Treating doggy gas and diarrhea is important, because excessive gas can be painful for the dog, and prolonged diarrhea can dehydrate a dog, leading to long-term organ damage or even death. Not many things smell worse than a dog's gas, but the good news is that there are products and household food items that can relieve your dog of diarrhea and gas.
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Prevention
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Dogs have a tendency to "get into things," whether it's rummaging in the trash bin or drinking water that's been tainted with pesticides or herbicides. You can protect your dog and prevent diarrhea by keeping it on a leash when outdoors, or in a fenced yard. Using lidded trash bins in the house, and keeping diapers, food waste and leftover foods out of doggy's reach are also important preventative measures. Some breeds are more prone to digestive maladies, and even the smallest dietary mishaps will cause diarrhea or gas.
Bland Diet
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A diet of bland, simple foods can alleviate the dog's suffering and help get its digestive system back on track. Veterinarian David McCluggage, D.V.M., C.V.A., recommends cooked, low-fat meat (if you boil hamburger meat, the fat can be skimmed off easily) mixed with twice as much cooked grains (he recommends rice). Add 2 to 3 tbsp. of live culture yogurt, which contains digestive enzymes. Feed this mixture to your dog in small portions when it is feeling ill and a few days thereafter. Wean slowly into the dog's regular food so as not to shock its system.
Bulking Up Doggy Diarrhea
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Sometimes dogs can get diarrhea from being overheated. In the summer, if you notice your dog is lethargic and has runny stools, the veterinarian may prescribe the administration of kaolin clay. Highly absorbent, this clay can help solidify the dog's stool so that it's more comfortable to pass. In addition, encourage the dog to drink more fluids and possibly give it a summer haircut, removing much of its coat to prevent overheating.
Worms
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If your dog hasn't had inoculations to prevent contracting worms, it could have colonies of worms living in its digestive system. Some of these will be visible in the feces, while others are microscopic. Bringing a feces sample to the veterinarian can help, as there are lab tests that can be done to diagnose intestinal worms. Prescription medications that kill the worms are often prescribed. Administer these according to your veterinarian's instructions, which will be based on the severity of the infection and the size and breed of dog.
Charcoal
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Pet supply stores have over-the-counter products with activated charcoal in them that are designed to remove the odor from intestinal gasses. These products may remove the gas odor, but should not be depended on for long-term use. If your dog's gas is masking a digestive problem, then it should be addressed instead of covered up. In addition to removing the noxious fumes from a gassy dog's intestines, these products can also interfere with the dog's ability to utilize minerals and food-based nutrients, thereby causing more problems.
Better Dog Food
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Many commercial dog foods contain indigestible products such as corn. The corn that is used for animal feed is difficult to digest, causing tummy aches, and increasing the likeliness of stomach and intestinal distress like diarrhea or gas. Soy products may do the same. It may be difficult to find a dog food without soy or corn products, but they are often sold at veterinarians' offices and even dog groomers. Table scraps can present the same difficulties in addition to often containing onion, garlic, chocolate or other known dog toxins.
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