Diarrhea is the most common problem encountered by dogs. When you see your dog having diarrhea or finding blood in the stool, as a parent, you are very worried about your fur baby! Don't know what to do? Bookmark this article to take care of your dog’s diarrhea and prevent him from getting lost.

▍9 common causes of diarrhea in dogs

Dogs have diarrhea? The furry parents are so worried! There are many possible reasons~

1. Breed genes, poor gastrointestinal digestion function

Special breed dogs are affected by genetic inheritance and are more likely to have gastrointestinal sensitivity problems. If you encounter a dog If you suddenly have diarrhea, it is recommended to purchase a specialized nutritional formula designed for specific breeds of dogs to reduce the occurrence of similar situations.

➧ Common dog breeds with intestinal sensitivity include:

Poodle

Shiba Inu

Golden Retriever

Labrador Retriever

Shih Tzu

French Bulldog

2. Too young, gastrointestinal flora is unstable

Due to Puppies' gastrointestinal tracts are not yet fully mature, so they are relatively fragile and sensitive. The following situations may cause diarrhea in puppies:

It is easy to become nervous when encountering a new environment

Being too excited during play

Eating raw and cold food< /p>

Eating food that may cause allergies

3. Change feed/change diet

Some feeds contain allergic substances or food additives, which may also cause allergic reactions in dogs. Dog has diarrhea. If your dog has a sensitive intestine, it is recommended to consider hypoallergenic ingredients when choosing food and feed.

If parents want to help their children change the feed, they should also change the feed in a gradual manner. Because each feed brand has different nutritional components, a sudden change of feed may cause the dog's gastrointestinal tract to be temporarily unable to regulate, leading to diarrhea. Veterinarians suggest: If parents of furry babies want to change their feed, they can add a small amount of new feed to the original feed, and then slowly change the proportion of old and new feed within a week, which can effectively avoid gastrointestinal discomfort caused by changing feed.

4. Ingestion of foreign objects or poisoning

If the dog ingests foreign objects, such as toys, rubber bands, wires, small objects, etc., because these objects cannot be digested, It can easily cause intestinal obstruction, causing vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea in dogs.

In addition, if the dog accidentally eats pesticides, medicines or fruits that are poisonous to dogs at home, it may also cause poisoning and diarrhea.

5. Gastroenteritis

If it is determined that the diarrhea is caused by gastroenteritis, you need to take it to a veterinarian for more precise examination and treatment as soon as possible to avoid delaying the condition.

6. Sudden changes in the weather

Weather changes, such as the large temperature difference between day and night during the change of seasons, can also easily cause diarrhea, gastrointestinal sensitivity and abnormal peristalsis in dogs. In winter, you can prepare a warm kennel for your furry dog, so that the dog can have a warm and comfortable sleeping environment, and at the same time, it can avoid and improve diarrhea caused by weather changes.

7. New environment, nervousness and anxiety

Nervous and anxious moods can also easily lead to diarrhea in dogs. It is best to bring personal belongings that will make dogs and cats feel at ease, such as It is a quilt for cats, toys and dolls for dogs, so that dogs can relieve the tension caused by unfamiliarity when facing a new environment.

8. Parasitic infection

Infection with parasites is also one of the most common causes of diarrhea in dogs. What are the common parasites in dogs and how to prevent them?

9. Caused by other chronic diseases

Other diseases cause symptoms similar to gastroenteritis, such as peritonitis, kidney disease, pancreatitis, nephritis, viral infection and parasitic infection, etc. It can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea in dogs. If parents are unable to determine the cause of their dog's diarrhea, it is still recommended to take the dog to the doctor as soon as possible. The cause of the dog's diarrhea can be clarified as soon as possible, discovered and treated early.

▍From the 7 types of feces shapes, we will help you understand what kind of poop represents health

Learn to master the "4C principles" of judging pet poop, and better understand the health of your dog from poop. state.

#1 Coating

See if the color of the inside and outside of the poop is the same or close to the same. There is no obvious color difference.

#2 Contents

This step of observation may be a little uncomfortable, but it is easiest to find parasites, hairs, coins, etc. when the poop is still fresh. Foreign objects, like our MO, I often find my hair in its poop!

