Diarrhea is a fairly well-known and common disease in dogs. It is difficult to find a person who could not say how the symptoms of this disease manifest. Naturally, the very first thing that can be observed in a dog suffering from indigestion is an increase in the frequency of bowel movements. In this case, feces has a liquid consistency. Sometimes feces can take on a bright scarlet color or brown-brown color. This indicates that diarrhea has begun in the dog with blood.
But
loose stools are far from everything that a pet can bother. With diarrhea, depending on what caused it, the following symptoms may be:
oppression of the general condition - the animal is lethargic, constantly lies, does not respond to others, he has a sad look;
poor appetite or lack thereof;
temperature rise;
dehydration of the body;
sudden weight loss.
In fact, the worst thing that can happen to a dog during diarrhea is dehydration. Sometimes a moment comes when the process becomes irreversible and the pet dies. Therefore, the owner should be attentive to such a painful condition of the dog, and at the first worsening, seek help from a veterinary clinic.
What can cause diarrhea in a dog with and without blood?
Diarrhea in dogs is a symptom of the underlying disease, therefore, in order to prescribe adequate treatment, the correct diagnosis is necessary. So, diarrhea can be observed:
when feeding fatty or poor-quality feed;
in case of poisoning;
with dysbiosis;
with bowel disease of a non-infectious nature (enteritis, trauma, etc.);
with liver and pancreas disease;
with helminthiases;
with viral (plague, viral enteritis, hepatitis, etc.) or bacterial (salmonellosis, staphylococcosis, etc.) infection.
Sometimes diarrhea can be observed in a dog with blood, which indicates either damage to the intestinal mucosa by sharp, swallowed objects, or the infectious nature of diarrhea.
Diagnostic Issues
In order to determine the cause of diarrhea, the veterinarian may need the following information:
when diarrhea started;
what the dog has eaten in the last few days;
whether she was given medication;
temperature indicators;
whether deworming was carried out;
were vaccinations given: if so, which and when.
In addition to a routine examination, the veterinarian may suggest taking feces for helminths or their eggs, hidden bleeding. Not always diarrhea in a dog with blood can be determined visually. An important point in the diagnosis is the study of urine, a general blood test. X-rays also do not interfere. They will make it possible to differentiate diarrhea from bowel obstruction or peritonitis.
Diarrhea in a dog: what to do or first aid questions?
If the dog has diarrhea, self-medication is not recommended. If it is impossible to urgently contact a veterinary clinic, the dog owner will need some knowledge of first aid for digestive upset.
The dog is put on a hungry one-two-day diet and provide complete peace. To replenish the lost fluid, a salted chamomile broth, ordinary boiled water or rehydron are given inside.
On the third day, you can start to feed the dog with easily digestible food - kefir, low-fat cottage cheese, minced meat from lean beef.
All these rules apply only to uncomplicated diarrhea caused by nutritional errors. In other cases, accompanied by a deterioration in the condition of the animal, it is contraindicated to postpone a trip to the doctor.