Clean Run - July 2010 - 79

one or two times and seems his normal perky self, has interest in food, and is holding down water, veterinary intervention is not immediately needed. If your dog vomits frequently over a few hours and is not himself then veterinary care is warranted. Diarrhea is another common GI ailment that every dog is likely to experience at some point. If possible bring a fresh stool sample when seeing your veterinarian as the different kinds of diarrhea (small, large, or mixed bowel) can tell you which part of the intestine is out of balance. This information is very helpful when trying to determine a treatment plan. Stress colitis is often seen in working dogs and is characterized by urgent, watery diarrhea with mucus and gas. Black, tarry diarrhea or large amounts of red blood in the stool are more serious symptoms; if you see these, veterinary care is recommended. Diarrhea is usually not a medical emergency as long as there are no other GI symptoms present; however, if it continues for more than a few days, contact your veterinarian. Remember how it feels to vomit or have diarrhea? Your dog is not having any more fun than you did. Sometimes seeking veterinary care, even if the situation is not critical, is in your dog’s best interest. Fluids and medications can help speed recovery. If your dog has diarrhea, is lethargic, seems to be in pain when you touch his abdomen, or cannot stop vomiting, seek professional help immediately. Puppies, older dogs, and dogs with ongoing illness need to be watched more closely. Even simple diarrhea in a puppy can cause severe dehydration. Use common sense and never hesitate to call a veterinarian if there is any question about your dog’s health.

24 hours if a dog is vomiting or has diarrhea. They can continue to have water as long as they are not continuing to vomit. If your dog continues to vomit then the recommendation is no food or water for 24 hours and a trip to the veterinarian may be warranted. By not feeding your dog for 24 hours you are giving the GI system a chance to heal. Food can continue to irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines, further delaying healing and causing a continuation of symptoms. Once the symptoms have subsided you can feed a bland diet for at least one to two days and gradually transition back to the dog’s regular diet. I generally recommend boiled chicken and white rice, or cooked hamburger and white rice as a bland diet, with 80% coming from meat and the remaining 20% from rice. There is a lot of talk about whether or not to feed fiber when your dog has diarrhea. This is complicated because sometimes fiber is helpful and at other times fiber can exacerbate diarrhea. In acute situations resting the GI tract is always best. If your dog has chronic diarrhea then adding fiber may be part of the solution. If you are unsure what to do, always talk to your veterinarian first. Remember, these are only guidelines and each dog’s situation needs to be evaluated independently.

Should You Use Medications?
In my opinion medications are a last resort when treating mild GI disease. The problems often resolve with simply resting the GI tract. There are many over-the-counter (OTC) medications available and everyone has their own idea about what works best. Admittedly as a veterinarian I am reluctant to encourage owners to treat their dogs because there are many variables to consider. Treating your dog’s symptoms without getting to the root cause of the problem can be

To Feed or Not to Feed
There are many differing opinions about whether or not to feed a dog with GI upset. Generally it is recommended to withhold food for

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Clean Run - July 2010

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