Diarrhoea is an unpleasant clinical symptom for both the owner and the animal which can also be life-threatening. Diarrhoea may be caused by different conditions and diagnostic procedures and treatment depend on them.

What are the causes of diarrhoea?

In simple terms, diarrhoea occurs if the function of large or small intestine is impaired. It can be caused by inability to digest or absorb food; excessive production of liquid in the intestine; malabsorption of this liquid; increased intestinal motility.

Kõhulahtisus võib olla nii esmane (primaarne) kui ka teisene (sekundaarne).

Diagnosis and treatment in the animal clinic

An individual diagnostic and treatment plan is composed for every patient depending on its condition, however, the most common diagnostic methods are:

• X-ray examination/radiology: to evaluate the state of internal organs and presence of opaque foreign bodies.
• Haematology of the blood sample: to evaluate the degree of infection
• Biochemistry of the blood sample: to evaluate the functioning of different organs via the analysis of the blood sample
• Faecal examination: to diagnose the presence of the parasites
• Ultrasonography: to evaluate the structures of the organ systems, assess intestinal motility, detect non-opaque foreign bodies.
• Express tests: to diagnose different diseases and detect pathogens.

The treatment plan usually comprises fluid therapy, to treat dehydration caused by diarrhoea, easily digestible food, probiotics to normalise intestinal contents. The treatment plan may be adjusted if a different primary cause is revealed.

What can be done at home?

If your animal suffers from diarrhoea, but its overall condition is good, the owner may start helping the pet applying the first aid methods.

Check, when the animal was last dewormed. If more than three months have passed since then, it is recommended to repeat the procedure. It is recommended to deworm kittens and puppies every month until the age of six months.

The animal may be fed easily digestible food: boiled unseasoned skinless chicken fillet with rice porridge. Pet pharmacies and animal clinics also sell special feeds meant for pets suffering from gastric or intestinal problems.

Probiotics are food supplements and have to be administered in case of diarrhoea.  They help neutralise and normalise intestinal microflora and bind liquid faecal masses.

It usually takes 1 – 3 days for the animal to recover from light gastro-intestinal problems.

If your pet’s condition deteriorates, the animal starts vomiting or you can notice fresh blood in the faeces, you should immediately contact the nearest animal clinic to get further instructions. You have to be especially careful with kittens and puppies, as their condition may quickly become life-threatening!