When a dog gets diarrhea, it’s not always a sign of a serious illness. It can simply be a sign of self-cleansing, because dogs don’t tolerate everything they eat either. Nevertheless, it is important to observe the digestion of the animal. There is a need for action if diarrhea becomes chronic in dogs. Various manifestations of bowel movements also indicate diseases or poisoning. You can find out everything about diarrhea in dogs in this article.
If the dog has diarrhea: That’s what it means
The intestine fulfills an important protective function in dogs as in humans. If it recognizes unusual content, it reacts immediately. It eliminates everything from the digestive tract to prevent possible poisoning and other health problems. In this respect, diarrhea is a protective and cleansing reaction of the body. Diarrhea is also a typical reaction to the wormer. In these cases, the bowel empties a few times and then recovers on its own.
Veterinary characteristics of diarrhea in dogs
In order to speed up the cleansing process, the intestine excretes the stool in liquid form. Dog feces have a mushy to liquid consistency. It may also have a different smell and color. In addition, the dog feels the need to empty its intestines extraordinarily often. He may also suffer from intestinal cramps.
Therefore, he has to leave the house much more often than usual. As a rule, dogs show this with great anxiety and dog owners should react quickly. In the worst case, the four-legged friend does not manage to get out of the house in time and empties his bowels in the apartment. This is not done on purpose and is therefore no reason to insult the dog or even use harsh training methods. The four-legged friend simply needs help in this situation.
Always keep an eye on the dog and the stool
Dogs cannot verbally explain discomfort. They usually behave differently than usual when they are not feeling well. In order to recognize diarrhea and possible diseases in dogs, it is therefore important to observe them closely. If the dog is exceptionally calm or listless, or if it is particularly restless, there is a reason. Due to its protective function, the intestines of a sick dog develop extraordinary activities.
Diarrhea can therefore also be a symptom of a serious illness. It is important for dog owners to regularly monitor their pet’s bowel movements. A glance at the business done quickly reveals when something is wrong. Exceptionally strong flatulence is another indication of possible irritation of the intestinal tract.
What to do if the dog has diarrhea?
In the event of acute diarrhea, wait and see. A day without dog food can be helpful. If the dog has diarrhea for a long time, a visit to the vet is necessary.
The different types of diarrhea in dogs
Diarrhea, which is the medical term for diarrhea, can occur in various forms. The frequency is the difference between chronic, acute or periodic diarrhea. It can arise as a reaction of the large or small intestine and can appear in different forms.
Acute diarrhea in dogs
Diarrhea is acute when it comes on suddenly. Acute diarrhea is usually a reaction to indigestible food, medication or a change in diet. But poisoning, stress and infections can also cause acute diarrhea in dogs. Typical signs of acute diarrhea are:
- the short duration of 1 to 3 days or only a few hours
- noticeably frequent bowel movements
- mushy, watery feces
- possibly blood in the stool
Acute diarrhea usually resolves itself. If it lasts longer than three days, diarrhea can become chronic.
Dog with chronic diarrhea
If it happens regularly that a dog has diarrhea, it is a chronic manifestation. A simple explanation for this can be food intolerance. Switching to easily digestible special food is usually already helpful. However, chronic diarrhea can also occur as an indication of the disease of an organ. The appearance of diarrhea indicates whether it originates in the small intestine or in the large intestine.
Frequently recurring, periodic diarrhea
This form of diarrhea occurs when the dog gets diarrhea frequently, several weeks apart. Possible causes for this are:
Intolerance to a certain type of feed
grain dog food
Disruption of the intestinal flora
organic problems
Periodically recurring diarrhea requires observation.
- Does diarrhea always come after the same type of food, or consistently after eating certain treats?
- Does diarrhea only occur after deworming?
- Can’t find an explanation?
The type of control depends on the answer to these questions.
Colonic diarrhea
In the large intestine, diarrhea often occurs as a reaction to stress or incompatible food. Colonic diarrhea can be recognized by the following characteristics:
- stool with mucus
- Streaks of blood in the stool
- Thinning of the stool throughout the day
- feces in a mucous membrane
A food diary can help to identify possible intolerances.
