Disease Focus: Diarrhea In Cats And Dogs

One of the most common problem faced by pets is diarrhea. Diarrhea in a dog or cat is characterized by abnormally frequent, watery stools. Clinical signs associated with diarrhea include frequency of evacuation of loose feces which results in an increase in the volume of feces passed. The diarheal feces contains not only increased amounts of water and electrolytes (potassium, sodium and chloride), but may also contain mucus, blood, fat or undigested food.

Diarrhea can originate from disorders in the small intestine or the large intestine (colitis) and is further sub-classified as acute (sudden onset of brief duration) or chronic (long-term).
• Small intestine diarrhea
• Acute diarrhea

Acute diarrhea originating in the small intestine usually lasts less than 48 hours. The feces seldom contains mucus, but it is not uncommon to find blood in the feces. The animal usually loses its appetite or is anorexic. The feces is brown or reddish-brown in colour. The animal exhibits a sense of urgency to defecate as well as an increased frequency and may continue straining after defecation.

Chronic Diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea originating in the small intestine lasts 7-10 days or longer. The animal passes a large volume of watery feces and has bowel movements two or three times as often as its normal frequency. The feces is brown in colour unless there is blood in the stool in which case it will have a black, tarry appearance. Little or no mucus is present in the feces.

The causes of diarrhea vary widely, but include bacteria, viruses, internal parasites and stress induced factors. Diarrhea may also be caused by toxic substances which the animal ingests or by food allergies. A change in pet food, eating table scraps or rich snacks or scavenging spoiled food from garbage may result in diarrhea as well. Organ dysfunction, especially the liver and pancreas, can cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea caused by internal parasites may be a continuous, chronic problem or be intermittent with a normal stool being passed between abnormal stools. Some parasites causing diarrhea in dogs and cats are transferable to humans. Therefore, it is important to identify the parasitic causes.

It is important to note that young animals may be more severely affected by diarrhea than mature animals. Puppies and kittens should be carefully observed because their condition could quickly become life-threatening.

Diarrhea is a fairly common ailment among small animals. In cases of “non-specific” acute diarrhea, the symptoms can be effectively treated and should improve in a few days.

However, it is important to differentiate between non-specific diarrhea and diarrhea caused by a more serious health problem.

To treat your pet for diarrhea, please visit your veterinarian to first diagnose the underlying cause.

Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination of your pet and will ask you questions about its health history and its diet and daily routine. Often the diagnosis can be made from the health history and physical exam and a treatment can be prescribed.

It may be necessary to withhold all food from your pet for one or two days. The more severe the intestinal disturbance, the longer the period the food must be withheld. Do not exceed two days of food deprivation in the cat. Continue to give your pet water during the fasting period.

If your pet is severely dehydrated, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary before any diagnostic studies are initiated.

Your veterinarian may ask you to collect a fecal sample for microscopic examination to help diagnose the cause of the diarrhea. You will be given a plastic bag or container and instructed on how to obtain a fresh stool sample. Numerous fecal exams or re-checks may be necessary to detect internal parasites which can show up intermittently in the feces.

In some cases of chronic diarrhea, a biopsy is necessary. This procedure involves obtaining a very small section of tissue from the intestine for microscopic study. This can be done through a small incision in the abdomen and involves only a few stitches to close.

Home management for pets with diarrhea

Feeding pets with diarrhea
1. After your pet is fasted for the prescribed number of days as determined by your veterinarian, gradually return it to full feed.
2. Feed small amounts frequently (3 to 6 times daily).
3. Feed a highly digestible diet containing one percent or less of fiber in the dry matter. (This is very different than the recommendation for ‘colitis' in which a diet high in fiber is often indicated). The diet for small intestinal diarrhea should provide a moderate amount of highly digestible protein from cottage cheese, chicken and egg, with and not more than 15 percent fat. Carbohydrates should be easily digestible such as those from rice or dextrose. There are veterinary diets made specially to handle these problems i.e. Prescription Diet i/d.

Avoid diets with the following ingredients: wheat middlings, bran and other cereal by-products; lactose (milk sugar) and foods containing more than 10 percent sucrose (table sugar). Do not give your pet bones, snacks or table scraps which may irritate the intestinal tract.

Watch your pet at home - checking for recurrent bouts of diarrhea, blood or mucus in the feces, foreign material in the feces and frequency of defecation. If any of these signs recur or if your pet becomes weak or loses its appetite, please call your veterinarian.

Managing your pet's care at home is an important part of its treatment. It is essential that you follow your veterinarian's instructions. If you have any questions about your pet's medical care, please do not hesitate to ask. The best if to seek the advice of a veterinarian on the first sign of diarrhea in your pet and not wait for a few days.

Remember, prevention of diarrhea is certainly better than cure!