Most cases of diarrhea in dogs resolve themselves in a few days. In order to help your pet overcome these circumstances, we want to tell you what to feed dogs with diarrhea.
One of the most common problems in the canine veterinary practice is diarrhea, among other gastrointestinal disorders. Knowing what to feed dogs with diarrhea is fundamental for their recovery. Whatever the reason, their intestinal tract is sensitive, and they require a diet that’s easily digestible.
As in humans, copious diarrhea in dogs can result in fatigue, dehydration, loss of electrolytes, and many other harmful symptoms for the animal. It’s up to owners to tackle the illness, so here we’ll show you what your dog’s diet should look like if he or she’s suffering from diarrhea.
From a general point of view, diarrhea refers to the act of depositing liquid feces three or more times a day. At the same time, it refers to a situation in which the patient realizes one or more bowel movements with mucus, pus or blood in 24 hours or less.
Veterinary websites estimate that almost 30% of the dogs that come to the clinic are there because of acute diarrhea. In general, professionals estimate that this symptom usually heals itself in less than two weeks. Therefore, in many cases, there’s no need to go running to a specialist.
Just the same, if the diarrhea contains blood or pus, if your dog has a fever or other symptoms, or if the gastrointestinal malaise persists for more than two weeks, seeing a veterinarian becomes essential. Many cases of diarrhea are due to viruses, parasites, or bacteria, and these infections require specific treatments.
First of all, we need to emphasize that the most conservative treatment is to deprive your dog of any kind of food for a period of 12-24 hours. Otherwise, you can offer your pet very small pieces of food between long intervals. Even so, you must make water available to the animal at all times.
In general, diet changes in dogs with diarrhea are based on the following two points:
It’s best for a veterinarian to take charge of a dog’s diet in its most vulnerable moments. Even so, below we’ll offer you a list of certain foods for human consumption that are good to feed dogs with diarrhea:
In most cases it’s best for the basis of a dog’s diet to consist of rice and boiled boneless chicken for the first 12 to 24 hours after the appearance of diarrhea. As the dog gets better, the owner can start introducing kibble from its feed into this mixture.
Despite the advice presented here, it’s essential that we make one thing clear: Not all diarrhea is treatable from home. Some of these clinical cases are caused by intestinal parasites or very aggressive bacteria. Therefore, your dog may need an antibiotic or antiparasitic treatment.
If your dog doesn’t improve with time, if he or she is lethargic, then go to the vet immediately. The same is true if you notice blood or pus in your pet’s stools. In the case of certain diseases, quick action can save your dog’s life.
Fever in dogs is, without a doubt, the most frequent illnesses in veterinary clinics’ day to day work. It’s usually a sign of some sort of illness, either infectious or otherwise. Furthermore, fever carries a series of associated symptoms, which…
Irritable Bowel Syndrome -IBS- is a pathology that occurs in dogs as well as in humans. It’s a disorder that…
Health authorities give special attention to two equine diseases in particular. These are the contagious equine metritis and the equine…
Otitis externa in dogs is a fairly common problem, especially in certain breeds with large and floppy ears which, due…
Hydatidosis is a parasitic disease caused by flatworms known as cestodes. It’s a pathology that affects numerous species of mammals,…
Melanoma is the best known and most worrying type of skin cancer in the context of veterinary medicine. There are several types of skin tumors in cats that can affect our felines. Below, we present the most common types of…
