Spring- Keeping Your Pet Healthy, John Eustis DVM

Spring- Keeping your Pet Healthy

Spring is here, and with the warmer temperatures we start to see many dogs that are either vomiting, have diarrhea or both. A few years ago I think I figured out why we seem to see this epidemic of GI problems in the spring. My theory is that all the birds, mice, chipmunks and anything else that has died over the winter, in addition to various animal feces that had been frozen for the winter, has now thawed.

For many dogs this is a treat they just can’t resist! Many times these tasty little treats are badly decomposed and contain many different forms of pathogenic bacteria. Also, all of the ponds and lakes thaw, and dogs start drinking out of them again.

Finally, there are several diseases that affect puppies and are more easily transmitted between dogs in the spring when they are outside and mingling more with other dogs.

Most of the time, the first thing that you will notice is vomiting, diarrhea or both. This usually occurs within 6-24 hours of ingestion of the contaminated material. Sometimes the dog just vomits the material up and that is the end of it. Unfortunately, what usually happens is the dog vomits at first and then begins to have runny, watery and sometimes bloody diarrhea. At this point it is a good idea to get your four-legged friend to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

When a dog is vomiting he’s not able to keep anything like water or food down long enough for it to be absorbed. When he is simultaneously vomiting and having diarrhea, he can become severely dehydrated very quickly. Puppies can be even more quickly and severely affected, as they have little reserves of fat to call on when they can’t eat. Dehydration can lead to kidney failure and death very quickly if left untreated.

Diarrhea in dogs can be caused by many different types of bacteria, several different types of parasites and several types of viruses, some of which can be fatal. Besides eating putrefied remains and feces, dogs drinking from puddles, ponds and streams can get organisms that can cause diarrhea.

One of the parasites that commonly causes diarrhea is call Giardia. It is also known as “beaver fever,” and is the reason that you are told not to drink the water from lakes and rivers when you are camping. While not all dogs that drink from these sources will get sick, some may, and occasionally it can lead to severe and even life-threatening diarrhea and vomiting. There was a vaccine for the prevention of Giardia, but in my experience it didn’t work very well and has been taken off the market.

Giardia can be prevented by commercial filters used for camping or by drinking

Dr. John Eustis, DVM, Orchard Veterinary Hospital, S. Burlington only bottled or tap water. With some dogs nous fluids, injections of antibiotics and though, it is impossible to prevent inges- anti-nausea medications. tion, as they are swimming dogs and will Prevention of these infections can be be ingesting the water no matter what. In as simple as a vaccine for Parvovirus, but these cases I recommend just monitoring can be more problematic in some dogs that your dog. As I said, most dogs will not have insist on eating anything they find on the any problems. ground, or drinking out of every puddle In puppies there is a virus called or pond they come across. I have several Parvovirus that can cause severe diarrhea, patients that, unfortunately, need to wear vomiting and even death very quickly. a basket muzzle every time they go outFortunately, Parvo is a very preventable dis- doors. They will eat anything they find, ease, and is one of the core vaccines that all and become sick almost every time. One puppies should get every 3-4 weeks begin- owner tells me that whenever her dog is in ning at about 6-8 weeks of age, and continu- the woods, he comes back with the basket ing until they are 16-20 weeks old. muzzle packed with dirt and leaves! Regardless of the pup’s vaccine status, Cats can also have most of these same if your puppy begins having any of these problems, but fortunately cats seem to have symptoms, get him to your veterinarian them less often. I think because it’s true immediately. As I said, puppies have very what they say about cats, they’re finicky little reserves and can get very sick, very eaters. fast. While not every dog is going to get sick Treatment for any of these diseases will every time it eats something off the ground, depend on what your veterinarian finds many will. With diarrhea and vomiting it’s when they examine your dog, as well as no fun for the dog, and no fun for the cleanexamining a fecal sample. Many times all ing crew! If your dog is showing these sympthat is needed is antibiotics or an anti-par- toms it is VERY important to get them to asitic, for mild to moderate cases. In more your veterinarian as soon as possible. You severe cases where there is dehydration and can speed the diagnosis and become one severe vomiting and diarrhea, the dog may of your vet’s favorite clients, if you bring a need to be hospitalized and given intrave- fresh fecal sample along with you.