Diarrhea is the frequent occurrence of unformed or loose feces. It is a symptom of several diseases rather than a sickness in itself. Moreover, it is a common disease in dogs that varies in intensity, frequency, and duration. However, one must take measures to cure it with timely intervention. That’s because diarrhea can be a result of other serious or life-threatening illnesses, including organ failure or cancer. Even diarrhea caused by minor diseases can turn serious due to negligence, leading to dehydration and an imbalance in salts, minerals, and electrolytes. One can notice the occurrence and take timely preventive steps to cure the dog. For those wondering, ‘what can I give my dog for diarrhea?’ read ahead.
Causes of Diarrhea in Dogs
There can be many causes of diarrhea in dogs, ranging from infections to food poisoning. Regardless, one can deal with many possible causes by maintaining a clean environment, proper medication, and regular health check-ups of their pet dog. Having the correct knowledge about the possible cause of diarrhea in dogs can help the owner decide the future course of action. What causes diarrhea in dogs? Well, here we go-
- Ingesting garbage or spoiled food.
- Colitis, pancreatitis.
- Overdose of medicines.
- Due to antibiotics.
- Depression, anxiety.
- Intestinal cancer.
- Changes in diet.
- Intake of poison or toxins.
- Kidney or liver disease.
- Distemper, coronavirus, parvovirus and other viral infections.
- Inflammatory bowel disease caused by Giardia, coccidia, whipworms, roundworms, etc.
- Bacterial infections.
Dog’s Health-based on Poop Color
While it may sound weird to the owners, people can figure out a lot about the health of their dogs by noticing the color of their poop. The waste material that dogs produce gives signals about the toxins or poisons that it has ingested. In some other cases, it can also show signs of infections, seizures, and other organ-related complications in the canine’s body. So, take a look at your pet’s poop first.
- Dogs’ black excrement can have a “tarry” or “sticky” consistency. Now, this black color comes from partially digested blood. Moreover, stomach ulcers or gastrointestinal system ulcers can lead to black stool.
- The bright red color comes from blood that the gastrointestinal system hasn’t digested. Furthermore, blood splatters in your canine’s feces could be a sign of colitis, a rectal injury, or an infection of the anal glands. Blood in the stools can also be due to several things, including stress, parasites, and cancer.
- Pet owners may observe green poop if their dogs eat a lot of grass. If dogs feel boredom, hungry, or enjoy the taste, they may eat grass. However, it could be a sign of intestinal parasites too.
- Yellow poop is frequently indicative of dietary sensitivity. Yellow to orange feces is never normal and most likely signals a problem with a canine’s gallbladder, liver, or pancreas.
- White patches in the stool indicate that a pup’s intestines are infected with tapeworms. Make sure to regularly deworm the pooches.
What can I Give My Dog for Diarrhea?
One must take certain steps immediately when one notices the issue of diarrhea in dogs. Sometimes, adopting simple home remedies help in the recovery of these adorable creatures and provide them relief. But these remedies are only temporary solutions. So if you want to know, ‘what can I give my dog for diarrhea and vomiting?’, this section guides you. Besides, individuals should never overlook the frequent occurrences of diarrhea or an increase in the severity. According to that, people should seek professional and medical support for their pets. Here are some of the best home remedies to treat dogs with diarrhea:
#1 Fasting for Dogs
Fasting helps one deal with how to treat diarrhea in dogs. Ideally, you should not serve any food to your dog for the first 12 hours. Doing so will bring down its gastrointestinal tract to stability by not introducing new food items. After 12 hours, people can give small doses of probiotics, small quantities of bland food, and water to their dogs, which can help in recovery.
#2 Lots of Liquid and Water Intake
Ensuring that dogs intake lots of liquid and water is necessary. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration that can severely affect the balance of electrolytes in the body, thereby hampering regulatory functions. Moreover, owners should also ensure that their canines drink enough water while suffering from diarrhea to prevent dehydration. If the dog is aversive to plain water, bone and chicken broth can be a great alternative.
