Dealing with Your Dog's Digestive Dilemmas

Your dog's digestive system is an amazing mechanism that takes in food, grinds it up, and converts it to nutrients that can be absorbed and used by your dog's body. The digestive tract converts food into all the nutritional building blocks your dog needs to grow and develop. Every now and then, however, something goes awry with this complex system. What you can do about them, and how do you know if your dog needs to see a vet?

Bloat

Gastric dilation and torsion (more commonly referred to as bloat) is a serious medical emergency that often ends in death. In this condition, the dog's stomach becomes dilated with gas and twists on itself, blocking off blood flow to the stomach and preventing the stomach from emptying. This results in further buildup of gas and initiates a vicious cycle.

The actual cause of the condition is not known, but large dogs with deep, narrow chests (such as Doberman Pinschers, Irish Wolfhounds, and Borzoi) have a higher incidence of gastric torsion than smaller dogs with barrel-shaped chests (such as Beagles and Dachshunds). Another factor that contributes to bloat is eating rapidly. Dogs who are picky, slow eaters seem to have a lower incidence of bloat than dogs who scarf down their food like there's no tomorrow.

Bloat is one of the most urgent medical emergencies a dog ever faces. A dog suffering from bloat has a distended abdomen and retches, salivates, and has trouble breathing. She may pace back and forth and appear very uncomfortable. If the dog is not given veterinary treatment within a few hours of developing gastric torsion, she most likely will die. Because bloat is such an acute, life-threatening condition, a dog who develops it when alone usually is found dead by her owner, highlighting the importance of immediate veterinary attention.

Dogs who have suffered from bloat should, in the future, be fed multiple, small feedings each day rather than a single large meal.

Vomiting

Dogs vomit occasionally, for several reasons. If a dog feels a little queasy, she can voluntarily vomit to relieve the irritation. In fact, occasionally a dog will eat a huge meal, vomit it up, and eat it again. Veterinarians don't know why dogs do this — but perhaps this is a cure to deal with the problem of their eyes getting bigger than their stomachs.

Sometimes a dog gets an irritable stomach about 10 to 12 hours after her last meal and regurgitates a little greenish bile. You can relieve this stomach irritation by feeding her less food more frequently — twice or three times a day, for example, instead of once a day.

Another common reason for vomiting is the condition that veterinarians affectionately call garbage gut. Most dogs are pretty indiscriminate about what they eat, and they can develop gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) from eating garbage, especially if they consume a few indigestible ingredients such as aluminum foil along with the edibles. A dog with garbage gut often vomits several hours after eating, after the stomach has made a good try at digesting the indigestible. After the dog regurgitates the offending material, she's usually fine.

If your dog vomits two or three times but doesn't seem seriously ill, give her stomach a rest by withholding her food for 12 to 24 hours. But make sure she has access to fresh water to replenish the fluids lost in the vomit. If your dog is gulping down lots of water, give her a few ice cubes every four hours or so to prevent her from drinking too much water and vomiting it up. After a day of fasting, feed her small amounts of a bland diet consisting of boiled chicken, rice, and cottage cheese for a day or two. Then gradually mix in increasing amounts of her regular food over the next two to three days.

If your dog still is vomiting after a 24-hour fast, if the vomit contains blood, or if your dog has other signs of illness such as fever, diarrhea, or depression, make an appointment to see your veterinarian. She may have ingested a toxin or have an infection.

Diarrhea

Just like their people, most dogs get an occasional bout of loose stools. Diarrhea may just be the body's way of clearing the intestine of something disagreeable.

The best thing you can do for a simple case of the runs — other than giving your dog frequent access to the outdoors — is to have your dog fast for a day. Missing a meal or two won't harm your dog, but it will give her gastrointestinal tract a chance to repair itself. Be sure to give her access to water to replace the fluids she's lost in her feces. Follow the fast with a couple days of bland diet, and your diarrheic dog usually will be back to herself in no time.

If your dog continues to have diarrhea after a day of fasting, if there is blood in your dog's stools, or if your dog has other signs of illness such as a fever, take her to your veterinarian. She may need intravenous fluids to replenish fluids lost in the stools and perhaps antibiotics to fight infection. With persistent or severe diarrhea, finding out the cause is important. Several viruses and bacteria passed among dogs can affect intestinal function and cause diarrhea. There are many other causes of diarrhea including impaired pancreatic function, autoimmune diseases, and food allergies. Your veterinarian can perform tests to make a diagnosis so that appropriate treatment can be instituted.

Constipation

A constipated dog spends longer than usual defecating, and the resultant stools are small, round, and hard. You can bet that if your dog is constipated, she's uncomfortable.

One of the main causes of constipation is insufficient water, often coupled with too much time between potty breaks. Always make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water to flush her intestinal tract. If you will be away from home for a long time, arrange for a neighbor or a professional pet sitter to let your dog out to relieve herself.

If you have cut back on your dog's food intake to help her lose weight and regain her svelte figure, you can prevent constipation by adding vegetables to her diet. Many people use green beans or other canned or fresh vegetables as a source of vitamins and fiber for their dieting dogs.

Don't forget that exercise is a great constipation cure. A long walk or a vigorous game of fetch does a great job of kick-starting a sluggish bowel. With a combination of vegetables and exercise, your dog will be as regular as clockwork in no time.

Don't give laxatives to your constipated dog. Over-the-counter laxatives are more likely to do harm than good.

Dogs Glossary

A-B-C assessment

Checking a dog’s airway, breathing, and circulation.

