Natural Treatment for Diarrhoea, Gas Pain (Colic & Flatulence), Constipation & Car Sickness in Dogs
Acute vs Chronic Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is a common ailment in dogs. Just as with humans, healthy dogs suffer from an ‘upset’ stomach on occasion, which then results in a loose stool called ‘Acute Diarrhoea’. Acute diarrhoea is one of the body’s natural ways of removing substances that are not welcome in the body. The most common cause of this type of diarrhoea is ingestion of a food stuff consumed. Although a natural process, it is important to monitor Acute Diarrhoea and some healing interventions is required. The symptoms usually disappear within a 72 hour time period.
The other type of Diarrhoea is called ‘Chronic Diarrhoea’. The underlying cause of this type of diarrhoea is typically rooted in an ongoing condition in which the body is repeatedly exposed to an irritant or the diarrhoea is a symptom of a medical condition.
Common Causes of Acute Diarrhoea
The following are common causes of acute diarrhoea:
Anxiety and stress
Eating spoilt food
Reaction to drugs, antibiotics and chemotherapy agents
Obstruction from ingesting indigestible substances such as rocks, toys, large bones
Ingesting too much of a food that would otherwise be good for the dog
Toxic plants and flowers
Ingesting food that is not healthy for the dog
Poisons/Toxins by absorbing, ingesting and/or inhaling
Sudden change in food or addition of new types of food to the diet
Following Vaccination
Bacteria & Virus (i.e. Distemper, Parvo)
Common Causes of Chronic Diarrhoea
Allergy to food, ingredients in many commercial dog foods can be a source of allergic reactions such as corn, soya, wheat etc
Compromised immune system and gut bacteria imbalance
Diseases such as colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver and kidney disease, stomach cancer, malabsorption condition etc.
Internal Parasites (i.e. infestation of worms or parasites such as Giardia)
Poisons/Toxins by absorbing, ingesting and/or inhaling
Poor quality foods
Poorly functioning GI tract such as leaky gut syndrome
Too much fat in the diet and /or the wrong type of fat
Chemical heartworm, flea, tick preventatives can cause diarrhoea
Over-feeding
Vaccinations
Typical Signs, Symptoms of Diarrhoea
Your dog is either standing at the door anxiously, or anxiously trying to get your attention to let them outdoors at a time when they would normally not be asking.
Your dog starts to ask to go out multiple times (to eliminate) within the space of an hour or several hours. In either case let your dog out and watch what he/she does.If he/she eliminates take a quick look to see if his/her stool is normal (firm, brown) or loose.
Your dog or cat is straining to eliminate – although this may be a result of constipation, it is often also a result of repeated bouts of diarrhoea;
Diarrhoea causes disruption of normal muscle contractions in the GI tract thereby giving the sensation that elimination is required even when there is nothing left in the GI tract to eliminate.Other symptoms may include: Bloating, Dehydration, Lack of Appetite, Listlessness and Fever.
When to Intervene
• If your dog or cat seems normal after a bout of diarrhoea (he/she is behaving normally, has normal energy) – just keep an eye on them.
• Make sure that your dog has access to fresh filtered drinking water; watch to see if they are drinking. If they are not, follow the instructions provided below under ‘Dehydration’.
• If the diarrhoea occurs just once you can continue to feed your animal as you normally would.
• If the diarrhoea is occurring repeatedly within the space of an hour or several hours then withhold food for 12 hours.
When to Go to the Vet:
You should get your dog/cat to a veterinarian right away if…
• Severe diarrhoea persists for more than 24 hours
• Diarrhoea continues to occur for more that 3 days
• Blood in your dog’s stool
• Fever;
• Sluggishness
• Weakness
• Or any other sign of debilitation.
Young puppies and the old or those whose health is already compromised are most vulnerable to suffering complications from diarrhoea. Dehydration as a result of diarrhoea can occur very quickly in these animals, putting them in immediate and serious risk.
Dehydration
To ensure your dog does not get dehydrated…
In order to avoid dehydration make sure that your dog have access to fresh drinking water and gently encourage them to drink. Do not, however urge them from an anxious state of mind or you will further compromise their well-being by creating additional stress. If you see your dog is not drinking, to entice them to drink you can offer them a homemade bone and vegetable broth. Bone broth can be offered 3 or 4 times a day. Don’t give your dog a commercially made broth as it can include a lot of sodium (salt) which will cause further dehydration, it may also contain additives such as food colouring, spices such as pepper, and food stuffs such as onions and sugar – sugar feeds bad bacteria which will make diarrhoea worse.
