What is Colitis in Dogs?
Colitis in pet dogs is an illness that needs to be closely monitored and treated in order to provide your furry buddy as many healthy years as possible.
Colitis in dogs refers to the inflammation of the colon or large intestine. It generally causes diarrhoea or loose stools that contain mucus and blood. Additionally, these stools can be difficult to pass and can cause pain when your dog is toileting.
More information on the early signs of colitis and what are the causes of colitis and treatments for colitis in dogs can be found on this page.
Symptoms of Colitis in Dogs
Colitis can cause noticeable changes in your dog’s health and behaviour. Knowing the symptoms of Colitis in dogs is the first step in protecting your dog’s health. If any of these signs apply to your pet, bring your pet dog to your vet for a checkup:
- Soft or Liquid Stool
- Urgenecy to Stool
- Straining
- Pain when Deficating
- Bloody Stool
Please Note: The information presented on this article is designed to help inform you of colitis. It is not meant to replace the veterinary diagnosis or treatment for colitis. If you have any concerns or questions about your canine’s health or possible symptoms, be sure to contact and consult with your veterinarian as soon as you can.
The Main Causes of Colitis in Dogs
To understand and treat colitis in dogs, we need to know the underlying causes of colitis in dogs. This can help a pet parent prevent colitis occurring in the first place or again.
There are various causes of colitis in dogs:
- High amounts of stress
- Gut infections
- Pancreatitis
- Eating something unusual
- Immune diseases
- Parasites or worms
- Irritate Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Damage or an injury to the colon
- Allergies
Diagnosing Colitis in Dogs
No one knows your canine better than you do and hence it is critical that your pet be examined properly by a vet at least once a year.
When diagnosing colitis in dogs, your vet will check your dog's health history to rule out any other potential conditions and will get a stool sample to detect for parasites or worms.
They may also require an X-ray or ultrasound to detect for any foreign bodies in the digestive tract. Additionally, blood counts, colon biopsies or colnoscopies may be needed to identify the underlying cause of the colitis.
Contact your local vet to understand more about the treatments for colitis in dogs.
Preventing Colitis in Dogs
It is awful when your dog gets sick, and watching them suffer can be absolutely upsetting. With caution and a bit of extra care, a dog parent can ensure that dog stays protected from diseases such as colitis.
To not to appear weak or susceptible to predators, the innate survival instincts make pet dogs conceal diseases. This means comprehensive physical exams by a certified vet are vital to keep your family pets healthy. Usually, blood and urine tests carried out by your veterinarian are required to get the total picture of your animal’s health. These preventive checks actions will diagnose any illness sooner making treatment more successful and less expensive and, more significantly, will help your pet live a longer, healthier life.
There are several steps you can take to help revent colitis in dogs:
- Have annual checkups for worms and parasites
- Minimise stress in your dog's life
- Provide your pet a well-balanced diet and avoid unhealthy foods and treats
- Train your dog to "leave" foreign objects off the ground when they are out for a walk
- Feed your pet the same well-balanced diet consistently at the same time every day and avoid sudden changes
Treatment for Colitis in Dogs
There are various treatment options available, depending on the cause of colitis. Firstly, your vet would recommend a fasting period of 24-48 hrsto let the digestive track rest, followed by a new diet program with bland meals like boiled chicken and rice.
If the colitis is caused by worms or parasites, then worming treatment would be administered.
A few other treatment options may include proboitics to imrpove your dog's gut health, antimicrobial drugs for infections and anti-inflammatories to reduce gut pain and inflammation.
Chat to your vet to learn more about the treatments for colitis in dogs.