Diarrhea is very uncomfortable, and may even be fatal, even in dogs. As a dog owner, it is unpleasant for you because you have to do the cleaning. So it is very important to identify if your dog is having diarrhea, and find out how you can treat it as soon as possible.
- Observe if your dog has diarrhea. If your dog has watery stool for the whole day, then it is suffering from diarrhea. Take note of the severity of the diarrhea. If it has some spaghetti-like strands or rice-like granules in it, it is a worm infection and you need to have your dog dewormed. If there is blood in the stool and your dog is weak, then it may be a severe case of diarrhea.
- Find out what caused the diarrhea. If there is no indication of worm infection, then it must have been something the dog has eaten, like garbage, spoiled food or other animal’s vomit. It may also be some chemical it has ingested, or its water must have been stagnant for more than a day. The parvo virus may also cause the diarrhea, which can be lethal especially to puppies.
- Give oral treatments for diarrhea. It is important to keep your dog hydrated. For diarrhea that is not caused by worm infection, it is advisable to let your dog stop eating its regular meals for 24 hours, but supply it with lots of fresh, clean water. This will help in cleansing its bowel from the bacteria that caused the diarrhea. You can also give electrolyte solution to your dog by adding it to its water. You can also let it take a fiber supplement to improve its bowel. There are also other medications that you can use that should be prescribed by your veterinarian.
- Let your dog gradually eat. Let it eat steamed rice and white chicken meat without skin, until it has fully recovered, before giving its regular meals. Refrain from giving your dog fatty dog food for a week. Gradually give your dog its regular meals in small amounts first, until it develops its normal appetite. Always provide it with enough clean drinking water.
- Take your dog to the vet for severe cases. When your dog is no longer in its jolly self and has been sleeping too much and seemed to have lost its energy, it does not have appetite to eat or even drink, then it is time to bring the dog to the veterinarian right away for emergency treatment and proper diagnosis.
Diarrhea can be dangerous for your dog, especially if it is not yet fully grown, so you should be very observant of its behavior and take a look at its stool every day. Always keep the environment free from spoiled food and other chemicals that may cause it harm, and give your dog regular baths. Also wash its sleeping area, its food bowl and water bowl on a regular basis to avoid any kind of disease.