#3 Feeding them Pumpkin
Pumpkin is good for the gut health of dogs. It helps with digestion-related issues and is quite nutritious. Additionally, pumpkin is a great source of fiber that can aid in soothing the dog’s stomach. Moreover, it is a preferred treat by dogs that people can serve in the form of puree or as biscuits.
#4 Probiotics
To facilitate good gut health and the growth of healthy bacteria, which prevents stomach ailments, probiotics are always good to go. Dogs suffering from this illness should consume plain sugar-free yogurt, probiotic powders, and drinks. This will reduce the frequency of diarrhea and can prove to be helpful in easing the discomfort in dogs.
#5 Offering Bland Food
Bland food is the best food for dog with diarrhea. It provides nutrition to the canine’s body without aggravating any issues in its stomach. Owners should serve their pets small quantities of bland food like meat (cooked, steamed, baked) and rice with an additional probiotic supplement when the dog is suffering from diarrhea.
These home remedies aren’t the only solution but rather ways to reduce the intensity and increase recovery speed. Follow those methods for how to stop diarrhea in dogs. If one doesn’t see any improvement in their dog’s health, they must consult a vet as soon as possible.
What to Feed a Dog with Diarrhea?
When dogs are suffering from diarrhea, owners must critically monitor their pets’ food and water intake. One should be careful about the food options provided to their loyal buddy during this time. It is important to know about certain food items that pups can consume while having bouts of diarrhea. So, want to know the answer for, ‘what home remedy can I give my dog for diarrhea?’. Nonetheless, the following food for dogs with diarrhea are considered to be a good source of nutrition and a possible cure.
- Foods with lean proteins, such as rabbit, turkey, white fish, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, pork, chicken breast, and salmon.
- Well-cooked millet and oatmeal without any added flavoring or spices.
- Boiled, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes without peel, and pumpkin.
- Mashed banana.
- Plain sugar-free yogurt.
- Boiled and cooked plain rice.
- Water, bone broth, and chicken stock without any spice helps with bloody diarrhea in dogs.
It is important to understand that our furry friends are in a fragile condition during diarrhea. Providing them with the right kind of food is important to cure their sore stomachs and fulfill their nutrition needs. Besides, they lose a lot of water and minerals when they observe diarrhea. Thus, providing them liquid through and along with these meals can help in making their recovery faster.
When Should you Consult your Veterinarian?
While in many cases, owners can cure diarrhea in dogs by noticing the possible causes and providing effective home remedies for the same. But if that situation is related to some kind of serious infection or injury, there is an immediate need for medical intervention. Considering a veterinarian at the right time can prevent the situation from worsening anymore. The below scenarios will demand you to approach a nearby vet immediately:
- When there are chances and symptoms of poisoning or indigestion of toxins by your dog.
- Your dog may have eaten a foreign object that it shouldn’t consume.
- When there is a sharp decline in energy.
- Your pet has become weak.
- The dog stops eating, and there is a loss of appetite.
- Frequent vomiting or vomiting after consuming anything.
- Frequent occurrence of diarrheal bouts.
- Blood in dog’s poop or streaks of blood.
- Black/tarry stool.
- Pain in the dog’s stomach. Dogs with pain have their tails rolled down.
- Worms in dog’s stool or vomit.
- Dry, pale gums, and bad breath.
- Fever and lethargy.
Conclusion
It is important to be very careful about your pet’s health whenever it is suffering from any health-related issue. Figuring out what can I give my dog for diarrhea means a lot to treat this disorder. Diarrhea in dogs is a very common issue that, not being appropriately treated, leads to malnourishment and major health hazards. Therefore, one should be careful in taking care of their pets on normal days as well to prevent the risk of diarrhea. A healthy, clean environment with regular food habits that consists of a nutritious meal and proper medication can prevent the occurrence of diarrhea in dogs.