Tummy Bugs

In my local area, and maybe yours too, there are often outbreaks of a contagious gastroenteritis ‘bug’ affecting quite a lot of dogs. The dogs suffer from diarrhoea and vomiting. Some of the dogs have become quite poorly with dehydration due to this, and have required admission to the vets for IV fluids and other treatment.

If your dog is affected by diarrhoea and vomiting there are a number of things that you could have in your cupboard / freezer which could help alleviate the symptoms, and help your dog through it. Here’s what we we advise that you should do:

• If you have an adult dog who has diarrhoea and vomiting he probably won’t be interested in food at all; I fact it’s best not to encourage him to eat for 6 - 8 hours whilst the digestive tract rests and recovers, but please note that you shouldn’t withhold food from a puppy.

• Try and encourage him to drink to keep hydrated; bone broth is nourishing and very appealing to most dogs. You can offer this slightly warmed to encourage drinking. This is something that we recommend that you keep in your freezer, just in case the need arises and you need it quickly. You can buy this from raw dog food suppliers, or make it yourself

• Let your dog rest / sleep in a warm, comfortable, undisturbed place - but do keep a close eye on him.

• If your dog is feeling nauseous a little ginger freshly grated and put in a breathable bag near his bed might help. He may even like a little ginger or fennel tea. Check out our blog all about Chamomile as this is also soothing for the gut.

• Slippery elm is made from a tree bark and when mixed with water it generates a sticky substance known as a mucilage, this is very soothing to the gut and is an adaptogen which helps regulate stomach acid. This is something that all dog parents should have in the cupboard in case of tummy upsets. The dosage is ½ a teaspoon per 10kg of the dogs body weight. You can mix it into a paste with a little water, goats milk yoghurt or kefir (which is my own dogs favourite).

• After an illness like this, a probiotic can help get get the gut back on track. Personally I give my dogs kefir 3 or 4 times per week normally, I would increase this to daily for a few days in the event of any tummy upset. Kefir can be readily obtained from supermarkets should the need suddenly arise, but do note that kefir is NOT suitable for itchy dogs as it’s a fermented food and may exacerbate itching.

If your dog becomes listless, has any other worrying symptoms such as blood in the diarrhoea or seems to be deteriorating, please consult your vet ASAP as he may be dehydrated and need IV fluids, an anti sickness injection or other medication.

Elizabeth J. Wass, No bull just natural health for dogs