Dog Hemorrhoids

Dog hemorrhoids can be an extremely painful condition. Hemorrhoids can appear either inside the anus or in the exterior anal area. Most commonly these hemorrhoids will rupture in the event of a bowel movement, which can be quite painful for your dog. Luckily, hemorrhoids are not a major issue and in most cases can be easily treated.

Structure of Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids occur when there is swelling of the blood vessels. When these blood vessels swell, they often begin to expand and can be seen in the exterior anal area or inner rim of the anus.

Swelling is a normal reaction when the body sends an increased amount of blood flow to a wounded area of the body. However, hemorrhoids can be extremely painful as they get larger and when they rupture.

Creation of Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are developed when there is an excessive amount of pressure in the anal area. The pressure causes the sensitive blood vessels to swell and create hemorrhoids.

Most commonly, hemorrhoids are caused by constipation. If your dog is kept on a high protein diet, this can lead to constipation because it takes longer for the body to digest protein than any other nutrient.

Hemorrhoids can also be caused when sitting for long periods of time, thus applying unnecessary pressure to the anal area. A lot of times this happens when a dog has an injury to a limb and cannot be as mobile as usual during the recovery process.

If your dog is being treated for another medical condition, exercise can sometimes be restricted. This, in turn, can also cause the development of hemorrhoids.

Observance of Hemorrhoids

In some cases hemorrhoids will be very obvious to dog owners. The presence of a lump around the anal area can usually indicate the presence of hemorrhoids. Because the lump could be indicative of several other conditions, it should always be inspected by a medical professional.

When the hemorrhoid develops on the inside of the anus, the onset of symptoms can be quite alarming. However, regardless of where the hemorrhoid is located, it will give off a set of sure symptoms. Some of those symptoms include:

Treatment

The first step to treating hemorrhoids is the accurate and conclusive diagnosis of hemorrhoids. In most cases, hemorrhoids can either be seen visibly on the exterior of the anus or be felt by probing the inner lining of the anus. In combination with the symptoms, this can usually provide for a very accurate diagnosis.

Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, treatment can begin. The option of treatment will be directly related to the condition of the hemorrhoids. If the hemorrhoids have only just begun, and are not displaying extreme symptoms, the only method of treatment may be a more structured and hemorrhoid-friendly diet.

If your dog appears to be in extreme pain and there are excessive amounts of bleeding, other methods of treatment may be called into play. Most commonly, an anti-steroidal cream will be used in the treatment of both interior and exterior hemorrhoids.

 

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