To check for signs of dehydration
Pull up gently on the skin at the back of the neck, if, when released the skin bounces back quickly, your dog’s hydration level is fine. If the skin does not go back in-place or goes back slowly, your dog is dehydrated and needs medical attention right away. Don’t waste time trying to hydrate the animal yourself – get the animal to a veterinarian who will probably put them on a saline drip. Severe dehydration is very dangerous and can lead to organ shut down and death.
Items to Avoid Feeding If Your Dog Has Diarrhoea
Don’t feed them fast foods, fatty, sugary or spoiled food. Also avoid onions, dairy, grapes, raisins and chocolate. These foods should be avoided at all times and not just when they have diarrhoea.
Do not give your dog over the counter medications containing salicylates. Salicylates are an active ingredient in aspirin, a compound found naturally in foods and manufactured synthetically for use as a pain killer. Salicylates will make your dog’s condition worse.
Rest for Your Pet
Provide a peaceful, calm environment for your cat dog to rest in. Diarrhoea zaps their energy and taxes their immune system, just like it does in humans. Additional stress may worsen their condition or leave them open to secondary infections.
Wash Your Hands
Wash your hands thoroughly each time you handle your pet they are ill. Some of the issues associated with diarrhoea are transmittable to humans.
Fasting
Most animals will fast themselves when they have digestive upsets and it’s a good idea to stop feeding if they haven’t done themselves. You can start with 6 to 12 hours of no food or water with most dogs. If your dog is very small and prone to hypoglycaemia, provide small licks of honey each hour, or as needed, if they appear weak and trembly.
After the fast, if there is no further vomiting and the diarrhoea has stopped or slowed, offer small sips of filtered fresh water (a few teaspoons in very small dogs and up to ½ to 1 cup in large dogs) every few hours. After six hours of water only, you may start with some bone and vegetable broth or small amounts of bland foods. Gradually increase the amounts of food and back to their normal diet over the next four to five days.
What to Feed Your If Your Dog Has Diarrhoea
Encourage your animal to drink plenty of water, restrict salt intake, and let nature take its course. Once you have waited-out the 12 hour no-feed period your dog can be reintroduced to food, a bland diet will help prevent a recurrence of diarrhoea. Starting with bone and vegetable broth is a gentle way to smooth the transition back to their regular diet. If after eating broth your dog does not experience additional diarrhoea you can start to offer them a little meal of raw chicken or beef mince with cooked pumpkin, squash or sweet potato. This food should be fed to your dog 3 to 6 times a day in small amounts for up to 3 days (72 hours), by which time the diarrhoea should subside. If your dog still has diarrhoea after 72 hours it is time to take them to the Vet. Along with the food you can add beneficial healing herbs.
Bone & Vegetable Broth Recipe
• Place chicken or beef bones in water add a variety of vegetables such as pumpkin celery and carrot cauliflower, cabbage and beans.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 4 hours.
• Strain all ingredients and collect the liquid only.
• Give small portions of broth to the dog throughout the day
Other bland diets include:
• Chicken or beef mince with cooked pumpkin, sweet potatoes or yams
• Low fat cottage cheese
• Plain Yoghurt with some apple puree for natural pectin
Avoid Yearly Vaccinations with Titer Tests
Once your dog has had their puppy vaccines they don’t need a yearly booster. Instead titer tests can be performed by your Vet before vaccinating again to check for circulating antibodies. The best guarantee against disease is to keep your dogs immune system healthy with immune boosting foods and a natural diet and with herbs on a daily basis. Being vaccinated can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and/or lethargy in some puppies for 1 or 2 days post vaccination and there’s no guarantee that they won’t suffer the disease regardless of vaccinations. For e.g. 28% of vaccinated puppies still get parvovirus and Parvo kills more vaccinated puppies than unvaccinated.
If you are going to Vaccinate :It is best not to vaccinate an animal who is stressed, which means not to do so on an overly hot or cold day, when having surgery, when diseased or ill such as having parvo. Do not vaccinate at the same time you have your puppy spayed or neutered either. Wait at least two weeks between having them vaccinated and spayed or neutered.
Avoid Using Chemical Wormers
Traditional wormers can give your dog diarrhoea immediately after dosing.
Dog owners who feed their dogs a fresh natural diet and avoid vaccines, drugs and chemicals whenever possible usually find they don’t need to use chemical wormers as much and their dogs don’t test positive for worms. Healthy dogs are generally not good hosts for parasites.
