Digestive problems are relatively common in both cats and dogs. Digestive issues can present in a variety of ways. Mild distress could be in the form of excessive flatulence and stools that are less formed than usual. You can usually just ride out those symptoms. However, be on the lookout for signs of soft stool to feces the consistency of water, blood in the stool, vomiting, and noticeable abdominal bloating. Depending on where the blood comes from, you could see bright red blood or material that looks like coffee grounds in the vomit or feces. Your pet may be acting completely normal or may be hiding, whining, or drowsy.
When your pet has some type of GI distress, they are often in pain, irritable, and maybe ashamed that they made a mess. They also rely on you to help them feel better.
Unfortunately, there are many reasons your pet may feel sick to their stomach, and your baby’s particular reason may be difficult to discern. So what are the causes of digestive problems in pets?
Infection
- Parvo or Distemper: especially seen in puppies but can be seen in unvaccinated adults.
- Intestinal parasites: monthly heartworm prevention should help with many intestinal parasitic infections. However, giardia and coccidia can still be a cause, among others.
Eating Things They Shouldn't
- Toxins and irritants: these can range from mild to severe and come from certain decorative plants, household cleaners, glues, and foods that aren’t safe for your pets.
- Foreign bodies: these occur when a pet swallows something too large to pass through the intestinal tract. This can be so many things: children’s toys, socks and underwear, hair ties, a large number of acorns, rocks, etc.
- Cats are particularly prone to something called a linear foreign body, which occurs when they eat long strings. This is very serious.
Stress
Stress and anxiety can cause diarrhea in cats and dogs, similar to stomach aches some kids get before school or a big test.
- Separation anxiety
- Other illnesses (for example, managing diabetes can be stressful and lead to diarrhea)
- Moving
- New family members (pets, babies, new partners)
Diet
If the food your pet eats is causing digestive problems, you’ll usually notice consistent symptoms rather than a sudden onset of GI distress.
- Homemade diets may lack nutrients that encourage good gut health
- Some commercial diets are known to veterinary staff to cause GI problems in pets
- Sensitive tummies may require specific foods (or avoidance of foods)
- Rapidly changing from one food to another
What to Do
The steps you should take really depend on the cause and the severity of your pet’s symptoms.
If Mild:
Mild symptoms mean your pet is experiencing diarrhea without any signs of blood (either bright red or with the appearance of coffee grounds), vomiting only once or twice, but your cat or dog is interacting with the family normally.
- Address any new stressors. Allow your pet to slowly acclimate to a new environment or family member. Work on alleviating separation anxiety.
- Consider supplements
- Probiotics and prebiotics – from a supplement or even from food!
- Yogurt and kefir should be accepted
- Apples, legumes, oats, flaxseed, or any other fruit/veggie your pet likes (that is safe) will provide them with prebiotic fiber. Cats may prefer cat grass.
- Digestive enzymes – though this is less likely to be beneficial
- Temporarily feed unseasoned chicken and white rice
- Give this 2-3 days max to help settle their stomach. If this works, gradually reintroduce their regular diet by mixing the 2 with increasing proportions of their regular food.
Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian if these don’t improve mild symptoms within 2-3 days.
If More Severe:
If your pet vomits more than a couple of times, there is blood in the stool or vomit, the diarrhea is very frequent, or your pet is listless or appears to be in pain when you lightly pet its stomach, or the stomach appears bloated only on one side.
Call your vet ASAP; these can all be symptoms of serious illness, including potential emergency situations.
Prevention
- Discuss your diet choice with your veterinarian. They see many pets on different diets and can give you an idea of brands they commonly see problems with. They can also determine if your pet needs a specialty diet.
- If your pet has a particularly sensitive stomach, consider a probiotic/prebiotic supplement as part of your daily routine. There are several good pet-specific products available.
- If you change their diet, gradually mix the two diets together over a week or so.
- Keep items that may cause an upset tummy in a safe space.
- Provide safe items for your pets to chew on and ensure they get plenty of exercise to prevent boredom. A bored pet chews on things they shouldn’t!
- If your pet is sensitive to stress, take care to minimize stress during significant life events. Anxious pets may benefit from anxiety medication for a short time.
- Keep your pet up to date on all vaccines and parasite prevention as your veterinarian recommends. This may vary based on your location.
Conclusion
There are many causes of digestive distress in both cats and dogs. Some potential causes are:
- Infection
- Eating things that irritate or block the GI tract
- Stress
- Diet – either poor quality food or individual intolerance to an ingredient
- Some genetic conditions can also cause GI problems, but these are usually associated with additional symptoms
While mild symptoms may be treated at home, ongoing or more severe symptoms should always be discussed with a veterinarian. If your pet appears to be feeling poorly (lethargic, irritable, or painful), consider seeking a veterinary consult, even if the GI symptoms seem mild.