Getting a dog is like having a baby. It’s the most fulfilling experience but also comes with some challenges you should know.
One of the most annoying husky health problems you might have is when your dog has diarrhea. Huskies, in particular, are prone to diarrhea and other digestive tract problems because they tend to have sensitive stomachs.
So, why does my husky have diarrhea? Is there anything you can do to help your dog recover fast? We’ll answer these questions in our article, so let’s dive in.
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Why Does My Husky Have Diarrhea?
Every dog is different, but some breeds, like huskies, are prone to stomach issues like stomach aches and diarrhea. This can be a problem for a novice or even an experienced dog owner if you don’t know how to care for your sick dog.
Your husky might have diarrhea for various reasons.
- Your husky might be stressed because of a sudden environmental change.
- You’re using the wrong type of food, as some huskies have special dietary needs.
- You’ve just changed your dog’s food to a new diet that it doesn’t tolerate well.
- Your dog might be developing an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients in the food.
- Your dog has ingested a poisonous substance or plant.
- Your dog has eaten spoiled or rotten food from the garbage.
- Your dog has ingested a foreign material like a toy or a sock.
- The diarrhea is caused by a medication your dog takes for an illness.
- Your dog is suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.
- Your dog is suffering from a bacterial or fungal infection. Some internal parasites like tapeworms, giardia, and hookworms can also be the culprit.
- Some diseases like liver and kidney diseases cause diarrhea.
- It might happen because your dog has cancer or other internal tumors.
- Your dog might be suffering from hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.
What Should You Do When Your Husky Has Diarrhea?
In most cases, the diarrhea will resolve on its own. However, if it doesn’t, there will be several solutions to this problem. You might have to do one or all of them until your dog improves.
Fasting
Withholding food for a short period can help your dog recover and will also help you find out if the problem is caused by a change in the dog’s diet. As you limit or even prevent food for one day, you’ll allow the dog’s stomach and digestive tract to rest before they start breaking down food again.
This method won’t work for you if you have a puppy less than seven months old or a senior dog older than seven years old. In this case, withholding food can cause more problems.
If you let your dog fast, you should only withhold food for up to one day. You should also ensure your husky is drinking enough water to prevent dehydration.
Provide Easy to Digest Food
Diarrhea puts a lot of stress on the digestive tract, and it might be accompanied by other annoying symptoms like vomiting. Providing your dog with easy-to-digest bland food can help its stomach recover.
Boiled pasta, boiled chicken, dairy-free yogurt, and rice can all work for your sick dog. Make sure that you feed it small meals three times per day.
If you are interested in dog food brands to support a sensitive stomach, see our recommendations:
Use Probiotics or Prebiotics
Probiotics help dogs the same way they help humans, as they promote gut health. Several pills and gels can help harden the dog’s stool and stop the diarrhea.
These medications are safe because they boost the good bacteria already found in the dog’s colon. They contain live organisms that improve the levels of good bacteria in the body.
Prebiotics can also help a sick dog as long as no other medical issues are causing diarrhea. These are fiber-rich foods that provide good bacteria with nutrients to flourish.
When Should You Take Your Husky to the Vet?
Although it’s annoying, in most cases, diarrhea isn’t life-threatening. With a few changes in its diet, your dog will slowly recover.
However, you should consider visiting the vet in the following cases.
- Your dog tends to get sick more often than other dogs and for no apparent reason. This might be caused by a serious health issue, and diarrhea might be one of the symptoms.
- You haven’t changed the dog’s food or introduced any new ingredient to its diet.
- The amount of stool is more than usual.
- The husky’s diarrhea continues for more than a day.
- You notice that the dog’s stool looks bloody or black.
- Your dog is suffering from other symptoms like vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, or fever.
- Your dog has swallowed a foreign or toxic object.
Tips to Prevent Diarrhea
After your dog has recovered, there are a few things to do to protect it from feeling sick again.
- Discuss the dog’s diet with your vet. They might perform a test to ensure your dog isn’t allergic to any of the ingredients in its diet.
- Ensure your dog has a healthy balanced diet, drinks enough water, and exercises regularly.
- Avoid feeding your husky dinner leftovers, as some of the ingredients we use in our food aren’t safe for dogs.
- If you need to change the dog’s food, introduce one new item at a time.
- Check with your vet to guarantee that your husky is up to date with its vaccinations.
- Have your dog checked for parasites and discuss prevention tips with your vet.
- Keep spoiled and dirty food out of reach.
- Avoid keeping poisonous plants in areas that your husky has access to.
- Keep an eye on your dog when it’s playing outside so it doesn’t eat foreign objects or drink from water puddles.
- Make sure that your dog is as comfortable as possible to reduce stress.
Final Tips
Huskies are amazing dogs, but they tend to suffer from several digestive tract issues, especially diarrhea because they have sensitive stomachs. Several reasons can cause diarrhea, and it might resolve on its own.
To help your dog recover, you can withhold food or provide your husky with a bland diet to allow its digestive tract to rest. You should consult your vet if you don’t know what caused the diarrhea or if your dog gets sick too often.
What has helped your husky’s diarrhea?
Share your tips in the comments below.