If your dog does present with worms, however, it is important to deal with them immediately because it does elevate their risk of disease like parvovirus. There are effective chemical-free choices which can be incorporated into their food 365 days a year such as Diatomaceous Earth, pumpkin seeds and grated carrots which can be very effective without the threat that chemical wormers present to the immune system. (For more information go to our website and find article on herbal wormers for your dog)
Feed Species Appropriate Diet such as BARF diet
The best time to give your dog’s diet an overhaul is when their diarrhoea has settled and stools are firm and back to normal. A natural diet will keep your dog’s immune system strong and the bones in BARF will keep their poo form and well formed. BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw food diet. BARF diet is all about feeding dogs properly and returning them to their evolutionary diet the way our dogs and cats have eaten for millions of years. Diesel’s BARF dog food consists of raw whole foods similar to those eaten by the dogs’ wild ancestors. Its 100% raw and contains such things as muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meats, whole eggs, natural yoghurt, pulped vegetable and fruit and herbs just as Mother Nature intended. The diet contains no grains, cereals, starch, pasta, rice and cooked food which is the cause of food allergies and diarrhea in some dogs.
Herbs and Supplements to Stop Diarrhoea and Speed Recovery
Slippery Elm Bark
This herb is the best natural anti-diarrhoea remedy. It is safe for puppies and dogs of all ages and does not create any complications when used in combination with other medications for another condition not linked to the diarrhoea. Used in healing salves to treat: boils, burns, skin inflammation and ulcers. It is also used as an oral mendicant to relieve coughs, sore throats, diarrhoea, and stomach problems. Slippery Elm contains mucilage. Mucilage is a substance that when mixed with water, turns into a lubricating gel. It works to coat and sooth the mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines. It also contains antioxidants that help relieve inflammation. In addition, Slippery Elm triggers reflux stimulation of nerve endings in the GI tract, thereby promoting increased mucus secretion. This helps protect the GI Tract against excess acidity and ulcers.
Plantain
This common backyard weed can not only relieve diarrhoea and the symptoms and the symptoms of chronic bowel disease, but it’s useful as a lubricant, helping dogs to pass ingested foreign objects such as toys and shoe parts. For internal ailments, give your dog a teaspoon for every twenty pounds of body weight with his meals daily. Commercial supplements are also available as a capsule or liquid extract.
Side effects are rare, although consuming extremely large amounts could cause diarrhoea, skin rash, or other allergic reaction, especially if your dog is predisposed to plant allergies. If you are uncertain, apply a little plantain to the skin before giving it to your dog internally.
Marshmallow
Marshmallow is a herb that has significant anti-inflammatory activity. Both the roots and leaves contain mucilage, a gum-like substance. When mucilage comes into contact with water it forms a gel. This gel relieves inflammation and reduces irritation of the gastrointestinal tract by soothing mucus membranes present in the stomach and intestine.
Slippery Elm, Marshmallow and Plantain can be used alone or combined together and added into food into the bland diet or broth diet. Being mucilage herbs, 3 herbs will work better than one. Recommended dosage is 1 teaspoon of all three powders mixed for every 25 pounds of body. Due to herbs absorbing qualities, provide your dog plenty of fresh filtered water.
Pectin
The gel-forming properties in natural pectin, a form of fibre effectively binds loose stools. Once your dog starts eating mix into food and leave for a few minutes to absorb moisture. Recommended dosage is 1/8 teaspoon for small dogs, 1/4 teaspoon for large dogs and 1/2 teaspoon for giant breeds. For mild cases, you can feed pure, unsweetened apple puree for its pectin content.
Bentonite Clay
Bentonite is a negatively charged, highly absorbent clay. Native American tribes call Bentonite ‘Ea-Wah-Kee’ which means “the mud that heals”. There are different types of Bentonite clay, depending on the dominant mineral within it (sodium, calcium, potassium, etc.). Mainly comprised of aged volcanic ash, its healing qualities and ability to draw out toxins are known throughout the world.
Applications: Bentonite clay can be used for digestive disturbances like constipation, bloating, gas, Skin and allergy issues, recovery from vomiting and diarrhoea. Bentonite clay can be applied either orally to draw toxins from the body or externally as a poultice – its healing qualities abound. Bentonite clay’s effectiveness is derived from its negative ionic charge, which pulls positively charged particles from the body via the bloodstream and then eliminates them through the kidneys and bowels. Not absorbed itself, the clay just gets passed along with the bound toxins.
