Dog Diarrhea Prevention and Treatment
Loose stools can be an unpleasant experience for both you and your canine. Many causes for the condition exist, but if you practice the following tips, you should prevent many cases of dog diarrhea.
Diet for puppies is a contributing factor . A sudden switch to a another type of food can cause diarrhea. This frequently occurs at weaning time, when the conversion from mother's milk to other foods is made too rapidly. Worms are also a cause, especially when the puppy appears emaciated despite plenty of food. The diarrhea is generally frothy when these internal parasites are the cause.
Puppy kennels should be kept scrupulously clean and waste took out immediately if possible. Overcrowding, airless conditions, lack of exercise and fresh air can create favorable conditions for a case of dog diarrhea. Loose stools should not be assumed to be a normal condition for puppies.
The prevention methods described above also apply to adults. If your dog gets diarrhea, you need to monitor what the dog is eating. Even if you are feeding a good quality dog food, you pet may be eating from other sources. An encounter with the garbage can, table scraps, or the cat's litter box or food bowl can lead to stool problems for canines.
Diarrhea sometimes results from mental stress;for example, when a dog has been on a car trip, but these cases usually resolve quickly. Occasionally diarrhea becomes epidemic and a whole kennel may become ill. This may be attributable to outside causes, for instance, bad meat consumed by all the dogs.
Otherwise, a veterinarian should be consulted for recurrent diarrhea that is not due to any determinable cause. When malaise or other symptoms are present, try taking the dog's temperature. There is generally a slight rise when an infection is the reason.
Treatment depends on the cause. When bad food is the culprit, a dose of castor oil or Kaopectate may be sufficient to remedy a mild case. If the condition does not clear up within a couple of days, your veterinarian may be able to diagnosis a cause such as a bacterial infection or worms. Medications can then be given to clear up the condition.
By following the tips given above, you should be able to prevent many cases of dog diarrhea and give treatment if your canine does contract a case.
Copyright 2008