Dog Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is a common condition that many dogs experience at one time or another in their lives. Because a dog’s sense of smell is so strong, they can find things that are inappropriate for them to eat right in their own backyard or while the owner walks the dog. Yet, other times it is due to Dog Allergies the dog may have. This condition is very common in puppies since they tend to eat many inappropriate items whilst the owner is not looking.

Symptoms of Gastroenteritis

When a dog consumes something that is infested with bacteria, fungus, or parasites, it can cause havoc on the digestion system and cause visible symptoms. These symptoms include Dog Vomiting, Dog Diarrhea, Dog Dehydration, Dog Lethargy, Dog Loss of Appetite, Dog Swollen Abdomen and grumbling noises from their tummy. It will also be abundantly clear that the dog does not feel well and needs veterinarian treatment as soon as possible. Bacterial reasons behind the gastroenteritis need to be treated with an antibacterial medication to kill off the bacteria and the dog needs medication to stop the vomiting and diarrhea, which can easily turn into dehydration.

Diagnosing and Treatment for Gastroenteritis

The first thing the veterinarian will perform is a complete blood count, fecal examination, urinalysis, and possibly a biochemical profile if the dog is suspected of consuming chemicals.

The goal in treatment for the dog is to restore the electrolyte imbalance that has happened via vomiting and diarrhea. This is done intravenously, which means your dog will have to stay at the pet hospital to receive the initial treatment of balancing his or her electrolytes. Additionally, the dog is restricted from eating anything as the body is restored, though most dogs would not eat even if food were offered.

If the dog is not dehydrated when brought to the veterinarian hospital, than a round of antibiotics and anti-diarrhea and along with anti-vomiting medications are prescribed for home care. Normally dogs perk back up as soon as their body comes back into balance.

Preventing Gastroenteritis

In order to prevent gastroenteritis, the owner must have the knowledge of what caused the onset in the first place. Sometimes this is never found, and the dog never has another episode. Other times, the owner may have remembered the dog eating something but swallowed it before the owner was able to get it away from the dog. In these instances, it may never be clear what caused the dog to become ill and is a one-time condition that does not return.

In cases where the onset is due to Dog Allergies, the culprit is normally Dog Food Allergies. This means your veterinarian may want to run allergy testing to get an idea of what allergies the dog may have. If the dog is allergic to specific foods, the owner will then need to change the dog’s food.

Final Thoughts

Puppies especially need to be watched whenever you are home, when you must leave, the puppy should be confined to a room or area where he or she cannot get into anything that could harm them. Be careful with dog toys, since some of them are plastic and the puppy or dog may swallow the plastic, which is not digestible.