Dog Diarrhea Treatment and Prevention

For many dogs with mild diarrhea that are still eating, drinking and acting normal, home treatment may be all that is required. This can be done by providing your dog with a bland diet such as white rice and boiled, skinless, boneless chicken breast. Implementing this food in small portions every two to four hours during the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours of the onset of diarrhea will allow the intestines to resume a normal balance of enzymes. Once the diarrhea has resolved, you can then begin re-introducing their normal food in small amounts. If the diarrhea does not resolve or it returns after re-introducing the dogs regular diet, this can be an indication of something more serious and warrants an immediate visit to the veterinarian for testing and further treatment options.

Simple diarrhea in dogs is usually treated in several ways.

The first method is by antibiotics. Metronidazole is the most frequently used. This antibiotic helps remove any abnormal bacteria.

Pectin and Kaolin are medications often given in conjunction with Metronidazole as together they work to stop diarrhea and firm the stool more quickly.

In some cases, Probiotics may be used in order to restore the balance of good bacteria in the intestines. There are several versions of which some are used to stop diarrhea and others are solely for prevention.

A bland diet is another option. By feeding your dog foods such as boiled chicken and white rice, the intestines are given the opportunity to calm down and readjust to normal.

It is very important to remember that while our dogs are members of our family, they should not be given over the counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol, Immodium or Kaopectate without the express consent of a veterinarian. In most cases, mild diarrhea will clear within a few days. If however it does not, a re-visit to your veterinarian is needed for further testing as well as exploring other alternative methods of treatment. Available below is a detailed video which discusses the treatments for simple, mild diarrhea.

Tar like stool or blood stool, additional symptoms and a dog that just doesn’t feel well must be taken to a veterinarian immediately. If gone untreated, the condition can become worse rapidly, leaving your dog vulnerable to more serious and dire consequences.

Preventing Diarrhea

This is a list of several methods you can use to prevent canine diarrhea:

Make sure trash, human food and medications are out of reach.

Do not allow your dog to partake in human food or table scraps.

Always supervise your dog while he/she is outside in order to make sure they are not eating something they shouldn’t.

If a change must be made to your dogs regular diet, be sure to do it gradually. This can be accomplished by simply mixing a little of the new food with the old. Gradually increase the amount of new food until that is all your dog is eating. By doing this, you allow your dogs intestines to become slowly adjusted to this new introduction. For most dogs a period of about seven days is all that is needed, however some dogs may require longer.

When boarding your dog, take your own food.

Deworming. It is important to do this every month. Most heartworm medications will also deworm your dog.

This article is for general information purposes only. It is in no way meant to replace a proper diagnosis or treatment from your dogs veterinarian.

Related posts:

1. Methods of Treatment and Prevention of Diarrhea in Dogs
2. Treatment and Prevention of Canine Diarrhea
3. Dog Ear Infection – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
4. The Symptoms, Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Canine Ear Infections
5. Dog Ear Infection – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

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