Stomach Problems: The 4 Most Common Digestive Issues In Dogs

Is your pup experiencing tummy troubles? Learn about the 4 most common digestive issues in dogs and how to treat them.

Unfortunately, many dogs end up with gastrointestinal problems just like people do. The difference is that a person can tell you what they are feeling and a dog can’t. This means that many things going wrong will go unnoticed until they get quite ill.

Changes in their diet, as well as their physiology, will have an effect on their gut health. Digestive issues are fairly common in dogs with a few being the most common. It’s very important to not feed your dog off of the kitchen scraps since often these foods are quite toxic to their health.

Make sure to have the right food for them for their age. Change the feed for every stage of life they are in and always have it on hand so you aren’t tempted to feed them human food if you run out. Have a dog food delivery come regularly to make sure that you always have enough food.

In this article, we will go over the most common stomach ailments in dogs so you can be on the lookout and keep your dog healthy.

1 – Vomiting

Dogs vomit quite often. In fact, it would be very strange if you never had to deal with cleaning up dog vomit. Usually, it’s just an upset stomach and will pass soon enough.

There are times when it is a sign of something more serious. When your dog vomits, closely monitor him to see how he behaves afterward. If he continues on with his day as if nothing happened then he is likely fine and already feels better.

If the vomiting continues then it is cause for concern. When there are multiple moments when he vomits then start looking for some other symptoms that you will need to relay to the vet so they can make a diagnosis.

If the vomit is frequent and shows no signs of slowing down is the first symptom to look out for. Next up is to look at the vomit itself. Is there a large quantity? This is something the vet will want to know. Is he also having bouts of diarrhea? Make a note of when they have diarrhea and how long the time passes in between.

The most serious symptom to watch out for is if he has any blood in his vomit or stool. You shouldn’t panic, but do call the vet right away as there is a chance that they are having some heart or liver problems. Think about anything odd the dog ate in the days leading up to the illness and pass that information along to the vet.

2 – Chocolate toxicity

Something that every dog owner should know along with any guests that come over the house is that a dog absolutely cannot eat any chocolate. Chocolate is highly toxic for dogs and can cause some serious issues.

There is an alkaline compound called Theobromine which, along with the present caffeine will cause your dog a serious illness. The darker the chocolate, the more of the Theobromine it has in it which makes it even worse for him.

If you know that he ate some chocolate then contact your vet right away. If you only suspect that he did then keep an eye out for a few symptoms. If they are vomiting a lot with accompanying diarrhea then think about what he ate recently.

If he is restless in addition to those symptoms and is also drinking a lot of water and has a high heart rate then this is a sign that he likely is in distress. Take him right away to the vet since there could be an imminent heart failure coming up.

3 – Worms

Worms in your dog’s digestive tract are very common. They tend to eat some questionable things that they find while out and about. If they are in close contact with other dogs then the chances are high that they will have worms at some point.

The problem with worms is that they will take away many of the nutrients that dogs need before they have a chance to absorb them into their system. This causes a lot of diseases since they can’t keep their immune system high enough to fend them off.

Whipworms are some of the more mild ones that don’t tend to cause many problems. The same goes for tapeworms. If you see them in the dog’s stool then you can get some medications that will take care of the problem fairly quickly with little to worry about.

Hookworms, on the other hand, are quite a problem if your dog has them. They actually suck the blood from within and can be fatal if your dog has underlying issues or is very young.

Look for signs like a dull coat even when you are grooming them frequently and giving them a diet that should lead to a shiny and healthy one.

4 – Pancreatitis

Perhaps the most serious digestive issue a dog can have is pancreatitis. The pancreas is responsible for emitting the enzymes responsible for breaking down food in the digestive tract. Pancreatitis is when those enzymes are activated in the pancreas itself rather than the digestive tract. In essence, it breaks itself down and renders it useless.

Not only that, but the process itself is extremely painful for your dog. You’ll need to be on the lookout for some symptoms to understand how he is feeling. Vomiting is the first, but on its own doesn’t mean anything serious.

In addition, look for if they are disinterested in food and refuse to eat. This is odd behavior for a dog and if it is accompanied by vomiting and walking with an arched back then this is a sure sign that they are suffering greatly.

It’s very likely your dog is going to need surgery to repair the pancreas and get him back to health. Talk to your vet right away if you see any of these symptoms.