Hi,
First let me congratulate you for the new pet you are soon going to have. Well, let us first understand what diarrhea is? Diarrhea is the passage of frequent passage of watery stools only a small amount of fecal material present in it. It is not just watery but also in large volume/ quantity. It is not a disease per se rather it’s a symptom of an underlying problem.
There are two types of diarrhea:
1) Small intestine diarrhea
2) Large intestine diarrhea
Symptoms of small intestine diarrhea can be as follows: Volume of the stools is increased noticeably while the frequency may still remain normal (2-3 times a day) and there is no mucous.
Symptoms of Large intestine diarrhea are as follows: Volume of the stool may be normal in this case while there may be blood in the stools. Urgency is increased while the frequency is high ( approximately 5 times a day).
Some other symptoms include:
ü Intestinal upset
ü Loss of appetite
ü Dehydration
ü Increased thirst due to fluid loss.
Note that the color and the contents of the stool can be an significantly important symptom as the presence of parasites, blood, mucous, or even an abnormal color may be a significant finding. Also, of the diarrhea is mild in severity than the dog may appear alert, active and by all means normal. It is only when it gets severe that diarrhea gets noticed. Dogs with the normal to severe illness may exhibit lethargy, unwillingness to eat or drink, vomiting and frequent episodes of diarrhea with blood present in the stool.
You should also know the causes of diarrhea in dogs so that you can prevent your dog from suffereing this disease. Some factors are as stated:
ü Change in diet.
ü Stress
ü Ingestion of garbage/ spoiled food
ü Certain medications
ü Bacterial infection
ü Colitis
So, take care of you new pet and enjoy with it. Good luck!
