Comforting a dog with diarrhea is no easy task. Between frequent bowel movements and an achy belly, it may seem that there isn't much you can do for your dog, but get him to an area to relieve himself as quickly as possible. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to comfort a dog with diarrhea until you can take him to see a vet or until any home remedies kick in. Before we discuss the ways to comfort a dog with diarrhea, continue reading to learn a bit about the different types of dog diarrhea.
What is Dog Diarrhea?
Dog diarrhea is characterized by frequent bowel movements and abnormal stools that may be softer than usual and light or oddly colored. There are two basic types of dog diarrhea including acute and chronic. Acute diarrhea is a way for the dogs body to heal and rid itself of harmful or unwanted toxins. Eating trash and table scraps as well as indigestible objects such as sticks, grass, and dirt can cause acute dog diarrhea. Acute diarrhea is characterized by watery or "cow pie" type stools.
Chronic diarrhea is characterized by watery or soft-formed stools, explosive stools, blood coated stools, and/or mucus coated stools. It can cause weight-loss, lethargy, fatigue, and dehydration. Chronic dog diarrhea can be caused by intestinal parasites, food allergies, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bacteria infections, leaky gut syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, or liver, thyroid or kidney disease. Chronic dog diarrhea can also be caused by eating indigestible foods on a regular basis or by a condition called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is a condition that alters the system from a normal intestinal microbial flora to an abnormal bacterial, protozoal or fungal population.
Comforting a Dog With Diarrhea
The best thing you can do comfort your dog at home is:
- provide fresh water
- feed him a bland diet of white rice and chicken
- fast for 24 hours
- give him Pedialyte
- allow yourdog to get plenty of rest and provide a clean bed or space for him to sleep in.
Treating a dog with diarrhea at the vet
If your dog has chronic diarrhea, your vet will recommend anywhere from a night's stay in the hospital to several days, depending on the cause and severity of the condition. The dog will rest and take in intravenous fluids, any necessary antibiotics or medications or any special diet that the vet will administer.
Dog Diarrhea Prevention
Because it is nearly impossible to watch your dog 24/7, preventing dog diarrhea can be tough. All you can do to help prevent diarrhea is to feed your dog a healthy, balanced, high-quality all natural diet, provide plenty of fresh water, and do your best to stop him from eating indigestible objects during walks and playtime. Around the home, do not leave small objects lying around, hide wastebaskets or lock them up, and avoid feeding your dog table scraps.