Dog Diarrhea Cures

"Dog diarrhea cures include eliminating the underlying cause such as parasites, foreign objects or infection. If the cause is infection or irritable bowel then dietary change is needed."

There are medications (anti-motility drugs) that will stop diarrhea. They work by slowing down the movements of the intestines so that more water is absorbed and stool is less watery. They don’t address the cause of the diarrhea, however. In fact, if the problem is that your dog ate something bad, anti-motility drugs can make the problem worse because they keep the “bad stuff” in the body for a longer period of time.

Causes of Dog Diarrhea - Disease in the Intestines

Small Intestinal Diarrhea is combined with the following symptoms:

* Stomach pain
* Weight loss
* Stomach Rumbling
* Vomiting
* Gas
* Dehydration
* Changed appetite
* Dark bloody stools
* Low levels of protein in the blood (Hypoproteinemia)
* Fluid buildup in the abdomen (Ascites)
* Fluid buildup in the tissue such as swelling in the legs (Edema)

Inability to absorb nutrients in the intestine (Malabsorption):

* Diarrhea
* Weight loss
* Excessive eating (Polyphagia)
* Eating their own stools (Coprophagia)
* Eating things that shouldn't be eaten such as dirt (pica)
* Protein-losing intestinal disease (PLE)

Large Intestine Disease:

* Diarrhea - including mucus, bright red blood
* Constipation
* Increased frequency of defecation
* Difficulty deficating or urinating (Tenesmus)
* Inability to defecate without pain or difficulty (Dyschezia)
* Vomiting
* Weight loss

Treatment for these conditions starts with dietary change and an elimination diet (see diet section below)

Causes of Dog Diarrhea

Viral infections Viral infections are a common cause of diarrhea in dogs. Often these viruses are not serious and will pass in a few days. The only treatment available is supportive therapy, which consists of giving fluids if dehydration is a concern and keeping a close eye on your pet for a few days.Some viruses can be quite serious, however. One such virus is Parvovirus , which is characterized by yellowish diarrhea that is often bloody. Dogs should be vaccinated for parvo as puppies and receive annual booster shots. If your dog has not been vaccinated and shows signs of parvo, you should take him to the vet right away. Parvo is a very serious illness and can be deadly.

Bacterial infections: It’s often hard to know if it’s a viral infection or a bacterial infection. There is no cure for viral causes of diarrhea. To be safe, your vet may prescribe antibiotics.

Foreign Objects: Eating “bad stuff.” Dogs will eat all kinds of things that they shouldn’t eat. Sometimes it is garbage or rotten food. Other times it is inedible objects like sticks. Your vet may take an x-ray to see if there are any foreign bodies in your dog’s digestive tract. If there are, surgery may be necessary. If, on the other hand, he just ate bad food or trash, diarrhea will help rid his system of the toxins and help him heal.

Allergy: Allergic reaction can cause diarrhea. If this is the case, you should reduce your dog's diet to just chicken and rice. Stay with this diet and see if the diarrhea ends. If it does, gradually add other foods until you determine which one is causing the issue. Use a hyperallergenic diet such as Hill's Prescrption Diet Z/D.

Dog Diarrhea Cures - Diet

* Enzyme deficiency
* Reaction to something in the food your dog eats such as caffeine, tyramine (chemical found in plants that are toxic to dogs such as mistle toe) or chocolate.
* Foods that cause a chemical reaction (histamine release) in your dog such as strawberries and shellfish)
* Food poisoning
* Eating spoiled food
* Eating a foreign object

The goal of dietary change for dog diarrhea cures is to maximize the ability of your dog to absorb the nutrients that he or she needs. You should provide a simple diet that is protein rich such as chicken, fish or wheat, rabbit or venison. Lamb should be avoided if possible since it is already a core ingredient in many commercially prepared foods. Fish is an excellent choice since it is not already in most commercial foods, providing an alternative to lamb based products that may of caused the problem. Wheat gluten is an excellent source of protein and has many properties that help with digestion (note that Irish Setters should avoid Wheat Gluten as this breed may have an adverse reaction).

You might also want to consider adding Psyllium grain to the diet. It is soluble and Psyllium grains are a source of soluble fiber which can retain and absorb moisture. This is very helpful with diarrhea and constipation. Most veterinarians recommend a low fiber diet and then increase the level as your dog heals. Small quantities of carrots or psyllium could suffice.

If your dog has a bacterial problem in the intestine then rice should be part of the diet as it is a digestible starch that works well in these situations.

Since diarrhea is associated with the inability to absorb nutrients, a common symptoms is weight loss, the coat losing its healthy look and poor skin quality. To increase energy your dog may need a higher level of fat in the diet. If this is the case, consult your veterinarian who can suggest an appropriate level of fat since fat increases absorption and energy, but can create digestive problems at the same time. If your dog is losing significant weight, then fat is probably needed.

A simple elimination diet should contain one carbohydrate. Good choices include corn, potato, rice and tapioca.

Once a simple diet has been established and your dog's digestive system no longer producing diarrhea, new sources of protein can be added every week.

Probiotics and Prebiotics for Dog Diarrhea

In Europe, several forms of "good" bacteria (called Lactobacillus acidophilus and Enterococcus faecium) have been approved for inclusion in canine diets. There is little research available although preliminary work shows a positive effect.

Prebiotics work by providing the healthy bacteria in the intestines with a "substrate" that helps them dominate the bad bacteria. There isn't a strong body of research that supports the use of this approach with dogs.

Discuss this option with your veterinarian to see if there would be any harm or benefit in trying it.

Canine Irritable Bowel Disease and Dog Diarrhea

Many veterinarians recommend an elimination diet for dogs that are suffering from diarrhea caused by Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD). Diets recommended are highly digestible by the body.

1. Fat Restriction - fat can cause bacterial growth in the intestines. A low fat diet needs to replace hard to digest fat with highly digestible fat such as vegetable oils, poultry fat and fish oil which contain omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Use Probiotics and prebiotics - some veterinarians prescribe yogurt rich in probiotics and prebiotics.

Natural Medicine for Dog Diarrhea Cures

Sources:

Treating Acute Diarrhea and Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs
McCluggage, David DVM

Diarrhea in Dogs and Cats
Dunn, T. J. Jr. DVM

The Most Common Digestive Diseases: The Role of Nutrition
A.J. German1 and J. Zentek
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences
University of Liverpool

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
University of Berlin

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