This Page is about Pet Diarrhea and Constipation for Cats and Dogs.
It is a tough problem with a cat
or a dog.
This page is a compendium of articles written about cat and dog feces and defecating problems.

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Welcome,

Diarrhea occurs when an accumulation of dissolved substances in the intestine causes excess water to move into the intestine. "This accumulation may be a result of decreased
absorption of food, increased secretion of electrolytes by the intestine, or both. An example
of overload of an absorbable solute is fructose overload. For instance, if you eat three
pounds of grapes, an hour later you may be in trouble," says Dr. Aslam Hassan, professor
of gastrointestinal physiology at the college. Fructose needs help to be absorbed into the
body.

Effective 9-1-06 Unique Google search word to this page is "1aehrraiDteP " ( PetDiarrhea1 spelled backwards.)

These helpers come in the form of carriers. If there is too much fructose, carriers may
not be numerous enough to be effective. A lot of fructose will be retained in the bowel
causing diarrhea. If your pet eats something it cannot absorb--i.e., adult cats and dogs can't
absorb milk sugar lactose--the overload of solutes in the intestine may cause diarrhea. These helpers come in the form of carriers. If there is too much fructose, carriers may
not be numerous enough to be effective. A lot of fructose will be retained in the bowel
causing diarrhea. If your pet eats something it cannot absorb--i.e., adult cats and dogs can't
absorb milk sugar lactose--the overload of solutes in the intestine may cause diarrhea.

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Diarrhea

What causes dog diarrhea?

Diarrhea in dogs is not a disease; rather, it is a symptom of many different diseases. Many mild cases of dog diarrhea can be resolved quickly with simple treatments. Others are the result of fatal illnesses, such as cancer. Even diarrhea in dogs is caused by mild illnesses may become fatal if treatment is not begun
early enough to prevent severe fluid and nutrient losses.

How serious is diarrhea in dogs?

We attempt to determine how sick the dog has become as a consequence of the diarrhea. When the dog is systemically ill (i.e., more than one body system is involved), some of the following may be noted:

Vomiting
Dehydration
Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain
High fever
Lethargy
Bloody and/or watery diarrhea

What types of tests are performed to find the cause?

If dog diarrhea is associated with several of the above signs, we perform a series of tests in the hope that a diagnosis can be made.This permits more specific treatment. Diagnostic tests may include radiography (x-rays) with or without barium, blood tests, stool cultures, biopsies of the intestinal tract, and exploratory abdominal
surgery. Once the diagnosis is known, treatment may include special medications and/or diets, or surgery.

If your dog does not appear systemically ill from diarrhea, the cause may be less serious. Some of the minor causes of diarrhea include stomach or intestinal viruses, intestinal parasites, and dietary indiscretions (such as eating garbage or other offensive or irritating materials).A minimum number of tests are performed to rule out certain parasites and infections. These cases may be treated with drugs to control the motility of the intestinal tract, drugs that relieve inflammation in the intestinal tract, and, often, a special diet for a few days. This approach allows the body's healing mechanisms to correct the problem.

We expect improvement within 2-4 days; if this does not occur,a change in medication or further tests are done to better understand the problem.

How to Treat Dog Diarrhea

Most dogs get diarrhea at least once in their lifetime. This will tell you how to treat minor diarrhea.

Steps

Add Probios brand dispersible probiotic powder to the dog's water. Refresh (dump, wash bowl, refill) several times daily. Fast the dog for 12 hour or until the dog is "empty." If the stool is voluminous and continues even when the dog should be "empty", see your vet, it may be a bacterial infection.
Give 100% pure canned pumpkin (NOT the pumpkin pie filling with sugars and spices). Most dogs love the flavor of pumpkin, but it is a unique fiber that regulates the bowel. It will color the stool.
Feed the next meal of easy to digest foods - cooked chicken (no sauces, gravy or skin) and boiled white rice (no butter or flavorings) is a good start.
Gradually add in the dog's regular diet. If the diarrhea returns after you dog is back to it's regular diet, see your vet immediately!
Feed plain boiled chicken (shredded after cooked) and plain boiled white rice. Both are gentle and will help bind your dog. The added moisture in the food will also help to keep your dog hydrated.

Tips

When you go to the vet, bring a fresh stool sample and have them do a fecal float and a fecal smear.

Warnings

Dogs with diarrhea can dehydrate quickly. Provide ample fresh water and ensure that your dog is drinking. If your dog is dehydrated and will not drink or is vomiting, see your vet immediately!
If your dog is not drinking enough water put some chicken broth in the water. If this does not encourage your dog to drink - go to your vet immediately, they can give a fluid injection.
- Mucous in diarrhea indicates an irritated bowel. Parasites, raw pork hearts and medical conditions can cause mucous in the stool.
Diarrhea accompanied with vomiting is a serious concern, go to the vet!
If it is bloody or explosive see your vet.
Don't give your dog new foods that they have never eaten while you are still treating the diarrhea.
Green-tinged diarrhea in puppies may indicate coccidosis, see your vet.
Watery diarrhea in puppies is life threatening if not treated immediately. Go to the vet!

Why Does My Dog, Cat Or Ferret Have Diarrhea?

Over-the-counter kaopectate was reformulated to contain bismuth subsalicylate in addition to the old ingredients which were attapulgite and alumina clay. Dogs can handle this compound well, but if too large a dose is given to cats it can be toxic. http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/nov03/031115b.asp

Diarrhea accidents in your pet often warrant a rush to the veterinarian. This article tells you how I go about discovering the cause of diarrhea in your pet. Not every cause of diarrhea or medication is covered but the most important ones are. I limit this article to problems in dogs cats and ferrets – but it could apply as well to any of the exotic and wild animals.

In more than half the cases, the diagnosis can be made from a fecal specimen and history alone. Try to bring in a fresh specimen – no need for more than a few tablespoons full.

Because my patients can’t talk, the history that you give me is extremely important. The first question I will ask you is whether this is a sudden acute problem or if it is chronic and has been going on quite a while. The next thing I will ask is if you fed something unusual to the pet or if torn remnants of some household object are strewn about the house.

Sudden diarrhea is most serious in very young, very old and very small pets. They can quickly become severely dehydrated. Dehydration in small pets and frail elderly animals can be fatal because their surface area is large in proportion to their body weight. As dehydration progresses these pets have trouble maintaining their body temperature and may lapse into coma. I hospitalize all pets in this group immediately and concentrate on maintaining hydration and body temperature. Intestinal inflammation in young pets with diarrhea causes the intestines to thrash about vigorously. Intestines sometimes tie themselves in knots (volvulus) or fold in upon themselves (intussusception). Both these conditions can be life threatening.

High Intestinal Problem vs. Low Intestinal Problem:
Cases of diarrhea fall into two groups in approximately equal numbers. In the first group, the problem is in the small intestine and in the second group in the large intestine, cecum or rectum. High diarrheas are the most dangerous. When the problem is high in the small intestine the pet voids large amounts of stool, but the frequency of bowel movements is not increased. If there is blood in this stool it is chocolate-colored, not bright red and there is no straining when these pets eliminate. The stool is never mucoid. These pets may also have a tummy ach. The second group have a problem in their large intestine. These pets have frequent, uncomfortable eliminations. When they go, the amount of stool is small and often covered with mucus. Frequently the stool is coated with flecks of bright red or rust-colored blood. These pets often sit straining to defecate without success. Vomiting may accompany high small intestinal problems but never low colonic ones.

A Primary or Secondary Problem:
I then have to decide whether the problem is intestinal or the result of problems in some other organ. I do a physical examination and perhaps laboratory blood analysis to see if the dog has signs of other illnesses. Generally, there are very few abnormal blood work results when the problems is in the intestine itself. In primary intestinal disease, abnormal physical exam findings are limited to an inflamed, thicken, painful intestine. With primary intestinal problems I can often detect enlarged lymph nodes that collect lymph from the intestines.

Diarrhea also occurs secondary to non-enteric or non-intestinal diseases of the organs of the body. When I am fortunate, blood work panels and a careful physical examination identify these diseases. Kidney failure causing uremia is a common cause of diarrhea in dogs, cats and ferrets. So is liver disease or hepatitis. Addison’s disease or an under active adrenal gland as well as an over-active thyroid or hyperthyroidism also cause diarrhea in dogs and cats. An acute inflammation of the pancreas or pancreatitis also will cause diarrhea in dogs and cats. You should find individual articles on each of these subjects at this website. If you don’t, remind me to write them.

Non-Specific Treatment

Diarrheas in dogs and cats caused by eating the wrong things or transient stress often improve if you withhold food for 24 hours and give the pet either kaopectate 0.5-1.0 ml/pound every four hours or loperamide (0.2mg/ml Imodium, Equate WalMart) at 1ml per four pounds two or three times a day. If the diarrhea persists longer than 48 hours email me at second.chance2@verizon.net or see your local veterinarian. If you visit your veterinarian, bring along a cup full of stool. I often find the cause of the problem by passing the stool through a sieve. Be sure they drink plenty of water so they do not become dehydrated.
Classification of the Process:
This is the fun part about being a veterinarian – poking through poop. Next I try to decide a bit more about the problem by examining the stool. I often pass the material through a strainer to hunt for objects such as leaves, sticks, glass, or aluminum foil that are the source of the problem. Then I prepare slides of the material to examine under my microscope. Some of these cases show a normal digestive process where food is being digested and absorbed. In others, fat globules are present and protein particles are sharp – evidence of poor digestion. These cases are either maldigestion or malabsorption. They can be due to a hyper-motile intestine or the lack of normal liver and pancreatic enzymes. Some stool is abnormally light due to a lack of these enzymes. Many times, I find things like bug parts that allow me to diagnose the problem without further tests. Other times parasites are visible under the microscope.

Diarrhea Caused By Husbandry:

Pet Food Quality
Buying that marked down generic brand of dog or cat chow instead of your regular name brand is very common cause of diarrhea. Quality has a particular cost; and when you go below this cost the ingredients of pet foods suffer. “High Protein” means very little. Feathers, hooves and beaks are all protein. But they are not digestible protein. Try to select a medium-priced pet food -. neither the cheapest nor the most expensive. And stay with that brand.

Overeating
Some dogs and many cats over-eat when they are fed once a day. This can result in diarrhea, colic and vomission. I suggest feeding dogs and cat with this problem three times a day or leaving the food where they can munch when they please.

Foods That Don’t Agree With Pet
Some pets are intolerant to certain ingredients in pet foods. This can be beef, liver or chicken, preservatives, dyes and the like. Very few pets are actually allergic to pet food ingredients.

Stress
Some pets – toy dogs and ferrets in particular – vent stress through their intestines. This can take the form of vomission, refusal to eat, diarrhea or blood in the stool. After this occurs several times, owners usually draw the connection between events that upset the pet and bouts of diarrhea.

Dietary Indiscretions
The most common cause of diarrhea in dogs and ferrets (not so in cats) is dietary indiscretions – the eating of garbage, grass, plant leaves, etc. It is amazing the things pets will eat. Many of these pets are actually separation anxiety cases where a panicky pet eats everything in sight (see article on separation anxiety). Placing these pets on a large dose of petrolatum-based cat laxative helps slide this material out with the stool. These pets need to be monitored carefully for seventy-two hours to be sure the intestine does not block. I sometimes feed them craft glitter and wait for it to come out the other end. At the first sign of abdominal distress, depression, general weakness, fever or blood in vomitus or stool, they should be rushed to a veterinarian for further testing.

Diarrhea Caused By Medications And Chemicals:

Antibiotics And Sulfonamides
Many antibiotics and sulfas disrupt the normal helpful bacterial flora in the intestine as well as killing pathogenic (dangerous) bacteria. When the normal bacterial flora of the intestine is destroyed diarrhea may result. This problem can occur with injected antibiotics as well as oral medicines. Giving the pet yogurt or bacterial gel pastes, decreasing the antibiotic dose, or changing to a different antibiotic all help.

Other Drugs From The Pharmacy
Many medications that we dispense to your pet can cause diarrhea. Thyroid medication, NSAI drugs such as Rimadyl and aspirin, worming medications, and topical insecticides are only a few of the medications that can cause diarrhea.

