The many and varied causes of diarrhea
Dogs develop diarrhea for many different reasons. Abnormal stools can occur any time the movement of water or nutrients across the lining of the intestines is altered or disrupted. For example, when your canine companion eats something that’s not part of his or her normal diet, the normal bacteria present in the intestines may be changed, which can lead to acute diarrhea.
Diarrhea can also signal health problems such as pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), parvovirus infection and liver disease. In these cases, inflammation and/or damage to the intestinal lining are the mechanisms behind the diarrhea.
Here are some of the most common scenarios in which diarrhea would be anticipated:
Your veterinarian can tell a lot from the character of your dog’s diarrhea
When talking with your veterinarian about your dog’s diarrhea, be prepared to answer several questions:
Your veterinarian will want to determine if your dog’s diarrhea is associated with the small intestine, large intestine or both. Small intestinal and large intestinal diarrhea have different causes, may require different diagnostic tests and will likely be treated differently.
With small intestinal diarrhea, you’re likely to see large amounts of stool that range from very watery to semi-formed. Defecation frequency is often normal, but could be slightly increased. Stool that is extremely dark or black suggests bleeding may be occurring in the stomach or the first part of the small intestine. Flatulence (gas), stomach or intestinal noises, or vomiting may occur at the same time.
Dogs with large intestinal diarrhea tend to pass smaller-than-normal amounts of semi-formed stool that may be covered in or contain mucus. Dogs typically strain to defecate in addition to passing feces much more frequently than normal. If blood is present, it’s usually bright red and fresh looking.
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Diarrhea in Dogs: How To Quickly Treat At Home
If you own a dog, dog poop is a very real part of your life. But if youre reading this post, youve more than likely found yourself in the unenviable position of having to clean a poop thats, well, lacking in structural integrity and possibly even bordering on formless.
Theres no way to put it delicately, but doggie diarrhea is just part of being a pawrent. Like in humans, there comes a point when having a runny tummy can go from harmless and temporary to much more severe.
Well look at dog diarrhea in this post (not literally, thank goodness!) and cover all the essential things you need to know. What causes dog diarrhea? What other symptoms should you look out for? When should you worry? When should you seek treatment?
Diarrhea in dogs can be caused by several things. Most commonly, the cause of dog diarrhea is related to what your dog eats. Eating things like garbage or spoiled food can cause stomach upset, as can consuming poisonous substances or plants. Food intolerances and allergies can also cause diarrhea in dogs.
According to research, diarrhea in dogs can also be caused by various parasites, including roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Also, common viruses like parvovirus and coronavirus and bacteria like salmonella can cause diarrhea.
Sometimes, it can be a symptom of another illness like liver and kidney disease, colitis, or cancer.