Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

in dogs on corticosteroid therapy and those with Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes
mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and intestinal parasites.
Stool eating is undesirable, not only for aesthetic reasons but because
ingesting animal feces can bring in intestinal parasites. Dogs who eat large
amounts of horse manure can develop severe vomiting and diarrhea. Dogs
who eat the feces of large animals that were wormed recently may develop
toxicity from the worm medication residue present in the stools.
Treatment: Veterinary examination is warranted to check for parasites and
other medical problems. Management includes removing stools from the
environment as quickly as possible, making cat litter boxes inaccessible to
dogs, and distracting the dog by providing extra exercise and interaction with
pets and humans. Providing suitable chew toys may also help prevent
coprophagia caused by boredom. Sometimes, giving the dog canned food to
provide a similar texture may help.
A number of ingredients have been suggested as additives to the dog’s food
to improve digestion or to render the stools unappetizing. A partial list
includes meat tenderizers, crushed pineapple, Viokase, B-complex vitamins,
sulfur, glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, sauerkraut, and canned pumpkin.
Forbid is a frequently recommended product made from alfalfa that gives
the stool a disagreeable odor and taste. There are no scientific studies to prove
or disprove the effectiveness of any of these additives, but anecdotal reports
suggest they may be of benefit in some cases.
PERITONITIS
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM • 279
Inflammation of the cavity containing the abdominal organs is called peritonitis.
Peritonitis occurs when digestive enzymes, food, stool, bacteria, blood,
bile, or urine leak into the peritoneal cavity. Common causes are bloat, ruptured
ulcers, perforations caused by gastrointestinal foreign bodies, intestinal
obstructions, rupture of the uterus, rupture of the bladder, acute pancreatitis,
penetrating wounds of the abdomen, and breakdown of suture lines following
intestinal surgery.
Peritonitis can be localized or diffuse. In localized peritonitis an apron of
fat (called the omentum) seals off and contains the source of contamination.
In diffuse or generalized peritonitis, the infection spreads rapidly throughout
the abdominal cavity.
Dogs with generalized peritonitis have severe abdominal pain and are
reluctant to move. Vomiting is common. Pressing on the abdomen causes the
dog to groan. The abdomen has a tucked-up appearance and feels rigid or
boardlike, owing to reflex spasms of the abdominal wall muscles.
Dehydration, infection, and shock rapidly ensue. The pulse is weak and
thready, breathing is rapid and labored, and the gums are cool and pale. The
capillary refill time is prolonged more than three seconds. Collapse and death
occur in a matter of hours.