The causes are many, ranging from injury (bone or soft tissue), congenital growth-related conditions, or, in less common instances (and more prevalent in much older dogs), cancer. Most causes of “limping,” even those that appear suddenly, are NOT true emergencies or reasons to panic. This is also a common complaint, and seems to freak pet parents out a lot. You can even add some psyllium powder.Īgain, if the symptoms persist past a few days, actually worsen, or if your dog’s general attitude, energy, or appetite diminish, it’s time to see your veterinarian. The bland chicken or cottage cheese is still appropriate, but for the carbohydrates you want to feed high fiber, like cooked oatmeal, bran or bran flakes (no Raisin Bran, of course), or canned pumpkin. Dogs with the large intestinal soft/mushy stool will usually still want to eat, but should be fed bland food high in fiber. This is fairly easy to digest and will act to help bind them. If dogs with the very watery, small intestinal diarrhea, are still acting okay, and will eat, we recommend feeding them a very bland diet, say boiled white meat chicken, or low-fat cottage cheese, mixed with white rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. Though this stool with blood may look scary, it’s usually not something to panic about. Dogs with large intestinal diarrhea are more often than not still happy and animated. These dogs are often more depressed or lethargic and seem “sick.” In contrast, large intestinal diarrhea is often more soft or “mushy,” more like “cow patties,” and can even appear to be encased in mucus or even frank, or red, blood. Small intestinal diarrhea is typically characterized by very loose or watery stool. Now, if the vomiting continues despite all of this, or your dog seems to be becoming more depressed or listless, begins to dry-heave frequently, or you note his or her abdomen beginning to expand and tighten up, then it is definitely time to call your veterinarian or a local emergency hospital.Īs far as diarrhea is concerned, we typically see two types-small intestinal and large intestinal. This will prevent the stomach from stretching. What we recommend is to keep these dogs without food for at least 12 hours, and instead of allowing them access to water, place a few ice cubes or ice chips in his or her water bowl in order to minimize the amount of water that can be ingested at one time. So, anything that goes into that stomach, even something as benign as water, which will stretch that stomach wall, and can easily induce more vomiting. Often, once that stomach goes through the rigors and smooth muscular contractions associated with vomiting, not to mention the potential irritation to the stomach wall itself, it is primed for more vomiting. As a matter of fact, though these dogs want to eat or drink, it is best not to let them. If your dog starts to vomit, but is still acting totally normal, and WANTS to eat or drink, I’m usually less concerned. That being said, let’s talk about a few of the “common” complaints:Ī very large proportion of calls are for gastrointestinal problems. Mind you, from experience, I’d venture to say that 80-85% of “emergencies,” aren’t! Werber, find him on Facebook or on his website at So when is that “problem” really serious? When should you panic and take your pet to your veterinarian immediately? As a general practitioner who fields phone calls from anxious clients on a very regular basis, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you some guidelines to help ease your minds (or not), and help you answer these questions. Jeff Werber is an Emmy Award-winning, nationally renowned veterinarian and former president of the Association of Veterinary Communicators. If your mucousy stool is due to inflammatory bowel disease (diagnosed via colonoscopy and imaging), your doctor may prescribe medication for it.Dr.If your mucousy stool is due to an infection (diagnosed via stool test), your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.If you are constipated, fiber supplements or laxatives may also help promote healthy bowel movements.Take dietary supplements such as iron, calcium, and vitamins D and B12, if you aren’t getting enough from foods.Eating a healthy, balanced diet to promote positive digestion and minimize mucus in stools.It’s good practice to monitor your diet, and make sure you are having regular, soft bowel movements: When the mucousy stool is just related to diet or a recent infection (most cases), it requires no treatment. If you go from regular soft bowel movements without mucous to a change in bowel movements and the presence of mucous, I would be more concerned.”- Dr. So if it’s a one-time thing, as your doctor, I would not be worried. “Mucousy stool on its own is not a problem, it’s a symptom.
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