Internal Uses: Several reports state that canines have evolved to eat clay to counteract environmental and synthetic toxins, and to aid in recovering from sickness. Add some Bentonite clay to your pets water or give it orally with a dropper when he develops vomiting and diarrhoea. Calcium Bentonite clay is effective for treating internal parasites. Bentonite clay works great for detoxification of the liver and kidneys, which are prone to becoming overloaded.
How Much To Give: The beneficial qualities of Bentonite clay can be achieved with 1/4 to 1/2 of a teaspoon daily mixed with your pet’s water or on his food. Due to Bentonite clay’s absorbent qualities, fresh filtered water must always be available to your dog.
Colloidal Silver
Colloidal Silver is a natural and powerful broad spectrum antibiotic agent; it also has excellent antiseptic, antifungal and disinfectant properties. As long ago as 400 B.C. Hippocrates described colloidal silver’s antimicrobial properties. Its popularity fell when antibiotics came into the scene. Recommended oral use: Use 1/4 tsp to 1 tsp/ 3 times daily for active infection for up to 10 days. If infection has been resistant to other antibiotics, triple the initial first dose and then back off to maintenance dose above. Take precaution with Colloidal Silver if your dog suffers from renal issues, placing additional burdens on your dog’s kidneys, liver and bladder is inadvisable. Colloidal Silver should be discontinued once the diarrhoea has subsided.
Proactive Maintenance
Once your dog is on the mend you can look at adding some healthy immune boosting food stuffs to their diet. Just make sure that you only add on item at a time – this way if your dog has any sensitivity to the item it is easy to identify which new food item is causing the sensitivity.
Probiotics & Prebiotics
Adding a good quality plain yogurt/kefir and a Probiotics capsule is s a great way to help your dog maintain a healthy flora of good bacteria in his/her GI tract.
Good health starts with a healthy digestive tract and illness begins in the gut. Hippocrates didn’t hold back when he claimed “death sits in the bowel”. There are 10 times more bacteria in the digestive system than there are cells in the body, many of these bacteria are beneficial to health. The good guys are referred to as Probiotics, which breed in the bowel. Some create vitamins such as K, B5, B9 and B12; others help improve absorption of magnesium, calcium and iron.
A large percentage of the immune system is located around the bowel and Probiotics are important for the maintenance and regulation of immunity, helping prevent and heal infections stopping diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal disorder.
Prebiotics should always be added to the diet if Probiotics are being used. Prebiotics are nourishment that the good bacteria in the gut need to stimulate growth and flourish. Flax-seed meal is a healthy and ideal Prebiotics. Use1/2tsp- 1tbsp mixed into food. Once your dog has sufficiently recovered Probiotics capsules should be maintained on a long term basis to keep the whole intestinal flora in balance.
Digestive Enzymes
Digestive enzymes are especially important if your dog is not eating a raw, whole food diet that naturally contains some live enzymes. Digestive enzymes act as catalysts in the breakdown of various food materials. For instance, protease aids in the breakdown of proteins, while cellulose breaks down the cellulose barriers in plant cells (grains and vegetables), allowing the protein they contain to be utilized by the body. There are many other types of enzymes in a good digestive enzyme supplement as well, each with unique roles in the digestive process.
Adding a digestive enzyme to your dog’s diet will often work wonders toward helping to effectively digest the food he eats. Not only will it help reduce flatulence, minimize stool size and give your dog more energy, it will help minimize dental plaque and will save you money on dog food, as utilization of the food you are feeding will be optimized.
Colostrum
Colostrum has been shown to improve digestive health. It helps to balance intestinal flora and improve digestion. Colostrum has been found to improve the immune status of the intestinal tract, which can via intestinal production of globulins; help the overall immune competency of the body.
L- Glutamine
L- Glutamine is an amino acid has been shown to improve immune function and is beneficial for the cells of the gastro-intestinal tract and in particular heals intestinal walls. If you wish to give your dog L-Glutamine alone, give 500 mg per 25 lbs of body weight per day.