Parasites Of The Intestine:

Nematode Parasites

I have never found nematode parasites in ferrets. Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and strongyloides are some of the nematode parasites that cause diarrhea in dogs and cats.. These organisms are the most common causes of diarrhea in puppies and kittens. They are a threat to children who are accidentally exposed to animal stool. You can read about these parasites and how I deal with them in another article in this series. The eggs of these parasites are usually seen in microscopic examination of the stool.

Protozoan Parasites

Protozoal parasites are single-celled microscopic parasites of the intestine. Diarrhea is their primary sign. This group includes coccidia and giardia. We treat them with bland diets, sulfonamides and metronidazole. Giardia can cause similar problems in pet owners – particularly children.

Viral Infection:

Parvovirus Of Dogs
Parvovirus infection of dogs causes severe foul-smelling diarrhea. Mature dogs recover after a period of diarrhea but the disease is often fatal in young unvaccinated pups. Parvovirus attacks the lining of the small intestine causing bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Dogs are severely depressed, dehydrated and in much pain. These pets die from fluid loss so most of my efforts aim at replacing these fluids. Parvo-infected dogs cannot keep oral fluids and medicines down so I give our fluids and medications by injection. diarrhea parasite dog cat stool

Coronavirus Of Cats
Feline enteric Coronavirus is highly contagious among cats but rarely fatal. The virus is shed in the feces of carrier cats causing erosion of the lining of the intestine. Recently weaned kitten have fever, vomiting and diarrhea that lasts 2-5 days. They loose their appetite. I treat them with fluids, antibiotics and medications to slow the diarrhea.ol

Bacterial Infections:

Spoiled Food – Food Poisoning
Spoiled food is often contaminated with toxins and bacteria that cause pets to have diarrhea and vomit. Food poisoning usually resolves itself after the contaminated material is purged from the body. It is unwise to give these pets medications that prevent diarrhea and vomiting because this traps harmful bacteria and toxins within the body. Two common bacteria involved in these cases are Staphylococcus and Escherishia coli (E. coli). Dehydration is the most serious side effect of diarrhea and vomiting. Infant animals can quickly go into shock from dehydration. Products such as Gatorade or Pedialyte are excellent for preventing this. If the pet cannot hold any liquids down the fluids must be given intravenously or subcutaneously.

Salmonella And Campylobacter In Dogs And Cats
Feeding poorly cooked meat products and chicken pass these bacteria to pets and humans. As with food poisonings, keeping the pet well hydrated is extremely important. In catteries, adult cats carrying salmonella often pass it to their kittens with sometimes fatal results. I have found it very difficult to get Salmonella out of a group of cats once it has become established. Batryl (enrofloxacin) is an excellent drug to use in adult pets with diarrhea but it cannot be used in growing animals.

Acute Gastroenteritis of Ferrets
Several bacteria cause infections of the gastrointestinal tract of ferrets that appear as bloody diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration. Stress is often the precipitating factor in these conditions. Ferrets that vomit and pass fluid stools rapidly dehydrate. Dehydration can be fatal in these pets. The first thing I do is give the ferrets large doses of intravenous and subcutaneous fluid. (5% dextrose). I place them on injectable antibiotics, keep them warm and withhold all food and oral liquids. Bacteria most often associated with this problem are salmonella, helicobacter and campylobacter. Because diarrhea and vomission remove these bacteria and their toxins from the body I rarely attempt to lessen them. Instead, I replace the fluids and nutrients, as they are lost.

Problems Of Unknown Cause (Idiopathic):

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis Of Dogs
Toy breeds of dogs are susceptible to bloody diarrhea the cause of which remains unknown. No doubt many of these cases fall into other groups I have mentioned but were not diagnosed. Many of these cases are due to stress. Some emotional dogs exhibit stress through their intestines. In other dogs, the problem is probably undiagnosed Adison’s disease in which the body is deficient in cortisone. All these cases respond well to food deprivation for 24-48 hours and then gradually increasing amounts of bland diet fed. I give most of these cases the oral corticosteroids, prednisolone or prednisone and place many of them on the sulfonamide, Tylocin. These problems tend to reoccur in the pet from time to time.

Eosinophilic Enteritis Of Cats

This is a portion of eosinophilic complex of cats. The signs are diarrhea, weight loss and vomission. We suspect the problem is a food allergy. Cats with this problem often have elevated numbers of white blood cells called eosinophiles. These cells are associated with allergic conditions in pets and people. Sometimes the skin is ulcerated as well or ulcers are present on the lips tongue and mouth. The disease responds to injections and oral forms of corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone acetate. It also often responds to the human birth control medication, Depopovera (medroxyprogesterone acetate). Moving the cat to a different home or environment and feeding bland diets also help bring the disease into remission. I have also seen the skin and oral form of this disease disappear when fleas were eliminated from cats.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease of Ferrets

In this condition the lining of the stomach and small intestine becomes inflamed and may also ulcerate. Some feel that this condition is a form of autoimmune disease - others that it is due to allergies to various ingredients in ferret diets (possibly chicken). Perhaps both can play a part. Ferrets with this condition pass frequent loose watery stools and may also vomit. They become very thin. Diagnosis of this condition is often made by elimination of other causes. Exact diagnosis can only be made from biopsies of the pet’s intestine, which may require surgery. Because the symptoms are quite similar to acute and chronic bacterial gastroenteritis of ferrets, stool samples need to be cultured for these bacteria. When these causes of similar disease have been eliminated, the ferrets usually improve on a regimen of amoxicillin, metronidazole (Flagyl) and prednisolone. This disease is rarely cured but it can be managed. I usually also put these pets on Pepto-Bismol and Tagamet. It is hard to put weight on them because food moves too rapidly through their intestines and much of the absorptive power of the intestinal lining has been lost. This is why additional vitamins help these pets.

During flare-ups, liquid diets such as AD can be feed. Then, feeding one of the bland diets marketed for similar conditions in dogs and cats (i/d, EN, ZD, etc.) often minimizes this problem. Bland diets marked for cats have sufficient protein but those manufactured for dogs contain less than the optimal amount for ferrets. If dog products are used, I suggest that they be supplemented with vitamins, cooked egg whites and cottage cheese. Low intermittent oral doses of corticosteroids such as prednisone are also helpful.

Lymphangiectasia Of Dogs

Sometimes called plasmacytic enteritis, this condition is diagnosed by a pathologist’s examination of snippets of the wall of the small intestine which are removed at surgery. Lymphangiectasia is an improperly formed intestinal lymphatic system, which results in protein being lost from the body (protein-loosing enteropathy). We think that in some cases the pets were born with this disease and in others they acquired it later in life. Most affected pets respond to a combination of bland diet and anti-inflammatory doses of corticosteroid drugs such as dexamethasone or prednisolone but the disease is never cured. Diets you prepared should contain minimal fat with ample amounts of high-quality protein.

In 2004, an organism call Bartonella was implicated in chronic gastrointestinal infections in cats and dogs. Until recently, Bartonella was primarily associated with Cat Scratch Fever. The diagnosis of Bartonella infection is made using a laboratory test called the Wesern Blot. When cats or dogs are positive for this organism it can be sucessfully treated using azithromycin, doxycycline or rifampin.

"Diarrhea is one of the most common medical symptoms of cats and dogs," says Dr. Sheila
McCullough, veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
Teaching Hospital. "An owner's first reaction to diarrhea should be to note when it started,
how often it is happening, how much your pet is straining to defecate, and what the
character of the diarrhea is--bloody, black, mucous-like, or otherwise. In addition, you
should try to recall unusual items that your pet may have eaten."

Diarrhea occurs when an accumulation of dissolved substances in the intestine causes excess water to move into the intestine. "This accumulation may be a result of decreased
absorption of food, increased secretion of electrolytes by the intestine, or both. An example
of overload of an absorbable solute is fructose overload. For instance, if you eat three
pounds of grapes, an hour later you may be in trouble," says Dr. Aslam Hassan, professor
of gastrointestinal physiology at the college. Fructose needs help to be absorbed into the
body. These helpers come in the form of carriers. If there is too much fructose, carriers may
not be numerous enough to be effective. A lot of fructose will be retained in the bowel
causing diarrhea. If your pet eats something it cannot absorb--i.e., adult cats and dogs can't
absorb milk sugar lactose--the overload of solutes in the intestine may cause diarrhea.

If not much intestine is functioning, there is a decreased amount of area to absorb food. This
decreased surface area can be caused by surgical removal of a part of the bowel, diseased
state of the bowel, or decreased interaction time between the intestine and food.
Mucosa--the lining of the intestine--needs time to absorb what is ingested. Diseases can
cause more rapid movement of food through the intestine.

Veterinarians may suggest motility modifiers (drugs that can increase or decrease movement
of food through the intestines) to help control the diarrhea for 24 to 48 hours until diagnoses
can be made. Motility modifiers should not be used long term. "For example, if your pet has
E. coli-induced diarrhea, motility modifiers will retain the toxin that E. coli secretes and
may cause life-threatening distention of the bowel," explains Dr. Hassan.

It is important to realize that a high frequency of bowel movements is not synonymous with
diarrhea. Your pet can have more than one bowel movement a day; as long as the amount
of fecal water is normal, that's OK.

When diarrhea begins in your pet, notify your veterinarian for help in deciding whether you
should wait the diarrhea out or make an appointment to have the problem assessed. This is
especially significant in young pets. "If your puppy or kitten who has not had its vaccination
series gets diarrhea, you should call your veterinarian right away," says Dr. McCullough.
"Viral diarrheas, such as parvo virus, could kill your young pet. Puppies and kittens
dehydrate very quickly." Veterinarians can initiate rehydration and fluid support.

For diarrhea in adult pets, Dr. McCullough suggests withholding food for 12 to 24 hours.
"Then start your pet on small frequent meals of boiled hamburger and rice and see if the
diarrhea stops." However, if blood, foreign objects, or greasy feces are being passed, you
should make an appointment with your veterinarian. Chronic diarrhea with sustained weight
loss needs to be assessed by your veterinarian as well. "We need to find out whether weight
loss is associated with diarrhea or something else," explains Dr. McCullough.

Coming home to a pet unable to control bowel movements because of diarrhea is not a pleasant experience, as most pet owner's know.

When Dr. McCullough's own animals have diarrhea, she puts them in a room with a linoleum floor that can easily be cleaned. Cratingyour dog with diarrhea may lead to a bigger mess. Not only will pets potentially coverthemselves with their own feces, but pets may also direct the diarrheal spray outside of thecage and damage household items.

Dr. McCullough suggests these tips to prevent diarrhea in pets:

Don't feed pets people food. People food may cause diarrhea as well as pancreatitis.
Keep pets away from foreign objects they can swallow.
Get puppies and kittens vaccinated and keep your pets away from unvaccinated
animals.
Keep pets on a steady balanced diet; ask your veterinarian what the best diet is for
your pet.
Have your pet's stool checked every year to control parasites.

Feces consistency and content are clues veterinarians rely on to tell them what might be
occurring with your pet. You can use these clues as well if you watch your pet's feces for
changes. Also, when you do bring your pet to the veterinarian, bring a fresh stool sample.
For further information about diarrhea in pets, call your local veterinarian.

Signs of Constipation

A constipated dog or cat exhibits infrequent or difficult evacuation of the feces or stool. The feces is usually hard and dry which increases straining and reduces stool volume.

Causes of Constipation

Many things may cause constipation, but the most common are dietary and environmental factors.

Dietary:
Fiber in the diet is important for normal defecation in dogs and cats, just as it is for humans. Insufficient dietary fiber can cause constipation.

Substances such as hair, bones or foreign materials ingested by a cat or dog can form hard masses or concretions when mixed with feces and cannot be eliminated, resulting in constipation.

Water is essential to proper gastrointestinal function; therefore, if an animal is deprived of water, it will become constipated.

Environmental factors:
Changes which affect an animal's daily routine such as a hospital stay or lack of exercise can also result in constipation.

There may be many other causes of constipation such as those listed below:

Aging
Fractures of the pelvis or pelvic limbs
Lesions around the rectum
Prostate Disease
Spinal Cord or Disc Disease
Large Bowel Nervous Disorders
Tumors
Metabolic or Endocrine Disorders
Debiliation
Dehydration

Treatment of Constipation

To treat your pet for constipation, the underlying cause must first be determined.

Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination of your pet and will ask you about your pet's medical history, its diet and its daily routine. Blood tests, x-rays or other tests may also be necessary and will be explained to you prior to testing.

If it is determined that the underlying cause is due to disease or trauma, medical treatment may be necessary to correct the problem.

Home Care Management for Constipation

Twice daily, feed your pet a diet containing at least 10 percent fiber to stimulate bowel movement (your veterinarian will advise you on a specific diet).
Do not give your pet bones or snacks and restrict access to foreign materials. Long-haired animals should be brushed daily. This will help remove excess hair that the animal might otherwise ingest.
Thirty to 60 minutes after eating, exercise the dog to encourage defecation.
Provide free access to fresh water.

Managing your pet's care at home is an important part of its treatment. It is essential you follow your veterinarian's instructions. If you have any questions about your pet's medical care, please do not hesitate to ask. Your questions are welcomed by the hospital staff.

Sign of Diarrhea

Diarrhea in a dog or cat is characterized by abnormally frequent, watery stools. Clinical signs associated with diarrhea include frequency of evacuation of loose feces which results in an increase in the volume of feces passed. The diarrheal feces contains not only increased amounts of water and electrolytes, but may also contain mucus, blood, fat or undigested food.

Diarrhea can originate from the small intestine or the large intestine (colitis) and is further subclassified as acute (sudden onset of brief duration) or chronic (long-term). (See Colitis for a discussion of that condition.)

Acute Diarrhea - Small Intestine
Acute diarrhea originating in the small intestine usually lasts less that 48 hours. The feces seldom contains mucus, but it is not uncommon to find blood in the feces. The animal usually loses its appetite or is anorexic. The feces is brown or reddish-brown in color. The animal exhibits a sense of urgency to defecate as well as an increased frequency and may continue straining after defecation.

Causes of Diarrhea

The causes of diarrhea vary widely, but include bacteria, viruses, internal parasites and stress-induced factors. Diarrhea may also be caused by toxic substances which the animal ingests or by food allergies. A change in pet food, eating table scraps or rich snacks, or scavenging spoiled food from garbage may result in diarrhea as well. Organ dysfunction, especially the liver and pancreas, can cause diarrhea.

Diarrhea caused by internal parasites may be a continuous, chronic problem or be intermittent with a normal stool being passed between abnormal stools. Some parasites causing diarrhea in dogs and cats are transferable to humans. Therefore, it is important to identify the parasitic causes.

It is important to note that young animals may be more severely affected by diarrhea than mature animals. Puppies should be carefully observed because their condition could quickly become life-threatening.

However, it is important to differentiate between non-specific diarrhea and diarrhea caused by a more serious health problem.

To treat your pet for diarrhea, your veterinarian must first diagnose the underlying cause.

Treatment of Diarrhea

It may be necessary to withhold all food from your pet for one or two days. The more severe the intestinal disturbance, the longer the period the food must be withheld. Continue to give your pet water during the fasting period.

If your pet is severely dehydrated, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary before any diagnostic studies are begun.

Your veterinarian may ask you to collect a fecal sample for microscopic examination to help diagnose the cause of the diarrhea. You will be given a plastic bag or container and instructed on how to obtain a fresh stool sample. Numerous fecal exams or rechecks may be necessary to detect internal parasites which can show up intermittently in the feces.

In some cases of chronic diarrhea, a biopsy is necessary. This procedure involves obtaining a very small section of tissue from the intestine for microscopic study. This can be done through a small incision in the abdomen and involves only a few stitches to close.

Home Care Management for Diarrhea

After your pet has fasted the prescribed number of days as determined by your veterinarian, gradually return it to full feed
Feed small amounts frequently (3 to 6 times daily)
Feed a highly digestible diet containing one percent or less fiber in the dry matter. (This is very different than the recommendation for Colitis in which a diet high in fiber is often indicated.)

The diet for small intestinal diarrhea should provide a moderate amount of highly-digestible protein from cottage cheese, chicken and egg, and not more than 15 percent fat. Carbohydrates should be easily digestible such as those from rice or dextrose.

Avoid diets with the following ingredients: wheat middlings, bran, and other cereal by-products; lactose (milk sugar) and foods containing more than 10 percent sucrose (table sugar). Do not give your pet bones, snacks or table scraps which may irritate the intestinal tract.

Watch your pet at home - checking for recurrent bouts of diarrhea, blood or mucus in the feces, foreign material in the feces, and frequency of defecation. If any of these signs recur or if your pet becomes weak or loses its appetite, please call your veterinarian.

Managing your pet's care at home is an important part of its treatment. It is essential that you follow your veterinarian's instructions. If you have any questions about your pet's medical care, please do not hesitate to ask your veterinary staff.

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Diarrhea

Question: Dear Dr. Richards:

As usual, one of the feral cats I have been taking care of has become my
own a month ago. It is a female kitten and now is about 2.5 months old.
Since I got her, she has been having liquidy stool. I am not sure whether
or not she is having diarrhea. I may sound crazy, but the smell of her
stool is pretty bad too. I have never that young kittens before, so I do
not know it is usual for a kitten. I mainly feed her "Wisker" and "Fancy
Feast" can foods, but no milk at all. Except for that stool problem, she is
healthy and very active.

Is her stool normal for her age? Or is she having diarrhea?
Should I take her to the clinic?
What should I feed her?
How old should she be to get spayed?

Thank you very much.
Sincerely, Thandar

Answer: Thandar-

From your description, I think that this is probably an abnormal stool for
a kitten and that it probably does qualify as diarrhea. Cats do not have a
very efficient digestive system and when it isn't working right, the stools
tend to increase in odor, probably because fat and other nutrients are not
well digested. The most common causes of diarrhea in kittens are probably
parasites and viruses. When kittens get reovirus infections they often have
diarrhea for several weeks, which is not highly responsive to any
treatment. A restricted fat diet, such as Hill's w/d, sometimes seems to
help control the diarrhea, though. Parasites that can cause diarrhea
include roundworms, hookworms, coccidia, giardia and other protozoans. Most
of these can be found on microscopic examination of the stool, but it can
be hard to find giardia at times. It is a good idea to at least rule out
the parasites. If they are not the problem, then it may be necessary to
treat the diarrhea symptomatically. We use loperamide (Immodium AD tm) when
dietary changes alone won't help with diarrhea. If the stools are just
soft, it is probably OK just to do nothing. Even if you do nothing for
diarrhea, most kittens will eventually get over the problem without
residual problems.

Mike Richards, DVM
10/2/2000
Feline coronavirus infectionand other possibilities for diarrhea

Q: Hi Dr. Richards,

Thank you for your response last week.

I have a follow up question:

Alex, a 3-yr old Ragdoll, had bad diarrhea, no temperature, wouldn't eat and
lost 2 lbs (from 9 lbs to 7 lbs).

Alex had blood work done with results:
Kidney norm, elevated white cell, elevated globulin, low albumin, titer
1:400

Using a scope down his throat, he was biopsied and all results, sent to U of
Pa for analysis, were negative.

He was put on prednisone, euroflaxin,and tylan for a week. He is now eating
and acting normal and has gained back some of his weight but still has the
diarrhea (formed like a pancake).

My vet thinks it may be the corona virus which would be chronic. Do you have
any advice?

Thanks,
Valerie
A: Valerie-

Pretty much all of the information that I can find on feline coronavirus
infection indicates that enteric coronavirus in cats causes a short term
illness, usually with diarrhea as the major clinical symptom, lasting about
three to five days. Feline enteric coronavirus is common and appears to be
able to mutate in some cats to become feline infectious peritonitis virus.
This is a much more serious illness that is usually fatal. It would be a
good idea to ask your vet if he is talking about FIP or enteric
coronavirus, just to be sure you are fully aware of the prognosis.

Rotavirus infection in cats has been reported to cause chronic diarrhea
that is unresponsive to therapy. This is usually a problem in kittens but I
don't know that it couldn't occur in an older cat. Definitive diagnosis of
rotavirus infection requires examination of fecal samples by electron
microscopsy and is therefore pretty difficult to prove or disprove. In
studies in which electron microscopy has been used to identify viral agents
causing diarrhea in cats, rotavirus accounted for about 1% of the viruses
identified (Krauss, 1988). This may not be an accurate indicator of the
percentage of time it is still causing disease, though -- as it has been
noted to cause symptoms even after the virus can no longer be found by
electron microscopy.

Other infectious agents that cause chronic diarrhea in cats and can be hard
to find include clostridium, campylobacter and cryptosporodiosis. Fecal
cytology can be helpful in identifying clostridium and cryptosporidium and
special fecal cultures help with identification of campylobacter. These
disorders are treatable, if identified. Sometimes it is just easier to give
antibiotics that will control these problems and hope they work. Tylosin
(Tylan Rx) is helpful in campylobacter and cryptosporidium infections.

Hypersensitivity to a food ingredient is also possible. Sometimes feeding a
single antigen diet (one meat source, preferably one that the cat has not
eaten before) can be helpful in chronic diarrheas. This diet helps to
eliminate the possiblity of a food hypersensitivity reaction.

Intestinal lymphoma is another possible problem. Usually this is
identifiable by endoscopic biopsy but sometimes it is hard to find.

The workup so far has been good and it is frustrating to do the proper
tests and still have no diagnosis.

There are times when surgical exploration of the abdomen and full thickness
biopsy of the intestinal tract, pancreas and liver will produce a diagnosis
when endoscopic biopsy of the intestinal lining has failed to produce a
diagnosis. I am not sure I'd go this far prior to trying some other things,
though.

Since you are seeing progress, the best thing is probably to go ahead with
what your vet has advised and wait to see if it works. If it does, then
there isn't as much concern for knowing what really happened. If it stops
working well or the problem recurs after a remission period then it might
be better to try some other diagnostic testing.

Good luck with this.

Mike Richards, DVM
8/13/99
Coccidia

Q: It seems we have encountered a new or at least a VERY resistant strain of coccidia in the area where I
live (Albany, NY). I rescued some kittens that tested positive for it and treated them with albon
for the usual 10 days. I thought it was all cleared up as they returned to normal (no loose
bowels). I was left with the last two kittens who suddenly started to have diarrhea again and I
had them tested again. They have been treated and retreated with albon to no avail. The
diarrhea just doesn't clear up. One of the vets we work with has told us he has seen this
resistant strain popping up lately and is in the process of contacting Cornell Univ. for help
because current treatments aren't working. These 2 kittens are older and more resilient so far
and we are watching to be sure they are getting enough water. Most of the younger kittens the
vet has tried to treat have passed on from this "new" strain. Have you any information about
this? We really need to find an effective cure as soon as possible. Thank you, bj

A: bj-

I am not aware of new strains of coccidia or of coccidia which is highly resistant to treatment but that doesn't mean that there isn't a problem with them.

We have used amprolium (CoRid Rx) when Albon didn't seem to be effective in dogs but have not used this in cats. In Dr.Morgan's text "Handbook of Small Animal Practice" 2nd ed., there is a dosage of amprolium listed for cats. We have used trimethoprim/sulfa combinations with good success except that some cats salivate excessively if they bite through the sugar coating on the tablets or if a pediatric suspension is used.

