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Diarrhea in dogs is characterized by frequent defecation and loose, watery stool. The duration of dog diarrhea depends on the cause and the dog's overall health, with mild cases resolving within a day. If dog diarrhea persists or worsens, veterinary attention is necessary for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Aug 8, 2024 · If your dog has diarrhea, do you rush them to the vet or try and treat the condition at home? What can you do to prevent dog diarrhea in the future? Here’s everything you ever wanted (or didn’t want) to know about dog diarrhea.
If your dog has gastroenteritis, you may observe some or all of the following symptoms: Diarrhoea: Gastroenteritis often presents as diarrhoea in dogs, ranging from loose stools to watery bowel movements. Vomiting: or retching (heaving without bringing anything up). Reduced appetite or a complete loss of appetite.
- What Is Diarrhea?
- Why Dogs Get Diarrhea
- How to Know When Diarrhea Is A Medical Emergency
- How to Treat Your Dog's Diarrhea at Home
- Over-The-Counter Medications and Why They Are Best to Avoid
- What If Home Treatment Doesn't Work?
- Be Prepared to Answer Your Veterinarian's Questions
- What Your Veterinarian Is Likely to Do
- Frequently Asked Questions
Diarrhea is the term used when your dog passes non-formed, loose, or watery stool more often and in larger amounts than they would normally defecate. It is a common condition that is a sign or symptom of other diseases or issues rather than a disease itself. Diarrhea can be acute (sudden), lasting for 14 days or less, and is commonly due to dietary...
When fecal matter moves through the intestines faster than normal, and there is decreased absorption of water, nutrients, and electrolytes, the result is diarrhea. There can be many causes of diarrhea in dogs. It is a symptom of diseases or other issues like toxins, foreign body ingestion, etc., that affect the small intestines, large intestines, o...
You suspect your dog has ingested a toxin or poisonYou suspect your dog has ingested a foreign body, such as a toy, bones, or clothesYour dog is low energy and may seem weakLoss of appetiteThere are times when your dog may be off, and you can manage their diarrhea without a trip to the veterinarian. If you have determined that it will likely be ok to try and “ride out” your dog’s diarrhea for 24 to 36 hours, then here are some options to help.
You may be wondering why I have not mentioned over-the-counter (OTC) human medications, such as Kaopectate®, Pepto Bismol®, or Imodium®, for your pet. The reason is that depending on the cause of the diarrhea, these medications can do more harm than good. They should only be given if recommended by your dog’s veterinarian and only at the dose they ...
When in doubt, when concerned, or when the diarrhea extends beyond a day or two, despite your best at-home efforts, your best bet is to have your pet — and their poo — evaluated by your veterinarian. No amount of internet searching and no number of trial and error home remedy attempts can compete with the comprehensive history taking, thorough phys...
Being able to answer your vet's questions about your pet’s diet, environment, habits, and behavior and knowing the details about your dog’s diarrhea will aid in narrowing the list of possible causes. By narrowing the list of possible causes, this also helps determine if and what specific tests are needed or if you will be able to treat the issue wi...
Take a Medical History
Like any good investigation, thorough questioning is crucial to the process of determining the cause of your pet’s problems. It’s true for your dog’s diarrhea. It’s true for ANY problems your pet might be having. Typical historical questions your vet may ask when your pet is presented with diarrhea might include: a) How long has the diarrhea been going on? b) What does the stool look like — what color is it, is there any blood, etc.? Here’s where it’s really nice if you’ve brought a fresh sam...
Physical Examination
Along with the history, the importance of a thorough physical examination truly cannot be understated. Your vet will evaluate and pick up on important things during the course of their physical examination. These include whether or not your pet’s abdomen is painful or if there is abnormal fluid present within their abdomen. Whether or not there is a mass or foreign body within your pet’s rectum or elsewhere within your pet’s digestive tract or other body systems. They can evaluate your pet’s...
Diagnostic Testing
Depending on what your vet is finding during the course of the history taking (this is why knowing the above characteristics about small intestinal diarrhea versus large is beneficial) and physical examination, they may well be recommending certain diagnostic tests to help “rule in” or “rule out” potential underlying causes. Often times the first “go-to” test for investigating diarrhea in dogs is a fecal float and smear — a test that looks primarily for intestinal parasites and abnormal intes...
Can a dog get diarrhea from another dog?
Some causes of diarrhea are contagious, such as parvovirus. Therefore, a dog can get diarrhea from another dog.
What should dog poop look like?
Dog poop should be a range of brown shades in color, compact and segmented (log-like shape), moist, and easily picked up.
Why is my dog’s poop black?
Consumption of certain dietary items, such as raw meat or foods containing charcoal or blood, can cause poop to be black. Black poop can indicate the presence of an underlying medical issue such as gastrointestinal bleeding, parasites, infection, or liver or kidney disease. Some medications, such as iron supplements or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto), can cause stool to be black.
Jul 25, 2024 · Almost all dog owners will have encountered dog diarrhea at some stage in their dog's life. Here our vet discusses the signs, causes and treatments of diarrhea in dogs.
Feb 8, 2022 · When given to dogs, it can help stop diarrhea and may have some antibacterial properties. It is important to know that it can turn your dog's feces black and have rare side effects including ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract.
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Aug 18, 2023 · If your dog's diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, excessive drooling, or difficulty when walking, consider that your dog may have consumed something toxic. If other symptoms accompany your dog's diarrhea, contact your vet right away.
