Best Way to Treat Diarrhea in Dogs
Posted by Diane Snyder on
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.
Written by Diane Snyder for Better Nutrition and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.