Dogs Glossary

animal shelter

1. An animal control agency run by local government to protect people from animals, take in strays, and manage animal issues and problems within the community. 2. A privately run shelter managed by individuals who want to protect, advocate for, and find homes for animals.

Dogs Glossary

BARF diet

A method of feeding dogs as closely as possible what they would eat in the wild: raw flesh and bones, along with vegetable matter from the stomachs of their prey. The acronym stands for either Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.

Dogs Glossary

blow out

A twice-yearly shedding of a dog’s undercoat.

Dogs Glossary

blue slip

An application to register a purebred puppy.

Dogs Glossary

breeder

A person who raises, sells, and often shows dogs of a specific breed. Reputable breeders screen parent dogs in an effort to produce healthy dogs that conform to breed standards.

Dogs Glossary

castrate

The removal of a male dog’s testicles to render him infertile.

Dogs Glossary

check

A crisp, brief snap on a dog’s leash to discourage his current behavior.

Dogs Glossary

clicker

A small hand-held device that makes a sharp cracking sound when pressed. Paired with a food reward, an effective dog-training tool.

Dogs Glossary

cohesive bandage

A stretchy wrap that clings to itself used to cover and secure gauze bandages without tape.

Dogs Glossary

come into season

The advent of a female dog’s term of fertility.

Dogs Glossary

dead ring

The stationary ring on a training collar that pulls on the collar, not the dog’s neck.

Dogs Glossary

double coat

Two layers of fur — a top coat of stiff guard hairs and an undercoat that serves as insulation.

Dogs Glossary

dropped ears

The term for hanging or drooping dog ears.

Dogs Glossary

Elizabethan collar

A wide, cone-shaped plastic or cardboard collar that prevents a dog from being able to scratch her head. Used to prevent further injury or hasten healing.

Dogs Glossary

euthanize; put to sleep

To kill an animal to relieve suffering.

Dogs Glossary

fall

Hair that extends over a dog’s eyes.

Dogs Glossary

feathering

Long hair that runs from armpit to paw on the backs of a dog’s legs.

Dogs Glossary

free-feeding

Keeping a constant supply of dog food available so that the dog can decide when and how much to eat. It works best in single-dog households where there’s no competition for food.

Dogs Glossary

heartworms

Parasites that live in dogs’ hearts and cause heart failure. They’re transferred through mosquito bites.

Dogs Glossary

heat

The period when a female dog is fertile.

Dogs Glossary

heel

A command and position in which a dog walks at your left side staying with you as you change direction or pace.

Dogs Glossary

hip dysplasia

A painful malformation of a dog’s hip socket. Some breeds are genetically predisposed to the condition.

Dogs Glossary

hot spot

A localized area of skin infection. It’s usually round, red, and warm to the touch.

Dogs Glossary

live ring

The floating ring of a training collar. Attach a leash to this ring for training purposes.

Dogs Glossary

neuter

A general term to describe either spaying or castrating a dog to render it infertile. Neutering and castrating are often used interchangeably.

Dogs Glossary

pantaloons

The tufts of hair on the backs of a long-haired dogs legs that make him look like he’s wearing bloomers.

Dogs Glossary

pedigree

A diagram of a dog’s ancestors for three or more generations that lists the registered names of the dogs and the titles they earned.

Dogs Glossary

pinch collar

A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.

Dogs Glossary

praise

A verbal reward for a dog , such as an enthusiastic “good dog!”

Dogs Glossary

prong collar

A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.

Dogs Glossary

pulse

Normal dog pulse is between 70 and 120 beats per minute. The pulse of a puppy ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute.

Dogs Glossary

puppy mill

A place that supplies puppies to pet stores, usually without screening for possible genetic defects or properly socializing the puppies.

Dogs Glossary

quick

The pink part of a dog’s toenail. It supplies blood to the nail.

Dogs Glossary

registration certificate

The paper certifying a dog’s registration with an accredited organization.

Dogs Glossary

registration slip

An application to register a purebred puppy.

Dogs Glossary

release word

A word that lets a dog know that she is free to move.

Dogs Glossary

rescue group

A network of animal lovers who rescue and find new homes for their favorite breeds or animals.

Dogs Glossary

reward

To give a dog a treat for a correct response while he’s still in the desired position.

Dogs Glossary

ruff

The long, thick fur around a dog’s chest, shoulders, and neck.

Dogs Glossary

separation anxiety

A condition in which your dog becomes anxious and stressed when you leave him.

Dogs Glossary

shed

A twice-yearly process of casting off the undercoat in a double-coated dog.

Dogs Glossary

single coat

A single layer of hairs that comprises a dog’s fur.

Dogs Glossary

spay

To remove of both the uterus and the ovaries of a dog to render her infertile.

Dogs Glossary

stripping

Plucking the dead hairs from a dog’s coat.

Dogs Glossary

titer tests

Tests that check a dog’s immunity levels to determine exactly which vaccinations are needed.

Dogs Glossary

top coat

The top layer of a double-coated dog composed of stiff guard hairs that tend to be naturally water-repellant. The top coat protects the dog’s skin and undercoat.

Dogs Glossary

training collar

A collar that enables you to guide your dog and to check her as necessary — a brief, sharp tug tightens the collar around the dog’s neck.

Dogs Glossary

transfer of ownership form

The form filled out when transferring the ownership of a registered purebred dog. It’s located on the back of the registration certificate.

Dogs Glossary

treat cup

A plastic container filled with small treats or dog food. Shake it and give treats from it as a reward as you train a dog.

Dogs Glossary

undercoat

Fleecy or downy fur shorter than the top layer of a double-coated dog. The undercoat serves as insulation.