Mike Richards, DVM
Persistent diarrhea in Kitten

Q: Thank you so much for your site. Although I found it extremely
informative, I was hoping I might get a more specific answer to my
problem. I have a kitten not in good health, that I hope to save
because my three year old granddaughter has become quite attached to it,
and it's sister died and Gabby was okay with being told that cat went to
heaven, but I am afraid if this one dies it will be too upsetting for
her. Anyhow...and outside cat of mine (no shots or anything - I live in
the country and have several outside cats) had two kittens. I brought
the mother and kittens in when I discovered this. Everything seemed
fine for about the first 6-6 weeks when one kitty appeared to be losing
weight. By this time they were still nursing but also eating cat food
(either moistened dry or canned). The little cat seemed to have a
ravenous yet picky appetite = She wanted scraps of anything people
were eating, but turned her nose up at dry cat food, moist and even some
canned food. About the only way she would eat was if I moistened the
food with milk. I also noticed she began to have diarrhea. Well, she
continued to loose weight and I thought I'd better get an appointment at
the vets, but she died over the weekend. Oh yes, and her tummy was very
bloated so I thought of worms. Well, during all this (about a week) the
sister cat seemed fine and used the litter box (most times) and when she
went it was in little stools. By the way these are manx cats. Well,
about a week to two weeks after the first kitten died. the second one
started with the loose bowel movements and her stomach seems more
bloated than when she was younger. I called the vet and rather than see
her, they suggested we give her "Strongid". We bought that fro the vet
and gave it to her. The loose bowel movements got worse. The vets
office said this was to be expected. It has been two weeks. She is no
better. Actually, she is worse. I have to keep her in a cage or out on
the porch because this putty colored diarrhea just seems to "dribble"
out of her back side all the time. I set her outside and then bring her
in and wash her butt and put her in her cage until I can't stand the
meowing anymore. Yesterday, I thought I saw something hanging from her
butt - about 3/4 inch long, flat, but the width of thin spaghetti, with
legs; a cream color - sort of like a small centipede. It grossed me
out. I washed her butt and it must have just gone down the drain. An I
seeing things? Could this have gotten on her outside, or do you think
it could have come out if her. She is no better. HELP please. I had
called a different vet a day or two ago and they made an appointment for
her to be seen 2 days from now. I do not have a lot of money to run a
zillion tests and my preference would be to put the poor little thing to
sleep, but because my granddaughter is so sad that she is sick and loves
the kitten, I am hoping we can save her. Any ideas or suggestions.
Thank you so VERy VERy much.

Dee

A: Dee-

I can't think of any "normal" parasite that would live in the kitten's
intestinal tract and have legs. But everything except the legs part sounds
like you might have seen a tapeworm segment. These are muscular egg sacs
that move for several minutes after being expelled from an infested pet's
rectum. The segments of a tapeworm are developing egg sacs.

It is somewhat unlikely that tapeworms would cause the sort of persistent
diarrhea that you are seeing but it is possible so it may be worth using a
deworming medication for this parasite, too.

Drinking milk will cause diarrhea in many kittens and it will persist as
long as the milk is given and sometimes for a while after milk drinking is
discontinued.

A fecal examination is a relatively inexpensive test that would rule out
other possible parasites, such as coccidia or giardia. It takes about a
teaspoonful of stool (feces) to do a fecal exam. The fresher the sample is
the better when looking for parasites other than worms.

It is not unusual for kittens to develop persistent diarrhea. This can be a
very frustrating situation. It often takes several trips to the vet to be
able to work out a treatment plan that controls the diarrhea. Most of the
kittens with persistent diarrhea eventually get over the condition with or
without treatment but they are a lot easier to care for if the diarrhea can
be controlled. Sometimes we just resort to controlling the diarrhea with
medications such as diphenoxylate (Lomotil Rx) or loperamide (Immodium AD
TM). It is best to discuss this with your vet since the dosages are weight
dependent and there are times when anti-diarrheal medications are not a
good idea.

I know this isn't much help. It seems reasonable to me to go for at least
one exam and to do fecal testing before giving up on this little one, though.

Mike Richards, DVM
Diarrhea in kittens

Q: My kitten is not doing well :(

Please take the time to answer this - we don't want to put her to sleep
unless there is no other option.

We have a 11 week old kitten who has had awful diarrhea for the past 4
or 5 days now, and has a jondas look to her ears and gums. The vet
seems like he just doesn't know what to do. She is getting really
skinny, although she eats quite a bit. Just every 3 to 6 hours she'll
have awful diarrhea. She isn't happy, and doesn't do anything but lie
down and sleep. What can be done? Is there anything we should test her
for? Thank you for your time.

A: Jason-

Diarrhea in kittens is a major diagnostic challenge in some instances. It
is a good idea to test several fecal samples to rule out internal parasites
such as worms, coccidia and Giardia. Feline leukemia can cause many
symptoms of illness, including diarrhea. It would be a good idea to test
for this as well. A general blood chemistry panel and complete blood count
(CBC) is a good idea when kittens do not respond well to therapy. When
jaundice (icteris) is present it is important to determine if it is
happening due to internal bleeding or due to liver disease. These tests
will help in determining that. If liver disease seems to be the cause then
more specific liver function testing, such as bile acid response testing,
should be considered.

All of this testing is expensive but it is hard to treat chronic diarrhea
effectively without knowing why it is occurring. Even with a lot of testing
we are sometimes unable to provide a specific diagnosis, though. That is
very frustrating but it still helps us determine what we don't need to
treat for.

Keep working with your vet to find a solution to your kitten's problems. If
your vet has already done a lot of this testing and is still stumped, ask
about referral to an internal medicine specialist, if that is possible in
your area.

Good luck with this.

Mike Richards, DVM
Diarrhea in older kitten

Q: Lucy is our almost 6 month old kitten, and she has diarrhea. It seems like it goes away for awhile then comes back. But i was looking over some articles about this and they say if there is blood in the loose stools then that may be deadly. im not sure but i think i saw blood on my kittens bottom. Please tell me what this might mean as soon as possible. she is due to get fixed soon and i dont want any problems. i already lost one cat due to kidney failure and i dont want to loose this one. thanks Jackie

A: Jackie - Diarrhea can be caused by many things. Parasites such as hookworms and roundworms will cause diarrhea, sometimes bloody diarrhea (hookworms). Coccidia and giardia are protozoa that live in the intestinal tract and will also cause chronic bloody stools if they proliferate or if there are times of stress. Most of the time, medications will clear both conditions. Irritation to the bowel can cause bloody stools and again, medications will clear this up. If your veterinarian has not performed a fecal exam, that's the first thing that should be done. This will rule out intestinal parasites such as hookworms and roundworms. Giardia can be difficult to find on a fecal so if the fecal is negative and your cat has not been treated for giardia, I would advise treating anyway. The medication won't hurt your cat if she doesn't have giardia but it will certainly make her feel better if she does. Kidney disease is one cause of diarrhea in cats but 6mos. is young for kidney failure. Blood tests should be able to rule in or out this problem. I would have your vet perform a complete physical, fecal exam included, treat for intestinal parasites if any found, and treat for giardia if this has not been done. If the diarrhea persists, further diagnostics should be done to determine the underlying cause (bloodwork, intestinal biopsies, etc.) I would start with the simple things first and go from there. Good luck.

Mike Richards, DVM

Chronic diarrhea with GAS!

Q: Dear Dr. Mike I have a six month old male neutered kitten. He has chronic diarrhea with GAS! It is like an explosion when he goes and it gets all over the place. I had him into the vet and he ruled out feline leukemia and worms. He has a constant fever. The kitten has all his shots. He drinks a lot of water and has a supply of dry food. He has no weight problem and is very active. Do you have any idea what might be wrong, I never see any mention of gas in cats. Sincerely k.

A: I am pretty sure that your vet has probably thought of most of these things, but here is a review of the possible causes for flatulence and/or persistent diarrhea that I can think of. Some suggested diagnostic tests or treatments, too.

First it is very important to be sure that parasites are not present. It can be hard to find coccidia and giardia in sometimes, even when they are present. It may be necessary to treat for these conditions even if they are not identified in labwork.

Food sensitivities or allergies are sometimes present. Feeding a special diet that does not contain any ingredients found in foods your kitten has eaten before can help to eliminate these problems from the list of possible causes of diarrhea in kittens.

It may help to use a higher fiber diet. That works better for diarrhea in kittens than for gas, since high fiber diets can encourage flatulence. On the other hand, if it works to cut out the irritation to the intestinal tract the effect may at least be a even or possibly will be beneficial. In some cats, very low residue diets helps (low fiber). You just have to pick one and try it.

Stool culturing can identify bacterial problems such as Salmonella and campylobacter infection that occasionally (maybe rarely) cause persistent diarrhea.

It is also useful to do a general blood chemistry panel and complete blood cell count to rule out disorders of the kidneys or liver that are contributing to the problem. Tests for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are a good idea.

Medications to control increased intestinal mobility like loperamide (ImmodiumAD Rx) or diphenoxylate (Lomotil Rx) can be helpful in at least controlling the diarrhea.

Adding yogurt to the diet seems to help some kittens, at least based on anecdotal reports.

Some kittens seem to have persistent viral infections. Most of the time they get over these if you are patient long enough. Doing all this other stuff gives you something to do while you wait because actual diagnosis of a viral intestinal disease is pretty difficult unless you are near a veterinary hospital with an electron microscope.

The good news is that lots of times you find out you have a pretty healthy kitten who just has persistent diarrhea. In this case there is a very good chance that in 6 to 8 weeks or so, the diarrhea will stop.

Hope this helps some.
Mike Richards, DVM
Cat with diarrhea

Q: My wife and I just came back from a week's vacation, and discovered that one of our two cats (approximately six months old) has diarrhea. The other cat seems fine. Both are indoor cats, and one possibility we thought of is that the people who fed our cats while we were gone might have given them too many treats.

We are trying to find out (a) how he got it in the first place, and (b) what to do about it now that he has it.

Can you help?

A: Cats are prone to getting diarrhea when they are stressed. Obviously, I can't say for sure that is the cause, but it isn't really unusual in our practice for cats that are boarded, or even cared for by someone else in their own home, to get diarrhea. This is especially true with boarding, since many cats also have diet changes due to their owners not bringing along their own food. There are a number of possible causes of diarrhea and the only way to sort them out is diagnostic testing. Your vet can help you with this if it becomes necessary.

A general approach to the treatment of diarrhea is to withhold food for 24 to 36 hours and then give a partial meal. If the diarrhea has resolved, it is likely to be due to stress, bacterial overgrowth (occurs with sudden diet changes) or dietary indiscretions, such as too many treats. If not, it may be more serious and it is a good idea to have your vet examine your cat and begin testing to rule out other causes.

Also, look around the house and make sure that there wasn't something the cats got into when your were gone. Boredom can lead to some strange behaviors. We treated a cat that ate a bar of soap when its owner was away and that caused diarrhea.

Good luck with this.
Mike Richards, DVM
Chronic diarrhea in young Cat

Q: Our 10mo cat has diarrhea which we think has been chronic. Her temp was high normal, third eyelid often exposed, not really lethargic though. The vet who saw her gave us a differential of Feline leukemia, FIV, infectiuos peritonitis, and ulcerative colitis. Isn't there a more benign possibility? He sent us home with Flagyl, and a patatoe-venison diet. Would love to hear your thoughts ?Thanks!

A: There are a lot of causes of chronic diarrhea in cats. It is a very good idea to test for feline leukemia virus and FIV since they are a complicating factor in a number of other diseases. If they are present, it doesn't end the quest for what is wrong but it does sometimes change the approach to the problem.

Chronic diarrhea occurs with food allergies, parasitism (this can be hard to find -- we sometimes just treat for the possible parasites when frustrated), inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption problems, maldigestion problems, bacterial infections or just changes in the normal bacterial flora. It can occur as a secondary problem with kidney liver or heart failure. It is sometimes seen with hyperthyroidism but that isn't too likely in a 10 month of cat.

If dehydration is occurring with the diarrhea that may explain the third eyelids being up.

Sorting through the possible causes of diarrhea is very challenging in chronic diarrhea cases. Sometimes I think the owners of cats with this problem must think I'm an idiot as I test for one thing after another and their cat doesn't get better. I just have to hope they have the patience to bear with me.

Treatment with metronidazole (Flagyl Rx) is a good start. It is helpful with some of the parasite problems and with bacterial flora changes. It is anti-inflammatory as well. Sometimes it will resolve the problem and no further testing or treatment is necessary. We usually deworm these cats even if we find no evidence of worms on a fecal exam. Sometimes that seems to work, too. When that doesn't work we usually try limited antigen diets to rule out food allergies. Your vet is doing this with the venison/potato diet. A general blood panel to rule out problems like kidney failure is a good idea. After that, we usually want to refer the cat to an internal medicine specialist for intestinal biopsies but often that is not possible for the client. This leaves us guessing what is wrong, still -- but we will continue to try to rule out problems such as inflammatory bowel disease through trial and error treatment. Sometimes it takes several tries to hit on the right treatment. I suspect that sometimes it isn't our treatment but the cat finally getting over the problem itself that works -- especially when the problem is one of the difficult bacterial or parasitic infections like Campylobacter or Toxoplasmosis.