Small bowel diarrhea
If diarrhea develops in the small intestine, there may be a serious problem. Small bowel diarrhea is recognizable by:
- runny feces
- Defecation during the day and at night
- yellow or brown colored stools
- black or bloody stools
- Vomit
- Fever
- slackness
A visit to the vet is urgently needed, especially if there are severe side effects and black or watery-bloody stools.
Tips for dog owners: immediate help & home remedies
In the case of short-term diarrhea without other side effects, there is initially no reason to worry. It is helpful not to feed the dog for a day so that the intestines can rest. Light foods such as boiled chicken with rice also help to calm the intestines afterwards. It is important that the dog always gets enough water. With watery diarrhea, a lot of fluid is lost, which the dog has to absorb again.
Classic home remedies for diarrhea in dogs are:
- Charcoal tablets or charcoal powder
- healing clay
- Preparations for building up the intestinal flora
- Boil drinking water
- Avoid chewing bones and treats
- Administer Moro’s Carrot Soup
- grated, unpeeled apple
- Flea seeds and other fibers
Moro’s carrot soup
Peel 500 grams of carrots and boil them in a liter of water for at least an hour. Then the soup is pureed, filled up with another liter of water and a pinch of salt.
Which rice for dogs with diarrhea?
Boiled chicken or turkey with plain, polished rice is recommended as a bland diet for dogs. Wholemeal rice or brown rice is less suitable for diarrhea due to the high fiber content.
The causes when the dog suffers from diarrhea
Diarrhea in dogs is not a disease in itself, but always a symptom. It can indicate incompatible food. Stale water, which dogs like to drink from puddles and ponds, can also cause diarrhea. Other causes of a dog getting diarrhea include:
- Change of feed type
- Feeding with leftovers
- complete change of feeding, e.g. B. from wet to dry food or to BARF nutrition
- Forage with a high grain content
- Parasites such as worms, giardia or coccidia
- Gastrointestinal infection caused by viruses or bacteria
- organ malfunctions
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- folic acid deficiency
- Lack of cobalaminic acid
- Bowel disease such as Addison’s disease
- hormonal diseases
- tumors
- IBD (Chronic Bowel Inflammation)
- Poisoning caused by food, rat poison, plants, fertilizers and pesticides or incompatible
- foods
- stress
- Side effect of antibiotics and other drugs
- deworming
- Result of tick bites such as Ehrlichiosis or Anaplasmosis
- Liver and kidney weakness
- Eating too large portions
- allergies
- swallowed foreign bodies
- high-fat diet
- Cancer
If there are no signs of an easily traceable cause such as a change in diet, dog owners should ask the vet for advice.
When do I need to see a vet?
If the dog has diarrhea for more than three days, the vet should clarify the cause. A visit to the veterinarian is also helpful to clarify periodic diarrhea. By examining a stool sample, the veterinarian can determine whether parasites or bacteria are the cause of diarrhea. The veterinarian often receives indications of serious illnesses from the description of the symptoms. He can initiate further examinations in a targeted manner and thus select the appropriate therapy.
A visit to the veterinarian is urgently required for:
- black or bloody diarrhea
- high fever
- recurrent vomiting
- Refusal of food and water intake
- lethargic, exhausted behavior of the dog
When do I need to see a vet?
A visit to a veterinarian is necessary if the dog shows signs of poisoning and prolonged diarrhea. A visit to the veterinarian is urgently required, especially if the diarrhea is very bloody or black.
What do you give your dog for diarrhea?
Charcoal tablets, medication from the veterinarian, home remedies and a diet for the day help against acute diarrhea in dogs.
Measures to prevent diarrhea in dogs
Many measures prevent the development of diarrhea in dogs. This applies in particular to the type of feeding and the observation of the dog. If a dog suffers from chronic diarrhea despite paying attention to a balanced diet, an organic disease can be the cause.
Here’s what you can do to prevent diarrhea in your dog
- Avoid abrupt feed changes
- Change food in case of intolerance
- insert one day of diet and one day of bland food before a necessary change of food
- regular deworming of the dog
- do not feed leftovers from the table
- do not feed food unhealthy for dogs
- prevent the dog from eating outside
- Remove poisonous plants from the garden
- prevent the dog from drinking water from puddles and ponds
- Change and clean feeding bowls after each feeding
- avoid stress
Despite all precautions, there is always a chance that a dog will get diarrhea. If it does not last longer than one to three days and no other symptoms appear, this is usually not a cause for concern.
