(BPT) - Diarrhea in pets has a way of showing up at the worst possible time, leaving pet parents scrambling for answers and unsure whether to wait it out or call the vet. It's one of the most common reasons pets feel under the weather, and it's not always obvious what will actually help.
Ahead of National Cat & Dog Gut Health Awareness Day on September 21, Purina Veterinary Nutritionist Martha Cline, DVM, DACVIM, shares some tips on what pet parents should know about easing their pet's tummy troubles as soon as possible and keeping their gut healthy so it's less likely to happen again.
kAmkDEC@?8m(92EVD 42FD:?8 J@FC A6EVD 5:2CC962nk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAms:2CC962 :D 2 4@>>@? 4@>A=2:?E :? 3@E9 5@8D 2?5 42ED[ H:E9 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G6E]4@C?6==]65F^56A2CE>6?ED\46?E6CD\2?5\:?DE:EFE6D^C:?6J\42?:?6\962=E9\46?E6C^42?:?6\962=E9\E@A:4D^5:2CC962Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmH:56 C2?86 @7 A@E6?E:2= 42FD6Dk^2m[ 3FE E96C6 2C6 EH@ 4@>>@? 4F=AC:EDi 5:6E 2?5 DEC6DD] p DF556? 7@@5 DH:E49[ 2 492?86 :? C@FE:?6[ ?6H 4@?DECF4E:@? ?@:D6[ @C 6G6? 2 ?6H A6E @C 323J :? E96 9@FD6 42? 2== A=2J 2 C@=6]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb H2JD E@ 96=A J@FC A6E 766= 36EE6Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] $=@H=J :?EC@5F46 ?6H 7@@5Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmQx7 J@FVG6 C646?E=J :?EC@5F465 2 ?6H 7@@5[ :E >:89E ?@E 36 D:EE:?8 H6== H:E9 J@FC 42E @C 5@8[Q D2:5 sC] r=:?6] Qk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AFC:?2:?DE:EFE6]4@>^46?EC6DBF2C6^F?56CDE2?5:?8\A6E\7@@5^DH:E49:?8\A6E\7@@5D\5@8DQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmp D=@H6C :?EC@5F4E:@?k^2m[ @C >:I:?8 :E H:E9 E96:C FDF2= 7@@5[ 42? 96=A E96:C DE@>249 25;FDE]Q x7 J@FC A6EVD 5:6E 92D ?@E 492?865[ 2 E6>A@C2CJ DH:E49 E@ 2 9:89=J 5:86DE:3=6 @C 7:36C\6?92?465 5:6E >2J 96=A] r@?7:C> H:E9 J@FC G6E 367@C6 >2<:?8 2?J 492?86D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] !C@G:56 2 BF:6E 6?G:C@?>6?Ek^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmx7 E9:?8D 92G6 366? 492@E:4 2E 9@>6 =2E6=J[ 8:G6 J@FC A6E 2 H2J E@ C6D6E] u@C 42ED[ E92E 4@F=5 36 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AFC:?2]4@>^2CE:4=6D^42E^962=E9^DJ>AE@>D^:D\>J\42E\DEC6DD65Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmA=246 E@ 6D42A6k^2m E96 9FDE=6 2?5 3FDE=6[ =:<6 2 4@KJ 9:562H2J @C 2 DA64:2= 3@I @7 E96:C @H?] s@8D E6?5 E@ 5@ 36DE H96? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AFC:?2]4@>^2CE:4=6D^5@8^3692G:@C^F?56CDE2?5:?8\5@8D^9@H\E@\42=>\5@8\2?I:6EJ\762CQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmDE:4<:?8 4=@D6=J E@ E96:C C@FE:?6]k^2m tIEC2 @?6\@?\@?6 2EE6?E:@? 2?5 2 496H E@J 42? 2=D@ 96=A 3FC? @77 ?6CG@FD 6?6C8J]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] r@?D:56C 2 DFAA=6>6?Ek^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmu@C 6IEC2 DFAA@CE[ D<:A E96 9F>2? >65:4:?6 423:?6E 2?5 DE:4< E@ DFAA=6>6?ED 56D:8?65 DA64:7:42==J 7@C A6ED]k^Am
kAmQ%96 36DE DFAA=6>6?ED 7@C A6ED 2C6 4C62E65 :? 4@==23@C2E:@? H:E9 G6E6C:?2C:2?D H:E9 6IA6CE:D6 :? 962=E9 2?5 ?FEC:E:@?[Q D2:5 sC] r=:?6]k^Am
kAmu@CE:u=@C2 s:2CC962 #6DA@?D6 z:E 7@C A6ED Wk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AFC:?2]4@>^5@8D^D9@A^AC@\A=2?\G6E6C:?2CJ\DFAA=6>6?ED\7@CE:7=@C2\5:2CC962\C6DA@?D6\<:E\>65:F>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm5@8Dk^2mj k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AFC:?2]4@>^42ED^D9@A^AC@\A=2?\G6E6C:?2CJ\DFAA=6>6?ED\7@CE:7=@C2\5:2CC962\C6DA@?D6\<:EQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm42EDk^2mX H:E9 @442D:@?2= 5:2CC962 7C@> !C@ !=2? '6E6C:?2CJ $FAA=6>6?ED :D @?6 @AE:@?] s6G6=@A65 3J !FC:?2 D4:6?E:DED[ :E A2:CD u@CE:u=@C2 #6DA@?D6 DE:4< A24<D 7@C D9@CE\E6C> FD6 E@ 96=A 7:C> =@@D6 DE@@=D H:E9 u@CE:u=@C2 D2496ED — E96 }@] ` G6E\C64@>>6?565 AC@3:@E:4 3C2?5 E@ DFAA@CE 5:86DE:G6 962=E9Y[ ?@ AC6D4C:AE:@? C6BF:C65] u@CE:u=@C2 #6DA@?D6 DE:4< A24<D 4@?E2:? <2@=:? 2?5 A64E:? E@ D@@E96 E96 vx EC24E 5FC:?8 E:>6D @7 =@@D6 DE@@=[ 2?5 4@>6 :? 2? 62DJ\E@\>:I[ =:G6C\7=2G@C65 A@H56C J@F 42? A@FC C:89E :?E@ J@FC A6EVD 3@H=]k^Am
kAmQs:2CC962 42? 36 5:77:4F=E 7@C A6ED 2?5 A6E A2C6?ED[ 3FE 92G:?8 2 A=2? E2<6D 2 =@E @7 DEC6DD @FE @7 :E[Q D2:5 sC] r=:?6] Qz66A:?8 D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 E96 u@CE:u=@C2 s:2CC962 #6DA@?D6 z:E @? 92?5 >62?D J@FVC6 C625J ?@ >2EE6C H96? :E DEC:<6D]Qk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mp55:E:@?2= D:8?D E@ H2E49 7@Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmxE 96=AD E@ ?@E6 9@H =@?8 E96 5:2CC962 =2DED 2?5 2?J @E96C DJ>AE@>D E92E D9@H FA] %96D6 56E2:=D 42? A@:?E E@ H96E96C E96C6VD 2 3:886C :DDF6]k^Am
kAmQx7 J@F ?@E:46 G@>:E:?8[ 492?86D :? 2AA6E:E6 @C 6?6C8J[ @C 5:2CC962 E92E :D?VE :>AC@G:?8 @C H@CD6?D H:E9:? fa 9@FCD[ :EVD E:>6 E@ 42== J@FC G6E6C:?2C:2?[Q 25565 sC] r=:?6]k^Am
k5:Gmk:>8 DEJ=6lQH:5E9i `__TjQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^5bfaBI6B9gJfa:]4=@F57C@?E]?6E^BF@E6D\EC2?DA2C6?E]A?8Q 2=ElQQ ^mk^5:Gm
