Dog Bowel

" The dog bowel anatomically refers to the intestine, which has two segments i.e. small and large. This segment is extended from the stomach to the anus. It absorbs digestive material and is responsible for the expulsion of excretory material in the intestine by movements, called bowel movements or defecation. There are several conditions such as infections, infestations, inflammation, bloat, blockage, tumors, ulcers and absorptive problems which may affect its functioning thus causing different symptoms as diarrhea, illness, abdominal pain, constipation, weakness and generalized illness. Diagnosis of canine bowel problems may be done by a clinical examination and laboratory examination of different samples including fecal samples, endoscopy, radiography and sometimes exploratory surgery. Treatment is accomplished specifically with different drugs and in some cases surgery. Natural remedies can help in supporting bowel function and in the prevention of common bowel problems. "

Types of Dog Bowel Problems:

The canine bowel or intestine is a vital part of the gastrointestinal tract. The intestine performs two different functions, i.e. absorption of digested nutrients into the blood stream and expulsion of waste from the body through bowel movements. Due to nature of its functions and its exposure to different pathogenic factors in digestive material, this part of the body may be affected by several different conditions. These conditions may be of any kind, i.e. infectious, non infectious, tumors, blockages, accumulation of gases, ulcers, and sometimes mechanical problems related with absorption of different components.

The following is an overview of the most common bowel problems in dogs:

• Inflammation: Bowel inflammation refers to two different forms i.e. dog gastritis and dog colitis, i.e. of the small intestine and colon respectively. Inflammation is an immediate response of the body towards a pathological condition (disease) that causes swelling, redness, pain, loss of function and increased temperature over the bowel surface. Inflammation usually occurs in response to infections, injuries, ulcers and tumors.
• Infections: Different microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungus may infect the bowel causing different health problems. Symptoms such as intestinal lesions, diarrhea, ulcerations and sometimes gaseous accumulation and blockage due to inflammatory swelling may occur.
• Infestations: Different parasites such as helminthes (parasites), protozoan etc can cause bowel problems in dogs by causing diarrhea, lesions, ulcers, and blockages or they can prevent absorption. These parasites not only cause health issues in dogs but also consume nutrients or suck blood from the dog’s body causing progressive weakness.
• Ulcerations and Tumors: Both of these are considered to be the most complicated conditions associated with a canine bowel. Ulcers are incurable lesions caused during infections, infestations or inflammations and remain unattended. These are hard to recover and cause severe pain and discomfort in the affected dog.

  On the other hand, tumors (cancerous developments) which are uncontrolled growths may either cause a blockage or severe ulcerations and irrecoverable lesions on the surface of the bowel. These are considered to be incurable and the prognosis for both conditions remains low.

Diagnosis of Dog Bowel Problems:

Clinical symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, the unusual appearance of feces etc commonly indicate bowel problems. To identify the exact issue and possible outcome a detailed clinical examination along with certain laboratory tests and x-rays might be needed. In more complex cases, like in the case of tumors, cancer or a blockage, exploratory surgery might also be needed for identification of the cause of the canine bowel problem and to determine the required treatment as well.

Treatment of Dog Bowel Problems:

Conditions relating to infections, infestations, inflammation etc are treated with specific drugs such as antibiotics, anti parasitic drugs and anti inflammatory drugs. Along with specific drugs certain other drugs might also be needed which help restrict digestive activity until recovery.

Feeding adjustments and special foods might also be needed to prevent any complications and to support recovery. Surgery is the treatment of choice in cases of bowel obstructions, tumors or cancers. Exploratory surgery performed for making a diagnosis is turned into the actual treatment; sometimes more then one surgical operation might be needed in complicated cases and when there are distributed cancerous tumors over the bowel.

Additional support may be administered with supplements, and are recommended once the dog resumes eating. These can be added to dog food and water.

Natural remedies are another option to keep bowel movements normal, for help in maintaining a limited microbial population and to prevent the accumulation of gases, thus keeping the bowel healthy. Bowel problems and natural products that could help regulate the bowel include:

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References:

Merck Veterinary Manual (Merck & Co. 2008)