The process of dog digestion of food

The dog’s ability to digest food is very strong. Its stomach is irregular pear-shaped, and the hydrochloric acid content in the gastric juice is as high as 0.4% - 0.6%. . Hydrochloric acid swells proteins, making them easier to break down and digest. Therefore, dogs have a strong ability to digest high-protein foods, which is also the nature of carnivores.

Dogs can empty all the food in their stomachs 5-7 hours after eating, which is much faster than other herbivores or omnivores. Moreover, dogs have a larger stomach capacity and a shorter digestive tract. , food begins to be digested in the stomach, but most food still proceeds in the intestines. Dogs have thick intestinal walls and relatively strong absorptive capacity.

Dogs eat food that causes gastrointestinal discomfort

Although dogs have lived with humans for a long time, they have gradually adapted to humans living habits, but some foods are still not suitable for dogs to eat, and parents should understand them.

1. Eating shrimp, crab, cuttlefish, octopus, jellyfish, etc. can easily cause indigestion for dogs.

2. Do not feed chicken bones to dogs. Chicken bones are relatively brittle and turn into small pieces after being chewed. The tips of the small pieces are particularly sharp and can easily scratch the stomach and intestines if the dog swallows them.

3. Cauliflower is a food that can cause diarrhea in dogs.

4. Peas, broad beans, soybeans, etc. contain alkaloids and are prone to flatulence after eating.

5. Almonds, melon seeds, sesame seeds, and nuts are not easy for dogs to digest.

6. Coffee, tea, chocolate, etc. contain neurotoxic, cardiac and gastrointestinal toxins.

7. Excessive use of almonds, peaches, wild mold, bitter melon, plums, prunes, and mushrooms can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and lower abdominal pain.

8. High fat: It will increase the workload of the digestive system. Some special breeds, such as Schnauzers and Dachshunds, can easily induce pancreatitis due to high fat foods.

Causes of gastrointestinal discomfort in dogs

1. Eating too much

Dogs are very hungry animals, so eating too much will cause discomfort and vomiting in the dog. When your dog vomits, you should check the state of the vomit. If it is foamy and sticky, it is most likely an esophageal problem. If necessary, you can get some samples to the hospital for testing.

2.Rumination

Dogs also regurgitate because they usually eat by swallowing rather than chewing carefully. So they spit out the food they eat and then eat it right back. This kind of vomiting is physiological vomiting. The dog does nothing. Parents need not panic!

3. Acute gastritis

If a dog's vomiting is transparent and white after vomiting, it means that the vomited gastric juice is gastric juice. This type of vomiting is the most common case of acute gastritis. CanYes, the dog has no other symptoms after vomiting, so don’t worry, just fast for 12 hours. If there are other reactions, you should go to the hospital for a comprehensive test.

4.Gastrointestinal ulcer

If your dog’s vomit is yellow-green, it represents bile. If this happens, you should see a doctor. There are many problems caused by vomiting bile, which cannot be judged from the appearance. In addition to liver, kidney, pancreas and other problems, it may also be gastrointestinal ulcers!

5. Diet

Stomach and intestinal problems in dogs are definitely related to their diet. If you eat too much meat or greasy food, your dog's stool will become soft; if you eat bones, it will become hard; if you eat fruits and vegetables, it will make your dog thinner. Dog food is the main diet of dogs. However, there are many types of dog food, some of which are poor in nutrients. If you only eat this kind of dog food for a long time, it may cause nutritional deficiencies in some aspects. It is recommended that you buy some dog food for your dog and change its brand frequently. When changing dog food, don’t change it all at once. Gradually add new dog food with each meal, allowing the dog's gastrointestinal tract to adapt slowly.

6. Bleeding

If your dog vomits bright red stuff, don’t hesitate. Send to the hospital for treatment immediately, this is a symptom of acute bleeding!

Common symptoms and treatment of gastrointestinal discomfort

The specific manifestations of gastrointestinal discomfort in dogs are: diarrhea, vomiting, digestive disorders, food intolerance, anorexia, digestive system disorders, etc. , these are common symptoms. The most common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, and these two symptoms happen to be easily ignored by parents. Because some parents do not know enough about the early symptoms of the disease, the dog's condition worsens, leading to weight loss, bloody stools, and even life-threatening situations.

1. Diarrhea and vomiting are relatively common in dogs. Diarrhea is caused by accelerated intestinal peristalsis, increased intestinal mucosal secretion and malabsorption. It is more common in intestinal diseases. Diarrhea is characterized by the discharge of unformed or liquid feces and is a symptom of many diseases. Diarrhea in dog babies often leads to dehydration and death, so the disease must be treated as soon as possible.

2. Dogs vomit easily. Baby dogs stand out more. They may vomit when they eat too much or when they eat something irritating. Vomiting is also a dog's self-protection phenomenon. Sometimes they will consciously go out and find weed to swallow, which can cause their stomachs to vomit. For vomiting and diarrhea, in addition to general treatments such as supplementing normal saline and antibiotic treatment, special attention should be paid to the dog's diet, eating less food and easily digestible food.

3. There are many factors that cause gastrointestinal discomfort in dogs. For example, when dogs go out for walks and games, they often have the opportunity to accidentally ingest insect eggs exposed in the environment. These eggs will parasitize in dogs. In the body, or if the dog accidentally eats moldy and rotten food, accidentally swallows foreign objects, long-term use of antibiotics, the intestinal flora is imbalanced and harmful bacteria increase., intestinal infection or malnutrition can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

4. It is very important for dogs to eat small meals frequently. Feeding too much at one time will suddenly increase the burden on the dog's stomach and easily cause indigestion and vomiting. If possible, adult dogs should be fed twice a day, and three times a day before 5 months old. If you cannot ensure that you feed your dog regularly, you must also control the amount each time. You cannot give it all the food for the day at once, and let it Being a little hungry is better for his stomach than being stuffed. Parents should be concerned about feeding as little dry and hard food as possible, which is very difficult to digest for dogs with poor gastrointestinal problems.