Natural Antibiotics -Paxxin & Vibactra Plus
Paxxin is a unique blend of herbs that was developed to help aid your dog’s gastrointestinal tract and immune system. This completely organic formulation contains 4 anti-microbials that assists the immune system and is particularly useful in severe diarrhoeal conditions such as in Parvo virus infection. Additionally, Paxxin contains three herbs that calm the stomach to relieve vomiting and diarrhoea often associated with the virus. Paxxin also contains two herbs that help your dog’s body build up its immune system. Dogs usually show a significant improvement in their symptoms within 2-3 days with the use of Paxxin. In addition to its tremendous usefulness against the Parvovirus, Paxxin has shown supportive use against other intestinal issues such as general and nonspecific gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and building of the immune system. Paxxin has also been known to help with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by environment changes, vomiting and diarrhoea caused by diet, ease travel discomfort and gas.
Ingredients: Peppermint, Spearmint, Chamomile, Plantain, Echinacea, Oregon Grape, Rose Hips, Yarrow, Garlic, Goldenseal, Hibiscus Flower, Ethyl Alcohol, Distilled Water.
Vibactra Plus
Vibactra Plus is a special combination of herbs demonstrated to help maintain immunity via your pets known antibiotic and antioxidant activities. Vibactra Plus is an all-natural herbal dietary supplement. Designed to maintain proper immune functions in pets with bacterial, viral and parasitical infections. Strong immune systems are important for pets fighting refractory pneumonia, intestinal illness Vibactra Plus is designed to: Fight infections, suppress post-infectious inflammation, Increase immunity and reduce free radicals.
When to use Vibactra Plus: During Parvo outbreaks, to assist with Coccidia, Giardia and other microscopic parasites, help build the immune system, as a preventative against Parvo help with Kennel Cough or Canine Flu, when an open wound is present (to help keep infection from arising), help reduce many types of infection and before surgery to enhance immunity and eliminate the possibility of a coccidia.
Ingredients: Brown Mustard Seed, Olive Leaf, Jatoba, Cloves, Black Seed, Pau D’arco, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Ethyl Alcohol, Distilled Water.
How do Paxxin & Vibactra Plus work?
Paxxin & Vibactra Plus remedies work most often more quickly than traditional Vet medicines because Parvaid is administered orally, every hour on the hour and therefore goes through the digestive and intestinal tracts where the disease is.
The herbs in Paxxin go directly to the intestinal tract to calm and soothe the digestive tract, stop the bleeding, boost the immune system which helps make the puppy feel better, and help bring back the puppy’s appetite. The Vibactra Plus goes to work, again, in the digestive tract to attack the parvo virus and prevent any secondary infections the parvo virus can cause, plus it eliminates single celled organisms such as coccidia protozoan. According to Amber Technologies their success rate for Parvo puppy’s symptoms is 85% using their nutriceuticals.
If you puppy has recovered from parvo one month to six months ago, but they still aren’t “quite right” Paxxin and Vibactra Plus will still help. One of the reasons this occurs is because even though parvo is in the intestinal tract, traditional medicine treats by hydrating via IV and nothing is given to calm, soothe, and heal the intestinal tract where the parvo virus sheds the intestinal lining. It’s also important to give your puppy Probiotics, Prebiotics and Colostrum to repair their gut and immune system.
Medicines such as anti-diarrheal and anti-vomiting meds, both of which keep the virus in the system which makes it harder for the body to recover as these toxins are kept inside the body. Blood and plasma transfusions are sometimes given to replace protein loss, provide antibodies, and help with anaemia. Paxxin helps prevent the need for plasma transfusions. “Simple” parvo cases are 110%, usually within 48 hours, using Paxxin & Vibactra Plus. (for further information on Parvovirus read our article on Home Treatment for Parvovirus for Your Puppy/Dog)
Other Immune Boosting Herbs
You can add other beneficial herbs to your dog’s daily diet to boost their immune system and build their defence against bad bacteria. These herbs should be used once the diarrhoea has settled and your dog is eating normal again.
Calendula
The antiseptic quality of the herb helps prevent bacterial growth, which is good news for your dog and bad news for the bacteria.
Goldenseal
This herb is a powerful antibiotic that prevents the bacteria from latching onto the cell walls. It is particularly useful for treating stomach and bowel ailments.
Echinacea
Echinacea has antibiotic, anti-viral and immune system stimulating properties – it is very useful for preventing bad bacteria from flourishing.
Glandular Therapy
Nutrients and glandular intestines, adrenal, liver and thymus can help to neutralize a cellular immune attack and reduce inflammation in an irritated intestinal attack. Support of immune system glands can be helpful in balancing an exaggerated response towards irritated organs, helping to prevent chronic inflammation and degeneration.
Daily Herbal Intake Based on Dog’s Weight