Diarrhea

In today’s post, we will be discussing diarrhea in pets: what to look out for, its possible causes, and how to address this symptom at home or with your veterinarian. Diarrhea occurs when there is excess water in the stool.  Diarrhea can be acute or chronic and can be caused by a variety of illnesses. Depending on the severity, your pet may experience frequent, urgent episodes. Straining can sometimes occur, which will look like your pet is trying to go with nothing coming out – this can be easily confused with constipation. In cats, be sure this straining is not associated with trying to urinate (a separate, but possibly life-threatening condition).

Diarrhea can be accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, poor appetite, and/or weight loss. Acute diarrhea is described as one or more episodes lasting less than 2 weeks. In dogs, the most common cause of acute diarrhea is dietary indiscretion – eating unusual things or food they typically don’t eat. Other causes of diarrhea include bacterial or viral infections, parasites, medications, toxins, blockages, and even stress. Chronic diarrhea is characterized as diarrhea lasting more than 2 weeks, or intermittent over 4 or more weeks. Chronic diarrhea is more likely to be associated with dietary intolerances/sensitivities, internal organ issues, or cancer. Cats are more likely to have chronic diarrhea.

Treatment for diarrhea will depend on its cause. If diarrhea occurs suddenly, and your pet is otherwise acting healthy, often, it will resolve without much intervention. As long as your pet is an adult, hold off on food for 12-24 hours and then reintroduce small meals of a bland diet such as plain boiled chicken (you can also use unseasoned ground beef or ground turkey) mixed with boiled white rice. Probiotics can also be helpful but be sure they are appropriate for dogs/cats because human probiotics and yogurt are often not effective. Never withhold water from your pet. If vomiting occurs, or your pet will not drink, it is important to seek intervention as they can dehydrate quickly and develop electrolyte abnormalities. Likewise, if your pet is very young (under 4 months of age), it is important to talk with your veterinarian as these pets can become very sick very quickly.  

One type of diarrhea, known as Acute Hemorrhage Diarrhea Syndrome (AHDS) is important to mention separately. It was previously known as Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE), and it can be life-threatening. There are still unknown factors about the causes, but it seems to begin with a Clostridium bacterial infection which produces a toxin that ulcerates the lining of the stomach and intestines. This disease causes bloody diarrhea and often vomiting. Thankfully, this is a very treatable condition, but it must be addressed early. If you notice blood in your pet’s stool, contact your veterinarian. There are other, less “scary” causes of bloody diarrhea, but this is an important one to rule out.            

If your pet’s diarrhea does not resolve on its own, your veterinarian may prescribe medications and supplements as well as perform tests to determine the cause. Diagnostics may include x-rays, blood work, fecal analysis, and/or ultrasound. Your veterinarian may also discuss a diet change if food is suspected to be the cause.

Prevention isn’t always possible, but there are things you can do to help. Do your best to feed your pet a consistent diet, prevent access to garbage cans and tempting foods, use parasite prevention, and vaccinate against the common viral causes (distemper and parvovirus for dogs, panleukopenia for cats). Speak with your veterinarian if your pet’s diarrhea does not resolve, recurs, or they are otherwise ill.

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