As you can see, I do think there are a number of possible problems but I don't disagree with your vet's approach to diagnosis at all. I suspect that your vet is considering all of these but mentioned just a few. People tend to get the idea that you have absolutely no clue when you mention too many of the possible differentials in an illness, so vets often learn to give enough of them to justify testing but not so many that they overwhelm the client. My workdays would be easier if I could learn to do that!
Mike Richards, DVM

diarrhea

Dictionary

di·ar·rhe·a also di·ar·rhoe·a (dī'ə-rē'ə)
n.

Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually indicating gastrointestinal distress or disorder.

[Middle English diaria, from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin diarrhoea, from Greek diarroia, from diarrein, to flow through : dia-, dia- + rhein, to flow, run.]

di'ar·rhe'al or di'ar·rhe'ic (-ĭk) or di'ar·rhet'ic (-rĕt'ĭk) adj.

Cat Diarrhea: Treatment & Causes

What is cat diarrhea? Cat diarrhea is the passage of feces as unformed or loose stools, usually in increased volume and frequency of passage. It is a result of increased speed of passage of fecal material (digested food) through the intestine combined with decreased absorption of water, nutrients and electrolytes. There are many causes of diarrhea. It may occur as the only sign or in combination with other signs of more widespread disease, or with symptoms that result from prolonged or severe diarrhea.

Suggested Treatment

Vet Select Diarrhea Formula

How can I tell if my cat has diarrhea? If your normally well-trained cat suddenly starts having accidents around the house, and the stools are unformed to fluid, then diarrhea is obvious. But if the cat is still using the litter box and covering up its feces or defecates outdoors, it may be difficult to initially notice diarrhea. Staining and soiling of the hair-coat around the back end in long-haired breeds is often associated with diarrhea. It is important to remember that some variation in the consistency of stools is not unusual. Changes in diet can lead to temporary changes in the stool. If frequent liquid or semi-liquid stools persist for more than two days, you should consult your veterinarian. If there are more general signs of illness in your cat, then call your veterinarian immediately.

If you have more than one cat then it is important to try and determine if it is just one cat or if other cats also have diarrhea.

What are some causes of diarrhea? Cat diarrhea is not a disease in itself but a sign that may reflect one or more of many different problems. Most involve some degree of inflammation of one or more sections of the alimentary or gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. the GI tract is the continuous tube that carries food from mouth to anus. Inflammation can be caused by infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, coccidia, intestinal worms, etc.) or by non-infectious irritants such as chemical toxins, poisonous plants, and so on. Allergies to certain specific components of a diet may be responsible for diarrhea. Diarrhea may occur as a sole symptom or as one of several symptoms of a more generalized disease problem.

How is the cause determined? It is important to provide your veterinarian with a very good medical history. Preferably write this out in chronological order before you go to the clinic. Be as detailed as possible on the date you first noticed a problem, even in retrospect. Also report the progression of the clinical signs. Note any changes in the normal routine of your cat or your household. How frequent are the stools? What is the color, consistency, and smell of the feces? Is the cat showing any other signs such as vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, or loss of weight? We have a checklist to help you put this history together.

Besides a thorough clinical exam, your veterinarian may recommend additional diagnostic tests. These tests may be deferred in mild cases of diarrhea unless initial treatment fails or the condition worsens. Tests may include blood work, stool and/or rectal swab samples for parasite examination and culture, radiographs, and endoscope exam.

How is diarrhea treated? Initially, and often in advance of in-depth work-up, a non-specific approach may be adopted. It is a good idea to withhold food for 24 hours and encourage water consumption. Gradually re-introduce small quantities of a light, easily digestible diet. Boiled rice or other pasta with some boiled skinless chicken may be given if a special veterinary diet is not available. Anti-diarrheal medication(s) such as Vet Select Diarrhea Formula may be used to help speed your pet’s recovery. Many cases of diarrhea will respond quite readily to simple treatment, without the initial cause ever being established. You can learn more about Vet Select Diarrhea Formula on the Vet Select Diarrhea Formula product page. As stools return to normal, the cat’s regular diet can be gradually reintroduced, mixed initially with the bland rice-chicken or similar diet.

If there is little or no improvement over two or three days, if the cat is not taking any water or if the cat’s health worsens, then your veterinarian should be notified at once. Treatment may be more aggressive based on the results of an in-depth clinical work-up as outlined above. Loss of fluid is one of the most serious aspects of severe or prolonged diarrhea, and if vomiting is present, dehydration can rapidly escalate. Correcting the dehydration may require intravenous or subcutaneous fluids.

Can I use anti-diarrheals from the human pharmacy? Some of the preparations recommended for people are very dangerous for cats so never use a medication without consulting your veterinarian first.

My cat has chronic diarrhea. Will it get better? Chronic cat diarrhea that has been present for 2-3 weeks or longer may prove more difficult to diagnose and to treat effectively. Even extensive work-up does not always provide a definitive answer to the problem. But in many cases a thorough clinical work-up, including food trials, can result in a successful outcome.

Pet Health:
Diarrhea

Diarrhea in the dog and cat can be divided into three categories: Small intestinal diarrhea, Large intestinal diarrhea, or a combination of both.

The small intestines exit the stomach, and are quite long as they loop their way down to the large intestine or colon. Anything which can disrupt the normal digestion and absorption of nutrients, or cause inflammation of the intestinal tract, can result in diarrhea.

With small intestinal diarrhea, usually the frequency of having a bowel movement is normal, yet the characteristic of the stool is soft to watery, with either normal amounts of stool or an increase in amount of stool produced. Patients affected often time have no trouble "holding" themselves until appropriate to eliminate.

Large intestinal diarrhea is often characterized by an increase in frequency to defecate, smaller than normal amounts of stool are produced, and often times, the stool is soft or watery, with associated mucous (gel) and/or red blood. Patients affected usually cannot "hold" themselves until appropriate to eliminate, and have accidents where inappropriate to do so.

Let's take a look at each one of these categories associated causes, affects on the patients, and possible treatments.

Small Intestinal Diarrhea - Potential causes in both the dog and cat include

internal parasites (worms),
ingesting inappropriate substances (garbage eating, feeding from table, hunting and ingestion of wildlife),
abrupt change of diet without appropriate introductory period,
inflammation of the small intestines from patient's own immune system (potentially a result of dietary allergy),
bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine,
inflammation of the pancreas and/or lack of production of enzymes from the pancreas,
disease of the fat absorption system (lymph system),
metabolic diseases (liver, kidney, or disease in another organ system not associated directly with the intestinal tract), or
cancer of the intestines.

With disease strictly involving the small intestinal tract, some effects that may be seen in long standing cases can include weight loss despite a good appetite, lack of appetite, and potential vomiting.

Diagnosing the patient with small intestinal diarrhea usually starts with an examination of the stool itself. Microscopic stool specimens are examined for intestinal parasites. The color of the stool can also be helpful in examination. Dark, black, tarry stool, indicates digestion of blood, and a possible blood loss in the small intestines.

Blood testing can also be of help in determining blood loss, or specific disease involving the pancreas or other organ systems, as well as bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

Passing an endoscope (long tube which allows the operator to see the inside of the intestinal tract and obtain a sample of tissue for analysis (biopsy), is sometimes necessary in long standing cases where response to treatment is poor.

Early treatment of small intestinal diarrhea involves treating for parasites if detected (in long standing cases this treatment should be done regardless of parasite detection). Early withholding of food, bland diets, and anti-diarrhea medications can be utilized, along with more specific treatments for specific conditions (such as antibiotics for bacterial overgrowth etc.).

Large Intestinal Diarrhea - Potential causes are similar to that of small intestinal diarrhea. Parasites, inappropriate digestion of food (eating unfamiliar food substances), inflammation from immune system, bacterial overgrowth, and cancer seem to be most common causes.

Anything which can result in inflammation of the large intestines or colon (colitis), can result in large intestinal diarrhea.

Diagnosis includes examining the stool for parasites, blood testing for specific diseases, and using an endoscope (tube to examine the insides of the intestines and obtain a sample of tissue for analysis (biopsy).

Stress diarrhea also can occur in our pets, and usually occurs in the large intestine. Owners that leave their pets for periods of time, moving, adding new pets to the household, etc. can all be causes of stress to our pets. Being aware of this can be helpful in preventing occurrences in the future.

Treatment is similar as in small intestinal diarrhea. With-holding food, bland diets, anti-diarrhea medications, and specific medications for inflammation of the large intestine (colon).

	Diarrhea
	This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.
Pets with small intestinal diarrhea excess gas.	Diarrhea is the passing of loose or liquid stool, more often than normal. Diarrhea can be caused by diseases of the small intestine, large intestine or by diseases of organs other than the intestinal tract. Your ability to answer questions about your pet's diet, habits, environment and specific details about the diarrhea can help the veterinarian narrow the list of possible causes, and to plan for specific tests to determine the cause of diarrhea. (Anatomy of the digestive system: dog / cat) Small intestinal and large intestinal diarrhea have different causes, require different tests to diagnose and are treated differently. Small intestinal diseases result in a larger amount of stool passed with a mild increase in frequency; about 3 to 5 bowel movements per day. The pet doesn't strain or have difficulty passing stool. Animals with small intestinal disease may also vomit and lose weight. Excess gas production is sometimes seen and you may hear the rumbling of gas in the belly. If there is blood in the stool it is digested and black in color. Disease of the large intestine including the colon and rectum cause the pet to pass small amounts of loose stool very often, usually more than 5 times daily. The pet strains to pass stool. If there is blood in the stool, it is red in color. The stool may be slimy with mucus. The pet does not usually vomit or lose weight with large bowel diarrhea.
Disease of the large intestine causes straining and very frequent bowel movements.	A sudden onset of small intestinal diarrhea may be caused by viruses including canine distemper, canine parvovirus, canine coronavirus, feline panleukopenia virus or feline coronavirus, in young, poorly vaccinated pets. Small intestinal diarrhea can be caused by bacteria such as salmonella, clostridia or campylobacter although these same bacteria can be found in the stool of normal dogs and cats. Worms and giardia can cause small intestinal diarrhea, mostly in young animals. Foreign bodies including bones, sticks and other objects can pass through the stomach and get stuck in the intestine causing both diarrhea and vomiting. These same foreign materials may pass through the intestinal tract without getting stuck but may damage the lining of the intestinal tract causing diarrhea. Dietary indiscretion or a sudden change in diet can cause diarrhea with or without vomiting. Food allergies in dogs and cats can cause diarrhea, vomiting or itchy skin. Toxins including lead and insecticides can cause diarrhea usually with vomiting. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) occurs commonly in both dogs and cats. In IBD the walls of the intestine contain abnormal numbers of inflammatory cells which can be eosinophils, lymphocytes or plasma cells. The cause of IBD is not known but is suspected to be an allergic reaction to components of food, bacteria or parasites. IBD can be congenital in some breeds of dogs, for example Basenji dogs may develop a severe inflammatory bowel disease. Tumors of the intestine are another cause of diarrhea usually occurring in older pets. The tumor may be a single mass when the tumor is from the glands of the intestine (adenocarcinoma) and may be removed by surgery or the tumor may occur diffusely along the intestine. Lymphosarcoma occurs in both dogs and cats and can either be a single or multiple masses in the intestine or the abnormal lymphocytes may be spread through out the intestine. Lymphosarcoma is often responsive to anti-cancer drugs in cats but rarely responds to anti-cancer drugs in dogs. In certain parts of the country small intestinal disease can be caused by fungal infections including histoplasmosis. Your veterinarian can discuss with you whether histoplasmosis is seen in your part of the country.
Diarrhea may be seen in pets with kidney failure, liver failure, pancreatic disease and hyperthyroidism in the cat.	Diseases outside the intestinal tract that may cause diarrhea include kidney failure, liver failure, pancreatic disease and hyperthyroidism in the cat. Severe inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) can lead to damage of the pancreas and an inability to make enough enzymes to digest fat. This is called pancreatic insufficiency and causes diarrhea with a large volume of greasy stool. Pancreatic insufficiency can occur in young animals due to a congenital deficiency of pancreatic enzymes. The cause of small intestinal diarrhea may be determined from blood tests, examination of the stool, x-rays or ultrasound of the abdomen or by endoscopy. Endoscopy is the technique of passing a flexible scope through the stomach into the upper intestine. Small biopsies of the lining of the intestine can be taken for microscopic evaluation. Endoscopy requires general anesthesia. A diagnosis of intestinal lymphosarcoma may be missed on endoscopy as the biopsies taken using endoscopy do not include the full thickness of the wall of the intestine and the cancerous cells may be deep in the wall of the intestine. A diagnosis in that case requires surgery in order to take a larger biopsy of the entire thickness of the intestine. Dogs and cats with chronic small intestinal diarrhea will lose weight as they are unable to properly absorb nutrients and may develop edema of the legs or fluid accumulation in the belly or chest. A small protein, albumin may be lost in diarrhea. Albumin acts like a sponge to keep water in the blood vessels. When albumin is lost in the stool, blood albumin gets low and water leaks out of blood vessels to accumulate in other locations. Chronic diarrhea may cause the fur to look dull and brittle due to nutrient deficiencies.
Do not administer over-the-counter diarrhea medications without first consulting a veterinarian.	Acute small intestinal diarrhea can be managed by withholding food, but not water for 24 - 48 hours. If diarrhea stops, small amounts of a bland low-fat food are fed 3 to 6 times daily for a few days, with a gradual increase in the amount fed and a gradual transition to the pet's normal diet. Foods designed as intestinal diets usually contain rice as rice is more digestible than other grains. You are discouraged from administering over-the-counter diarrhea medications without first consulting a veterinarian. If the pet is active, not dehydrated and has been previously healthy, acute diarrhea can often be managed at home. Diarrhea that continues for more than a few days or is accompanied by depression or other signs is an indication to take your pet to a veterinarian. Diarrhea of large intestinal origin can be caused by whipworms, polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, colonic ulcers or colonic cancer. Stress can cause large bowel diarrhea in excitable dogs. The diagnosis of large intestinal diarrhea is also made by blood tests and examination of the stool. A rectal examination using a gloved finger may provide some information about the cause of large bowel problems including rectal polyps and rectal cancer. Endoscopy to examine the large intestine is performed using a rigid or flexible scope passed up the rectum. Because the rectum is often very irritated, colon exams are usually performed under general anesthesia. The treatment of large bowel diarrhea may be based on a specific diagnosis. Non specific treatment of large bowel diarrhea often includes a high fiber diet and sullfasalazine, an anti-inflammatory drug.

