Great Ways to Solve Your Dog's Digestive Problems
Oct 26,2024 | puaintapets
Digestive problems in dogs can be caused by a variety of reasons, including dietary problems, intestinal sensitivities or infections, and unfresh or inappropriate food. Common symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite and weight loss. Depending on your dog's specific symptoms and preferences, gradually try foods that are easily digestible and closely monitor their response. If your dog's symptoms persist or worsen, consult your veterinarian promptly.
Symptoms of indigestion
- Indigestion: Dogs may show signs of indigestion such as burping, sneezing, and coughing while feeling sick.
- The dog's abdomen is bulging and may feel hard when touched.
- Dogs may experience weight loss due to poor digestion and absorption.
- Constipation: Dogs have fewer bowel movements, have difficulty defecating, and may have irregular bowel movements or dry feces.
- Low Appetite: Dogs may have a decreased appetite due to an upset stomach and may sometimes seek out plants to ease the discomfort.
- Dehydration: Due to persistent vomiting and diarrhea, the dog may show signs of dehydration such as loss of skin elasticity and yellowish urine color.
- If the indigestion is caused by gastroenteritis, the dog may have an elevated body temperature.
If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms, it is recommended to temporarily stop feeding and contact your veterinarian for further examination and treatment. Dietary adjustments, administration of medication, or other necessary medical interventions may be required under the guidance of your veterinarian.
What Cause Digestive Difficulties in Dogs?
1.Overeating
Dogs eat too fast or too much food, resulting in an overloaded stomach and intestines that cannot digest food in a timely manner
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Unbalanced diet
Lack of essential nutrients in the food, or consuming too much greasy, high salt or high sugar food, which affects the digestive function.
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Food spoilage
Consumption of expired, spoiled or unfresh food may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
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Eating Human Food
Seasonings and salt in human food may be too much for dogs, and long-term consumption can damage gastrointestinal health.
2. Intestinal problems
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Imbalance of intestinal flora
The balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract is disrupted, affecting the digestion and absorption of food.
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Intestinal parasite infection
Such as roundworms, tapeworms and other parasites living in the intestines will consume the dog's nutrition and lead to indigestion.
Also Read: Do Dogs Get Tapeworms?
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Intestinal diseases
Diseases such as gastroenteritis, gastric ulcers, and liver disease will directly affect the dog's digestive function9.
3. Environmental factors
Temperature changes:Cold or hot weather may affect your dog's appetite and digestion.
Stress and anxiety: changes in the environment, new members joining the family or other stressors may lead to mood swings in your dog, which in turn may affect digestion.
Knowing the condition of your dog
1.Determining Whether Your Dog Needs a Digestive Enzyme Supplement
If your dog regularly eats hard-to-digest foods, shows signs of indigestion such as flatulence, bloating, or slow digestion or if you have a puppy or senior dog, you may need to supplement with additional digestive enzymes to support the digestive process.
2.Watching your dog for probiotic supplements
Dogs that have bad breath or tartar problems after vaccinations or when experiencing stressful events (e.g., change of environment, recovery from surgery), symptoms such as indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation may have an imbalance in the intestinal flora that needs to be adjusted by probiotics.
Also Read:The Best Probiotics for Dogs
How to Treat Indigestion in Dogs?
The treatments for indigestion in dogs include the following:
1. Adjust the diet
When a dog suffers from indigestion, the first thing to do is to adjust the diet. You can stop the dog's food for a day, then give easy-to-digest liquid food, such as vegetable soup, thin rice, etc. after 24 hours.
2. Use of medication
If you need to use medication, usually use a combination of Chinese and Western medicine. Western medicine mainly focuses on promoting gastrointestinal peristalsis, such as using lactobacillus. Chinese medicine can use V-dynamics for treatment. V-dynamics is based on the formula of Dulcimer Hawthorn Bulk with addition and subtraction, which has the effect of strengthening the spleen and the stomach, eliminating food accumulation, moving gastric qi downward, and promoting gastrointestinal peristalsis.
3. Treatment of watery stool or dehydration
If the dog has symptoms such as watery stool or dehydration, it is recommended to go to the hospital for examination and treatment. In general, the industry treatment for those with loose or watery stools mixed with mucus and blood is oral gentamicin. If dehydration is serious, sugar saline, saline, compound sodium chloride, etc. can be fed in.
