What causes diarrhea?
Diarrhea is not a disease but a symptom of many different diseases. Many mild cases of diarrhea can be resolved quickly with simple treatments. Others are the result of fatal illnesses such as cancer. Even diarrhea caused by mild illnesses may become fatal if treatment is not begun early enough to prevent severe fluid and nutrient losses.
How serious is diarrhea in dogs?
We attempt to determine how sick the dog has become as a consequence of the diarrhea. When the dog is systemically ill (when more than one body system is involved), some of the following may be noted:
(a) Vomiting
(b) Dehydration
(c) Loss of appetite
(d) Abdominal pain
(e) Fever
(f) Lethargy
(g) Bloody and/or watery diarrhea
What types of test s are performed to find the cause?
If diarrhea is associated with several of the above signs, we perform a series of test s in order to make a diagnosis. This permits specific disease treatment. Diagnostic test s may include radiography (x-rays) with or without barium, blood test s, stool cultures, biopsies of the in test inal tract, video endoscopy, ultrasound and exploratory abdominal surgery. Once the diagnosis is known, treatment may include special medications, diets, or surgery.
If your dog does not appear systemically ill from diarrhea, the cause may be less serious. Some of the minor causes of diarrhea include stomach or in test inal viruses, in test inal parasites, and dietary indiscretions (such as a change in diet or eating garbage or other offensive or irritating materials). A minimum number of test s are performed to rule out certain parasites and infections. These cases may be treated with drugs to control the motility of the in test inal tract, drugs that relieve inflammation in the in test inal tract, and, often, a special diet for a few days. This approach allows the body's healing mechanisms to correct the problem. If your pet is not improving within two to four days, a change in medication or further test s are done to better understand the problem. Please keep us informed of your pet’s condition so that we may manage the situation properly.
DIARRHEA QUESTIONNAIRE
1. How long has the diarrhea been present?
2. Is the diarrhea more severe now than a few days ago?
3. Circle the letter of each item that applies:
(a) Watery stool
(b) Stool is the thickness of pancake batter
Blood
(c) Very bloody stool
(d) Only sporadic blood present
(e) Blood not present in stool
(f) Bright red blood present
(g) Dark, tarry blood present
Degree/Frequency
(h) Entire stool is soft or watery
(i) Only portions of the stool are soft or watery
(j) Diarrhea with each bowel movement
(k) Diarrhea is sporadic (some bowel movements are normal)
(l) Only 1 or 2 bowel movements per day
(m) More than 4 bowel movements per day
Amount
(n) Increased, large amount of stool
(o) Decreased or normal, small amounts of stool
(p) Stool is dark brown in color
(q) Stool is very pale in color
(r) Stool is black and tarry in appearance
Miscellaneous
(s) Thick mucus or pieces of tissue present in stool
(t) Loss of bowel control (defecates in the house on the floor)
(u) Severe straining when having a bowel movement
Is your dog's appetite normal? If not, is it eating at all?
What have you been feeding your dog during the last week? Include dog or cat foods, treats, table foods, milk, and anything else that you have fed your pet. Also state what percentage of the diet is each item or category.
Does your dog have access to foods other than what you feed it? If so, what?
Has there been a diet change in the last few weeks? If so, does that correspond with the onset of the diarrhea?