Diarrhea
What to Expect When You go To The Vet If Your Pet has Diarrhea

(Of Course, your vet may do things a little differently)
Introduction:

If you're old enough to be reading this, I'm sure you know that diarrhea (loose or watery stools) is not a disease in itself, but simply a very obvious symptom that something is not quite right with the intestinal system. We're so used to having a short bout of diarrhea ourselves, that most people don't get too alarmed when they notice their pet has diarrhea, and rightly so; most of the time the problem is minor and self correcting. But sometimes, it's obvious that the problem is more serious, either because the diarrhea has become persistent over the last few days, or the pet is weak and listless, or there are additional problems such as vomiting, or blood in the stool. In cases like this, it's time to have a veterinarian examine the patient.

Here's what to expect:

First, note that it's helpful if you are able and willing to bring in a recent sample of the diarrhea. Also, if you've recently used a household cleaner, fertilizer, pesticide, or rodenticide that your pet may have gotten into, your vet will need to know what the active ingredients are; consider bringing in the container so we can see.

We vets see so many diarrhea cases that we quickly gain the experience that often allows us to narrow down the many possible causes within minutes with just a few questions and a good exam.
On the other hand, other cases of diarrhea take a good deal of detective and laboratory work to figure out.

Diarrhea cases range from very minor to deadly, and from easily cured to terminal. The diseases associated with diarrhea and the resulting dehydration are easily the largest cause of death in humans and other mammals on this planet. So once it's obvious that the diarrhea isn't just a 1 or 2 day affair associated with eating something inappropriate, we take things seriously.

What follows is how we process a typical diarrhea case and some comments to let you know what we're thinking and why we do various tests and so forth.

History and Signalment: Signalment might be a new word for you. It simply means, in veterinary medicine, the basics of what we're talking about: Species, Breed, Sex, Age, and situation. For example: 1 year old, intact male, lab mix dog who roams the neighborhood. That signalment will lead us to suspect problems very different than if the signalment were 8 year old, female spayed, indoor cat.

The history is even more critical than in other diseases in helping us narrow down the likely causes. We need to know if your pet ate anything unusual, was boarded or traveled recently, if there were any big stressful events, and we need an honest report of the pet's diet. We also need an accurate vaccination history since so many of our diarrhea deaths are associated with pets that weren't protected with a high quality vaccine program.

A Good Examination:
Your vet will go over your pet from head to toe, getting an assessment of general health, hydration status, circulation problems, GI pain and distress, as well as pick up any secondary problems that might be important.

Frequently, with just the history and exam, your vet may be able to guess correctly that the problem is not too serious and send you home with inexpensive medicines that are likely to solve your pet's problem and discomfort in short order.

But if, because of the history, signalment, or exam, little alarm bells are going off, your vet will recommend a few tests, possible hospitalization, and in some cases aggressive treatment such as IV Fluids etc. I'll describe the different tests your vet may recommend in just a minute, but first, let me give you a list that summarizes the different categories of diarrhea based on cause...it's how most of us vets were taught to narrow down a medical case:

Possible Causes of Diarrhea in General Terms:

1. Viral: Our most common cause of deadly diarrhea in puppies, with parvo and distemper virus' being the biggest culprits. I can't emphasize too much how important it is to have your young puppies vaccinated with high quality vaccines. While viral diarrhea is most common in poorly vaccinated puppies, it's also an occasional problem in kittens, cats, and dogs too. Also keep in mind that vaccination programs only protect your pet from the most common viral diseases and the most common strains of the virus; vaccines greatly reduce the chance of succumbing to viral diseases...but not by 100% by any means. And not all brands of vaccines are created equal. It's important to use the newer and better vaccines. Your vet will be using these. Your mail order company may not. For more about vaccine quality go to our page on vaccine recommendations. Just for the record, Feline leukemia, Aids, and Infectious Peritonitis are cat viral diseases that are sometimes associated with diarrhea. The lab tests and treatment options we have for the different types of diarrhea are discussed a little further on.

2. Bacterial: Pets frequently take in large amounts of bacteria into their mouth, what with licking everything, eating rancid garbage or "road kill", drinking out of puddles, and grooming with their tongue. But if your pet is in otherwise good health, free of parasites, on a good diet, and hasn't recently undergone an event stressful to the immune system such as pregnancy or surgery, it's unlikely that much of this bacteria will be able to get past the acidic stomach, the immune system defenses, or the competitive "good" bacteria of the gut in numbers large enough to cause much trouble for long.
You've probably have heard of the bacterias' e-coli, clostridium, and salmonella and the occasional high profile deaths they cause when people get food poisoning at restaurants, church picnics, and the like. Well, every once in a while, pets also get food poisoning that becomes more serious than usual. In addition to food sources, pets can get bacterial infections of the bowels from infected gums, from any diseases or problems that inflame the bowels, and possibly due to long term or inappropriate antibiotic therapy.

Bacterial infections of the gut are sometimes a problem in addition to some other primary problem. For example, bacterial infections are a common problem in dogs whose intestinal tracts are all irritated from parasites or viruses. As always, your vet won't assume your pet has a single problem. Like most things in life; "Trouble Likes Company".

3. Parasites: Worldwide, diarrhea due to parasites is a major problem. But in those countries where people love and care for their pets, and can afford to take advantage of veterinary services, severe problems aren't as common anymore. But even with all our new and approved parasite control products, and even if your pet has been taking them, we occasionally get an outbreak of diarrhea due to intestinal worms, protozoa, amoebas, and other parasites. Like bacteria, microscopic parasites are all around us in our environment waiting to take advantage of any pet whose immune system is weakened.
And the little buggers keep mutating and getting resistant!

As an aside; we highly recommend that you follow your vet's recommendations for a parasite control program. Our newest products are safe, flavored, more effective than ever before, and much less expensive than the cost of treating the diseases they prevent.
Another aside; you don't think we do so many fecal sample tests because we like it do you? Parasites continue to be a big problem despite what I just said praising our newer parasite control products.
4. Garbagitis: This non-medical term is a used to describe all the possible, inappropriate things that pets sometimes eat, including garbage. Table scraps that were too rich or spicy, dead animals, sticks, leaves, dirt, underwear, socks, toys, balls, and frequently; plastic wrap. If your vet suspects that your pet is suffering from GI (gastro-intestinal) irritation due to something like the items mentioned above, he or she may very well give a mineral oil based laxative in hopes of evacuating the bowel. This sometimes confuses people since laxatives make diarrhea worse, temporarily, and are usually used for constipation, not diarrhea. Another case of "Doctor Knows Best". Also note, if a foreign body is suspected, your vet will probably recommend radiographs and/or ultra-sound.
5. Metabolic or Organ Disease: The various systems in the body are very much inter-related, and diarrhea is often the most obvious symptom of other diseases such as liver disease, pancreatitis, kidney disease, and hormone imbalances. We become especially suspicious of such diseases in middle age and older pets. In many situations, your vet will recommend blood work to rule out such diseases.
6. Diet Related: A large number of diarrhea cases are solved by switching to special diets that are easy to digest. Or are non-allergenic to your pet.
Or more consistent or of higher quality. Once your vet rules out other causes of frequent or chronic diarrhea, he or she may very well recommend a feeding trial of a special diet. It's important to understand, here, that just switching from one brand to the next is unlikely to work...most brands of pet foods contain similar ingredients, any one of which might be causing the problem in your pet.
7. Hair: I've listed hair all by itself since it's so often the problem in both diarrhea and constipation...especially in cats. Many cats and dogs shed excessively and therefore lick and swallow too much hair to digest easily which means the hair ferments in the lower bowel (instead of being digested in the upper bowel) (cheap pet food ingredients cause a similar problem). This fermentation process in the lower bowel (similar to humans eating beans) causes irritation to the colon which in turn causes diarrhea.
Anyhow, sometimes the real solution involves reducing the shedding by treating the underlying skin problems, whether it be allergies, poor diet, parasites, inadequate grooming, or deficiencies in fatty acids.
And you may find it intersting that every once in a while cats and dogs groom excessively due to anxiety...like people who chew their nails. Maybe a case for Prozac!
8. I'm running out of steam. So number 8 is everything else:

Such as Cancer, Lymphoma, the secondary affects of chronic diseases, Chronic Bowel Disease, Stress and Anxiety, Fungal, Pancreatic Insufficiency, side effects of certain medications, and probably a few things I've forgotten.

Okay, back on track...What to expect at the vet:

Once the history is established and an initial exam is completed, your vet may have good reason to recommend some tests. Here's a short description:

Lab Tests and Imaging Techniques Your Vet May Recommend:

I'll make some appropriate comments about each of the following soon...

Fecal test for blood, mucus, and parasites

CBC & Chemistry

Thyroid Testing

HelioBacter Test
Culture and Sensitivity
Radiographs
Ultra-sound

Possible Treatments for Less Severe Cases:

NPO: Nothing by mouth or fasting for 12-24 hours. This allow the GI tract to "settle down" Witholding of food and water is a more common treatment for vomiting than diarrhea, actually, but sometimes it helps with diarrhea too. I usually opt for feeding small amounts of easily digested food (chicken and rice) given in small amounts at a time.

Anti-diarrheals such as kaopectate, pepto-bismol, or amodium-D: These over the counter products are appropriate for treating at home for minor cases of diarrhea when your pet seems otherwise bright and alert and normal. If they aren't working after 1-2 days, then you should assume you're missing something and ought to make an appointment with your vet.

