Have you ever thought your vet was wrong?

Have you ever thought your vet was wrong?

No one is without fault and mistakes do happen. I certainly hope it has never happened to your dog.

Has it? Take our poll. I'm interested in the results and your comments.

As I mentioned I do believe that mistakes happen, but there are a few things you can do to help your vet do a better job.

1. Keep good records – especially if your pet has a chronic problem. When did he start on a certain medication? When did the dosage change? How did he respond? Here's some great information:  How to Keep Track of Your Dog's Vital Information

2. Ask questions. If you don't understand something – ask questions. Be informed. Ask your vet for a link to read more information on a website they trust. A great resource is our very own Petplace.com.

Looking at human medicine and my experiences with my own health and my family's health – you really get better care if you are involved and ask questions.

Have a great day!

P.S. How long do expired medications last?  Get the Answer Here. 

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"In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog."   Author - Unknown Our dogs are special and we are committed to providing our special friends with high quality health foods, effective nutritional solutions and supplements, treats with a healthy purpose and luxurious pet care products created to beautify and pamper your pup. Click Here for Pet Safe Products from Life's Abundance

Home Care for the Dog with Diarrhea

Related Articles

• Should I take my dog into the vet for diarrhea?
• Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs
• Acute Diarrhea in Dogs
• Dehydration in Dogs

Diarrhea is a common problem seen in veterinary clinics. In fact, it is one of the most common reasons people take their dog to the vet.

What Is Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is the act of having abnormally loose or liquid stools. This can also be associated with an increased frequency of bowel movements. Some dogs will have a large amount of liquid or abnormally loose stools once and others will have semi-formed stools frequently with straining.

What Causes Diarrhea?

Diarrhea results from excessive water content in the feces and it is an important sign of intestinal disease in dogs.

Diarrhea can be a symptom of many different conditions. It can be caused a number of problems including:

A change in the dog's food

Eating garbage or food that does not agree with their system

Eating indigestible objects

Infectious agents including bacterial, viral or parasites

Systemic problems such as pancreatitis, kidney disease or liver disease

It can affect your dog by causing extreme fluid loss, which leads to dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, and/or acid-base imbalances.
For a full list of possible causes – go to Acute Diarrhea in Dogs. Pet owners commonly ask, "What can I do at home?"

Home Treatment of Diarrhea

Specific treatments of diarrhea are dependent on the cause. Here is the general approach to dealing with a dog with acute diarrhea:

If your pet has diarrhea once then has a normal bowel movement without further diarrhea or has a normal bowel movement and is acting playful, then the problem may resolve on its own.

If you can identify it, always eliminate any predisposing cause such as exposure to trash, abrupt change in diet and eating plants.

If your dog has diarrhea and vomiting (gastroenteritis), we recommend that you see your veterinarian – don't attempt home care.

If diarrhea occurs several times and you cannot take your dog to your veterinarian (which is recommended), then you may try the following:

- Administer only prescribed medications by your veterinarian.

- Stop feeding your dog for the first 12 to 24 hours.

- If there is no vomiting, provide plenty of fresh clean water or oral rehydrating solutions to help prevent dehydration.

               

- Temporarily change the diet to something bland. Bland diets can be made at home or prescription type diets can be obtained from your veterinarian. A bland digestible diet such as: Hill's prescription diet i/d, Iams Recovery Diet, Provision EN or Waltham Low Fat is usually recommended. You can make a homemade diet of boiled rice or potatoes (as the carbohydrate source) and lean hamburger, skinless chicken or low-fat cottage cheese (as the protein source). Feed small amounts at a time. Don't over feed as it may induce vomiting. Feed a meatball size portion and if there is no vomiting for a full hour, offer a small amount more. Give small amounts frequently – every 3 to 4 hours for the first day. You can gradually increase the amount and decrease the frequency as your dog tolerates.

- Feed a bland diet for 2 days.

- Then gradually return to regular dog food over the next day or two. At first, mix in a little of your dog's food into the bland diet. Feed that for one meal. Then feed a 50/50 mix for one meal. Then feed ¾ dog food and ¼ bland diet for a meal. Then feed your dog's regular food.

- Leash-walk your pet to allow observation of bowel movements while watching for normal urinations and any vomiting that may occur otherwise without you knowing.

- Observe your dog's general activity and appetite. Watch closely for the presence of blood in the stool, worsening of signs or the onset of vomiting.

