Are you worried about your dog who is suffering from diarrhea? Do not worry we are here for you. Although several factors can cause diarrhea in dogs, most of the time it’s diet. A high–protein diet can be the reason behind the dog suffering from bouts of loose stool. Hang in there, and you will get to know how too much protein in dog food cause diarrhea and affects the digestive system of the dog, along with prevention and solution. Have a look!
How too much protein in dog food caus diarrhea?
Diarrhea caused by intake of too much protein is known as Keto-diarrhea. When a dog consumes protein more than the daily requirement, it can cause diarrhea. Not only diarrhea makes the dog uncomfortable but also, it leads to multiple health problems. One of these issues is dehydration, which if not taken seriously, can lead to organ damage or even death. Other common side effects include fatigue, weight loss, weakness, and many more as most of the important nutrients are lost from the body excessively.
Is diarrhea only a direct result of too much protein intake?
Protein intake does not lead to diarrhea, but the adequate amount of proteins, as well as proteins you are choosing, are related to this issue hence, food choices are also very important in this regard.
How does too much intake of fatty proteins cause diarrhea in dogs?
The amount of carbohydrates is automatically limited in the diet when too much protein is consumed. But in most cases, fats come along with the protein, as most of the protein diet consists of plenty of fat. Although the fat is broken down into fatty acids, the excessive fat does not get absorbed. Hence, it moves to the colon as a result of which, different fluids are released. These fluids cause diarrhea but, the fortunate thing here is that, if too much protein in dog food cause diarrhea, dealing with it is not challenging at all. Just regulate the eating patterns, and your dog will get over it with time.
How to diagnose Protein is cause of diarrhea?
If your dog is suffering from loose stools, there can be multiple reasons behind it besides that too much protein in dog food cause diarrhea. Some of those reasons are stress, colitis, Irritable bowel syndrome, bacterial infections, side effects of medication, contamination of food, ingestion of garbage, food intolerance, and especially, change in diet. So, you cannot always say that too much protein is causing diarrhea. Hence, it is important to diagnose the exact reason behind it. If you assume that a high-protein diet is the root cause, then you will most probably restrict the amount of protein, which can lead to malnutrition as well if that is not the cause. So, for that, you must diagnose first, and find out the reason before taking action.
Diagnosis at home:
If the dog is not in a severe health condition, then you can diagnose this at home. Limit the amount of protein from the dog’s diet for a couple of days, and observe if there is any betterment in its digestive system also if he is passing the stool normally. If yes, then you are right that too much protein in dog food causes diarrhea. But if the dog continues passing loose stool, there must be some other reason. It is recommended to rush to the vet before it becomes worse.
Diagnosis by the vet:
If your dog has severe diarrhea, and you are unable to diagnose the root cause, it is recommended to visit a vet. Here are the steps he will perform to diagnose diarrhea.
Stool sample:
When you visit the vet to know if too much protein in dog food causes diarrhea or not, then he will run some tests immediately. For that, a sample of stool will be required by the vet that can either be provided by you or he can take that by himself as well. The sample is required to check either if there are any internal parasites causing diarrhea.
Important questions:
Besides this, eating patterns, diet, and food choices will be asked by you along with confirming that by any chance did the dog eat anything inappropriate. Also, he will most likely ask that how quickly your dog showed the signs of diarrhea after any change in diet or environment. Not only this, but you have to give the medical history of the dog as well.
Other tests:
A biochemistry panel, complete blood count, and urinalysis may also be recommended to make sure that there isn’t any other health problem.
Physical assessment:
The physical examination of the dog, including palpating the abdomen and checking the regular temperature will aid the vet in diagnosing the root cause of diarrhea.
What are the symptoms of protein diarrhea?
It is important to know that when a high-protein diet is bothering the dog way too much. Usually, the diarrhea is not severe hence, can be diagnosed as well as treated at home. But you should know when it is getting worse and it is time to visit a vet. The following symptoms will help you get an idea of that.
- A dog suffering from diarrhea for more than one day
- Vomiting
- Pain and discomfort
- Pale gums
- Fever
- Bloody stool
- Black colored stool
- The frequent urge of dog to go outside
- Dehydration
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy and fatigue
- Stomach ache
- Straining
- Having bowel movements inside the house
All of these are the signs and symptoms of severe diarrhea. If your dog is showing any of these signs, then that means limiting protein in the diet is not going to work but the dog will need some medical assistance. Hence, don’t waste a second and rush to the vet because this condition can be life-threatening.
How to manage diarrhea in the dog through diet?
Don’t you think that prevention of diarrhea is better than treatment? Prevention refers to an adequate amount of protein in food along with the right food choices. Well, let us have a look at the factors that prevent diarrhea caused by protein in dogs.
Add an adequate amount of protein to diet:
It is obvious that first of all, you have to decrease the protein-containing food choices for the dog. Select the protein food choices containing less fat to avoid the fat mal-absorption-the indirect cause of diarrhea. The requirement of a dog’s protein depends on its size, so we cannot say that there are some specific grams fixed. Every 18 to 25 percent of the dog’s diet should be protein, but if the percentage exceeds this limit, that can cause diarrhea. Hence, make sure you are giving the right amount of protein.
Easy to digest food:
Foods which are hard to digest can be harsh on the dog’s stomach. It is recommended to offer the dog home-made food. Not only this food will be easy on the dog’s stomach, but the dog will like the soft texture of the meal as well. Always give the dog small portions of meals, and keep the fat low, but boost the concentration of carbohydrates.
High-fiber diet:
Fibers are anti-inflammatory substances, which not only improve the gut but take care of proper digestion as well. Add more fiber to the diet of the dog, and this will help you in maintaining the right stool.
What is the treatment of diarrhea caused by a high-protein diet?
As the major cause of diarrhea here is too much protein in the diet hence, this means its treatment is to make the diet right. For that, you have to choose the food carefully, and keep a proper check of the proportions and servings as well. The following steps will help you to
Skip a meal:
When the dog is suffering from diarrhea, let it consume less food. It is recommended to withhold the diet for at least 24 hours as, too much intake of protein in dog food cause diarrhea. After that, you can the dog small portions of a bland diet.
Let him rest:
The dog already feels fatigued, tired, lethargic, and weak when it is suffering from diarrhea. Do not make it do any strenuous activity because that will make the dog’s condition severe. Let it rest, and pamper it as much as you can.
Provide fresh distilled water:
As the most common side effect of diarrhea is dehydration, keeping the dog hydrated should be the priority. At frequent intervals, let the dog drink some water to fulfill the fluids and electrolyte balance. However, it is recommended to offer the dog fresh water instead of chlorine-included water.
Addition of probiotics:
Helping the micro-floras in the gut of the dog would help the dog itself. A probiotic can do that hence, it is recommended to add some probiotics in the diet of the dog, such as yogurt.
Other medical issues caused by a high-protein diet:
Besides diarrhea, a high-protein diet can cause multiple other health issues as well. Some of these risks are:
- Weight gain
- Bad breath
- Kidney damage
- Increased cancer risk
- Heart disease
- Calcium loss
Bottom line:
Not only too much protein in dog food cause diarrhea, but it can lead to severe health conditions as well. If not treated properly on time, it can be life-threatening as well. Hence, giving the right amount of protein is very important for the dog’s health.