Pet owners become very concerned when their dog has diarrhea. There is a need to be concerned when your dog has diarrhea as this is a symptom that indicates your pet may be ill.
The first thing most of us look to as the possible reason for loose, watery stools is the pet food. What food did my doggie eat? What commercial brand did I give my pet? If you think the way I do, we look at food because this is our daily contribution to keep our pet healthy.
How do we know when pet food is spoiled?
- Rancid odor
- Food color does not seem right
- The dog will not eat it
- The dog removes unwanted food nuggets
- Dog has diarrhea every time he eats food
Diarrhea, if not treated, will have our pet losing necessary fluids and may become dehydrated. When this happens see your veterinarian immediately.
Diarrhea indicates your pet is not receiving vital nutrients to remain in good health. An occasional incident of diarrhea may be okay, but if repeated, this becomes a more serious symptom of an infection or an indicator of disease.
Your next question might be:
If my dog has diarrhea is it always because of spoiled food?
The simplest reason for our dogs getting diarrhea is changing diets too quickly. When changing diets new foods should be added slowly over the course of a week or two. Foods need to be slowly introduced to not shock the intestinal system.
Other reasons for food ingredients causing diarrhea in dogs are:
- Allergies to particular ingredients e.g. artificial coloring, additives and preservatives.
- High fat content
- Reduced protein
- High carbohydrate content
- Lack of essential nutrients
- Chemicals e.g. flavor enhancers, sweeteners, and other toxic materials
These are other possible causes of diarrhea:
- Viruses
- A foreign object
- Intestinal parasites
- Diseases
The more serious causes of diarrhea will require that you see a veterinarian. The vet will perform x-rays, lab tests, and analyze stool cultures to determine the illness. Medication will be needed for serious conditions.
My dog had diarrhea and severe skin problems. After trying a variety of brand and non-brand commercial dog foods without any success for his miseries, I then turned to natural home cooking and raw meats.
For this particular dog I will not use commercial dog foods. His health is too precious to him and me. He is a very happy and healthy dog since feeding him more nutritious foods.
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