Gastritis is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions in dogs. It consists of irritation of the stomach wall and can be acute, if it appears suddenly and lasts only a few days, or chronic, when it lasts for a long time. weather. Although this disease is not usually serious, it does require proper treatment. To detect it early and prevent the clinical picture from getting worse, in this article on our site we explain what is gastritis in dogs, what are its causes, symptoms, treatment and how you can prevent this condition.
What is gastritis in dogs?
As we go on, gastritis is the name given to the irritation of the stomach wall that can occur fromacute or chronic form In the first case, the clinical signs appear suddenly and are intense and continuous, but usually resolve within 24-48 hours. The main sign of gastritis is vomiting. As these also appear in serious diseases, such as peritonitis, it is advisable to consult the veterinarian, unless we are clear about the cause of their appearance.
In chronic gastritis what we will see is that the dog manifests intermittent vomiting over days or weeks. These cases require veterinary examinations to reach a diagnosis and may be the result of the evolution of an unresolved acute gastritis. It must be taken into account that in both acute and chronic gastritis there are numerous causes capable of triggering them. We review the main ones in the next section.
Causes of gastritis in dogs
Gastritis can affect any dog, regardless of its breed or sex, but we can highlight a risk factor, which is the intake of irritating or potentially toxic substances. This will be more frequent in those specimens that usually eat from garbage, wander without any control or ingest feces or grass. Puppies or younger dogs, due to their eagerness to explore, are also at greater risk of making this type of inappropriate intake. But there are still more causes of gastritis in dogs. We list the most common depending on whether it is an acute or chronic gastritis. If you are not sure why your dog is vomiting, go to the vet.
Causes of acute gastritis in dogs
Acute gastritis is almost always associated with the ingestion of irritating substances to the dog's stomach. For example, spoiled food, garbage, feces, plastics, hair or bones. Overeating can also trigger acute gastritis. But there are more causes, such as:
- Some medicines, such as antibiotics. If this is the case for your dog, let your vet know.
- Toxic or poisonous substances such as antifreeze, fertilizers or herbicides.
- Some serious diseases, such as parvovirus, although they are usually accompanied by other clinical signs.
- Intestinal parasites, to take into account especially if your dog does not undergo regular internal deworming.
- Stress.
Causes of chronic gastritis in dogs
For its part, chronic gastritis, more common in middle-aged dogs, can also appear when the dog ingests irritating substances his stomach, but not punctually, but persistently. For example, dogs that regularly eat grass, paper, plastic, etc., follow pharmacological treatment or are exposed to toxins can suffer from chronic gastritis. Other causes are:
- Hairballs, especially during the moulting season. It is not as frequent as in cats, but there are also specimens that lick themselves and can swallow a considerable amount of hair. If this is compacted together with foreign bodies and gastric fluids, it ends up causing the so-called bezoars or trichobezoars. If they get big enough, they won't be able to be expelled from the stomach.
- Food allergies.
- Serious illnesses, such as kidney or liver failure.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Finally, you should know that it is not always possible to find a cause.
Symptoms of gastritis in dogs
The main symptom of gastritis is vomiting, which, as we explained, can be serious and continuous, in acute gastritis, or intermittent in cases of chronic gastritis. The dog can also feel abdominal pain, although it will not always be easy for us to assess it. In addition, depending on the presentation of the disease, we can detect other clinical signs:
- Acute gastritis: these dogs usually vomit after eating, they feel lethargic and we can find them sitting with their heads hanging over the water bowl. If the vomiting is very intense and does not subside, the dog could become dehydrated Some dogs try to compensate for this situation by increasing their water intake. The vomit is usually clear or yellow in color. Other noticeable signs are nausea, hypersalivation and anorexia.
- Chronic gastritis: in addition to lethargy, affected dogs lose weight, have less appetite, so it is not uncommon for handlers to declare "my dog has gastritis and does not want to eat", his coat does not shine and it is common for foreign bodies or undigested food to appear in the vomit. Also try to eat grass. Vomiting is not related to food. Chronic gastritis can cause gastroduodenal ulcers If this is the case, digested blood can be seen in vomit, which looks similar to coffee beans, or fresh. This is a complication that requires urgent veterinary care.
