Diarrhea in dogs can be very unpleasant for both you and your dog. It can cause your dog to act lethargic, lose weight, and may even lead to death due to dehydration if not treated quickly. Fortunately, there are several natural remedies that you can use to help settle your dog’s stomach. Here are some natural remedies that will help with any type of diarrhea in dogs.
What Is Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is the frequent passage of loose, watery stool. It can be caused by many different things, one of which is too much sugar in the dog’s diet. If your dog has diarrhea, they may also vomit or have blood in their feces. Diarrhea can be very serious; it causes dehydration and numerous other illnesses if left untreated.
Causes of Dog Diarrhea
As a dog owner, you know that diarrhea can be a concern. It can make your dog uncomfortable, and it can be a sign of a serious medical issue if it doesn’t resolve on its own.
So what causes diarrhea in dogs?
There are many potential causes of diarrhea in dogs, including:
- Diarrhea caused by dietary changes: If you recently switched your dog’s food, it’s possible that the change has caused diarrhea. Diarrhea can also be caused by giving him too much food at once or giving him food with too many ingredients he isn’t used to eating (or too many treats).
- Dysbiosis: Dysbiosis, or imbalances in the gut, can cause diarrhea for a short period of time.
- Food allergies: If your dog has food allergies, he may experience symptoms such as gastrointestinal problems like vomiting or diarrhea when certain foods are consumed. Some common allergens include beef, chicken, lamb and wheat products. If you suspect a food allergy is causing your dog’s diarrhea, speak with your veterinarian about changing his diet accordingly.
- Bacteria in the gut: Bacteria in the gut can cause inflammation in the colon which results in loose stools or diarrhea. This is known as bacterial enteritis and usually occurs due to an infection from Salmonella bacteria or Clostridium perfringens bacteria.
Natural Remedies for Dog Diarrhea
There are some natural remedies that work very well for dogs with diarrhea. Some of these natural remedies are milk, bananas, canned pumpkin, rice, boiled chicken, and cooked barley. We’ll talk more about the natural remedies in a minute.
Rehydrating Your Dog
If your dog’s diarrhea is causing dehydration, re-hydrating him is the first step. This can be done by either giving your dog water or electrolytes. Some grocery stores carry pre-mixed electrolytes that are specifically formulated for dogs. You can also mix your own at home by adding half a teaspoon of salt to each quart of purified water for between 24 and 48 hours.
Probiotics to Fight Diarrhea in Dogs
Give them probiotics and/or digestive enzymes. Probiotics help restore balance in the gut by increasing good bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Digestive enzymes help break down food so it can be absorbed into your dog’s system more easily—especially important when they’re having trouble digesting things normally!
A supplement like Daily Dog can be incredibly helpful, especially since it contains S. Boullardi which is antibiotic resistant should your dog require medications to remedy future ailments.
Full Bucket Health Daily Dog Probiotic
The FullBucket Daily Dog is a concentrated yeast-based formula that naturally supports digestion and immune function in adult dogs utilizing probiotic, prebiotic, digestive enzymes & L-Glutamine. It’s all natural, formulated and used by veterinarians, and assists in a healthy gut microbiome.
Coconut Oil Can Be Helpful
Coconut oil is a great source of healthy medium-chain fatty acids and is also known for its antifungal properties, which can help reduce the symptoms of your dog’s diarrhea. Just mix it with water and feed it to your pooch. The taste may not be pleasant at first, but you can add some honey or molasses to make it more palatable.
Slippery Elm Bark to Stop Diarrhea
If you’re in a pinch, slippery elm bark is your best bet. Slippery elm bark can be hard to find but it’s inexpensive and easy to make. You’ll need 1 heaping tablespoon of powdered slippery elm bark (from the health food store) mixed with 6 ounces of water. Mix well and give to your dog every three hours, until the diarrhea stops.
Bone Broth to Help Ease Digestion
Bone broth is excellent for anyone who has trouble digesting food. It helps to soothe the stomach lining and speed up digestion. This is perfect for dogs who are suffering from diarrhea because it will help to settle their stomachs.
1) Prepare bone broth by boiling water, adding chicken or beef bones, vegetables, and herbs. Let this simmer for 24 hours before straining it and using the broth to feed your dog.
2) Alternatively, you can use canned beef or chicken broth instead of making your own bone broth.
3) You can also give your dog homemade bone broth by cooking vegetables in a pot with leftover bones over medium heat for an hour or two until the mixture becomes thick. Remove the bones once it’s cooked then puree the vegetables into a soup before serving it to your dog.
How Natural Remedies Work
The following remedies will help heal your dog’s stomach by soothing it and can help stop diarrhea. The following remedies include:
- Ginger: Ginger has been used for hundreds of years to soothe upset stomachs and settle the intestines. Ginger has a powerful anti-inflammatory action, which may be why many people use it for stomach aches and nausea.
- Salt Water: Mix one teaspoon of salt in a cup of water and let it dissolve completely before giving it to your dog. You can also add some honey for flavor if you want. Salt water is a natural remedy that helps calm down an upset stomach and promotes healing of the intestinal lining.
- Peppermint: Peppermint contains menthol which relaxes the muscles in the intestines and can help relieve diarrhea or prevent it altogether. Add one drop of peppermint oil to their food or drinking water twice a day to heal their stomach and see results.
Contact the Vet
When it comes to diarrhea in dogs, it is important to know what causes diarrhea in the first place and how to best remedy it. The causes of dog diarrhea can range from gut dysbiosis (imbalance) to viruses and parasites. If your dog has diarrhea, you should contact your vet to determine the cause.
There are many remedies for dog diarrhea, including rehydrating your dog with water or a homemade bone broth soup, probiotics for digestive health and slippery elm bark to stop diarrhea.
Despite the different natural remedies you can implement when your dog has diarrhea, it is always best to reach out to your vet if you are concerned or if the diarrhea is lasting more than a day or two.
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