These medicines are much more likely to work if you use 2-3 times more than the approved dose, but that brings up a legal problem in the rare event that your pet overdoses.

An aside; This business of using medicines or doses that aren't officially approved by the FDA for a particular species is a common problem for veterinarians. There are a lot of medicines that we have learned from experience and from our mentors over the years that are usually safe and effective, but have never gone through the expensive process of being approved by the FDA for pets. Kaopectate and Pepto are good examples of old medicines that we know work better if you give more than the label directions, and that such doses are safe UNLESS the patient is dehydrated sickly, weak, obstructed, or sensitive. In other words, we need to examine the pet before we can legally or professionally feel comfortable about giving specific medical advice over the phone..even for simple medications like kao-pectate!

Donnagel or Bella Donna Alkaloids: Usually more effective than over the counter medicines. Your vet will prescribe them if needed. In addition, there are quite a few other anti-diarrheal meds your vet may recommend, including herbals, homeopathic, and familiar products like kaopectate etc.

Lomotil, Loperimide, or opium derivatives: more expensive, usually more effective, and usually reserved for more troublesome cases of diarrhea. Definitely given under the supervision of your vet.

Actually treating the problem if a specific diagnosis is made such as treating for any parasites found, liver disease, kidney disease etc. Always remember that diarrhea is often just a symptom of some hard to detect disorder, disease, or organ failure

Diet changes are often the solution, especially for pets with fairly frequent diarrhea problems

Metronidazole is a broad spectrum, inexpensive, and safe antimicrobial used to treat the amoebic parasite Giardia . Maybe more important, this medicine seems to help correct any imbalance in the normal gut flora. Flare ups of "over-riding" bacteria, protozoa, and amoebas are often associated with diarrhea either as the cause or as a result, so your vet may want to prescribe this medication to your pet.

Supportive Care: Perhaps the most common treatment and most important in serious cases of diarrhea is what we call supportive care. This means keeping the patient well hydrated, well nourished, warm and comfortable, as well as minimizing symptoms such as fever, nausea, chills, and the diarrhea itself. IV Fluids are the backbone of supportive care in serious cases.
Antibiotics: Antibiotics are often used in severe diarrhea cases even when we don't suspect bacteria as being the cause of the diarrhea! Why? For several possible reasons: To prevent bacterial infections of the gut at a time when we suspect the GI tract to be inflammed and vunerable. To prevent respiratory, liver, and other organ system infections at a time when we suspect the immune system to be weakened. And to prevent bacterimia. Bacterimia is a big deal and refers to bacterial infection of the blood. It can occur with diarrhea because if the gut wall is inflammed and damaged, then the bacteria that is inside the gut can get across the gut wall into the blood stream. Once inside the blood, the bacteria will float around the body looking for a place to thrive, which of course, can cause a lot of problems: liver disease, joint disease, heart valve disease, pneumonia, and on and on.
I hope the above has been helpful. As with all my pages, I'll try to review, edit, and improve this new page soon. Feel free, especially if you're a veterinarian, to make comments, additions etc by eMail: FoxNest@metacrawler.com

However, I've stopped trying to respond to the many eMails I get asking me things like how do I treat such and such (ie my goat with diarrhea) or asking for second opinions about what their vet did etc. For legal reasons and because it takes a lot of time...not to mention a careful exam...I can't offer specific medical advice over the phone or the internet other than the very helpful, but general, information I've already have given you on this site.

What follows are some additional articles that should be helpful.

Provided as a courtesy by the people at Hill's Prescription Diets

Colitis

Colitis is an inflammation of the large bowel (colon). This inflammation may be acute (sudden onset of brief duration) or chronic (long-term), disrupting your pet's normal bowel habits.

Acute colitis occurs most commonly in dogs and frequently responds to one to three weeks of therapy. Chronic colitis can go on for several years or perhaps a lifetime.

Signs of Colitis

Some dogs and cats may have minor clinical signs; others have severe and sometimes disabling or fatal signs. Dietary therapy and certain medications can help control the inflammation and most signs, but they generally do not provide a cure.

The inflammation in chronic colitis leads to excess water in your pet's stool. This is manifested as diarrhea; you most likely will see the frequent passage of small quantities of mucus and/or blood-streaked stools. The diarrhea may be intermittent or continuous.

Abdominal pain, depression, fever, weight loss, and a dull coat may also be present.

Causes of Colitis

Many things can cause colitis, as can be seen from the following list. In many cases, the exact cause of colitis may never be determined.
Acute1.
Whipworms
2.Spastic colitis
3.Bacterial colitis
4.Fungal colitis
5.Food-induced

Chronic
1.Whipworms
2.Eosinophilic colitis
3.Ulcerative colitis
4.Histoplasma
5.Prototheca
6.Polyps
7.Tumors
8.Allergies (including food allergies)
9.Foreign body
10.Spastic colitis
11.Histocytic ulcerative colitis
12.Plasmacytic lymphocytic colitis
13.Immunoproliferation enteritis
Diagnosis of Colitis
If your veterinarian suspects that you pet has colitis he or she may perform some, most, or all of these diagnostic tests: abdominal palpation, rectal exam, white and red blood cell counts, blood chemistry profile, urinalysis, multiple fecal examinations, bacteriologic cultures of feces, x-rays of the digestive tract (possibly with barium), colonoscopy (examination of the colon through a small, lighted tube inserted though the anus), biopsy of the colon, and exploratory surgery of the abdomen.
To evaluate how your pet is responding to therapy, your veterinarian will periodically repeat some of these lab tests.
Management of Chronic Colitis
Remember, few cases of colitis can be cured. The goal of therapy for chronic colitis, therefore, is to enable your pet to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible. Diet and drugs can generally suppress the inflammation in your pet's colon and help prevent recurrences.

Diet
Many cases of chronic colitis respond to one of two dietary approaches: 1) Increasing the amount of fiber in the animal's diet or 2) Feeding a diet that is not likely to stimulate an allergic reaction (hypoallergenic diet). There is no way to predict which approach might be better for your pet.
Based on experience treating colitis, your veterinarian will recommend one approach or the other. Follow the directions explicitly - feed no other foods or treats. If your pet is taking any other medicine, tell your veterinarian about it so that interactions between the diet and medicine can be controlled.
A trial with a therapeutic diet usually takes three to six weeks before your veterinarian will be able to accurately assess the results of the trial. Be patient, and remember, diarrheas in some pets may actually worsen for a few days while the pet's digestive tract is becoming accustomed to the new diet.

Your veterinarian will recommend the best diet for you to follow for your pet...... follow it!

Importance of Fiber

Fiber is a carbohydrate in our diet that cannot be digested by enzymes. There are two kinds of fiber: one is soluble in water; the other is not. Insoluble fibers provide bulk to the diet and help food and water move through the digestive tract.

It is well established that fiber-rich diets can be used to manage constipation in pets because fiber increases water retention in the intestines which softens the stool. The increased bulk also increases the propulsive movements of the intestine, helping to alleviate the constipation.

Amazingly enough, fiber also can be used to treat some diarrheas. In diarrheic animals fiber normalizes intestinal transit time, which increases water absorption form the colon. Therefore, there is less water lost in the stool. That's why high-fiber diets have a place in the treatment of colitis.

Drugs
Many drugs used to control chronic colitis have side effects and may even be dangerous - your veterinarian will prescribe them with caution. Drug therapy involves five categories of medications:
1.Drugs that relieve diarrhea
2.5-aminosalicylic acid
3.Steroids for relief of inflammation
4.Drugs that suppress the immune system
5.Antibiotics
Constipation and Diarrhea

Signs of Constipation
A constipated dog or cat exhibits infrequent or difficult evacuation of the feces or stool. The feces is usually hard and dry which increases straining and reduces stool volume.

Causes of Constipation

Many things may cause constipation, but the most common are dietary and environmental factors.

Dietary:
Fiber in the diet is important for normal defecation in dogs and cats, just as it is for humans. Insufficient dietary fiber can cause constipation.
Substances such as hair, bones or foreign materials ingested by a cat or dog can form hard masses or concretions when mixed with feces and cannot be eliminated, resulting in constipation.
Water is essential to proper gastrointestinal function; therefore, if an animal is deprived of water, it will become constipated.

Environmental factors:
Changes which affect an animal's daily routine such as a hospital stay or lack of exercise can also result in constipation.
There may be many other causes of constipation such as those listed below:
·Aging ,Fractures of the pelvis or pelvic limbs .
Lesions around the rectum
·Prostate Disease
·Spinal Cord or Disc Disease
·Large Bowel Nervous Disorders
·Tumors
·Metabolic or Endocrine Disorders
·Debiliation
·Dehydration
Treatment of Constipation

To treat your pet for constipation, the underlying cause must first be determined.
Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination of your pet and will ask you about your pet's medical history, its diet and its daily routine. Blood tests, x-rays or other tests may also be necessary and will be explained to you prior to testing.
If it is determined that the underlying cause is due to disease or trauma, medical treatment may be necessary to correct the problem.
Home Care Management for Constipation

Diets rich in fiber can be used to aid in the management of constipation in pets as in humans. The fiber increases water retention in the intestines which softens the stool. The increased bulk also increases the propulsive movements of the intestine, helping to alleviate the constipation.
1.Twice daily, feed your pet a diet containing at least 10 percent fiber to stimulate bowel movement (your veterinarian will advise you on a specific diet).
2.Do not give your pet bones or snacks and restrict access to foreign materials. Long-haired animals should be brushed daily. This will help remove excess hair that the animal might otherwise ingest.
3.Thirty to 60 minutes after eating, exercise the dog to encourage defecation.
4.Provide free access to fresh water.
Managing your pet's care at home is an important part of its treatment. It is essential you follow your veterinarian's instructions. If you have any questions about your pet's medical care, please do not hesitate to ask. Your questions are welcomed by the hospital staff.

Signs of Diarrhea

Acute Diarrhea - Small Intestine
Acute diarrhea originating in the small intestine usually lasts less that 48 hours. The feces seldom contains mucus, but it is not uncommon to find blood in the feces. The animal usually loses its appetite or is anorexic. The feces is brown or reddish-brown in color. The animal exhibits a sense of urgency to defecate as well as an increased frequency and may continue straining after defecation.

Chronic Diarrhea - Small Intestine
Chronic diarrhea originating in the small intestine lasts 7-10 days or longer. The animal passes a large volume of watery feces and has bowel movements two or three times as often as its normal frequency. The feces is brown in color unless there is blood in the stool in which case it will have a black, tarry appearance. Little or no mucus is present in the feces (as opposed to Colitis which may have much mucus in the diarrhea).
Causes of Diarrhea
The causes of diarrhea vary widely, but include bacteria, viruses, internal parasites and stress-induced factors. Diarrhea may also be caused by toxic substances which the animal ingests or by food allergies. A change in pet food, eating table scraps or rich snacks, or scavenging spoiled food from garbage may result in diarrhea as well. Organ dysfunction, especially the liver and pancreas, can cause diarrhea.
Diarrhea caused by internal parasites may be a continuous, chronic problem or be intermittent with a normal stool being passed between abnormal stools. Some parasites causing diarrhea in dogs and cats are transferable to humans. Therefore, it is important to identify the parasitic causes.
It is important to note that young animals may be more severely affected by diarrhea than mature animals. Puppies should be carefully observed because their condition could quickly become life-threatening.
However, it is important to differentiate between non-specific diarrhea and diarrhea caused by a more serious health problem.
To treat your pet for diarrhea, your veterinarian must first diagnose the underlying cause.
Treatment of Diarrhea

Initially, your veterinarian will perform a physical examination of your pet and will ask you question about its health history and its diet and daily routine. Often the diagnosis can be made from the health history and physical exam and a treatment can be prescribed.
It may be necessary to withhold all food from your pet for one or two days. The more severe the intestinal disturbance, the longer the period the food must be withheld.