#3 Consistency

The observation of consistency is the shape! According to the "Bristol Stool Classification" published by the Department of Medicine at the University of Bristol Royal Infirmary in the UK in 1997, it is the world's authoritative classification of stool. Doctors around the world use this classification as a reference for examining stool. Dr. Bristow divides "human poop" into seven categories. This classification theory can also be applied to the poop of furry children!

➧ Poop has something to say. Does pet poop have so many secrets?

Type 1: dry, hard, granular

It may be due to lack of water and dietary fiber, which causes slow gastrointestinal motility and appears granular.

Type 2: Sausage-shaped, "rough" surface

That's because it stays in the intestine for too long and has a bumpy and rough appearance. If your baby's poop falls into the Type 1 and Type 2 just mentioned, it means there is a risk of constipation!

Type 3: It is also sausage-shaped, but there are "cracks" on the surface.

Although it is still a little dry, overall it is very close to the standard range. If you can add more A little moisture would be better!

Type 4: sausage-shaped or snake-shaped strips with a "smooth" surface

Congratulations, Mom and Dad, your baby's poop is very healthy!

Type 5: soft and lumpy with clear edges

If it falls into this category, it means there is slight soft stool.

Type 6: "mushy" with soft edges

This is an obvious sign of diarrhea! Pay attention! In the long run, babies will become dehydrated and malnourished.

Type 7: Completely "liquid" with no solid shape

Represents severe diarrhea, in addition to liquid stool, there may even be a foul odor. Types 5 to 7 represent diarrhea ranging from mild to severe.

You can try a "low-fat, high-fiber diet" and adjust your meal times to small, frequent meals, or add supplementary foods such as probiotics to your food to improve intestinal health. But if your baby has symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, and weight loss in addition to diarrhea, or if the diarrhea continues for a period of time without improvement, you must take him to the veterinary hospital for consultation!

#4 Color

In addition to looking at the shape, you should also look at the color to learn about your baby’s health! You can refer to our color card~ Pay special attention when picking up poop! It is divided into 7 colors to represent 7 conditions:

1. Yellow

is the color of health.

2. Brown

The poop excreted by dogs is yellow-brown and brown, which means that the dog’s bile secretion is normal and the gastrointestinal health is very healthy. However, if the shape of the feces is too thin, If it is too soft, you need to pay attention to whether there are indigestion problems. For details, please refer to the analysis of stool shape in the next paragraph. Usually seeing brown means that your dog's digestion is normal and it is also the color of normal stool.

3. Orange

Orange poop may also be caused by dietary factors, such as corn, rice, carrots and other foods with yellow tints. But if you rule out food as a factor, you may have some indigestion, or it may be a sign of pancreatitis or gallbladder problems.

4. Red [a color to be alert to]

If your dog eats food containing red pigments, it may cause the poop to turn red, such as tomatoes, watermelons, and dragon fruit. etc., but after excluding dietary factors, the owner finds that if there is red mucus or blood streaks at the same time, it may be lower gastrointestinal bleeding or anal bleeding; but if the baby is listless and accompanied by fever, it is likely to be acute gastroenteritis. It is recommended to take the furry child to the veterinary hospital for further examination.

5. Black

Black dog poop may be caused by eating foods and medicines high in iron, such as beef, spinach, iron supplements, etc. Of course, in addition to diet, there is another possibility that the dog's upper gastrointestinal tract is bleeding. After digestion, the blood will turn black like iron-containing food. Therefore, owners need to pay attention to the dog's energy and appetite. If there is any abnormality, It is recommended to ask a veterinarian for examination.

6. Green

Dog poop that is green may be caused by ingesting too much green pigment, such as eating too much grass or dark green vegetables. The owner can observe the dog’s condition in the next few days. Reaction and color of feces. If the dog's energy is normal, and the feces gradually turns brown, it means improvement. If it is accompanied by diarrhea, or if you are taking antibiotics or eating rodenticide, your stool may turn green, please take it to a doctor immediately!