- Have your pet examined by your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns.

- Some veterinarians recommend Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate (for dogs only!) ® The active ingredients are generally subsalicylate and Bismuth. Two tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol contain almost as much salicylate as one aspirin tablet (which is toxic to cats). Do NOT give cats Pepto-bismol or Kaopectate! The subsalicylate, an aspirin-like compound, can decrease diarrhea caused by intestinal infections. The bismuth agent is a chalk-like compound designed to coat the lining of the stomach and intestines. This helps some pets with diarrhea. The typical dose administered to dogs amounts to approximately two teaspoons (10 ml total) per 10 pounds per day, ideally split between two to four doses. This be found at most pharmacies and does not require a prescription. It is often used for one to two days. DO NOT USE IN CATS.

- Medication should never be administered without first consulting your veterinarian. Please do not administer to cats without first consulting with a veterinarian to avoid toxicity.

- This is important! If the diarrhea continues at any time or the onset of other symptoms are noted, call your veterinarian promptly. If your pet is not eating, starts vomiting, acts lethargic, has continued diarrhea or any other physical abnormalities mentioned above, it is important to see your veterinarian. Your pet needs the professional care your veterinarian can provide. If your pet is having the clinical signs mentioned above, expect your veterinarian to perform some diagnostic tests and make treatment recommendations. Recommendations will be dependent upon the severity and nature of the clinical signs.

When Is Diarrhea an Emergency?

If the diarrhea continues after your pet eats or if your pet acts lethargic, doesn't want to eat and/or starts vomiting, then medical attention is warranted. Please see your veterinarian!

Great Links for More Information

For more details about diarrhea, go to Acute Diarrhea in Dogs, and Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs (duration longer than 1 or 2 weeks)".

Related topics – go to Vomiting in Dogs, Vomiting and Diarrhea in Dogs and Dehydration in Dogs.

Disclaimer: Advice given in the Home Care series of articles is not meant to replace veterinary care. When your pet has a problem, it is always best to see your veterinarian as soon as possible. But in some cases, it is not always possible to seek veterinary care. You could be traveling, it could be after hours and there are no 24-hour clinics near you, or maybe you simply can't afford it. Whatever the reason, when your pet has a problem, you need answers. Most vets will not give you any information over the phone – they will tell you to bring your pet in for an office visit. So, when these difficult situations arise, many pet owners don't know what to do – and they end up doing the wrong thing because they don't have sound veterinary advice. When your pet has a problem and you can't see your vet, the information in this series of articles can help guide you so that you will not inadvertently cause harm to your pet. However, this information is not a replacement for veterinary care.

What to Do If Your Dog Is Choking

When the unexpected happens it's time to think fast. If your dog began choking, would you know what to do? When a person chokes, someone must perform the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge any object blocking the airway. In the case of a choking dog, the process is surprisingly similar. 

When a dog is choking, you can do a modification of the Heimlich maneuver. Today I'd like to give you some tips on performing this lifesaving process. Hopefully you will never have to use it, but it's best to be prepared. 

Take a minute now to learn how to do the step-by-step procedure for dogs. This article gives you a full detailed list of instructions. I recommend printing it out and posting it somewhere that's easy to find. You might even want a copy of it for your wallet or purse.  Go to: Heimlich For Your Dog 

The procedure is fairly easy, but remember to be aware of your dog's relatively small body size in comparison to humans. Never distress a healthy dog by “practicing” on them; you could hurt them in doing so. 

Here is a brief summary of the steps necessary for performing the Heimlich maneuver on dogs; read Heimlich For Your Dog for the full method. 

STEPS TO PERFORM THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER FOR DOGS: 

1.  Clear Blockages2.  Position Animal3.  Place a fist just underneath the ribs4.  Compress the abdomen 5.  Check the mouth 

The canine Heimlich is just one of the top first aid skills to know for dog safety. Do you know the others? Make sure you’re ready to offer effective first aid to your dog. Read: Top 10 Things to Know for Dogs 

I hope you and your dog never experience such a scary incident, but if they do you should be prepared. Information like this can save their life. 

Until next time, 

Dr. Jon

P.S. Did you know that there is a canine version of CPR as well? Learn about it here: Canine CPR 

Never give your dog Raw Hide Bones because they can't be digested and may cause a blockage in the digestive tract!

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