Mary Allen
Diarrhea in dogs is often a protective function of the body, but at some point, it has to stop. Here are some tips on proper feeding for gastrointestinal disorders.
A back like a cat’s hump, the gait cramped. Diarrhea in dogs is no reason to panic – our four-legged friends still feel visibly uncomfortable when their stomach hurts and rumbles. Quite understandable, because we humans know how uncomfortable abdominal cramps can be and how annoying the feeling of constantly having to look for the next toilet.
From an early age, however, we also learn that we shouldn’t eat everything by then at the latest – light food is the order of the day. The same applies to dogs, says animal nutrition expert Stephanie Handl who gives valuable tips :
Tip 1:
“It is important to give the gastrointestinal tract time to recover.” It can therefore make sense not to feed anything for 24 hours.
Tip 2:
“At the same time, dogs should drink liquids as needed. Water is completely sufficient. If you want to administer a tea, then maybe a diluted herbal tea, not a Russian one at all.”
Tip 3:
There are many home remedies for the right diet for diarrhea and Handl clears up with a few completely wrong tips: “Especially in rural areas, people still think that bone feeding can get diarrhea under control. This can lead to very dangerous blockages or, in the case of sharp splinters, to perforations in the intestinal wall!”
Even the administration of probiotic yogurts hardly contributes to recovery: “Often these products are not useful for either humans or dogs because the bacterial cultures supplied with them have either already died off or do not survive the stomach acid.” If you do something to build up the intestinal flora then special preparations, usually powder, are best. According to Handl, these should be obtained from the veterinarian, as there is a whole range of powders that promise a lot but only deliver little.
Tip 4:
Light diet. But which components of the diet are particularly important? “A mixture of easily digestible protein, i.e. lean meat, such as chicken or fish, and carbohydrates, such as well-cooked rice and some cottage cheese” are the nutritional expert’s recommendations. If you don’t want to resort to diets specially prepared for this purpose, you should consider one thing above all: “For feeding up to a week that’s not a problem, but in the long run this is of course not a complete diet and must be supplemented with minerals and vitamins be supplemented.”
Tip 5:
And how long should you give this bland diet anyway? “It is always advisable to stay on the bland diet for a few days after the illness has been overcome and then slowly start mixing in another food.” In general, if in doubt, it is better to consult the veterinarian. Especially if diarrhea does not improve after three or four days or if your general behavior worsens, because then the cause should be investigated.