Digestive problems in dogs such as vomiting and diarrhea are signs of gastrointestinal disorders that impair your dog's ability to digest and absorb the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Here is a complete list of various factors that can potentially lead to digestive problems in dogs:
- Changes in diet
- Indiscredtionary eating
- Trauma
- Allergies and toxins
- Medications
- Foreign objects
- Infectious agents like viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria.
With so many different kinds of potential causes, diagnosing the problem can be just as challenging. One of the most complex aspects of digestive problems is that the disorder can trigger any part of your dog's digestive system: mouth, stomach, liver, pancreas, and intestines.
Signs of Digestive Problems in Dogs
Dogs often go through periods of appetite changes and become fussy eaters. Though this is considered normal, if you notice a sudden loss of appetite and your dog refuses to eat even its treats, you should take your dog to seek veterinary advice.
Digestive problems in dogs include a range of symptoms such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excess gas
- Constipation
- Blood or mucus present in stool
If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms, then the chances are it is suffering from health problems like colitis, gastroenteritis, stress diarrhea, or constipation.
How to Prevent Digestive Problems for Your Dog
If your dog throws up or experiences loose stool, then it is the body's natural reaction to getting rid of the toxins that have entered the pet's body. In most cases of diarrhea, the symptoms don't last very long - however, if your dog continues to pass loose stool for over 12 hours, then your dog needs medical attention to prevent dehydration. Detecting the signs early on and treating them promptly ensures a speedy recovery.
To avoid frequent visits to the vet, here are a few tips that will prevent digestive problems from appearing in the first place:
Avoid Feeding Your Dog Human Food
You might be tempted to feed the table food to your dog whenever you sit down to have dinner. But keep in mind that your dog does not digest food the way humans do. The salt and oil contents present in human food can become harmful for dogs if they are consumed in high amounts.
Avoid Overfeeding
Dogs consume calories as opposed to volumes of food. If your dog is eating high volumes of food per day, then they run the risk of becoming overweight. Being overweight can result in further complications; thus, it is important to ensure that you are not overfeeding your dog.
Probiotics for Recovery
If your dog has an upset stomach, you can give a coating agent that helps with diarrhea. To speed up the recovery process, you can also give extra electrolytes to your dog to prevent dehydration. Your vet may also prescribe probiotics that will replace the bacteria in the intestinal tracts and help regain your dog's gut flora.