Dogs often get diarrhea, especially if they are puppies or are newbies at home and they are suspicious and curious about everything. This issue is more common than we think, but we should not underestimate it, since it is often very annoying for our furry friends. Let’s see why the dog has diarrhea and what to do to prevent things getting worse.
Types of diarrhea in dogs
The four most common types of diarrhea in a dog are these: osmotic diarrhea, physical diarrhea, secretory diarrhea and mixed diarrhea. The first one is due to intestinal absorption of foods problems caused by infection or viruses, the second one is due to the excessive amount of food going through its digestive apparatus, the third one to the wrong absorption of liquids and the last one is a mix of these three. Symptoms are very similar among them and it is more useful for the veterinarian to distinguish among them, so he can provide a proper treatment.
Causes of diarrhea in dogs
In addition to food assumption problems, a dog can have diarrhea for many other reasons. Heat or cold strokes surely can harm its intestine, as well as emotive issues (anxiety, nervousness, fear and stress). Very common are bacterial infections and diarrhea due to ingestion of slightly toxic plants and chemical substances. For puppies is very common intestinal parasitic infestation, that require proper medication. Generally speaking it is better to prevent the dog drinking dirty water from stagnant pool.
What to do if the dog has diarrhea
The first thing to do if the dog has diarrhea is collecting fecal samples and taking them to the veterinarian, so he can analyze them. Only a specialist can discover the true extent of the issue and suggesting us whether we should change the diet or medications (always to be administered upon specialist recommendation) or not. Until the specialist visits the dog, we should keep it hydrated and relaxed, possibly partially fasting.