As mild influenza is to humans, kennel cough is to dogs.

Kennel cough

Kennel cough, also known as canine tracheobronchitis, is a highly communicable dog ailment that inflames the upper respiratory system.  Though seldom critical when it inflicts, kennel cough may lead to a deeper health problem, like pneumonia, if left untreated.  It is caused by both viral (canine distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, or respiratory coronavirus), and bacterial infections (Bordetella bronchiseptica); and so named kennel cough because of its capability to be transmitted very quickly.

Both the viral and bacterial contagions are spread through direct interaction with the infected animal; contact from one dog to another in close quarters, such as kennels and veterinary office; in the air through the droplets emitted in sneezing and coughing of infected dogs, and; through contaminated objects and surfaces.

Symptoms of kennel cough

Symptoms of kennel cough range from persistent honking, dry, and harsh cough; sneezing, gagging, or snorting after an exercise; to belching out considerable quantity of white discharges after a coughing blow.  Vomiting may also occur, albeit very seldom and only when there is acute infection.

Unless the dog is very young and vulnerable, kennel cough is generally an ordinary and unthreatening occurrence in a dog’s life, and may just go away within a short period.  But in case it is deemed necessary, oral antibiotics would be a remedy.  However, if coughing persists longer than three to four weeks, it is no longer advisable to let the cough run its course because it might harm the animal’s trachea.  It is recommended to bring your pet dog to the veterinarian or animal hospital for appropriate treatment and x-ray.

On the other hand, a pet owner should be alert for infection or ailment in the neighbourhood or even in his own household, and make sure that his healthy pets be kept away from infected ones.  If the infection, however, is in his own pets, he should be quick to isolate the sick pets from the rest.  Likewise, it is very important and necessary to observe proper hygiene in and around your pet’s area.

Nevertheless, there is no better way to prevent your pets from ailment than to get them vaccinated.  There are two types of vaccines for kennel cough that your pets can avail of: one is the intranasal vaccine, and the other is the injectable antibody.

The intranasal bordetella vaccine, which is sprayed directly into the dog’s nose, brings immediate immunity from the ailment since it goes straight away into the mucus membranes inside the nose.  Pets as young as three weeks old are already eligible for vaccination, which should cover your dog safe for the next ten to twelve months before a booster shot is administered.  This vaccine may result to only a minor and negligible side effect, like sneezing and runny nose.

Some dogs, however, are not comfortable with, and even resistant, to nasal spray; and so, the injectable antibody can be an alternative.  The injectable bordetella vaccine contains a weakened strain of the bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria, which, by introducing it into the dog’s immune system, can boost its immunity to the microorganisms.  This vaccine comes in two shots; each administered two to four weeks apart to booster as well as to maintain its efficiency.  Dogs below four months old are not eligible for this type of vaccine.

The injectable vaccine for kennel cough, however, brings along side effects that include pain or soreness at the injection site, which may linger for a few days.  It may also cause dog diarrhea and nausea.

But the popular saying goes: Prevention is better than cure.  And, stress-free, too! So always watch out for your beloved pet and also kennel cough symptoms.

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Dogs commonly develop diarrhea. There are two types of diarrhea; acute and chronic. Acute diarrhea is the type that is manageable and can be treated through first aid. Chronic dog diarrhea, on the other hand, is more serious than acute diarrhea and will entail more effort to cure.

Blood in the stool also comes in two colors. The first is very evident because of its bright red color. The bright red blood in diarrhea is called hematochezia. Hematochezia usually happens when there is bleeding in the lower intestines. The second is the black stool that has a similar color as tar but with the presence of blood. The blood that is seen in this type of stool is called melena. Melena is the old, digested blood that has gone through the digestive tract.

Dog Diarrhea with blood

Diarrhea in dogs can be handled at home; however, if blood is present in the stool, it is necessary to bring it to the attention of medical experts and have your dog diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian.

Blood in the stool can be a cause of alarm but varies in severity. Any irritation of the stomach linings can cause dogs to pass blood in their stool. This also happens when a dog has had several bowel movements.

The presence of blood in the dog’s stool may either be a minor problem or a serious problem.  One occurrence of this symptom might just be passing but repeated and frequent occurrences are serious and should not be disregarded.

