Gastroenteritis means quite literally inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It can occur in humans, as well as animals, and can be life threatening in dogs. All dogs at sometime or another will vomit or may have loose stools or even diarrhoea. Often it will be caused by a change in diet and will soon settle down. However, Gastroenteritis can cause severe vomiting, blood in the dog's stools and loose watery stools.
Gastroenteritis in dogs can occur from eating rotten food and waste products which some dogs are prone to do. This can cause a bacterial infection which will totally upset the dogs digestive system. However, gastroenteritis can also happen because of the animals owner and their animal feeding regime. Giving a dog too many treats and fatty, food products which are designed for humans can cause stomach disorders and gastroenteritis. Instead of spoiling your dog you may actually be poisoning it or at the very least making it ill. Gastroenteritis in dogs is not contagious and will not be passed to you or your other pets. Sometimes the illness will resolve itself in a short space of time however for severe cases veterinary treatment will be advisable and may be essential.
As with people, really bad diarrhoea can dehydrate the patient quickly. It can be hard knowing what to give a dog during such an illness. Thankfully neither of my dogs has ever had Gastroenteritis but if they have an upset tummy I tend to starve them initially and then feed them with a small amount of plain, boiled rice and perhaps a little boiled chicken. They absolutely love this and class it as a treat. The rice is a good first food to feed a dog after a period of illness or even surgery. Dogs also thrive on pasta which is also easy for them to digest especially after an illness. Be careful though just what you give your dog to eat and when in doubt take professional advice.
In severe cases of Gastroenteritis a dog may need to have intravenous fluids which are given by a veterinarian. The vet may also want to take a blood and a faeces sample to test, so that other underlying problems can be ruled out. A thorough examination will also rule out anything more sinister. Occasionally the dog will have to be treat as an inpatient at your veterinary practice.
HGE, or Hemorrhagic Gastro-Enteritis as it stands for in dogs, can be lethal to your pet. This illness will result in a loss of blood which will be easily seen in the animals faeces. This form of Gastroenteritis presents most commonly in very small or young dogs, usually under the age of four. With appropriate care and treatment the dog should recover but these illnesses and an animal's recovery should never be taken for granted.
At the very least, if you suspect that your dog may have Gastroenteritis or HGE, you should call your veterinarian for advice. Keep the dog quiet and remove all food and water until the vet has given their opinion and advice. If the veterinarian recommends that you take your dog to the surgery for a consultation then I would say do so. Gastroenteritis is one of those illnesses which should never be ignored as the implications could be serious.
To try and prevent your dog getting Gastroenteritis:-
Watch the dogs diet.
Limit 'people' food and treats.
Never give a dog raisins, grapes, chocolate, onions and white bread as all can cause health problems. This list is not exhaustive though.
If your dog is a scavenging type keep it on a lead at all times when away from the home.
Do not leave food lying around at home.
Empty easy access bins promptly and move out of reach.
Do not give your dog left-overs.
Keep an eye on your dog and what it is getting up to.
On the whole Gastroenteritis, although nasty, does have a good recovery rate. However it will make your pet thoroughly worn out and uncomfortable and no-one wants that. It will be as well if it can be avoided in the first place.