Does your dog have diarrhea? « Critter Cures

While diarrhea in humans is a very common condition that is usually not serious, dog diarrhea needs to be taken more seriously. Mostly because dogs cannot express their symptoms to us in words, when we see dog diarrhea we need to be vigilant for other symptoms in order to prevent more serious conditions from developing or going untreated. Dogs do suffer from diarrhea quite frequently but keeping your eye out for other warning signs can help to keep your dog healthy.

Obviously, the most common symptom of dog diarrhea is frequent defecation but other symptoms like dehydration or bloody stools may also be present. In cases where diarrhea is not the only symptom, a veterinarian must be consulted. Blood in the stools, for example, may be a sign of viral or parasite infection. Moreover, dehydration is likely to result from diarrhea as extra water is lost through the stools. If your dog suffers from prolonged diarrhea it’s important to ensure it is getting enough fluids. Along with dehydration, your dog may suffer from lethargy or other signs of sickness and especially if your dog is refusing to drink fluids, you should visit your veterinarian.

In most cases, dog diarrhea will clear up on its own. Many times, a dog has diarrhea for the same reasons a human might have it: some kind of bug or some food that has not digested properly. Nevertheless, if your dog suffers from diarrhea for more than a few days or the diarrhea recurs regularly, you should visit the veterinarian to ensure there are no more serious problems causing the diarrhea. Your vet will first thoroughly check your dog to diagnose the cause of the diarrhea and then may recommend some dietary solutions for getting the diarrhea under control.

About Dr. Amber Reed

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