k5:G DEJ=6lQ324<8C@F?5i 82:?D3@C@j A255:?8i d_AIj >2C8:?i b_AI _AI b_AI _AIj E6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQmk9amkDEC@?8mk6>m%96 36DE DFAA=6>6?ED 7@C A6ED 2C6 4C62E65 :? 4@==23@C2E:@? H:E9 G6E6C:?2C:2?D H:E9 6IA6CE:D6 :? 962=E9 2?5 ?FEC:E:@?]k^6>mk^DEC@?8mk^9amk^5:Gm
k5:Gmk:>8 DEJ=6lQH:5E9i `__Tj \H63<:E\EC2?D7@C>i C@E2E6W`g_568Xj EC2?D7@C>i C@E2E6W`g_568XjQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^5bfaBI6B9gJfa:]4=@F57C@?E]?6E^BF@E6D\EC2?DA2C6?E]A?8Q 2=ElQQ ^mk^5:Gm
k5:GmkAmkDEC@?8mw@H E@ AC6A 7@C J@FC G6E G:D:Ek^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmx7 J@F 5@ ?665 E@ D66 J@FC G6E[ 2 =:EE=6 AC6A 8@6D 2 =@?8 H2Jik^AmkF=mk=:mkDEC@?8m%2<6 ?@E6 @7 E96 56E2:=D]k^DEC@?8m uC6BF6?4JkDEC@?8m[k^DEC@?8m H96E96C E96C6VD 3=@@5 @C >F4FD[ 2?5 2?J DEC2:?:?8 2C6 2== FD67F= E@ D92C6] %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AFC:?2:?DE:EFE6]4@>^D:E6D^5672F=E^7:=6D^a_ac\_a^7642=\492CE]A57Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmu642= $4@C:?8 r92CEk^2m 7C@> !FC:?2 x?DE:EFE6 :D 2 96=A7F= E@@= 7@C 56D4C:3:?8 H92E J@FVC6 D66:?8]k^=:mk=:mkDEC@?8mr@==64E 2 D2>A=6k^DEC@?8m D@ J@FC G6E 42? D4C66? 7@C A2C2D:E6D[ 2?@E96C 4@>>@? 42FD6 @7 5:2CC962]k^=:mk=:mkDEC@?8m~776Ck^DEC@?8m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6E>5]4@>^42E^86?6C2=\962=E9^42E\5:2CC962\EC62E>6?EQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmkDEC@?8mA=6?EJ @7 7C6D9 H2E6Ck^DEC@?8mk^2m E@ 96=A AC6G6?E 569J5C2E:@?]k^=:mk^F=mkAmkDEC@?8mw@H E@ DFAA@CE J@FC A6EVD 8FE 962=E9 =@?8\E6C>k^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmp? 6A:D@56 @7 5:2CC962 42? 36 92?5=65 :? E96 >@>6?E[ 3FE E96 8@2= :D E@ 96=A J@FC A6E 2G@:5 2?@E96C C@F?5 @7 :E] %92EVD H96C6 E96 u@CE:u=@C2 D2496ED 4@>6 :?i 52:=J FD6 96=AD <66A J@FC A6EVD 5:86DE:G6 2?5 :>>F?6 DJDE6>D @? EC24<] %96J 4@?E2:? t?E6C@4@44FD =24E:D $ueg[ 2 D276[ 67764E:G6 D:?8=6\DEC2:? AC@3:@E:4 E92E 96=AD AC@>@E6 962=E9J 5:86DE:G6 2?5 :>>F?6 DJDE6>D[ 324<65 3J @G6C a_ J62CD @7 C6D62C49]k^AmkAm$@ ?6IE E:>6 J@FC A6EVD DE@>249 24ED FA[ E96C6VD ?@ >@C6 5632E:?8 H92E E@ 5@ @C D62C49:?8 7@C 2?DH6CD 2E >:5?:89E] (:E9 2 A=2? 2=C625J :? A=246[ A6E A2C6?ED 42? D<:A E96 DEC6DD 2?5 86E DEC2:89E E@ 96=A:?8 E96:C A6E 766= 36EE6C]k^AmkAmY~?=:?6 DFCG6J 2>@?8 2== BF2=:7:65 &]$] G6E6C:?2C:2?D H9@ :?5:42E65 E96 3C2?5 2D @?6 @7 `\b 3C2?5D C64@>>6?565[ "c a_ad]k^Amk^5:Gm
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.