Colitis diet dog
He may also need to test the pancreas for its ability to produce digestive enzymes. Sudden (acute) colitis If your dog suddenly develops colitis, it is probably induced by stress, such as boarding, moving, severe weather or some other change in lifestyle, or it could be from a dietary indiscretion, such as emptying the garbage can, too many treats or a sudden change in diet. And, like many conditions that frustrate an easy diagnosis, colitis can also have the opposite effect and cause constipation. The colon is another name for the large or lower intestine. To properly classify and treat colitis-related diarrhea, it must be determined whether the problem is in the small intestine (which is the more serious of the two) or in the large intestine. Is it acute ( i. e. There are three functions of the colon: storing stool, absorbing water, and further digestion of unabsorbed nutrients. These nourish the cells of the colon (which have a life expectancy rate of one week), and control the ph balance so that the toxins that are excreted will not be reabsorbed as well as producing gasses and pigments used in creating stools. Simply put, colitis is an inflammation of the colon. This can lead to painful and frequent trips to the backyard for your dog, often to pass watery, bloody stool. Whipworms are a common cause of colitis in dogs, but they are difficult to detect. The veterinarian should also check for parasites as they can cause colitis.
Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease: This is a group of diseases of the small and large intestines. Causes There are many causes of colitis, but a few make up the majority of cases seen by vets. Parasites: Whipworms are intestinal parasites that live in the upper colon and grow to two to three inches long. A major obvious symptom of colitis is diarrhea. The bacteria take the left-over fibers and break them down into three bio-chemicals: acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Foreign bodies: Grass and straw contains lots of indigestible fiber that can irritate the colon. A fecal smear or cytology test should be performed under the microscope to check for pathogenic bacteria that can cause colitis (especially the Clostridial organisms). Dogs that eat any nonfood material are always at risk of suffering from periodic bouts of colitis. If your veterinarian suspects whipworms, he may suggest treating the dog for the whipworm and see it that resolves the problem. , has it appeared suddenly), chronic (ongoing for several weeks), or episodic (recurring time after time). The remaining food, composed mainly of indigestible fibers, enters the colon. A few whipworms rarely cause a problem, but as they multiply they can trigger diarrhea and bloody stool. Its main function is the reabsorption of water to reduce the volume of fecal matter. The colon is the final part of the digestive tract.
