What should I do if my dog has diarrhea?

Diarrhea in dogs may be caused by various reasons such as abdominal cold, eating contaminated food, enteritis, parasite or viral diseases. Dog owners can make a preliminary judgment based on their dog's feeding and management situation, and then take corresponding measures. It is recommended to take the dog to a pet hospital as soon as possible if conditions permit, to determine the cause of the disease and treat it accordingly, so as not to delay the treatment.

Abdominal cold

Dogs are prone to diarrhea due to abdominal cold during seasonal changes. This usually isn't a big problem as long as the dog's spirit and appetite are normal, and it can recover slowly on its own. If the symptoms are severe, the dog will need to be given pet-specific cold medicines orally and taken to warm up.

Eating contaminated food

If a dog accidentally eats contaminated food or eats a large amount of dog food at once, it may lead to diarrhea. In this case, the owner needs to stop feeding immediately and give the dog pet-specific probiotics orally. In daily life, owners should not feed dogs indiscriminately, such as yogurt, pure milk, chocolate, grapes, and spoiled food. It is also advisable to feed dogs in small amounts frequently to avoid excessive eating and drinking, which can cause indigestion.

Enteritis

Dogs with enteritis will have symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, and increased body temperature. Treating enteritis requires identifying the cause before treatment, otherwise, the enteritis will recur and delay the diagnosis, causing further damage to the body. Therefore, if the dog shows the above symptoms, take it to the pet hospital for examination and treatment promptly.

Parasite infection

If a dog has not been dewormed for a long time, it may also develop diarrhea, and parasites can be seen in the dog's feces. Owners must regularly deworm their dogs and give them probiotics to regulate their stomach during the deworming period.

Viral diseases

Dogs infected with viruses such as parvovirus, coronavirus, and distemper will also have diarrhea, which often develops from loose stools to watery stools, and even bloody stools. It is difficult for owners to determine whether their dogs have contracted infectious diseases, so if the dog shows poor spirit and appetite, it is best to take it to the pet hospital for examination and treatment as soon as possible to avoid delaying the diagnosis.