Intestinal Diseases in Dogs

Many dogs are fortunate to not go through more intestinal diseases than they do. A dog's body is capable of processing a wide variety of food items, as well as flushing non-food items through the system with little trouble. Because dogs tend to eat many things that they shouldn't, this is a crucial ability. However, that's not to say that there aren't certain diseases and other conditions which may affect your dog's intestines or the remainder of his gastric system as well. Read on for a brief overview of a few of the more common intestinal diseases in dogs.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or Disease), otherwise called IBS or IBD, is a common condition that can affect your pet's intestines and the remainder of his digestive system. This disease is oftentimes brought on by a difficulty in intestinal movement that can be caused by a variety of reasons, including stress. Dogs with this condition will suffer from frequent and extreme bouts of diarrhea and stomach upset. This disease can be moderated through specialty diets and other medicines to encourage the proper functioning of the intestinal tract.

Parasites and Dog Intestinal Diseases

Intestinal parasites are a relatively common concern for dogs in many parts of the country. When a dog consumes food or comes into contact with the feces of an infected animal, eggs and living parasites can enter into his system. Many of these parasites will attach themselves to his intestinal lining and begin to feed off of the foods that he eats, leeching out the nutrients before his body can make use of them. Intestinal parasites can cause a variety of short and long term problems for your dog's health, so it's important to be aware of them and to flush them from your dog's system as quickly as possible.

Enteritis of a Dog's Intestines

Enteritis is a condition in which your dog's intestines swell as a result of an infection. The result is that he will experience stomach upset and frequent diarrhea, oftentimes with an unpleasant odor and color. While many cases of enteritis go away on their own, this disease can typically be treated easily with a program of antibiotics. Most veterinarians recommend using antibiotic medicines to address cases of enteritis before they can become more complicated or widespread, and to help to curb your pet's discomfort.

Parvovirus and Dog Intestines

Parvovirus, or parvo, is one of the most deadly diseases for young dogs, with a fatality rate of roughly 80% in untreated puppies. Because of this, veterinarians carefully prescribe vaccinations for this disease from a very early age. The parvo virus attacks a dog's intestines, causing the rapidly changing cells to break down and resulting in leakages from his intestines into the other parts of his body. Treatment for this condition requires fluid therapy and other means of stabilization while the virus runs its course.

For more information on these and other common intestinal diseases in dogs, consult with your veterinarian.

 

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