Causes of bloody dog diarrhea

For younger pets, diarrhea with blood is often caused by parasites or bacteria. Older pets may have this because of cancer. Diarrhea with blood could also be traced from clotting disorders, polyps in the colon or rectum, or food allergy and intolerance.

Dog Diarrhea Home Care

At home, follow the prescribed medications as advised by your dog’s veterinarian and monitor your dog’s diet closely.

Some of the treatments that you may need to administer are fluid therapy, motility modifying drugs, and antibiotics for bacterial infections.

Also, you may be asked to observe the dog’s activity and appetite as well as the presence of blood in the stool, or any signs that make the dog’s condition worst. If any changes take place, whether good or bad, the veterinarian should be informed.

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What is Gardia

Giardia refers to Giardiasis which is a name given to the state in which a dog gets after getting infected with a Giardia parasite. It is a short term to the particular parasite that causes Giardia in dogs. Similar to many parasitic infections Giardia is also typified as a living organism that survives through the infiltration in the system of a dog. It does so to survive inside the dog. The reaction to this characteristic of the parasite the dogs experience adverse health conditions and accordingly symptoms are evident.

The main reason of Giardia in dogs in due to a Protozoa that enters the dog’s body usually through drinking of pond, stream or unfiltered water. Though not recognizable in the early stages, symptoms begin to show as the Protozoa starts to multiply and absorb the nutrients entering the body hindering the dog’s body from benefiting from it. Nutrients are stopped from being absorbed in the body and the most common of symptoms is diarrhea. Diarrhea in Giardia is accompanied with a foul odor and mucus present in the stool. As Giardia progresses the dog loses weight and acts lethargic. Giardia can be treated through prescribed medicines and a speedy recovery can be made possible through the use of herbal remedies.

As mentioned before the main cause of Giardia is drinking from ponds or streams as they contain traces of animal feces. These contain small sacs or cysts who when enter the dog’s gastrointestinal tracts it begins to create problems.

These cysts further change to Protozoa and multiply rapidly; they attach themselves to the small intestines of the dog and feed on the vital nutrients depriving the dog from them. The Protozoa not only feed on the nutrients rather they also excrete harmful substances that damage the intestine of the dog and if left untreated it can damage the small intestines linings and can also result in scaring.

Giardia is also often referred to as the Beaver fever as beavers are the most known and common carriers of Protozoa. Not only in dogs but even in humans it is a known Protozoa.

Another similar kind of parasite is the coccidian, it too affects the intestinal tracts of the dog but unlike Protozoa which infects through stream water coccidiosis is received through directly consuming animal feces.

Initially Giardia in dogs is not dangerous to a dog’s health but if left untreated it can develop into a serious situation. The main danger is malnutrition since Giardia organisms survive through feeding on the nutrients received through diet to the dog your dog suffers from lack of nutrition resulting in serious health issues including weight loss. Also many dogs experience getting severely dehydrated after getting exposed to Giardia.

Since Giardia is responsible for interfering with the nutrients absorption in the body the body is left deprived and apparent losing of weight and low energy in dogs is experienced.

There are also cases where giardisis in dogs carry no symptoms not even diarrhea. Dog diarrhea is characterized by bad odor and watery texture and it may occur in a bad situation or light one. Also this diarrhea can occur frequently or with timings far apart.

Giardia parasite has a one to a couple of week’s incubation period. Since many dogs are naturally asymptomatic they tend to release cysts for months even sometimes for years. In young aged dogs clinical symptoms can be easily seen as compared to grownups and also they are easily diagnosable in multi-dogs environment or houses.

In case your dogs develops large number of trophozoites began to form in the dog’s body, the symptoms that develop are

• Flatulence
• Weight loss in dogs
• Bad odor stool, with often a foamy or yellowish texture
• Vomiting
• Distension in the abdomen

The detection of these cysts in the dog can be diagnosed through Zinc Sulphate solution or Fecal flotation. These cysts may not be present or detected in the dog’s stool or diarrhea. Active trophozoites may be found through fecal smears. Trophozoites can be seen in motion in diarrhea whereas cysts can be seen in hard stools. To diagnose at least three samples of stools taken over a period of 7 to 10 days to exactly diagnose.

