Content
- Symptoms of canine gastritis
- Causes and risk factors
- Diagnosis
- Treatment for canine gastritis
- Prevention of gastritis in dogs
Gastritis is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions in dogs and consists of gastric mucosal inflammation and it can be acute (sudden and short-lived) or chronic (slow to develop and persistent). In either case, this disease is usually not lacking for puppies when proper treatment is followed.
So that you can detect it in time and prevent your puppy's clinical condition from getting worse, in this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain the symptoms of gastritis in dogs, the most frequent causes that cause it, treatment and prevention methods, among other data of interest.
Symptoms of canine gastritis
You main symptoms of gastritis in dogs include vomiting and abdominal pain, but other signs of the disease may also appear. The most common symptoms of this disease in dogs are:
- Severe and persistent vomiting in chronic gastritis. They may have bile (yellow), fresh blood (dark red) or digested blood (has dark beans like coffee seeds).
- Sudden and frequent vomiting in acute gastritis. They may also have bile, fresh blood, or digested blood.
- Vomiting with white foam - when the animal no longer has anything in the stomach
- Abdominal pain that can range from mild to severe.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Diarrhea.
- Dehydration.
- Weakness.
- Lethargy.
- Presence of blood in the stool.
- Mucous pale due to blood loss.
- Yellow mucosa due to ingestion of toxins.
- Nanny.
Causes and risk factors
THE acute gastritis is almost always associated with the ingestion of harmful substances for the dog. It can happen because the dog eats food in a state of decomposition, ingests toxic substances (poisons, medicines for humans, etc), ingests in excess of food, eats feces of other animals or eats non-digestible substances (plastics, fabrics, toys, etc). It also happens due to internal parasites, bacterial or viral infection, or diseases of other organs such as the kidneys and liver.
If not treated properly, the acute form of the disease can develop for chronic gastritis. The latter is caused by long-term damage to the gastric mucosa and the bacterial flora of the digestive tract. Some things eaten by the dog that are not digestible can remain in the stomach without going through the entire digestive tract, causing irritation and inflammation. This is the case of plastics, pieces of rugs, paper, rubber toys and other elements that are frequently ingested by dogs.
Other causes of chronic canine gastritis are disease. Bacterial infections, viral infections, distemper, parvovirus, cancer, kidney problems, liver disease and food allergies can all trigger gastritis in dogs. Persistent chemicals in the environment, such as fertilizers and pesticides, can also cause this form of the disease.
Gastritis affects dogs regardless of breed or sex, but there is a risk factor in the behavior of dogs and the irresponsible tendency of some owners. Dogs that eat from garbage, that roam freely on the streets and that frequently eat the feces of other animals, are more likely to suffer from gastritis. Dogs that frequently eat grass are also prone, mainly due to the presence of fertilizers and pesticides.
Diagnosis
The initial diagnosis is based on the dog's clinical history and symptoms. In addition, the veterinarian will want to know the animal's eating habits, if they take food out of the garbage, if they bite furniture and clothes, if they had access to places where poisons or medicines are stored, as is their normal diet and if they have other ailments. be treated. also will physically examine the dog, looking inside the mouth and feeling the neck, chest, belly and flanks.
To diagnose canine gastritis, a blood test to see if there are toxics or pathologies that have not been considered. Also, x-rays and ultrasounds may be needed to see if there is any foreign body inside the stomach. When chronic gastritis is suspected, the veterinarian may order a gastric mucosal biopsy.
Treatment for canine gastritis
The treatment of canine gastritis usually starts with remove the food from the animal for a certain period of time, which can range from 12 to 48 hours. In some cases the veterinarian may also recommend limiting the amount of water without draining it completely. In addition, the veterinarian will recommend a proper diet that usually has to be given in small, frequent rations, until the gastritis has healed.
When necessary, the veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics, corticosteroids, antiemetics (to prevent vomiting) or other medications considered appropriate for each case. If the gastritis is caused by a foreign object in the stomach, the only solution is usually surgery.
Most cases of gastritis in dogs has a good prognosis after treatment. However, gastritis caused by cancer and other systemic diseases may have a less favorable prognosis.
Prevention of gastritis in dogs
As with most conditions, the best treatment is always prevention. Is for prevent canine gastritis, at PeritoAnimal we recommend that you take the following advice into account:
- Prevent the dog from stealing food from the trash.
- Do not allow the dog to go out alone and wander around the neighborhood.
- Prevent the dog from having access to toxic substances and medications.
- Do not overeat.
- Do not feed leftover food (especially at parties) in addition to your regular food.
- Do not give them foods that cause them allergies.
- Keep the puppy and adult puppy vaccines in days.
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.