In this article...
1.0 Defining Acute v.s. Chronic Diarrhea
2.0 Common Causes of Acute Diarrhea
3.0 Common Causes of Chronic Diarrhea
4.0 Typical Signs, Symptoms of Diarrhea
5.0 When to Intervene
6.0 When to Go to the Veterinarian
7.0 At Greatest Risk
8.0 Dehydration
9.0 Items to Avoid Feeding Your dog or Cat if He/She has Diarrhea
10.0 What to Feed Your Dog or Cat if He/She Has Diarrhea
- Recipe
11.0 Use One Of these Herbs to Help Stop Diarrhea, Speed Up Recovery
12.0 Proactive Maintenance
1.0 Defining Acute v.s. Chronic Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common ailment in dogs and cats. Just as with humans, healthy dogs and cats suffer from an ‘upset’ stomach on occasion, which then results in a loose stool or diarrhea - this is a fairly normal occurrence and is called ‘Acute Diarrhea’. Acute diarrhea is one of the body’s natural ways of removing substances that are not welcome in the body. The most common cause of this type of diarrhea is ingestion of a food stuff that the dog or cat should not have consumed. Although diarrhea is a natural process, it is important to monitor Acute Diarrhea and you may need to provide some healing interventions. The symptoms usually disappear within a 72 hour time period.
The other type of Diarrhea is called ‘Chronic Diarrhea’. The underlying cause of this type of diarrhea is typically rooted in an ongoing condition in which the body is repeatedly exposed to an irritant or the diarrhea is a symptom of a medical condition.
Common Causes of Diarrhea
As noted above the most common cause of acute diarrhea is ingestion of food or other substances that the dog or cat should not be eating, such as poisonous/toxic plants.
It really is very important to make sure that your dog or cat cannot gain access to garbage - inside the home, in your garage, yard, on walks and when on off-leash excursions. Although many foods that are consumed by humans are fine for dogs, there are many foods that a dog and cat should never eat - at best these foods will irritate a dog’s or cats gastrointestinal (GI) tract and at worst make a dog or cat seriously ill. Eating rotting food can also trigger diarrhea.
2.0 Common Causes of Acute Diarrhea
The following are common causes of acute diarrhea:
- Anxiety and stress;
- Drugs - side effect of allergic reaction to the drug;
- i.e. Antibiotics, Metacam, Rimydal, Prednisone, etc.
- Ingesting indigestible substances;
- Ingesting too much of a food that would otherwise be good for the dog or cat;
- Ingesting food that is not good in any amount - i.e. margarine;
- Poisons/toxins - by absorbing, ingesting and/or inhaling;
- Sudden change in food or addition of new types of food to the diet;
- Vaccinations;
- Virus (i.e. Distemper, Parvo).
3.0 Common Causes of Chronic Diarrhea:
- Allergyto food…ingredients in many commercial kibble can be a source of allergic reactions;
- Compromised immune system;
- Diseases such as colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver and kidney disease, stomach cancer, etc.
- Parasites (i.e. infestation of worms or parasites such as Giardia);
- Poisons/toxins - by absorbing, ingesting and/or inhaling;
- Poor quality food;
- Poorly functioning GI tract;
- Too much fat in diet and /or the wrong type of fat;
- Medications such as chemical-based veterinarian prescribed and off-the-shelf heartworm, flea, tick preventatives can cause diarrhea;
- Over-feeding;
- Vaccinations and over-vaccination.
4.0 Typical Signs, Symptoms of Diarrhea
- Your dog is either standing at the door anxiously, or anxiously trying to get your attention to let them outdoors at a time when they would normally not be asking;
- Your dog starts to ask to go out multiple times (to eliminate) within the space of an hour or several hours;
- In either case let your dog out and watch what he/she does;
- If he/she eliminates take a quick look to see if his/her stool is normal (firm, brown) or loose;
- Your dog or cat is straining to eliminate - although this may be a result of constipation, it is often also a result of repeated bouts of diarrhea;
- Diarrhea causes disruption of normal muscle contractions in the GI tract…thereby giving the sensation that elimination is required even when there is nothing left in the GI tract to eliminate;
- Other symptoms include:
- Bloating;
- Dehydration;
- Lack of appetite;
- Listlessness;
- Fever.
5.0 When to Intervene
- If your dog or cat seems normal after a bout of diarrhea (he/she is behaving normally, has normal energy) - just keep an eye on him / her.
- Make sure that your dog/cat has access to fresh drinking water; watch to see if they are drinking. If they are not follow the instructions provided below under ‘Dehydration’.
- If the diarrhea occurs just once you can continue to feed your animal as you normally would.
- If the diarrhea is occurring repeatedly within the space of an hour or several hours:
- Withhold food for 12 hours, and;
- Then proceed to feed your dog/cat as per the instructions provided further below
6.0 When To Go to The Veterinarian
You should get your dog/cat to a veterinarian right away if…
- Severe diarrhea persists for more than 24 hours;
- Diarrhea continues to occur for more that 3 days;
- Blood in your dogs, cats stool;
- Fever;
- Sluggishness;
Weakness;
Or any other sign of debilitation.
7.0 At Greatest Risk
Young (puppies and kittens) and the old or those whose health is already compromised are most vulnerable to suffering complications from diarrhea. Dehydration as a result of diarrhea can occur very quickly in these high-risk animals, putting them in immediate and serious risk.
8.0 Dehydration
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