Monday, March 21, 2011

Gather some basic knowledge on Gastroenteritis in dogs

Gastroenteritis in dogs is a condition characterized by a sudden and severe onset of acute vomiting and diarrhea. This can lead to severe dehydration, shock, electrolyte disturbances and acid-base imbalance, and may ultimately prove to be fatal.
Dietary indiscretion and infection are the main causes of gastroenteritis in dogs. More than food, sudden diet changes, and foreign material, eating spoiled food, etc., often with dogs is primarily responsible for severe vomiting and diarrhea. Bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections also cause gastroenteritis in dogs. Among them, peritonitis drug reactions, gastrointestinal disorders such as pancreatitis, pyometra, etc, metabolic diseases like diabetes, kidney and liver disease, etc., and prevention / blocking in the gastrointestinal tract is also responsible for severe vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
Symptom
The leading symptoms of gastroenteritis in dogs is the sudden onset of acute and chronic vomiting of intestinal contents through the mouth, and frequent passage of water disease. Blood may sometimes participate vomit and feces. The dog may show signs of depression and lethargy in the chronic phase of the disease. Although occasional vomiting and diarrhea are common in dogs, the sudden onset of acute vomiting and diarrhea symptoms are not normal and requires attention to prevent the situation going out of hand.
Diagnosis and Evaluation
Chronic vomiting and diarrhea symptoms in dogs are usually resolved quickly and without requiring complex diagnostic tests. But if symptoms persist beyond 2-3 days or when there is blood in the stool or vomit material following common diagnostic tests are recommended:
or stool examination or Complete Blood Count (CBC) or routine urine examination Blood biochemistry or profiling or ultrasound or abdominal X-ray
Treatment and care
Recover correcting fluid loss and electrolyte imbalances are the two main approaches to treatment. Intravenous administration of fluids and electrolytes may be necessary. For this, the dog can be taken to the hospital. Limiting oral intake of food and drinks is advisable for several hours to give complete rest the gastrointestinal tract. Water and a fatty diet can be gradually introduced until conditions stabilize. Original diet can be introduced after 2-3 days if vomiting has stopped completely. If there is a recurrence of vomiting after the introduction of regular food, oral intake should be stopped once and the dog may be referred to a veterinarian.
It may sometimes be necessary to put the dog on antibiotics to fight infection and to identify drugs to control vomiting and diarrhea and provides a soothing coat the stomach-intestinal tract. These medications can improve the severity of the symptoms and provide some comfort for pets. However, oral medication used only when absolutely necessary, and consult a veterinarian medication can sometimes irritate already inflamed intestinal lining and increase vomiting.
Care is essential. The sick need a dog to participate and his condition is monitored closely. Veterinary assistance may be needed, and if clinical signs do not mitigate a day or two, or the symptoms get worse, the dog may require a second round of testing.
Living with gastroenteritis
Proper diet is very important to reduce the incidence of gastroenteritis in dogs. The dog and its surroundings should also be kept clean to minimize the risk of infection. But if the dog has frequent bouts of gastroenteritis, a thorough evaluation may be necessary to determine the cause and initiate appropriate treatment.

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