One of the health problems that dogs become a victim of is diarrhea. Dog diarrhea is a common occurrence and should not cause too much alarm to dog owners. Nevertheless, as it still is a health concern, it is good to know what causes dog diarrhea in order to prevent your dogs from incurring it too often.
Dog diarrhea is characterized primarily by loose bowel movement that goes on for quite some time. It may occur in just a couple of days or even continue over a span of a few months. Dog diarrhea may begin as a mild case, with noticeable soft stool, but may lead to severe levels, with uncontrollable liquid excretions. The latter is what you don’t want to happen, as severe cases of diarrhea may yield more grave health concerns. If left untreated, diarrhea can cause dehydration in your dogs. Without proper supply of bodily liquids, your dogs may suffer from a weaker immune system, which, in turn, makes them susceptible to various diseases.
So What Causes Diarrhea in Dogs?
Dog diarrhea may have a number of causes. Primarily though, the presence of parasites, viruses, and bacteria in your dogs’ stomach is seen to be the culprit. These elements can introduce themselves into your dogs’ digestive system through what you feed them. Food and water that are not completely safe to eat, do not go well with your dogs’ suggested diet, or had gone stale may lead to stomach upset and then diarrhea.
For puppies, diarrhea may be caused by worms in the stomach. Worms act much like the parasites and bacteria previously mentioned and disrupt the normal digestive activity of your dogs. This change leads to loose bowel movement.
Does Stress Cause Diarrhea in Dogs?
Another notable cause of dog diarrhea is stress. Dogs that have been exposed to stress such as danger, urgency, or injuries may develop diarrhea, as a way of the body to react to or release stress.
Now that you know what causes dog diarrhea, you can avoid it from pestering your pets. Just make sure that your dogs receive proper diet and do not experience too much stress, and surely, dog diarrhea won’t be your problem.