Heres What I Do When My Dog Has Diarrhea
The digestive system of the dog is an efficient system, and dog diarrhea is fairly uncommon. But I’ve found that when my dog has diarrhea it is usually due to something very specific, if I think about it. Diarrhea in dogs is most often caused by things like:
Change in diet - If you change your dogs food suddenly it could cause diariea. Makes sense doesnt it? Your dog is used to an eating and then all of a sudden a totally different food is in his bowl. His digestive system might need a few days to switch tracks and get used to the new food. Of course you can an avoid this by gradually changing the food - mixing the two together using less of the old food and more and more of the new. This is particularly important with puppies are whose digestive systems are very delicate.
Worms - Worms can cause diarrhea and is a common cause of it in puppies. If this diarrhea is frothy this usually an indicates internal parasites. Get treatment for this at your local Vet.
Stress - Any departure from the normal routine, like a long trip or a new baby in the house, can cause diarrhea.
Sickness - Sometimes your dog might just have a virus. Dogs don’t get sick as often as people do, but take him to the vet to be sure he isn’t sick if you think it might be the problem. You don’t want to ignore a serious illness.
Bad Food - Meat that has spoiled can cause diarrhea in your dog in the same way it does if you were to eat it. You need to be as choosy about what you feed your pet as you are about what you feed the rest of your family.
I know when my dog has diarrhea the most an important thing on my mind is how to make it go away. Not only is it uncomfortable for the dog but it makes a big mess too! While I recommend you get your dog to a vet right away if he has diarrhea here are some things you could try at home:
If the problem was caused by bad food you might try to a bit of caster oil. Sometimes a more drastic effort is requited and you might have to put your pet on a diet of plain rice.
Milk thickened with arrowroot is sometimes also worth a try.
Don’t be too hasty about resuming your dog’s normal diet. Keep him on the milk and rice diet for a few days to let his intestinal system get over the problem.
Try slowly getting your dog back to his normal food. Mix boiled hamburg or white fish with rice and milk and gradually add in his regular food. Cut back on the regular food if the diarrhea re-appears.
I am always worried first and foremost about my dog’s health when my dog has diarrhea, so my first step is always to call the vet. I advise that any pet owner do this. Your dog might not be happy about a visit to the vet, but better safe than sorry. Your vet can give suggestions about how to help your dog and may even prescribe medications to speed recovery along.
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