Funny Smelling Diarrhea in Dogs

Detection

• The first stage of helping your dog when he has developed diarrhea, is to detect, or notice that he has it. If he is unable to control his bowel movements, he may have an accident in the home, which will alert you right away. If he still has the ability to control it, he will be going outside. It is important to watch your dog when he goes outside and take notice if he has diarrhea. If you notice he does, you will want to try and clean up the area he defecated in, to avoid the spreading of any disease or illness he may have.

Foul Smelling

• A foul smelling diarrhea can be a very serious problem. Foul smelling diarrhea often indicates the onset of a disease that is slowly killing healthy cells within the dog, thus the foul smell. The foul smelling diarrhea can be indicative of diseases, such as Parvovirus and Distemper. Both of these diseases move quickly and can be fatal if left untreated. If your dog comes down with a case of foul smelling diarrhea for more than 24 hours, call your veterinarian right away. Be sure to mention the case of the diarrhea, as they may not want you to bring your dog into the vet through the regular entrance, as you may expose other dogs visiting the veterinarian.

Sweet Smelling

• A sweet smelling diarrhea is a symptom of other illnesses. Ghiardia and Coccidia are two common ailments that dogs can contract, sometimes easily. Both of these illnesses are easily treated with a special antiobiotic that only your veterinarian can prescribe. Ghiardia is contracted by drinking contaminated water. Many dogs will drink from a puddle, creek or pond and contract Ghiardia. Coccidia is an intestinal bacteria that all dogs are carriers of, but only a few will develop it. Dogs with weaker immune systems, dogs that are stressed, or dogs with other illnesses seem to be more susceptible to contracting Coccidia.

Prevention

• The best way to combat a dog's diarrhea would be to prevent him from ever developing it in the first place. Keeping him on a steady, healthy diet is the first step. It is also important to keep him on a consistent food. Switching of foods can cause a dog to develop diarrhea. A good tip to help prevent a dog from developing diarrhea is to give him a tablespoon of yogurt a day, any flavor. The yogurt contains healthy bacteria that will fight against the unhealthy bacteria in a dog's system.

Treatment

• If your dog has diarrhea, there are several things you can do. First, make sure he is getting enough water. It will be easy for him to become dehydrated. If he is not drinking on his own, give him water though an eye dropper or syringe. Second, clean up and disinfect everyone your dog has defecated. This will help prevent him becoming reinfected with the disease or illness he may have. Also, do not force him to eat. It may be best if he does not eat for a day or two to rest his bowels. Another thing to watch out for his is anemia. Check his gums and make sure they remain a healthy pink color. If not, contact your veterinarian right away. If you have any doubts or serious concerns, remember it is always best to contact a veterinarian for a clear diagnosis and treatment.