Short-lived (acute) vomiting and diarrhoea is a common complaint in dogs and cats and does not typically require any medicines such as antibiotics to resolve. However, gut upsets can be uncomfortable and occasionally, a sign of something more serious, so it’s important to know what to look out for and when a visit to the vets is needed. We’ll be talking about acute rather than long-term (chronic) diarrhoea in this article.
Some causes of acute diarrhoea include:
- Dietary indiscretion - bin raiding, table scraps, scavenging, essentially eating things they shouldn’t. This is incredibly common, particularly in dogs.
- Infections - just like us, dogs and cats can catch stomach bugs from each other, pick up infections from things they eat and suffer from a variety of parasites.
- Parvovirus - also an infection, however it’s extremely serious and relatively common in unvaccinated animals.
- Rapid diet changes
- Stress
- Toxins - for example, there are a multitude of different toxic plants that may be eaten on a walk
- Side effects of medications - for example antibiotics and some pain relief
- A sign of a more serious condition happening elsewhere in the body. Animals that are ill for another reason can sometimes develop diarrhoea.
- Allergic reactions and dietary intolerances
- Unknown - in some cases, extensive investigation may not reveal a cause. Often it is not necessary to establish one due to the self-limiting nature of most cases.
When should I worry?
First of all, it’s easier to describe when you need not worry. If your pet remains active, bright, is behaving like his or her usual self and eating normally, there’s no need to worry unless the diarrhoea isn’t improving after 3 days. However, you should call your vet for advice if:
- Your pet is lethargic
- Not eating
- There is blood in the faeces. Small streaks of fresh blood are common, and probably nothing to worry about, but it’s best to get in contact with your vet for advice
- Persistent vomiting
- Other signs of illness such as vulval discharge
- Your pet is taking medication
- Known toxin ingestion
- Vulnerable animals e.g. diabetics, puppies and kittens
- Swollen abdomen
- Retching or attempting to vomit unproductively
- Signs of pain, for example the prayer position in dogs (front legs stretched out with chest close to the ground and rear end high), restlessness, whining, hiding, reluctance to let you pick up or move him/her.
- Above all else, if you are concerned or something doesn’t seem right. If in doubt, contact your vet.
What should I do?
If you’re not concerned, or you’ve contacted the vets and they don’t think your pet needs to be seen, there are some things you can do at home to help.
- Keep your pet hydrated. Provide multiple bowls of fresh, clean water. There are other techniques that can be used, especially for tricky cats – you can learn more about feline hydration here.
- Feed a veterinary diet designed for dogs and cats with compromised gastrointestinal tracts. Such diets are highly digestible and contain added nutrients to support the gut as it recovers. Feed little and often following the manufacturer’s feeding guide.
- Give a high quality, evidence-based probiotic such as FortiFlora. Probiotics can support the immune system, help restore the intestinal microflora balance and maintain good faecal quality. Probiotics may be suitable for your pet, even if you are not able to change their usual diet.
- A top tip is to stock up in advance, so you’re never caught out on a bank holiday!
Should I starve my cat or dog with diarrhoea?
No, you should not! Traditionally, animals with diarrhoea were starved to reduce the volume of stools produced and “rest the gut”. However, we now know that this isn’t a good idea. The cells of the gut rely on nutrients from food to recover and studies have shown that early feeding can result in shorter recovery times in animals with acute gastrointestinal disease. Cats can sometimes develop other complications such as liver problems if they are starved.
Feeding small, frequent meals of a highly digestible veterinary gastrointestinal diet such as Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN gastrointestinal, is recommended. You should speak to your vet before making any diet changes. Once the diarrhoea has resolved, the transition back to the pet’s regular food should be gradual over 7 days.
Feeding chicken and rice is a common strategy employed by concerned pet parents, though it may not be the best approach. Veterinary gastrointestinal diets are highly palatable and available in wet and dry formats to tempt your pet with. Unlike chicken and rice, they are consistent, complete diets containing all the nutrients needed to support your pet’s recovery and come with a feeding guide to help make sure your pet’s energy needs are met. They may also contain additional special ingredients tailored to helping with gut recovery.
Encouraging food intake
Any nausea should be controlled as much as possible before introducing food, so a visit to the vets may be needed if this is the case. You should feed small amounts of food frequently, offering either wet or dry as preferred by your pet. Leave food down for a maximum of 30 minutes and feed wet food at room temperature (or gently heat some to body temperature) to enhance its aroma.
Avoid administering medications in food, when possible, especially in cats as this may lead to refusal. Finally, consider adding a palatability enhancer such as Pro Plan FortiFlora.
Pro Plan FortiFlora
FortiFlora is a tasty probiotic supplement that contains a uniquely prepared bacterial strain called SF68, contained within tiny protective capsules that help the bacteria reach the gut alive. It’s a great addition for dogs and cats with gastrointestinal disturbances and loose stools (stomach upsets). Dogs and cats with diarrhoea often have an imbalance in the gut microflora – you can read more about this here (link to microbiome article).
FortiFlora has been scientifically proven to help support the immune system and microflora balance and can help maintain good faecal quality. It is suitable for all ages (post weaning) and comes in a convenient daily sachet of tasty powder that can be added to your pet’s food. FortiFlora should be sprinkled on your pet’s food daily until at least one week after the stools have returned to normal. A must have to keep on the shelf, ready for when loose stools strike!
