease in the puppy, infection with worms, or that the puppy has eaten something fatty.

If the stool is black, then the likely cause of diarrhea is diseases of the stomach and duodenum, accompanied by bleeding. Blood digested in the stomach and intestines turns black.

A deep yellow color may indicate liver disease.

The green color of a puppy’s stool is a sign of poisoning with low-quality products, which cause rotting and fermentation in the intestines.

White feces may occur if bile is not involved in the digestion process. They indicate diseases of the gallbladder or biliary tract.

When visiting a veterinary clinic, tell the doctor about the color of your puppy's stool. This will speed up the diagnosis and treatment process.

Treatment of diarrhea in dogs

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If you notice that your dog often asks to go to the toilet, then be patient and watch it for 24 hours. Keep your pet on a diet: for the first day it is better to abstain completely from food, but you should give as much boiled water as possible. If the animal’s condition does not worsen - it does not become lethargic, inactive, and the stomach does not hurt when pressed, begin to slowly offer it boiled turkey or strictly skinless chicken breast, liquid low-fat broth, or rice water. In short, care for your tailed friend the same way you would a person who has suffered food poisoning. However, if his condition worsens within a day, it is better to take the dog to a veterinary clinic, where all the necessary tests will be carried out, a correct diagnosis will be made and a treatment strategy will be developed.

The main thing is, do not try to treat your pet with folk remedies, which are most often very questionable and can do more harm than good.

What to feed a puppy with diarrhea

For the first few hours or even days, you should deny the puppy food. Don't give in, even if he begs for food or various treats. First, all the infection must leave the body. Nothing will happen to the puppy in a few hours; hunger will only benefit him. The maximum duration of a hunger strike depends on the breed and age of the dog. For example, it is better for a Chihuahua to fast for no more than a day, but a German Shepherd can wait longer.

After this, start feeding the puppy gradually. Start with rice water - this is a good fixative. You can give your puppy light herbal infusions and weak sweet tea.

On the second day, gradually transfer the puppy to porridge with water or broth. You can give meat - small pieces of chicken, rabbit, turkey or meat purees.

On the third day, you can give stewed or boiled vegetables (potatoes are best), porridge with water or broth.

During diarrhea, it is better to abstain from milk. Remove it from your diet for a few more days to consolidate the effect. But you can give fermented milk products - they have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Do not feed raw meat until completely restored, only boiled meat.

Even if the puppy has been eating dry food, let him not eat it for several days. After diarrhea, it is recommended to give natural food until stool is completely restored. Dry food will put too much stress on the stomach.

You need to feed your pet 4-6 times a day, in small portions.

Diagnostics

It should be understood that unless you are a veterinarian yourself, it is better not to take responsibility for making a diagnosis. When your dog's diarrhea does not go away for several days, you should consult a specialist.

“We will definitely conduct a full examination, take the main indicators: temperature, pulse, breathing, etc.,” explains veterinarian Ruslan Shadrin. – Plus, at the same time, we ask the owners about the methods of keeping, feeding and living conditions of the animal, and treating it from parasites. And this helps us make the right diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment. Because self-medication does not always give the desired result. And sometimes we have to treat a dog not for viruses, but for the consequences of such folk therapy, in particular from alcohol poisoning, which owners often give to their pets, trying to cure them of poisoning or distemper.

When going to your appointment, you should bring your pet's feces with you for analysis, which is necessary to identify the cause of the disease. Also, the clinic will certainly perform an ultrasound of the animal’s abdominal cavity, and, if necessary, an X-ray examination, as well as a blood test. If pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract are not identified, veterinarians will examine other organs, since stomach upset can be caused by a variety of reasons.

When to contact a veterinarian

You should immediately contact the clinic if the following symptoms appear::

a sharp decrease or increase in body temperature;
depressed state of the dog;
unreasonable weight loss;
frequent vomiting (even if they are ineffective);
loss of appetite due to excessive thirst;
constant urge to urinate;
yellowing or blanching of mucous membranes.

Such a clinical picture indicates the onset of the inflammatory process. Only a veterinarian can determine exactly which organ is affected and prescribe therapy.

Modern methods of treatment

Treatment of diarrhea in dogs is carried out after an accurate diagnosis has been made. Also, in addition to the main therapy aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease, a set of measures is carried out to replenish the supply of moisture in the body, which is lost in large quantities during diarrhea. Anti-inflammatory drugs and probiotics are also prescribed, and an individual diet is developed. During the recovery stages, the dog also receives immunostimulants to help its body recover faster.

In severe cases, when the cause of diarrhea is a foreign body in the intestines or a tumor, surgery is prescribed. It is performed under general anesthesia in the presence of an anesthesiologist, so that the health and life of the four-legged patient is not in danger.

What diseases are accompanied by this symptom?

There are a number of pathological causes of diarrhea. Among them:

inflammation of the digestive organs;
parasites and fungal infections that negatively affect the entire body;
penetration of pathogenic organisms into the body;
intestinal infections that manifest themselves as a result of the onset of putrefactive processes in the intestines;
disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and liver;
pathologies of the biliary tract, leading to excessive secretion of bile.

Preventing diarrhea in dogs at home

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Since the most common cause of diarrhea in dogs is improper feeding, it is necessary to monitor your pet’s menu. You need to choose the right diet for him and not deviate from it. Under no circumstances should you overfeed your dog - handouts from your table will do nothing but harm. If you are a supporter of natural food, make sure that your tailed friend’s diet is balanced and that the food is fresh and cooked.

From puppyhood, wean your dog from the habit of picking up anything on the street - through such street “delicacies”, infection with parasites or pathogens of various infectious diseases, such as enteritis or distemper, most often occurs.

And, of course, make sure that your dog is less likely to encounter stressful situations - do not shout at him and do not raise your hand under any circumstances, because nervous shocks often affect the state of the body of our smaller brothers.

Prevention

To prevent diarrhea, you need to think carefully about the diet of your four-legged friend. The diet should be balanced, nutritious, and fully cover the dog’s need for vitamins and minerals. If you prefer dry food, choose only high-quality products.

Clean regularly and keep your dog's things clean. Do not give your dog foods that are not intended for it (even if the dog really asks for it). Smoked meats, fatty foods, raw fish, spicy and pickled foods from the owners’ table will only harm the puppy.

It is impossible to keep track of the puppy in everything; the little curious pet will have time to stick its nose everywhere. But try to keep an eye on the puppy during walks, remove away all small objects that the dog can eat - then the risk of diarrhea from malnutrition will be minimized. And to prevent serious diseases, get all vaccinations and deworming in a timely manner.