Another way to diagnose Giardia in dogs is through ELIZA which is a test that can be performed either in your vet’s office or sent to a laboratory for testing.

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Dog vomiting and dog diarrhea are the two most common warning signs of dog illnesses. These signs are usual and are not to worry about for there are various treatments available for these; however, it is important to keep in mind that these may also be symptoms of a much serious disease which can be fatal to the animal if not attended to immediately.

If a dog shows these two symptoms, dog owners should immediately give first aid measures to ensure their pet’s safety. If there is no improvement or development on the dog’s health after 24 to 48 hours of observation, it is recommended to see the dog’s vet. If the vomit already contains blood, it is best to immediately call for a medical emergency. Professional help should be sought and no home treatment should be attempted.

Causes of Dog Vomiting

There are many reasons why dogs exhibit these symptoms. One of the many reasons would be that the dog may have an upset stomach due to food and water that have gone bad. Or it could also be that the dog has eaten a non-food object or was exposed to insecticides or any chemical. It could also be brought on by food allergies. If the condition is serious, this could be a symptom for a glandular problem such as hypodrencorticism or could be symptom of bacterial infection.

One way of telling if your dog has eaten something poisonous is by examining the vomit and the stool. This might be a bit too much for some but has proven to be very helpful in curing the ailing animal and determining the cause of their ailment. It is essential to inspect the color or the texture of the vomit and stool, and if possible, bring a sample to the dog’s veterinarian.

Home Remedy Treatments for Dog Vomiting

At the first sign of either dog vomiting or dog diarrhea, dogs should not be given anything. Water, meat, and dog food should be removed from the dog’s diet. Only milk should be given if the dog requires or is need of liquids, except if the dog is lactose intolerant. Dog owners should be very careful about this to avoid aggravating the dog’s condition which may lead to something critical.

When dealing with these symptoms, only soft food should be given to the ailing dog such as milk or meat broth mixed with cooked rice. Baby food is also recommended since it is can be easily digested.

Antibiotics, antacids, and other drugs may also be given to lessen vomiting or adjust intestinal motility. If the symptoms persist, it is advisable to have the vet take a look at your dog for further diagnosis and treatment.

If your dog has gone at least 24 hours without vomiting, then you can start feeding him with regular food but in small amounts. One thing to remember is not to rush things. Usually, the stomach needs at 24 hours or more of complete rest.

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In case your dog suffers from acute dog diarrhea, try to cure it using home remedies such as bland diets for your dog.

The following bland diets can be used as a 1 to 2 day diarrhea treatment for dogs. The initial step is to keep close watch on your dog. As soon as you notice that your dog is suffering from dog diarrhea immediately convert him to bland dog foods. These foods should be consumed by your dog until the diarrhea phase is over and the dog’s stool is normal again.

Dog Diarrhea Treatment – Home Remedies

To suggest on some bland foods that can be prepared easily at home are

• Cooked white rice without any flavorings including any type of oils or butter.

• Plain cottage cheese without any thing not even water.

• Boiled eggs but do not use any butter or oil in the boiling water.

When you start feeding these diets to your dog at first give him small quantities of food divided into 4 to 5 meals a day. Slowly and gradually increase the quantity of food you feed your dog every time. When you notice that the stool is firm and normal again slowly reintroduce your dog to his former diet.

Re-introducing should also be done properly like if when you would introduce a new dog food or brand to your dog. Initially mix some of his normal diet with the bland food and gradually decrease the quantity of bland food and increase the amount of normal food in your dog’s diet. At the end your dog will be back to his normal diet and so will his stool.

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Dog with diarrhea symptoms is considered easy to evaluate by simply looking at its symptoms itself. It is quite easy as these symptoms are the same and common in almost every dog. If you feel your dog lacks the energy and activeness he previously showed or he is not eating his food properly even if something of likeness is in front of him this indicates diarrhea. The disorder or problem in the dog’s digestive system is referred to as diarrhea. Other serious symptoms include dehydration and passing of loose stools. If any dog is found to be suffering from this disorder he should be immediately taken care of and treated.

