DIARRHEA IN PETS

CURE IS SIMPLER THAN YOU THINK

Diarrhea is frequent and uncontrollable evacuation of loose, watery stools. Diarrhea is not an illness in itself, it is a symptom showing that the body needs to remove something from the digestive system as quickly as possible.

Diarrheas can be caused by a variety of reasons including chemical poisoning, a bacterial or viral infection, food sensitivities, prescription drugs, internal parasites, swallowing an object that body is trying to expel, or even signs of liver failure.

Note: If you suspect poisoning, if the animal is acutely ill, or you notice blood in the stool, call your veterinarian immediately.

In most cases, diarrhea occurs as a result of food poisoning and lasts only a few hours in most animals. Regardless of its cause, and its duration, diarrhea can leave the animal dehydrated and lacking essential minerals. To prevent excessive fatigue and long-term weakness, you can do a few things to help your companion overcome this state.

1. Replace lost electrolytes. Instead of buying over the counter products with questionable ingredients, make your own. All you will need is…
   • 2 cups water
   • 1 tablespoon unrefined sea salt
   • ¼ teaspoon liquid colloidal trace minerals
   • ½ cup raw honey

Give 1 tablespoon of this solution per 5 pounds of body weight, every two to three hours.

2. If the animal is severely dehydrated and vomits frequently, or refuses water, administer the above-mentioned liquid rectally. Use a bulb syringe or infant enema to insert liquid, and raise the hindquarters of the animal for several minutes to ensure proper absorption. Repeat the rectal application of small amounts of fluid every three to four hours until the animal no longer retains the fluid.

3. Fasting is a treatment for diarrhea since it allows the digestive tract to rest. If the pet becomes excessively hungry after half a day of fasting, give fluids like honey mixed with water, raw carrot or apple juice, but don’t feed any solids until half a day after the diarrhea has completely stopped.

4. Rabbits can develop diarrhea due to sudden change in diet, shock, cold chills or eating dairy. They also produce two types of fecal pellets: pale green droppings, and dark shiny droppings which are the final product. If the owner cleans the cage excessively and rabbits don’t have excess to their first-stage droppings, they can develop digestive disorders and vitamin deficiencies.

5. One of the most effective ways to slow diarrhea in animals is through the use of clay. Green bentonite or montmorillonite clay powder, or liquid bentonite clay can be used for this purpose. Add enough water in the clay so it is slightly runny and easy to pour and let stand for 10 minutes so it is well hydrated. Give about ½ teaspoon of clay per 10 pounds of body weight. Repeat every 4 hours for two days.

6. If the diarrhea was caused by spoiled food, activated charcoal is an effective remedy. Mix activated charcoal with enough water to form a runny liquid consistency and give 1 teaspoon to animals weighing less than 25 pounds and 2 teaspoons for animals weighing more.

7. After letting your pet fast for a day or until diarrhea has completed subsided, soothe his digestive tract with demulcent herbs such as powdered slippery elm bark, comfrey, fenugreek seed, aloe vera gel, or carob. Mix any of these with water as a gruel and serve as is.

Give your companion a few days to recover fully. It is important you find out the cause of diarrhea to avoid such episodes from recurring, but there is nothing which some rest, love, herbs, and natural therapies cannot heal.