How to Treat Canine Gastroenteritis

Chronic canine gastroenteritis is a term used to describe severe digestive problems in dogs. Most veterinarians believe that the condition is caused not by illness, but rather food allergies. Symptoms of chronic canine gastroenteritis include severe diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, depression, dehydration and, in severe situations, death.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Dogs that are suffering from chronic canine gastroenteritis need to be taken to their veterinarian. Your veterinarian will be able to put your dog on an intravenous line to provide it with nutrients, make sure your dog stays hydrated, and then will run a series of tests to determine what is causing your dog's chronic canine gastroenteritis.

2. If the veterinarian determines that your dog's chronic canine gastroenteritis is the result of a food allergy, the simplest solution is to change your dog's diet and make sure that you never feed it the types of food that it is allergic to.

3. In cases where the cause of chronic canine gastroenteritis has been undetermined, feeding the dog a diet of soy hydrolysate diet has successfully eased the symptoms. Dogs placed on a soy hydrolysate diet have had their gastroenteritis clear up within six weeks. Dog foods that are specially mixed to assist with canine gastroenteritis include New Iams® Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Low-Residue™/Canine Dry Formula, New Iams® Veterinary Formulas Intestinal Low-Residue™/ Puppy Dry Formula, and Hill's Prescription Diet Canine. All of these dog foods are considered part of a prescription diet and can only be purchased at your local veterinary clinic.

4. Nervous and stressed-out dogs are more prone to chronic canine gastroenteritis than more laid-back dogs. Keeping your dog relaxed and calm will help decrease the symptoms of chronic canine gastroenteritis.

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