settlementcocaDogs and cats experience digestive disorders and intestinal problems just like humans. This condition causes pain and other problems in their stomach and intestines. Continue reading to learn more about the signs and underlying causes of severe and abrupt gastrointestinal issues and the treatments your veterinarian may suggest to make them feel better.
Types of Gastrointestinal Disorders in Pets
There are several types of gastrointestinal problems, but your veterinarian may do tests to determine the real cause of your dog’s problem. Commonly diagnosed problems include the following:
Colitis
Colitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the colon’s lining membrane. The most typical causes of it include parasitic whipworms, polyps, tumors, changes in diet, food allergies, foreign objects ingested, and a few other disorders. Dogs under the age of five are most likely to develop colitis, which includes swelling of the large intestine and causes frequent, uncomfortable excrement flow. Feces might contain blood and mucus.
If you think your pet has colitis, you should get your dog checked out by a veterinarian immediately. After determining the underlying cause, a veterinarian like Companion Animal Hospital will recommend a simple diet, worming treatment, or anti-inflammatory probiotics.
Constipation
Constipation is dry, irregular bowel movements. This is a usual condition in dogs. Numerous factors add to this, including inactivity, dehydration, eating indigestible items like bones or other foreign objects, and low-fiber foods. Some extremely sick pets show lethargy, depression, appetite loss, throwing up, and stomach pain.
It’s vital to monitor your pet’s regular bowel movements. Search for a “veterinary internal medicine specialist near me” and consult a vet as soon as possible to determine the cause if your dog shows signs of pain or vomits.
Gastritis
Gastritis is recognized as stomach lining inflammation. It can happen as a short episode (acute) or last long (chronic), and more severe conditions might trigger it. Medical signs of gastritis include nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite (anorexia).
Consult your vet if your pet is experiencing constant throwing up. Diagnostic testing for gastritis could consist of endoscopy, abdominal x-rays, blood, urine, and fecal tests. If your dog has chronic gastritis, additional testing will be performed to determine the underlying cause.
Parvovirus
All dogs are prone to this highly infectious disease; however, puppies under four months old and unvaccinated dogs are especially at risk. Some dogs might display lethargy, a lack of appetite, stomach pain and bloating, a high or low body temperature, throwing up, and watery, bloody diarrhea, which are common signs of parvovirus.
Since parvovirus is highly contagious, isolating affected dogs is vital to prevent infection from spreading. The virus is resistant to typical disinfectants; therefore, you need to consult your vet for recommendations and more info.
Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis
Dogs that struggle with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) experience throwing up and bloody diarrhea. Some dogs could show symptoms like lethargy, high temperature, loss of appetite, or abdominal discomfort. Many dogs who get this illness show no signs beforehand.
If your dog shows signs of HGE, visit the vet as soon as possible. The vet might do additional diagnostic tests, including fecal testing and X-rays, to eliminate other disorders with similar signs.
Bottom Line
Generally speaking, your vet can handle and deal with gastrointestinal problems. With their assistance, you can determine and repair what’s disturbing your dog. Chronic diseases can be treated with few risks or interruptions to your pet’s regular life. As long as owners follow the veterinarian’s advice and stay up to date with treatment, their pets will live a normal life despite their conditions.
