Causes and Treatment of Dog Diarrhea

Above photo courtesy of Laurie Extreme Chinese Crested Puppies

A very common affliction in the canine world is "diarrhea." If you have lived with dogs any length of time in your life you will come across this affliction.

Some of the causes of dog diarrhea include:

• Eating too much, eating garbage or spoiled food
• Change in dog food
• Intolerant of food you are feeding
• Allergies
• Parasites
• Poisonous substances such as poison plants
• Bacteria infections
• An underlying illness such as kidney or liver disease
• Medications you are giving
• Stress and/or emotional upset (simple changes in environment can trigger an episode of stomach upset and diarrhea

Many dog diarrhea episodes are mild and can be treated with home remedies. Some of these home remedies include:

• A simple fast. Withhold food for 12 to 24 hours, providing water in small amounts. Introduce food slowly after a fast and start with binders such as rice and water. Boil a high-quality rice in a lot of water, remove the grains and feed your dog the creamy white soup that is leftover. Try putting in a little broth or baby food to make it tastier.
• This may sound odd but even plain canned pumpkin (not prepared pie filing) is effective to feed a dog with diarrhea.
• Yogurt with beneficial bacteria can help dogs who can tolerate milk and milk products.
• Boiled potatoes without the skin
• Cottage cheese

Not all methods work for all dogs. Once you find a method that works for your dog, stick with it. Slowly increase the portions over a period of a few days and then start to add small amounts of y our dog's regular food to get him or her back on track.

If your home remedies fail you should consult a vet and consult a vet if:

• other physical symptoms like lethargy, fever, vomiting, dry or pale gums and/or weakness.
• diarrhea that does not stop despite the same home remedies that worked for you in the past
• dehydration
• diarrhea lasting a long time like more than just a few days
• if your dog is on special medications
• if your dog is elderly, or has diabetes, Cushing's, cancer or any other medical issue

Reasons Why Your Dog Limps

Above photo courtesy of Cathy Tucker KTW Wraps and Knotless Hair Wraps

Dogs are no different than humans about limping around. The only difference is that dogs can't verbally tell the vet or us why they need to limp. We humans have to speak for them after we figure out why they are limping. Your vet is your most valuable resource. Guessing the reason yourself is not the answer. 

At little common sense goes a long way. Be able to tell your vet about the dog's symptoms. Was it a gradual or sudden onset of limping. Gradual limps happen slowly, for example, he or she might limp today and not tomorrow. A sudden limp usually occurs after injury or trauma and of course you will notice your dog was not limping, but now suddenly he or she limps. Gradual limps meaning limps today and not tomorrow, but limps again next week and so on probably indicates a chronic underlying and degenerative condition like osteoarthritis or dysplasia. Only your vet can determine the exact cause and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Don't be alarmed just because your dog gradually limps. However, you should make a vet appointment if you notice it happening even if just on occasion. As with humans most dog conditions can be treated more successfully when caught early. Other reasons your dog might limp could be due to cancer or hip dysplasia. Generally speaking it is better to schedule a vet appointment for a limp that lasts more than a few minutes. 

How do you determine whether this is an emergency or something that can wait until a scheduled vet appointment? If you notice a gradual limp or even a sudden limp that does not seem to be bothering your dog a whole lot, you can usually wait a few hours and watch your dog closely to see what occurs next. The limp may resolve or heal on its own. Of course broken bones or dislocated joints require immediate care. Here are some emergency symptoms to look out for that require a trip to the vet as soon as possible or even to the vet emergency room: 

• Any limb that seems dislocated from the body, such as a dangling limb
• Swelling
• A hot limb
• An obvious break or your dog holding a limb at an angle

Wait for about 15 minutes if your dog or puppy becomes acutely lame; they are likely to cry or yell. You might see them perfectly normal after that time and save yourself a trip to the vet. This is especially true of puppies. If after 15 minutes they are still lame or cannot bear weight on a limb, you should see a vet.

Some of the reasons why your dog limps include:

1. Injury or sudden trauma
2. Bone disease
3. Cancer
4. Osteoarthritis
5. Hip dysplasia
6. Elbow dysplasia
7. Lyme Disease

Learn About Mange in Dogs

 Above photo courtesy of Cathy Tucker: KTW Wraps and Knotless Hair Wraps

An extreme case of mange is horrific to look at and horrific for a dog to experience. Mange can be prevented and treated effectively. 

Mange is a common skin disease found more common in stray dogs, neglected or abused dogs. It is a sad sight to see. Skin is covered in sores or with thickened, hard, crusty patches over a hairless body. Mange is caused by mites.

The first signs of mange infection will be on the margins of the ears, chest, elbows, hocks and belly. Symptoms include: extreme itchiness, redness and rash, thick yellow crusts, hair loss, bacteria and yeast infections, thickening of the skin in advanced cases.

Treatment includes clipping the hair or shaving the dog down, dipping to cleanse and heal skin using medicated shampoos on a weekly basis. Betadine baths are helpful. Getting rid of the mites and then controlling mites. A drop or two of Ivomec in the ears monthly usually is sufficient for getting rid of and controlling mites. There are other topical applications you can use from your vet such as selamectin and imidacloprid-moxidectin. Ivomec is usually not recommended by vets for this use, however, it does work for dogs as I have used these method for years. Ivomec also helps control fleas. I have also used Betadine baths for dogs who seem to itch a lot.

You can purchase Ivomec and Betadine from just about any pet supply company. Vets also have oral treatments and other topical treatments you can use.

Controlling mites and curing mange is actually pretty easy, depending on the severity of your problems. Best practice is to prevent it. Mange makes a dog absolutely miserable.