Dog digestive problems affect all dogs at some time during their life. Most of the time it's just an upset stomach but beware, it could be something more sinister.
The dog digestive system is a very complex mechanism that consumes food, mashes it up, and changes it into nutrients that can be absorbed and utilised by your dog's body. The digestive tract turns food into all the nutritional units your dog requires to grow and develop.
From time to time, however, something goes wrong with this complex system. What happens then?
Vomiting
Most dogs will vomit now and then, for many reasons. If a dog feels a bit sick, he can voluntarily purge his system by vomiting. Sometimes a dog will eat a meal, regurgitate it, and then eat it again. Doesn't sound very pleasant does it?
Some dogs are clever at finding the most disgusting garbage and eating it before you know what's happening. You can't keep your eyes on your dog all the time. They may vomit after a few hours to bring up the parts that they can't digest, then off they'll go to find the next tasty morsel.
To give your dog's digestive system a rest, hold back his food for a full day. Just make sure he has plenty of water. Then when he has stopped vomiting, feed him boiled chicken and rice, gradually adding his normal food.
A dog that is still vomiting after 24hrs, or is suffering from other conditions besides, needs to see a vet.
Bloat
Bloat is a condition that often is fatal. The dog's stomach becomes enlarged with gas and distorts, restricting blood flow and preventing the stomach from emptying. This results in an even further buildup of gas.
The cause of bloat is unknown, but large dogs with deep, narrow chests have a tendency to suffer from it, rather than smaller dogs with barrel-shaped chests. Dogs who wolf down their food seem to be more at risk than those that are picky eaters.
A dog suffering from bloat has a swollen abdomen and vomits, drools, and has difficulty breathing. He may pace to and fro and seem really uncomfortable. The dog needs the attention of a vet urgently if he is to survive. Bloat is a very dangerous condition for your dog, if he suffers from bloat while on his own, chances are it will be fatal.
Small helpings, more often, instead of one big feed at meal times are best for a dog who has suffered from this condition in the past
Diarrhea
Once again your dog's favorite meal, garbage, is a main cause of diarrhea. It will usually pass after 24hrs if you with hold his food and just supply fresh water. Look out for blood in the feces and any unusual behaviors.
Visit the vet if your dog's not back to normal after 24hrs. Dogs can dehydrate quickly if diarrhea persists. They may have an infection or a more serious disease so don't put off an appointment with the vet if you are concerned.
There are some things you can do to prevent diarrhea in your dog from happening. Don't change his diet suddenly and always feed your dog high quality pet food or a good, natural diet that has all the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your dog needs. Some breeds need a special diet, ask your vet if you're not sure, especially if it's a puppy you are dealing with.
Constipation
Constipation is a very uncomfortable condition for your dog to suffer as you probably know from experience. As we said earlier dogs must be supplied with plenty of fresh water or they will become dehydrated. This is a common cause of constipation. Exercise is very important to help your dog's natural motions, and consider giving your dog more vegetables in his feed. Lack of fiber in food, side effects of medication or a blockage caused by a foreign body being ingested can all lead to constipation.
Poison
There are many foods that are highly toxic to dogs, some are every day foods like alcohol and chocolate, others can be something you wouldn't perhaps think about like antifreeze. If you suspect your dog has ingested a poison, take him to the vet straight away with a sample of what you suspect he has eaten if possible.
Don't feed your dog the following:
- Alcohol
- Antifreeze
- Avocado
- Chocolate
- Coffee and Tea
- Fat from Ham and Turkey
- Grapes, Sultanas and Raisins
- Macadamia nuts
- Milk and Dairy products
- Onions and Garlic
- Green Potatoes
Most minor dog digestive problems can be treated with natural remedies that are safe and produce no side effects.
These can be used as a preventative method or an aid to your dog's recovery.
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