4. Preventive measures
The main measure to prevent indigestion in dogs is to adopt correct feeding management methods. Do feed regularly, quantitatively, less than 1 year old pups can be fed 3~4 times a day, adult dogs 2~3 times. Food should be processed and cooked, varieties should be diversified, and coarse and fine grains should be matched to ensure that dogs have a balanced intake of various nutrients to meet the needs of growth and development.
5. Precautions
During the treatment period, you need to closely observe the changes in your dog's symptoms, and consult your veterinarian if the symptoms persist or worsen. During the recovery period, you can feed your dog some easy-to-digest food, such as chicken and rice, and avoid feeding stimulating food. Appropriate exercise can help promote digestion in dogs, but strenuous exercise should be avoided to avoid burdening the stomach and intestines.
Overall, the treatment of indigestion in dogs needs to take into account the specific conditions of the dog, adopt appropriate treatment methods, and provide proper care and observation during the treatment period. If the symptoms persist or worsen, prompt medical attention should be sought.
How to Adjust Dog's Diet When They Have Indigestion?
Adjusting your dog's diet is a very important step when they are suffering from indigestion. Here are some specific dietary adjustment suggestions:
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Control the amount and speed of food
A dog's stomach and intestines need to form a biological clock for eating, which can easily lead to gastrointestinal problems if feeding is not regular. Therefore, you need to control the amount of food and eating speed of the dog, regular feeding, less food and more meals.
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Choose easily digestible food
During the period of indigestion in dogs, you can choose some easily digestible food, such as vegetable soup, thin rice, goat milk powder and other fluid food. In addition, you can also choose some food rich in fibre, such as oats, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, etc. These foods can promote the dog's intestinal peristalsis, which is conducive to the dog's defecation.
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Avoid stimulating food
During the period of indigestion in dogs, you should avoid feeding irritating foods, such as high-fat and high-salt foods, as well as raw and cold foods. At the same time, you should also avoid giving your dog some human food, because these foods may cause burden to the dog's stomach and intestines.
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Supplement with Probiotics
Probiotics can improve the micro-ecological balance in your dog's intestines, which is good for intestinal health. During the period of indigestion, you can feed your dog some food or supplements containing probiotics, such as yoghurt and pet probiotics.
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Pay attention to dietary hygiene
Pay attention to your dog's dietary hygiene, give your dog fresh water to drink every day, and avoid leaving dog food for too long to breed bacteria. Food and water bowls should be sterilised every day, do not give your dog raw or cold food, and canned food or food in the fridge should be brought back to room temperature before feeding.
Protective Measures
- Avoid feeding indigestible foods such as certain human foods.
- Ensure that food is fresh to avoid spoilage.
- Gradually change your dog's food to avoid digestive problems caused by a sudden change in diet.
- When replacing dog food, check the ingredients and choose a healthy and safe dog food.
Common food allergens include soy, wheat, chicken, lamb, fish and eggs. If you suspect that your dog has an allergic reaction to any of the above foods, it is recommended that you consult your veterinarian for further diagnosis and dietary management. Your veterinarian may recommend a food exclusion test or allergen testing to determine the exact allergen and plan treatment accordingly.
When to See Vet?
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Observe the frequency and duration of symptoms
If your dog experiences occasional mild vomiting or diarrhoea, it may be a temporary digestive upset. However, if these symptoms occur frequently or last for several days or more, the condition may be more serious.
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Pay attention to the nature of the vomit and faeces
Vomit that contains blood, bile or mucous membrane fragments, or faeces that are watery, with mucus or blood, may indicate a more serious condition.
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Consider the age and health of the dog
Older dogs or those with other health problems of their own, indigestion may have a greater impact on their bodies and therefore need to be treated with more caution.
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Record symptoms and changes
While waiting to see a doctor, you can record your dog's symptoms, the frequency and duration of episodes, and any other relevant information that will help your vet make a more accurate diagnosis.
Conclusion
Symptoms of indigestion in dogs usually manifest as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Before deciding whether or not to give your dog a probiotic supplement and change dog food, it is recommended that you consult with your veterinarian to make sure that you choose a product that is appropriate for your dog's specific needs, and that you follow the correct dosage and usage guidelines.