7. Gray

Because intestinal obstruction caused by jaundice, stones, biliary sclerosis, etc., bile cannot be discharged and appears white-gray in stool. Just like humans, the yellowish-brown color in dog feces actually comes from bile in the body. Therefore, if the poop loses color and takes on a gray-white appearance, it is likely that the pancreas and liver are inflamed, causing bile duct obstruction and bile cannot mix smoothly. If it is excreted in the feces, it is a type of feces that needs to be sent to the veterinary hospital for examination as soon as possible.

▍Is diarrhea equal to gastroenteritis in dogs? What should I do if there is blood in my stool?

➧ When a dog has the following four symptoms, it is very likely that it is suffering from gastroenteritis:

A strange arched back posture (or keeping its belly against the cold ground) )

Watery stool with a strong stench

Inexplicable vomiting

The body temperature rises to fever

When seeing If your dog has vomiting and diarrhea and the above symptoms appear, it means that this may not be ordinary dog ​​diarrhea. You need to be alert immediately and take your dog to the veterinary hospital for medical treatment as soon as possible. Seize the golden treatment period and seek treatment from a veterinarian.

When dogs have gastroenteritis, the veterinarian will give antibiotics or anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal drugs. If the gastroenteritis is caused by parasites, a course of deworming drugs will be given. During the treatment period, the dog should reduce its diet (or fast), and in addition to taking the medicine prescribed by the veterinarian, it should be given adequate nutritional supplements and hydration. If treated with antibiotics, canine probiotics should be given for a period of time after the antibiotic course.

Because antibiotics can easily inhibit and change the bacterial balance of the dog’s digestive system, it is best to supplement good bacteria after taking antibiotics to help maintain good intestinal bacteria and build natural immunity.

(1) When should you take your dog to the doctor?

Many dogs can recover on their own within 1 to 2 days after having diarrhea, so if a healthy dog ​​suddenly has diarrhea, the owner does not have to rush to take the dog to see a doctor, but can observe the dog after There is no decrease in appetite and activity before making further decisions. If your dog meets the following three conditions, it is recommended that you seek medical examination as soon as possible:

The dog has diarrhea for more than 2 days in a row and has other symptoms suspected of gastroenteritis, such as bloody stools, vomiting, weakness, loss of appetite, etc. .

If the dog has severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and the owner discovers that the dog may have ingested foreign objects or medicines, it is recommended to seek emergency medical treatment, which is the most dangerous situation.

The dog itself has chronic diseases or cancer, such as diabetes and acute and chronic kidney disease. Pancreatitis, etc. If diarrhea occurs more than 2 times, it is recommended to seek medical examination.

(2) What can dogs eat when they have diarrhea?

Taking care of your dog’s stomach is like taking care of your own. Try to avoid overly seasoned or foods that dogs cannot eat, such as raw food.

Especially after a dog has diarrhea or gastroenteritis, you should pay more attention to the dog’s diet. You can prepare the following foods to help the dog absorb the nutrients it needs:

Rice flour water: in a large amount of water Boil high-quality rice noodles, remove the grains and give your dog the remaining white soup.

White rice

Pumpkin puree/sweet potato puree

Add-free, unflavored yogurt containing beneficial bacteria

Pet probiotics, helpful Good bacteria for digestion and intestinal health

High-quality protein source: hard-boiled eggs or chicken

Fennel and other herbs have gastrointestinal soothing properties

Contains Functional formula feed with probiotics for pets

(3) What should I prepare before seeking medical treatment?

When you decide to take your dog to a veterinary hospital for examination, owners can first use the following 6 questions to quickly grasp key information to help veterinarians more accurately judge the dog’s condition and prescribe appropriate medicines. .

When does a dog start having diarrhea?

Has your dog’s diarrhea become serious? Are there any other symptoms found?

What is the shape and color of dog poop? (It is recommended to take photos)

Is the dog taking any medicine now? Do you have any relevant medical history?

Has your dog dug through trash cans or kitchen waste bins recently? Have you ever found any foreign objects accidentally ingested?

Has the dog’s diet changed recently? Have you ever eaten human food?

The dog itself has chronic diseases or cancer, such as diabetes and acute and chronic kidney disease. Pancreatitis, etc. If diarrhea occurs more than 2 times, it is recommended to seek medical examination.