Digestive issues in dogs can range from minor upset stomachs to life-threatening illnesses.
Of course, you’ll always want to look after your dog and ensure as best as you can that your canine friend doesn’t experience any kind of health problems. So, you should be aware of the following five most common dog digestive issues.
1. Digestive System Infections
Getting an infection is one of the most common dog digestive issues. Ways in which dogs can get infections in their digestive tracts include ingesting contaminated water, food, or feces.
Bacterial infections can happen when a form of bacteria is ingested and sticks to and irritates the interior of the digestive tract. If the bacteria are in the stomach, vomiting will probably occur. When bacteria are farther down the digestive tract, diarrhea is likely to occur.
Viral infections occur when dogs come into contact with sick dogs.
Parasitic infections happen when parasites live inside a dog’s gut. The parasites produce eggs or larvae that pass through the digestive tract and end up in the dog’s feces. Another dog could then eat the feces, enabling the parasite to live on in that dog.
Probiotics can be helpful in aiding digestive issues because they break down food in the gut and ensure nutrients are properly absorbed. They can be helpful in many other ways too. Find out more by checking out these probiotics that are recommended by veterinarians.
2. Noninfectious Diseases
Dogs can have digestive issues due to noninfectious diseases.
Dogs’ digestive tracts are commonly prone to kidney stones, ulcers, and enzyme deficiencies. Such issues become more common as dogs get older.
3. Nutrient Deficiencies
Dogs require a healthy balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals to maintain long-term good health.
Unfortunately, nutrient deficiencies are a common cause of digestive issues in dogs. That’s sad because nutrient deficiencies only occur when owners do not provide their dogs with food that contains all of the nutrients they need. So, this problem can be simply prevented.
4. Overeating
Overeating is also a common cause of digestive issues in dogs. Again, when a dog owner is responsible, there’s no reason for overeating to happen. But overeating occurs in many dogs, all the same.
When dogs overeat, their stomachs can become inflated and hardened. And when overeating turns into a bloat, which involves gas building up in the stomach, a dog can potentially face a life-threatening illness.
5. Swallowing Foreign Objects
Dogs too often swallow objects that they should not swallow, many of which can cause digestive problems.
Small objects can pass through a dog’s digestive tract without any major problems, but larger objects can cause blockages in the small intestine and stomach.
When such problems are not caught in time, they can lead to serious health issues. Swallowing foreign objects can even lead to fatalities.
Common items that dogs swallow that can cause problems include bones, toys, string, fishing hooks, and socks.
Holistic Solutions
There are various ways of preventing and treating digestive issues in dogs.
If you’re looking for a holistic approach, it’s best to find a combination of conventional medicines and holistic modalities.
Natural ingredients like probiotics, ginger, pumpkin, and raw goat’s milk can all be beneficial for an array of digestive issues in dogs. Other holistic treatments like acupuncture and acupressure could help too.
And there are multiple holistic treatments your dog could benefit from for other health issues. For instance, massages can improve blood flow, relax sore muscles, and keep dogs calm, and aromatherapy can be a useful treatment for helping dogs to stay calm.
Find out more about how holistic care can help your dog by checking out this insightful article from the American Kennel Club.