Diagnosis of gastritis in dogs
The diagnosis is based on the physical examination of the dog, the clinical signsthat it presents and the anamnesis, that is, all the information that the veterinarian collects about its habits. The professional will ask us if he has been able to eat garbage, if he has had access to any toxin, if he is dewormed and vaccinated, if he follows any pharmacological treatment, etc. The vet can diagnose acute gastritis and prescribe treatment, but if the dog does not improve, further tests will be necessary to find the cause. Analysis of blood and urine, coprology, x-rays or ultrasound are the most common tests in these cases. When chronic gastritis is suspected, the fastest way to confirm the diagnosis is to perform a gastroscopy with biopsy of the gastric wall.
How to cure gastritis in dogs? - Treatment
The treatment will depend on whether we are facing an acute or chronic presentation, the characteristics of our dog and, of course, the cause. The milder cases, which are the majority, can even be treated at home, as long as the dog is a he althy adult. Puppies, the elderly or those specimens that have already been diagnosed with some other disease must be evaluated by the veterinarian.
In less mild cases or when the dog is more vulnerable, the vet may choose to prescribe medication to control vomiting and the cause which you suspect. Examples include antiemetics or gastric protectors, and probiotics Never give your dog any medication on your own without a professional's prescription. Dogs with vomiting that does not subside will have to receive the drug for gastritis in dogs by parenterally, that is, punctured or intravenously.
When gastritis is chronic, the treatment will be decided based on the cause determined by the veterinarian and may include corticosteroids, antibiotics and gastric protectors. It is also important to follow a specific diet that facilitates digestion and distribute food several times a day. In this case, a menu that is easy to digest and low in fat and fiber is recommended.
Management of gastritis in dogs at home
At home, remember, only mild cases of he althy adult dogs can be treated The first thing is withdraw food and drink for a period of about 12 hours. If the vomiting subsides, we can start offering the dog small amounts of water to see if he tolerates it, that is, if he does not vomit it. Depending on its size we will give it a quarter or a half glass of water. We can repeat the same amount every 2-3 hours, as long as you don't vomit. It is possible to give it with a syringe, without a needle, by placing it on the side of the mouth, in the hole behind the fang, and administering it little by little to avoid choking. Instead of water, you can give him some rehydration solution for dogs, which can be purchased at veterinary clinics.
After 12 hours without vomiting, we can reintroduce food, but not the usual. It is better to opt for a bland diet based on cooked rice and meat, without s alt or any fat. There are also special diets for dogs with digestive disorders for sale. In any case, we will give small amounts, such as 1-2 tablespoons every 2-3 hours. The next day we can increase the amounts if the dog still does not vomit. Gradually we will return to the usual food. If the dog vomits without stopping after a few hours of fasting, does not improve, vomits any liquid or solid that is given or presents more clinical signs, it is essential to go to the veterinarian.
What can a dog with gastritis eat?
As we pointed out in the previous section, the recommendation is that we offer the dog with gastritis, when the vomiting subsides and it accepts water without any problem, foods that are easy to digestand, in principle, that contain little fat so as not to strain your digestive system. Thus, if we do not want to complicate ourselves, we can buy some wet or solid food formulated specifically for convalescent dogs or with digestive problems. We will find them in veterinary clinics or specialized establishments. If we opt for a homemade diet, foods such as the following are recommended, always without s alt or fat:
- Rice white cooked.
- White meat Cooked like rabbit, chicken or turkey without skin.
- White fish such as hake.
- Curd. Other dairy products are not recommended.
- Chicken soup.
- Pasta or potato cooked.
- Boiled egg.
- Cooked ham or York.
- Carrot cooked.
- Banana.
How to prevent gastritis in dogs?
For all possible causes, the best treatment is always prevention. To prevent canine gastritis, we recommend that you take into account the following advice, whose objective is to prevent the dog's access to dangerous substances and prevent stress from leading it to inappropriate intake:
- Teach your dog Not to steal food from the trash or the floor.
- Don't let him wander Alone.
- Creates a safe environment, preventing their access to potentially toxic substances.
- Give him a quality food.
- Give him the physical and mental stimulation he needs.
- Take care of your veterinary care and keep deworming and vaccinations up to date.
- Brush it regularly.
