Doggie Tummy Trouble: Gastritis
Like people, dogs can get upset stomachs too. Stomach inflammation, called gastritis, can be caused by much of the same offenders that cause human tummy upset—spoiled food, ulcers, viruses or bacteria. Other causes of stomach inflammation include food allergies, sudden diet changes, foreign bodies, parasites or health issues that cause secondary problems like gastritis (such as cancer).
Signs of Stomach Inflammation
The most common signs of stomach inflammation are vomiting, lethargy and refusal of food. The episode may be mild and short lived, requiring little if any attention or severe, requiring veterinary treatment.
Also like people, mild conditions can be treated with a dose of a stomach-soothing bismuth medication like Pepto-Bismol and resting the dog’s stomach by withholding food and then introducing small amounts of a mild food source, like chicken and rice.
Treatment of Stomach Inflammation
If the dog is vomiting for more than 24 hours, he will require veterinary attention. He may be dehydrated and may require subcutaneous or intravenous delivery of fluid to rehydrate his body. If the dog has a temperature over 103 degrees F, he will also require veterinary attention to reduce his fever.
Chronic episodes of gastritis require veterinary attention because they could be indicative of a more serious issue rather than a disagreement with food. For dogs with chronic conditions, the veterinarian may need to run a battery of tests to rule out causes including x-rays; blood, urine and fecal analyses; ultrasound; or endoscopy. Chronic gastritis that is related to diet may require a permanent change of diet for the dog, and formulas exist that are geared toward dogs with sensitive stomachs or food allergies. Your veterinarian can describe them and how to feed them to your dog.
Preventing Stomach Inflammation
You can help prevent stomach problems for your dog by feeding him a diet that is formulated and fed in the appropriate amount for his age and health status. Maintain a consistent program with the type of good and times of feeding. Also ensure that your dog is properly evaluated and on a preventative program for parasite management and vaccination.
Remember that dogs don’t think logically like people, and you might have to dog-proof your home in much the same you might child-proof one for young children. Keep your dog safe from items he might swallow that could become logged in his digestive tract.
Also remember that dogs are often drawn to eat strange things that would revile most of us—like road kill, poisons such as antifreeze, or garbage.
If you keep your dog safe from eating foreign objects or garbage, keep up to date on his preventive medicine regimen, and pay attention to the health of his diet, you’ll be on the right road to helping prevent stomach issues.