As anybody with a pet dog can affirm, a pooch can soon become part of the family. As a result, you want to make sure that you give your pup the very best life. This means feeding him the best possible diet, making sure that he gets enough exercise on a regular basis, giving loving attention, and ensuring that any health issues are cleared up sooner rather than later.
Just like humans, dogs can experience stomach upsets. But when your pooch is feeling poorly because of a stomach problem, what can you actually do about it?
Assess the symptoms. You can figure out how severe your dog's stomach upset is by assessing some of the most common symptoms. If there is a little vomiting and diarrhoea and nothing else, this probably isn't something so serious, but there are some symptoms that indicate that a visit to your local vet is necessary. If your dog is experiencing notable bloat, this is a reason to take him to the vet immediately, as this could point towards the ingestion of something poisonous. You should also lean on the talents of vet services if you spot blood in vomit or in faeces.
Fasting. It might seem cruel, but if your dog is experiencing stomach upset, the last thing that he needs is more food irritating the lining of his stomach. Fast your dog for 12 to 24 hours, just allowing him to drink as much water as he wants. This will give him enough time for his intestinal system to cleanse itself. After the fast, keep your dog's diet simple and natural. Some unflavoured boiled chicken mixed in with white boiled rice would do the trick.
Probiotics. If your dog's stomach problems are something that go away and then come back again, you may want to introduce some friendly bacteria to his diet that will create a more stable environment in his stomach so that stomach problems are less likely to occur. There are many varieties of probiotics for dogs in the marketplace. Ask your vet for a recommendation of the best probiotics for your dog's particular health issues.
Imodium could work. If you think this is a temporary attack of diarrhoea, you can actually use over the counter Imodium to ease his symptoms. If you have a small dog, be careful about giving your dog too much. You might want to try the Imodium tablets for children, but it's still advisable to contact your vet before giving your dog medication of any kind.
If you still have questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact local vet services.
Share