Also a symptom of dog diarrhea is indicated through frequent bowels throughout the day which are loose and in many cases watery too.

When a dog suffers from a disorder in his digestive system a whitish fluid substance is created in his intestines which often come out with the stool he passes. The presence of this substance or mucus in the dog’s bowels is a strong proof indicating a problem present in the digestive system of the dog.

There are different types of dog diarrhea, with severe and less severe outcomes. Chronic diarrhea is the most severe case of diarrhea in dogs where in some cases blood is also seen in the dog’s bowels. Normally the diarrhea in dogs could stay for a period of 2 days to 2 weeks but anything that goes further should immediately be reported to the veterinarian. Sometimes the diarrhea may also come and go for some periods, but if the period is within the safe days as stated above it may be fine but if this condition persists consult a vet immediately.

Another painful symptom of dog diarrhea is vomiting. Though usually dogs don’t vomit but if you ever experience your dog spitting the food out that he had just eaten it is an indication that something is terribly wrong with the dog. Vomiting is usually associated with a problem or disorder of the stomach. A dog that is vomiting may tend to be low on energy, develop fever or experience low or no appetite at all.

Generally the symptoms of dog diarrhea are somewhat the same as in humans and the need is to monitor your dog on his actions and conditions. Though there are home remedies that can easily cure your pet however you need to assess whether the condition of your dog is getting better or worse.

Dog diarrhea is categorized into two types and their symptoms may vary accordingly to the severity and also the type. In mild diarrhea cases your dog may appear to be active, playful and normal with only a little more than usual bowel activity with no blood. This activity may be experienced from the last 24 hours and is not of much concern.

Whereas dogs that are at a more severe stage of dog diarrhea may show lack of appetite, lethargy, dehydration, depression and frequent bowel activities with presence of blood.

During the initial days of diarrhea in your dog it is considered fine to try home remedies. The very first step would be to feed your dog with a bland diet. Try feeding him boiled chicken as in this stage the lesser oil he takes would be better. Do not use any seasoning on his food. You can also give him vet prescribed antibiotics.

You should never ignore dog with diarrhea symptoms as it tends to make the situation worse. Your dog may suffer chronic consequences which may be irreversible at later stages. You should always take care of your dog and provide him with proper medical attention to enjoy a long healthy companionship with him.

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Puppy diarrhea is mainly the result of parasites and viruses and should not be ignored at any cost as it can result in lowering the puppy’s immunity levels and in severe cases due to diarrhea even death can occur. Mentioned here are some of ways through which diarrhea can be cured at a very early stage

Puppy Diarrhea Treatment

1)      If your puppy does not show signs of dehydration it is advised that you fast your puppy who should be at least 7 weeks old for a minimum time of 12 hours so that the puppy’s tummy can rest. If there are signs of dehydration you should regularly feed on water and other fluids to replace the depleting water or fluid level in the puppy’s body.

2)      Feed you puppy a bland diet; initially start with small servings stretched to 4 to 5 times throughout the day. Slowly and gradually increase the amount of food until the puppy recovers from diarrhea. Cottage cheese, cooked white rice, scrambled egg, boiled chicken or potato or boiled turkey are the best options to feed your puppy. There should be no seasoning or flavoring added to the food. Canned pumpkin is also known to be a source of treating diarrhea in dogs and puppies.

3)      Also a puppy if stressed in any situation his digestive system may responds to it in the form of diarrhea. This stress could be because of separation from mother or siblings or coming to a new environment. It is your job to make him comfortable and at ease.

4)      Also if your puppy is 6 weeks or older you can give him a dose of Pepto Bismol after every 6 hours in quantity relative to the puppy’s weight (1 ml for every 10 lbs). Another thing that can be used is Imodium AD that can be given every 8 hours in the same dosage quantity as mentioned earlier. For puppies who are younger than the mentioned age you should consult a vet.

As puppy diarrhea is a common occurrence it is the duty of the pet owner to be aware of the basic knowledge of dealing with puppy diarrhea and its remedies. Researches have proven that 90% of diarrhea can be treated at home, but it should be kept in mind that if your puppy suffers from other symptoms such as fever, vomiting or pain a veterinarian examination should be conducted to avoid serious consequences. You might also be interested in information regarding dog diarrhea.

