Mary Allen
Diarrhea in dogs is a symptom of an underlying disease and not a disease in itself. However, finding the cause of diarrhea is not always easy.
General Description
Often it can happen that the feces of the animal are not formed, and the dog has diarrhea. Diarrhea (medically diarrhea) means that the animal passes very soft or watery stools. Depending on where the cause is located, it is referred to as diarrhea in the small or large intestine. With diarrhea in the small intestine, the stool is often watery and there is frequent defecation. As a result, the animal loses a great deal of liquid and, in addition, important nutrients from the food can no longer be absorbed due to the fast transit time. Electrolytes (salts) and sometimes proteins (proteins) are lost in this way. If the intestinal wall is very badly damaged, bacteria can pass from the intestine into the blood and cause blood poisoning (sepsis).
Diarrhea in puppies and dogs can occur suddenly (acute) or become chronic, i.e. develop over weeks. A dog with diarrhea is of course very unpleasant for the owner, especially if kept in the apartment. Incidentally, young dogs are more frequently affected by diarrhea.
Causes
Diarrhea in dogs can have a number of causes:
- Parasites, e.g. tapeworms or roundworms
- Viruses, e.g. parvovirus
- Bacteria, e.g. Salmonella, hemolytic E. coli
- the sudden change in diet
- Feed intolerances
- Stress (increases bowel movement)
- The disease of the pancreas, liver, kidneys, or especially in the cat of the thyroid
- cardiac insufficiency
- tumors
- medication
If several dogs in a household or, for example, in a group of puppies are ill, this indicates an infectious cause. If the animal is older and has chronic diarrhea, an organic cause is more likely.
Symptoms
In the case of diarrhea in the small intestine, the animal often has runny feces during the day and unfortunately also at night. It barely makes it to the defecation site. Color may vary. All other brown tones are initially unproblematic. In the case of watery, bloody diarrhea, or even black diarrhea in the dog, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately, since poisoning or a bleeding stomach ulcer can be the cause here. Animals with diarrhea also show repeated vomiting, increased body temperature (fever), and are listless. A veterinarian should also be consulted, as severe diarrhea can become life-threatening within a few days if the lost fluid and electrolytes are not replaced. This is especially true for animals that are already weak, very young or old, and during the summer months in hot weather. Reduced feed intake in the event of diarrhea is not a problem for dogs for up to a week, but this should never last longer than 2-3 days for cats, otherwise, they can develop a metabolic imbalance (hepatic lipidosis).
Colonic diarrhea is often a symptom of food intolerance or occurs in animals that are unable to cope well with stressful situations. Here the animal is often the only symptom of small portions of mucus, often with streaks of blood (slimy diarrhea). Some pet owners also notice that the first droppings in the morning are quite normal and that the droppings become softer and softer over the course of the day and sometimes also get a mucus coating. Here one should consider what the feeding regime looks like. What is the basic feed? Which treats are fed? Does one or the other family member feed things from the dining table? You also have to think about whether the animal could have stress due to deviations from the daily routine (visiting friends, business trips…). Also, think about subliminal conflicts in multi-animal households. In the case of diarrhea in the large intestine, it is always a good idea to keep a feed diary in which other peculiarities and the composition of the feces are also entered.
When Should You Go To The Vet?
Keep a close eye on your adult dog or puppy if he suddenly develops diarrhea. It is best to also measure the body temperature: in a healthy dog, it ranges between 38 and 39°C (measured in the anus). If the animal does not have a fever and is behaving completely normally, you can wait a while longer. It is not uncommon for the intestines to calm down on their own, e.g. if the food that was not tolerated has been carried out. You may also know that the dog accidentally ate something intolerable. Then it can be helpful to go without food for a day to protect the gastrointestinal tract a little. However, you should only attempt this on your own with otherwise healthy dogs, and only in consultation with the veterinarian if your dog is already chronically ill, very young, or old!
If the animal seems listless and tired, eats and drinks very little or not at all, if it has a fever or low temperature, you should definitely consult a veterinarian. You should also not wait if you suspect that your dog has eaten something poisonous or swallowed a foreign object that does not belong in the dog’s intestines and could possibly cause damage (e.g. nuts, toys). Even if you discover diarrhea with blood or mucus or the stool is very dark to black, you should not wait to see the vet!
Diagnostics And Treatment
The vet will try to determine the cause of diarrhea. In the case of mild diarrhea that goes away on its own, this is not so relevant and usually, only the symptoms are treated. In the case of severe and/or long-lasting diarrhea, only finding the cause provides a treatment option with a permanent healing prognosis.
Thorough Investigation
For this purpose, the dog is thoroughly examined, usually, a blood sample is also taken in order to rule out internal diseases, e.g. In cats, for example, there is no recovery without vitamin B replacement. Examination of a stool sample helps, for example, to suspect parasites or viruses. In order to increase the reliability of the diagnosis, it often makes sense to use feces from at least three weanings, since various parasites are not excreted continuously. Giardia or cryptosporidia can also be detected using a stool sample. Sometimes the vet will do an abdominal X-ray and/or ultrasound. This allows foreign bodies, intestinal blockages, or tumors to be detected, as well as strong gas formation. Changes in the structure of the intestines and the appearance of lymph nodes can be seen with the help of an ultrasound scan.
Fluid Replacement And Stabilization Of The Intestinal Flora
In the case of diarrhea, the dog is treated primarily with a liquid substitute and the stabilization of the intestinal flora with the help of probiotics and prebiotics. This is done by means of special food supplements or, in the case of severe loss, by means of an intravenous infusion. Depending on the severity of the disease, the animal is hospitalized for better monitoring.
Antibiotics Are Used For Bacteria
If the cause of the diarrhea is known, it is treated specifically. If bacteria are actually the trigger, the use of an antibiotic will be necessary. There are effective antiparasitic drugs against worms or small unicellular intestinal parasites. In the case of metabolic disorders, e.g. in the pancreas or liver, other medicines have to be used.
Diet When The Diet Is A Possible Trigger
If there is a suspicion that the diet is responsible for diarrhea, the animal will initially be given a bland or exclusion diet. Then you have to find out which feed components are problematic. You can find out more about this here (feed intolerance). Your veterinarian will of course be happy to advise you on this!
What Can You Do As A Dog Owner?
For dogs with diarrhea, charcoal tablets are only used for certain types of poisoning, as the small, microscopically sharp-edged particles otherwise do more harm than good to the intestines. Therefore, charcoal tablets should be banned from the medicine cabinet and not used for self-medication.
If you want to wait, you can not feed anything for a day and offer the water in small portions. The animal should be under control, not allowed into the garden alone, not slurping on puddles or pond water, and not eating grass. Afterward, you can offer light food in small portions. For dogs with sensitive stomachs, you can also have a small medicine cabinet put together by the veterinarian.
Prognosis
The prognosis for healing diarrhea depends heavily on the cause. For a large percentage of diarrhea in dogs, this remains unexplained. However, most spontaneous diarrhea in dogs heals without any problems. Chronic dog diarrhea can require lengthy and sometimes expensive treatment. The veterinarian will discuss this with the owner on a case-by-case basis.