If your dog has diarrhea, it is not a good experience for either you or the pet. However, all dogs suffer from these symptoms at a certain time in their lives. It can be a nasty mess that you will have to deal with. Apart from that, it could affect your personal protection dogs’ health, which is why you should know what to do in such a case. When you have personal protection dogs for sale, this is one of the things to look out for.

Causes of Dog Diarrhea

If you notice that your personal protection dogs for sale develop a diarrhea problem out of the blue, the first thing that comes to your mind is their diet. However, just like humans, dogs react to things like food intolerance, stress, and any other problems. Some dogs also prefer to drink murky water and skip the clean, purified one offered in a bowl. The common causes of diarrhea in dogs include:

• Allergies or food intolerance
• Overeating human food like leftovers
• Consuming a foreign body
• A drastic diet change
• An infection in the digestive tract
• Parasites or irritable bowel syndrome
• Some vaccines and medications

Symptoms of Diarrhea

The obvious symptom is a dog having to go to the bathroom suddenly and more times than it would normally do. If you notice that your protection dog is unable to control its stool while at home or strains when passing it, this is an indication that it has diarrhea.

When the condition is persistent, your dog will appear lethargic, dehydrated, irritable, and will have a reduced appetite. The dog will have similar problems as humans do when sick.

Stopping Dog Diarrhea Naturally

Vomiting and diarrhea are some of the ways the body cleanses and detoxifies itself. You might notice a speck of blood or mucus in the stool, symbolizing that the intestinal bacteria are not balanced. This should not be a cause for alarm. However, if your personal protection dogs appear extremely lethargic, bloated, feverish, continue to experience consistent bouts of diarrhea, or there is a large amount of blood in the stool and vomit, it is time to consult a veterinarian. However, simple cases of dog diarrhea can be treated naturally by following these steps:

1) Do Not Feed Your Dog

The first step should be taking food away from your dog. Most animals tend to distance themselves from food whenever they have any digestive ailment. However, if your dog doesn’t do that on its own, stop feeding it.

You should make your dog fast for about 12 to 24 hours. This time will help the pet to pass any residue from its gastrointestinal tract. The digestive system will also rest. If your dog is small and at risk of suffering from hypoglycemia, feed it tiny amounts of honey every hour or as needed.

As soon as the fasting period has elapsed and your dog is no longer vomiting and diarrhea has stopped, give it some sips of water every few hours. Ensure the water is filtered. After feeding the dog purely on the water for this duration, introduce small amounts of food or broth. Slowly increase the food quantity over the next five days.

2) Feed Your Dog on Bland Food

After the fasting period has elapsed, do not hastily reintroduce the regular diet to your dog. Instead, give it food that is gentle on the stomach and one that is easily digestible. A bland diet doesn’t contain any fatty foods.

Feed your protection dog on chicken that has been skinned and combine it with white rice, plain mashed potatoes, or pasta. Refrain from giving it milk or any dairy product as most dogs are lactose intolerant, which could lead to a diarrhea bout. While eating bland food, your dog’s stool will appear pale, which should not be a cause for alarm. If your dog fails to respond well to the bland food, consult a veterinarian for a prescription dog food that will help heal its stomach. Feed the dog in small portions so as not to irritate its digestive tract. Spread the food throughout the entire day, feeding it a small portion every time.

Once there is no more diarrhea, start easing your dog back into its normal diet. However, do not jump back into it immediately as its bowels need to heal. Take at least two days to feed the dog the bland food before making the transition.

3) Prebiotics

Prebiotics are food components that are indigestible. They travel undigested to the colon and ferment there before getting converted into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). These fatty acids inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. They fuel colon cells and preserve the electrolyte and fluid balance, thus enabling the intestines to work properly.

A well-known dog prebiotic is beet pulp. However, if you decide to feed this to your dog, keep an eye as some dogs suffer from bloating, flatulence, and nausea after consuming this pulp.

4) Probiotics

Probiotics, on the other hand, are useful bacteria that help with digestion and speedy recovery from diarrhea. During a diarrhea bout, a dog can easily lose these bacteria and it might take some time to replenish them. Getting a probiotic supplement will help boost the bacterial population.

Do not give human probiotics to dogs as their bowels are not the same as those of man. You can easily get canine probiotics from pet stores and pharmacies without the need for a prescription. Both prebiotics and probiotics are mixed in the dog’s food once every day for five days. They will help promote a healthy digestive bacterial presence in your protection dog’s gastrointestinal tract.

Other Intestinal Support Products

Slippery Elm

This is a great herb when dealing with digestive upset. In capsule form, a ¼ capsule should be given twice daily to tiny dogs, a ½ capsule should be administered twice for medium dogs, and large dogs should have two full capsules daily. If you buy it in powder form, mix ¼ tsp for every 10 pounds of body weight. The powder/capsule should be mixed with food or yogurt.

Syrup can also be prepared from the slippery elm. For this, you will need to mix 1 teaspoon of slippery elm powder in a cup of cold water, boil it and keep stirring, lower the flame, stir, and let it simmer for at least 2 minutes. Remove the syrup from heat, add a spoonful of honey, and leave it to cool down.

Digestive enzymes

Dogs that are not fed on raw diets should get digestive enzyme supplements since they are not getting them from natural raw food. Some dogs experience improved digestion after taking these digestive enzymes while others suffer from bloating. Observe your dog and introduce them slowly.

If your dog doesn’t seem to improve, seek help from a veterinarian. However, a little support from you might be just what your protection dog needs.

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