All dogs get diarrhea from time to time, if only because they have sensitive stomachs, a taste for garbage, and considerable ingenuity at tipping over cans or tearing into bags. Most cases Of diarrhea are simply nature’s way of eliminating things they shouldn’t have eaten,
What to Feed Dogs with Diarrhea? Veterinarians recommend giving dog foods that are easy to digest. Feed your dogs with lean ground beef mixed half-and-half with boiled rice. Boil the ground beef in a little water and skimming off the fat when it has cooled and solidified.
Give your dog three or four small servings of the mixture a day for three to four days. Or until the stools are their normal consistency again. Then you can slowly return your dog to his usual diet by mixing his food with beef and rice.
Top 07 Reasons that Cause Diarrhea in Dogs:
Diarrhea nearly always gets better within a day or two. Dogs who continue to have runny stools can get quite sick either because there’s an underlying illness or because they’re losing so much fluid that they become dehydrated, and they need to see a veterinarian. Puppies and older dogs are particularly at risk of dehydration.
01. Dietary Indiscretion:
Garbage isn’t the only thing that causes diarrhea. Many dogs are sensitive to milk because they don’t have an enzyme called lactase, which digests the sugar(lactose) in dairy foods. Fatty table scraps can also cause diarrhea.
02. Switching Foods:
Even though dogs have surprisingly sturdy digestive tracts, they don’t adjust well to sudden changes in their diets. Dogs who have been eating the same food for years and then start eating something else will often have diarrhea that lasts for several days as their stomachs adjust to the change.
03. Worms:
Intestinal parasites, mainly worms are a big problem in many parts of the country. Parasites such as Roundworms, Hookworms, Tapeworms, and Whipwormscan irritate the intestines, causing a flood of fluids that can’t be properly absorbed and are eliminated in the form of runny stools.
04. Infections:
Bacterial infections are common causes of diarrhea, says Lila Miller, D.V.M, senior director of animal sciences and veterinary advisor to the American Society of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New york city.
Viral infections such as flu can also make stools and runny.
05. Food Allergies:
Veterinarians aren’t sure why, but sometimes dogs who have been eating the same food for years all suddenly develop an allergic reaction to one or more of the ingredients.
Besides, pet food manufacturers, periodically change recipes, and a dog may be sensitive to one of the new ingredients. Most dogs with food allergies will have skin symptoms, but some will have digestive complaints.
06. Eating too much:
It’s usually not a problem in adult dogs, but young dogs who eat too much, which in many cases is actually the amount recommended by manufacturers, get diarrhea. Because their systems are overloaded.
Veterinarians usually recommend feeding puppies at least thrice a day for the first four to five months.
07. Bones:
Dogs love bones. But bones don’t always love them back. Even small dogs can reduce bone into chips, which irritate the intestines on their way through.
Home Remedies for Doggie Diarrhea:
Before there were sophisticated tests and fancy medications, veterinarians used an array of natural remedies for controlling diarrhea in dogs.
#Remedy 1:
Mix sugarless carob powder in equal amounts of water.
- Dosage: ½-teaspoon to 2-teaspoons per serving
- Number of servings in a day: 4
- Serving period: 4 days
#Remedy 2:
Crushed garlic has been used for centuries for everything from stopping infections to controlling parasites. And it appears to work for diarrhea as well.
- Dosage: 1/4-teaspoon to ½-teaspoon per serving
- Number of servings in a day: 1 to 3 times depending on the severity
- Serving period: 3 days
#Remedy 3:
Slipper elm taken in capsule form is effective at slowing the bowels.
- Dosage: ½-capsule (for small dogs) per serving
- 1 capsule (for medium-sized dogs) per serving
- 2 capsules (for large dogs) per serving
- Number of servings in a day: 2 times
What to Do If Your Dog Has Diarrhea?
1. Give them a chance to recover:
Diarrhea only occurs when the intestines won’t accept whatever food goes in. Putting dogs on a 24 hour fast and puppies on 8 hours fast will reduce stress on the intestines and help them to work normally again.
Going without food for a day is no problem. But dogs always need water, especially when they have diarrhea, which can remove tremendous amounts of fluid in a hurry. Many veterinarians recommend giving dogs with diarrhea a sports drink such as Gatorade. Dogs like the taste of it and will usually drink more than they would if they only had water.
Besides, sports drinks contain essential minerals called electrolytes, which will replace the minerals that diarrhea takes out.
02. Check for worms:
While occasional diarrhea is usually caused by something in the diet and is nothing to worry about, persistent recurrent diarrhea is caused by worms. You may be able to see worms or worm fragments in the stool or the fur around the anus. Veterinarians will spot them when he examines a stool sample.
Most worms are easy to get rid of, with either prescription or over-the-counter medications. The problem with treating worms yourself is that over-the-counter medications only work for certain types of worms.
03. Support the intestines:
The digestive tract is filled with helpful organisms that aid in digestion. Dogs, who have an infection or are taking antibiotics for another condition will often have low levels of these protective organisms, which can result in diarrhea,
A quick way to replace the helpful bacteria is to give dogs live-culture yogurt. You can spoon a little yogurt into your dog’s food every day. Or you can give him acidophilus capsules. Give one capsule a day for small dogs and three capsules a day for large dogs.
04. Stick with one food:
Dogs usually don’t get bored when they eat the same food all the time. And their digestive system works well when there aren’t too many surprises.
That is to say, if you decide to change foods, you must take it slowly by mixing the new food with the old for a few days to a week.
Each day, increase the proportion of the new food. This allows the stomach and intestines to adjust a little at a time.
05. Limit the fat they eat:
Even though dogs don’t have to worry about cholesterol and clogged arteries the people do, getting too much fat in the diet can still be a problem.
Unlike proteins and carbohydrates, fats are quite difficult to digest. Giving a dog more fat than he gets in his usual food can tip the body’s delicate balance and cause diarrhea.
Excess fat is only a problem when people give their dogs a lot of extra snacks from the kitchen and the dinner table. such as trimmings from beef or chicken.
06. Fast Counter Medications:
Over-the-counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol will quickly reduce intestinal irritation and also make the stools firmer. As recommended by Veterinarians:
- Dosage: 1½ teaspoon of Pepto-Bismol for every 15 pounds of dog,
- Several times: Two or three times a day.
While medication such as Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate work quickly and can help to control diarrhea, they can also increase the time it takes for the body to eliminate whatever’s causing the loose stools.
Caution: It is usually recommended to talk to your veterinarian before using these or other medications at home.