Continue to give your pet water during the fasting period.
If your pet is severely dehydrated, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary before any diagnostic studies are begun.
Your veterinarian may ask you to collect a fecal sample for microscopic examination to help diagnose the cause of the diarrhea. You will be given a plastic bag or container and instructed on how to obtain a fresh stool sample. Numerous fecal exams or rechecks may be necessary to detect internal parasites which can show up intermittently in the feces.
In some cases of chronic diarrhea, a biopsy is necessary. This procedure involves obtaining a very small section of tissue from the intestine for microscopic study. This can be done through a small incision in the abdomen and involves only a few stitches to close.
Home Care Management for Diarrhea
1.After your pet has fasted the prescribed number of days as determined by your veterinarian, gradually return it to full feed
2.Feed small amounts frequently (3 to 6 times daily)
3.Feed a highly digestible diet containing one percent or less fiber in the dry matter. (This is very different than the recommendation for Colitis in which a diet high in fiber is often indicated.)
The diet for small intestinal diarrhea should provide a moderate amount of highly-digestible protein from cottage cheese, chicken and egg, and not more than 15 percent fat. Carbohydrates should be easily digestible such as those from rice or dextrose.
Avoid diets with the following ingredients: wheat middlings, bran, and other cereal by-products; lactose (milk sugar) and foods containing more than 10 percent sucrose (table sugar). Do not give your pet bones, snacks or table scraps which may irritate the intestinal tract.
Watch your pet at home - checking for recurrent bouts of diarrhea, blood or mucus in the feces, foreign material in the feces, and frequency of defecation. If any of these signs recur or if your pet becomes weak or loses its appetite, please call your veterinarian.
Managing your pet's care at home is an important part of its treatment. It is essential that you follow your veterinarian's instructions. If you have any questions about your pet's medical care, please do not hesitate to ask your veterinary staff.

Salmonellosis (One of the main causes of Food Poisoning)
Salmonellosis is an intestinal tract disease that comes from exposure to large amounts of the bacteria ...usually on contaminated food. Since salmonella is passed in affected animals, humans, and fowl through the feces, what's going on here is a combination of fecal contamination of the food along with enough time (the warmer the faster) for the bacteria colony to multiply. This is why we are so careful to keep meats refrigerated, why we hope that restaurant workers wash their hands frequently, and why we don't share cutting boards and utensils between precooked food and cooked food. Pets that eat garbage or road kill are very likely to be exposed. Whether or not they become clinically infected and diseased will depend on their natural immunity, general health, and probably luck.

Signs of salmonellosis include vomiting, diarrhea with or without blood, fever, and dehydration. Severe infection with Salmonella can be fatal. The disease is most common in young, stressed, weak, or old animals. Some animals can carry and spread the disease without having signs of illness themselves.
Salmonellosis is a public health concern, because these bacteria can also infect people. Strict hygiene should be practiced when infected animals are handled. This includes carefully disposing of fecal material, cleaning litter boxes and utensils, and frequently washing hands. Children should not handle infected pets.
In order to diagnose salmonellosis for certain, we need to culture the feces. Since we need to start treatment before waiting for the results (cultures take at least 4 days to grow out), we often skip this step. Depends on the situation.

Treatment
Infected animals are generally hospitaized and given IV Fluids, antibiotics, anti-diarrheals, and supportive care til better.

Dogs: Health Problems: Diarrhea

It's messy, it can be painful, and it's also an indication that something's not quite right with your pet. Diarrhea is common in dogs, especially in those who raid the garbage or snack on something tasty off the street when their owners aren't looking. With proper care, this condition usually clears up in a day or two.

If your dog has eaten something he shouldn't, or if you have changed his diet recently, he could wind up with a bout of diarrhea; this could also be the result of eating dairy products or a food he's allergic to. You can help clear up your dog's simple diarrhea by putting him on a 24-hour fast. If he seems better after a day, put him on a bland diet of two parts cooked rice and one part boiled skinless white-meat chicken. Start him off with small amounts every four hours. If he still has diarrhea after two days, call the vet. If he's doing well, feed him about 1/4 of his regular food along with the bland diet; gradually up the percentage over several days until he's back on his normal diet.

While your dog is recuperating, make sure he's getting enough water. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, so your veterinarian may recommend a drink enriched with electrolytes; Pedialyte, a formula for babies that's available in drug stores and supermarkets, is often given to dogs to help replenish important minerals depleted by diarrhea. Limit your pet's level of exercise to short walks while he's recovering.

If your dog has explosive or bloody diarrhea, is lethargic, has lost his appetite, or if he seems to be straining, he could be suffering from a serious disease, such as colitis or inflammation of the pancreas. Diarrhea can also result from intestinal worms, intestinal obstruction from swallowing a foreign objet, or a viral infection like hepatitis, parvovirus or distemper. If his condition is serious, the ASPCA recommends that you see your veterinarian immediately.

Dogs: Health Problems:Vomiting

There's no way to put it nicely — dogs are scavengers. If allowed, most dogs would probably love to inspect every garbage can in sight. Or perhaps you've seen a dog eat way too much, way too fast, simply because food was available. Not surprisingly, these behaviors often lead to vomiting. Occasional vomiting in dogs is not uncommon, and usually not accompanied by any discomfort. Episodes can also be brought on by nervousness, overeating, car sickness or eating grass, which some dogs seem to enjoy regularly. To get his system back to normal after a bout of vomiting, it's a good idea to withdraw your pet's food for up to 24 hours. But make sure that fresh water is available. But if your pet has trouble even holding water down, opt for ice cubes, one at a time, instead. Not only do dogs find them fun, they take longer to consume than liquid — which may prevent your dog from vomiting the water back up.

After his fast, start your dog on a very bland diet. Veterinarians recommend the tried-and-true recipe of one part cottage cheese or skinless, boiled chicken to two parts rice. Give small amounts every 4 hours for a day or so. Gradually mix in your dog's regular food, and monitor him carefully until he is back up to speed. Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate can help settle his stomach, too. Dosing guidelines are 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds, but it's best to consult your veterinarian first.

If the vomiting is persistent, or if your dog is throwing up blood, get to the vet immediately. Serious vomiting can be a symptom of gastric torsion, in which the abdomen suddenly swells. This life-threatening condition is most often seen in deep-chested breeds, and oftentimes requires emergency surgery. Bloody or projectile vomiting is often associated with viral and bacterial infections, including parvovirus, distemper, leptospirosis and hepatitis. Pain and vomiting can also signal inflammation of the pancreas, which requires drug therapy. It greatly will aid your veterinarian in diagnosing your pet's condition if you can describe anything about the consistency and color of the vomit.

If your dog seems lethargic, disoriented and is vomiting severely, call your veterinarian or The ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center immediately. He may have eaten something poisonous. Could he have ingested a poisonous plant, such as amaryllis, ivy or dieffenbachia? Or perhaps he licked up antifreeze from outside or found an open bottle of aspirin? The first thing you should do is make the call for help. If you suspect your dog has ingested a poisonous substance, immediately call your veterinarian or The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's 24 hour emergency hotline at 1-888-426-4435. There will be a $45 credit card charge per case. That number again is 1-888-426-4435.

Home Remedies For Doggie Diarrhea

Instead of their usual dog food, give your pet small servings of a bland diet 4-5 times throughout the day. Choose from:

cooked white rice (no butter or flavorings)
cottage cheese (no liquid)
boiled chicken (no grease, no skin, no flavorings)
boiled turkey (no grease, no skin, no flavorings)
scrambled egg (no butter or oil)
boiled egg (no butter or oil)
boiled potato (no skin or flavorings)
baked potato (no skin or flavorings)

Continue to feed several small servings of this bland diet for a few days in gradually increasing amounts until a formed stool is passed. Then, start to wean your pet back to its regular food over the course of a week by gradually working in small amounts of their regular dry dog food.

Do not give your pet bones, snacks or table scraps, because they may irritate the intestinal tract during this time.

Dogs can also be given a dose of Pepto Bismol every 6 hours. (Dosage depends on your dog's weight: 1 ml per lb.) Bonus, the Pepto Bismol also works to stop vomiting.

Two other over-the-counter medicines can be given to dogs with diarrhea: Imodium AD (1 ml per lb. every 8 hours) and Kaopectate (1 ml per lb. every 2 hours).

Feline infectious peritonitis

FIP-infected kidney showing inflammatory response

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal, incurable disease that affects cats. It is caused by Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus (FIPV), which is a mutation of Feline Enteric Coronavirus (FECV/FeCoV). Experts do not always agree on the specifics of FIP. However, the most common theory is that the normally benign FECV mutates into FIPV. The mutated virus has the ability to invade and grow in certain white blood cells, namely macrophages. The immune system's response causes an intense inflammatory reaction in the containing tissues. Fewer than 1 in 20 cats survive the contraction of this disease, however its incidence rate is roughly 1 in 5000 for households with two or fewer cats. [1]

[hide]

1 Transmission and infection
2 Signs
- 2.1 Effusive (wet)
- 2.2 Non-effusive (dry)
3 Diagnosis
4 Treatment
5 External links

Transmission and infection

FECV is very common, especially in places where large groups of cats are kept together (animal shelters, catteries, etc). Cats become infected by inhaling or ingesting the virus. The most commonly cited transmission source is feces, although contaminated surfaces such as food dishes and clothing can transmit the virus as well.

Despite the prevalence of FECV, most infected cats do not develop FIP. Often exposure to FECV produces no clinical signs, but may cause a mild upper respiratory disease. Therefore, a cat without symptoms may still be an FECV carrier and may pass the virus to another cat. In any cat infected with FECV there is a chance that the virus may mutate into the FIP causing form. This chance is increased for cats that are immune compromised including very young and very old cats. There is also thought to be a genetic component to susceptibility to viral mutation.

[edit] Signs

A cat with marked ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdomen), a hallmark sign of FIP

FIP effusive fluid

There are two main forms of FIP: effusive (wet) and non-effusive (dry). While both types are fatal, the effusive form is more common (60-70% of all cases are wet) and progresses more rapidly than the non-effusive form.

[edit] Effusive (wet)

The hallmark clinical sign of effusive FIP is the accumulation of fluid within the abdomen or chest, which can cause breathing difficulties. Other symptoms include lack of appetite, fever, weight loss, jaundice, and diarrhea.

[edit] Non-effusive (dry)

Dry FIP will also present with lack of appetite, fever, jaundice, diarrhea, and weight loss, but there will not be an accumulation of fluid. Typically, though, a cat with dry FIP will show ocular or neurological signs.

[edit] Diagnosis

Cytology of FIP-induced fluid showing neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes

The signs associated with FIP are often non-specific, which can cause diagnosis to be very difficult. A definitive diagnosis requires examination of affected tissues for the FIP virus. This is usually performed post-mortem, but can be performed via tissue biopsy. Histopathological examination of tissue samples is usually the cheapest and most reliable available diagnostic test. A PCR test is also available for use with fluid or certain tissue samples, however, its efficacy is currently being reviewed.

More commonly, a presumptive diagnosis is made based on clinical signs and evaluation of abdominal or chest fluid, if available. Fluid caused by FIP tends to be yellow in color and have elevated protein levels. Blood tests can also be performed to bolster a presumptive diagnosis by looking for coronavirus antibodies and elevated protein. Coronavirus titers are not considered diagnostic in and of themselves due to the ubiquity of FeCoV, but may be used in conjunction with clinical symptoms to make an FIP diagnosis. It is important to note that cats with higher titres of FCoV are no more likely to develop FIP than those with lower titres. Cats with no exposure to FCoV cannot develop FIP.

[edit] Treatment

As there is no cure for FIP, treatment is symptomatic and palliative. Typically the owner is advised to make the cat as comfortable as possible until it becomes clear that the cat is suffering. Prednisone or other immunosuppressive drugs prescribed by a veterinarian may help to prolong the cat's life for a few weeks or months, but may be contraindicated in certain cases due to concomitant infection(s). Effusive FIP usually progresses too rapidly for any meaningful therapy to be attempted.

Quarantine is not nessecary as FIP is not truly an infectious disease. Feline Enteric Coronavirus is shed in the feces and can be passed on to other cats, however, it is the mutated form of the virus that leads to FIP. This form is only found in macrophages and is therefore not shed and not contagious.

As FIP signs can be easily overlooked, it is highly advised to have your cat examined by a licensed vet at any signs of chronic diarrhea, unusual lethargy or respiratory infection. While treatment will only be symptomatic, it may prolong the life of the cat as well as soften the blow to the owner.

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