Photos: ch_ch/BigStock.com, Dr Leigh Davidson, Kirisa99/BigStock.com54
PETS | Health and wellbeing
http://www.petsmagazine.com.au
Puppies need to get their complete
vaccination to avoid the chance of many
deadly diseases before they venture out.“Not all cases need to see a vet
and many can be managed at
home with veterinary guidance,”
Dr Leigh says. “But it’s a good
idea to get your pet checked out
to rule out other conditions, such
as pancreatitis (infl ammation of
the pancreas, the organ near the
stomach that helps digest food
and control blood sugar) and
foreign bodies.”
Gastroenteritis has a number
of causes, such as sensitivity to
new or certain foods, viruses,
bacterial infections, parasites,
poisons, abdominal disorders
or reaction to medications.
“The most common causes for
gastroenteritis are parvovirus, pancreatitis and
getting into bacteria-ridden food, such as from
the garbage,” Dr Leigh says.
Any age or breed of dog can get
gastroenteritis. Depending on the cause, some
stomach conditions are also contagious to other
dogs, pets or humans. “Dogs fed on raw diets
have increased incidence of gastroenteritis,” she
says. “We also often see outbreaks of giardiasis
(intestinal infection caused by the protozoan
parasite giardia) after the rain.”
Giardia is the most common intestinal
parasite found in humans. Dogs develop the
infection by ingesting infectious cysts shed
in another animal’s faeces, more commonly
via water as the parasite prefers the cool and
moist environment. Symptoms of giardiasis
include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fl atulence,
bloating, vomiting and weight loss.SIGNS OF
GASTROENTERITIS
Gastroenteritis symptoms in dogs can be mild,
moderate or severe, depending on the cause, and
can range from diarrhoea and/or vomiting (which
can lead to dehydration) to having a decreased
appetite, abdominal discomfort/pain and
appearing less active, says Dr Leigh. “Generally
speaking, all these symptoms are commonly
seen, so the important thing is to understand
when the signs are severe enough or warrant
enough suspicion to contact a veterinarian.”Gastroenteritis is an infl ammation of
the gastrointestinal tract — usually the
stomach and intestines — and is described
by veterinarian Dr Leigh Davidson as a
‘stomach fl u’, characterised by vomiting
and/or diarrhoea.
Dr Leigh has been a veterinarian for 17
years and is the founder of Your Vet Online,
which provides pet owners who have animal
health questions with 24/7 access to qualifi ed
veterinarians. She commonly receives client
enquiries with stomach problems, such as
gastroenteritis. Most questions are about
symptoms and if veterinarian treatment is
necessary, she says.Gastroenteritis in dogs is
like a ‘stomach fl u’ which
can be contagious but
is fortunately treatable.
Pet journalist Caroline
Zambrano learns more
about this condition,how it can be recognised
and how to treat it.TUMMY TUMMY
TROUBLESTROUBLES
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