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Chronic Dog Diarrhea

Chronic dog diarrhea refers to

- diarrhea with at least any one or a combination of these symptoms:

• Blood coated stools

• Mucus coated stools
• Watery stools
• A soft stool followed after a normal stool.

- Continuous persisting diarrhea

- Dog acting sick while facing severe bouts of diarrhea where others seem normal

- Diarrhea that occurs on and off with some good days and some bad days

- Due to continuous diarrhea dogs may lack energy of life as before, lose weight, become lazy and develop a rough coat.

Dog diarrhea that persists for a long duration can be a devastating disorder as by time the body loses precious nutrients (maldigestion), immune system becomes weak and depleted, and also develops toxic compounds as 25% of the body’s natural detoxification systems are present in the intestinal lining. So many adverse effects on the body affect the body’s natural ability to heal itself and many other secondary disorders begin to root and further worsen the prognosis. As the body is going through all these chronic damages, there is almost no immunity function and metabolic product to repair the intestinal damage. And all this results in a series of deterioration that gets impossible to reverse back.

The usual medicines prescribed are not very useful at this stage, at it usually centers at specific symptoms only such as feeding the dog with light and bland foods referred to as “hypoallergenic diets”. This may aid for a period but as the body requires its essential complex nutrients to rebuild itself a lot of which are harmed by the processing involved in commercial dog foods.

Also conventional veterinarian prescriptions rely heavily on antibiotics coupled with immune suppressive drugs which may prove effecting for a short period of time and by time the condition of the dog worsens. At these stages Holistic therapies are known to cure the dog better.

The many causes of chronic dog diarrhea include

• Intestinal parasites such as whip worms and in some cases roundworms and coccidian. Tapeworms are generally considered harmless.

• Leaky gut syndrome

• Food allergies that result due to leaky gut syndrome

• Giardia, bacteria, clostridium are also all secondary types of infections

• Organic diseases such as kidney, liver and thyroid diseases

• Digestion of uneatable such as sticks and stones

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Inflammatory bowel disease

• Dysbiosis ( development of a single intestinal microbial to an abnormally larger fungal, bacterial or protozoan population.)

As is evident by all the stated facts here that there are multiple problems that are suffered by the dog of this disease, for severe cases visiting a holistic doctor is recommended though some help can be taken from facts mentioned above. Remember, if your dog suffered from chronic dog diarrhea, please bring him/her to get treatment as soon as possible.

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If your dog is suffering from acute dog diarrhea that is if symptoms of diarrhea is present but your dog seems playful and lively and not much difference in behavior is experienced, simply follow the treating dog diarrhea steps below to help your dog come over the disease.

Treating Dog Diarrhea

- The amount of food you are feeding your dog should be reduced to half, this will cease diarrhea occurring due to overeating.

- You should feed your dog home cooked bland diets which are far more superior than commercial bland diets promoted by many veterinarians today.

- The list of bland foods include:

• 1/3 portion of meat (meats that are cooked and low in fats such as chicken or boiled hamburger, boiling meats kills the amount of fats to a considerable level)

• 2/3 portion of bland grains such as rice, cottage cheese, white rice or cooked oatmeal

• Never add any oil or fat substance to your dogs diet at any point

• 1 to 3 tablespoons of yogurt should be added to the dog’s meal as it is a soothing agent

• A Pro-biotic preferably Healthy Flora should be added to the diet.

• 2 to 4 tablespoons of boiled sweet potato should also be a part of your dog’s diet.

You should continue to feed the dog with this bland diet at least until the diarrhea is over. You should consider taking your dog to the vet when you observe these symptoms in your dog

• Signs of laziness

• Looks severely ill

• Show signs of abdominal pain or bloating

• Develops a fever of about 103.5 degrees F

• Signs of dehydration ( an easy way to assess whether your dog is dehydrated is to check the gums if they feel tacky or dry these are signs of dehydration)

• Passing large amounts of blood with stool

• Developing a continuous vomiting pattern.

If after you try treating dog diarrhea without any success, you will need to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible.

