Content
- What is ascites?
- Causes of Ascites in Dogs
- Ascites symptoms in dogs
- Diagnosis and treatment of ascites in dogs
- Is it possible to prevent ascites in dogs?
It is important to dedicate time to your puppy daily, not only because they are animals that need affection and socialization to enjoy true well-being, also because being in contact with your puppy will allow you to quickly notice any signs that they may be. indicating a pathology or disorder.
To understand these signs, contact is necessary, as through various displays of affection, you will be able to notice if your puppy has wounds, inflammation or edema.
In this PeritoAnimal article we show you the causes and treatment of ascites in dogs, a sign that can be very evident and involve great gravity.
What is ascites?
Ascites is also known as abdominal effusion, although this oar simply indicates the abnormal fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity.
Ascites itself is not a problem, unless the edema is so severe that it presses on the diaphragm causing breathing difficulty, however, what can be very serious is the disorder causing this sign, since the fluid accumulated in the abdominal cavity may come from internal organs, blood vessels or lymph nodes. To assess the severity of ascites it is imperative to determine the cause underlying tissue and the state of the tissues.
Causes of Ascites in Dogs
Ascites in dogs can have several causes and it is essential that the veterinarian performs the necessary tests to determine where the problem originates. among all possible causes the following should be highlighted:
- Low blood protein levels
- Cardiac insufficiency
- Trauma with rupture of internal organs
- coagulation disorders
- Bleeding tumors
- liver disease
- Inflammation of the peritoneum (Peritonitis)
- rupture of blood vessels
- kidney disorders
Ascites symptoms in dogs
Ascites manifests itself mainly through the abdominal distension, however, it can sometimes be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- vomiting
- weight gain
- Signs of pain
- moans when lying down
- breathing difficulty
Diagnosis and treatment of ascites in dogs
The diagnosis of ascites can be done through diagnostic imaging tests as with abdominal radiography and ultrasound, however, the veterinarian can also analyze the urine and will usually also empty the fluid accumulated in the abdomen, which should later be analyzed to establish the underlying cause.
The treatment of ascites can vary depending on each cause, in case there is an infection, antibiotic drugs will be needed, on the other hand, if the cause is a tumor, a surgical intervention can be planned. Only the veterinarian can define the most appropriate treatment in each case.
a follow-up should be done to assess how the dog responds to the treatment and from home we can help by restricting the amount of salt in the dog's food, since sodium aggravates the accumulation of body fluids.
Is it possible to prevent ascites in dogs?
There are so many causes of ascites that there is no method that guarantees 100% prevention, however, we can reduce the risk by taking into account the following considerations:
- Keep your dog in a safe place and take him for a walk with a guide to minimize the risk of trauma
- Feed your dog a quality dog food
- Do not self-medicate your dog
- Follow the established vaccination program to the letter.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.