Best Way to Treat Diarrhea in Dogs

Treating Diarrhea in Dogs

For diarrhea in dogs, I’ve had success sprinkling the food bowl with a spoonful of food-grade diatomaceous earth, a fine white powder made from the fossilized remains of diatoms (a species of hard-shelled algae). Give a tablespoon for large dogs, and a teaspoon for small dogs and cats. Diatomaceous earth also comes in handy for cleaning up the smelly messes that accompany digestive distress. And it has a variety of other uses: diatomaceous earth safely eliminates fleas and ticks when applied topically to the coat, and it’s a non-toxic parasiticide that kills intestinal worms when ingested without harm to your pet.

Should dogs exercise after eating?

Often, it’s not just what a pet companion eats but when. Never exercise dogs immediately after eating, especially large, active breeds with large chest cavities. Big dogs are prone to gastric dilatation and volvulus, a too-often fatal condition in which the gut bloats and literally torques. This is a particular hazard with dry food. Here’s what happens: the dog inhales his meal, then chases it with big gulps of water. Ever seen kibble get wet? It expands to several times its size, sitting like a 10-ton weight in a dog’s gut. Exercise can swiftly cause the gut to twist, strangling the animal’s insides in the most painful way possible. To reduce this risk, don’t feed your large dog too soon before a walk no matter how much he begs; delay feeding by at least an hour. It will be well worth the wait.

To learn more about Snyder, visit her clinic’s website at tcvm.com.   

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