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Puppy Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common problem with puppies, here is an informative guide to the different types of puppy diarrhea and the options you can go for to cure them.

The stool passed by puppies can be divided in four types

1. In form of normal logs
2. In form of soft stools that mold up known as pudding stool
3. In form of brown water diarrhea
4. In form of brown water diarrhea with signs of blood

Every dog owner would want his pet to have normal stools, as if your dogs is having normal log stool and is having a normal temperature that is 101 to 102 in dogs these are signs of a healthy dog. Of course there are exceptions to this rule such as a dog suffering from cancer, but generally this is a standard to measure the good health of your dog.

DIARRHEA DUE TO PARASITES

Among diarrhea that occurs due to parasites the main cause are Coccidia or Giardia. Both these parasites cause diarrhea but both require a different type of medication.

There are some levels of coccidia present in the dog’s gut but sometimes due to stress of either moving in to a new environment, separation from the mother or due to shipping to a different place. The coccidia present in the dog blooms and instantly multiply causing diarrhea. You can give your dog ALBON to overcome this situation how much and at what interval will be advised to you by your vet.

Humans develop Giardia through drinking water that is contaminated with fecal matter. Like if you are camping and drinking water straight from a stream, you are likely to develop Giardia in you.  When dogs get Giardia they are treated using METRONIDAZOLE. It is however not possible for a vet to diagnose the presence of Giardia from a sample of stool taken earlier. To diagnose it your vet may require a fresh sample of stool direct from the rectum as fresh sample gives more chances in sighting Giardia.

Both Giardia and Coccidia need to be diagnosed by a vet and also the medication should be prescribed and advised by him.

STOOL IN FORM OF PUDDING DIARRHEA

If your dog is laying pudding diarrhea form of stool it is concerning and continuous monitoring is required until the form of stool is back to normal, e.g. log stool. Pudding puppy diarrhea should be considered as a small red flag of alert.

Pudding puppy diarrhea is normally caused due to

• Over feeding the dog resulting in diarrhea
• Change of foods consumed by the dog resulting in diarrhea
• Eating out of the garbage can result in diarrhea
• Stress can lead to diarrhea
• Over excitement and a lot of exercise can result in diarrhea

Overcoming this form of puppy diarrhea is important and before that you should be aware of the exact reason behind it. Adding up canned pumpkin in the dog’s diet would help as pumpkin is known to firm up stool; this is also a handy thing in constipation.

If you are feeding your dog a natural diet your dog will easily consume it but if the diet is a kibble one your dog might refuse to take it in which situation you may require going to medication if the stool form gets too loose or watery.

BROWN WATER DIARRHEA

This form of stool is a serious sign that your puppy is sick. Brown water diarrhea should not at all be ignored and you should always stay alert that your dog does not get dehydrated. If you are unable to stop the diarrhea within 24 hours you should immediately consult a veterinarian.

All dog owners should be aware of how healthy and hydrated his dog his and how he would know if the dog is not in a healthy condition. The best way of finding out if a dog is hydrated is if the skin on the back of the dog is loose and easily comes in hand it is a sign that the dog is hydrated. However if the skin is tight and you find it difficult to pull the skin off the body mass it is a sign that your dog is dehydrated.

When such a situation arises rehydrate your pup by giving him lots of water, you can also get an unflavored pediatric electrolyte from the baby shelves of the super market and feed the puppy. If he refuses to take it mix it with some chicken broth which is also readily available in the soup section of the super markets.

When your dog suffers from diarrhea it is good to take him off food for at least 24 hours which they can easily survive. A dog though cannot survive without water so if your dog is drinking plenty of water there is nothing to worry but if he is not it could be serious.

If a puppy does not drink water you should immediately consult a vet. He will send the puppy on an IV fluid other than providing him proper medication.

BROWN WATER DIARRHEA WITH BLOOD

Brown water diarrhea with signs of blood is a serious sign and indicates emergency. The vet is required instantly and waiting for even a day or two would result in the death of the puppy.

Puppies can easily die within 24 to 48 hours of suffering from this form of diarrhea and it is beyond the control of pet owners to cure it without the help of a vet.

It is very crucial to visit your vets as soon as possible if your puppy diarrhea is still on going after 2 days.

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