Diarrhea. That unpleasant, uncomfortable event that every animal and human experiences sometime in their lives.
In a healthy being, a bout of diarrhea is the body's way of detoxing and rebooting. It's usually an indication that our animal has eaten something that didn't agree with them, or undergone a stressful or traumatic event. I have learned that, frequently, the more sensitive an individual is, the more likely their digestive system manifests upsets due to stress and change. A day of diarrhea in a healthy animal is usually just a purging of something that needs to clear. However, if there is blood in it or other symptoms, or a compromised animal, be sure to see your vet ASAP.
New Treatment Recommendations
I recently read an excellent article by Dr. Karen Becker in which she recommends a better diarrhea remedy instead of the outdated, cooked ground beef and rice remedy. Once you've allowed your cat or dog to fast for 12 hours, being sure they are drinking water, she recommends introducing cooked ground turkey and mashed or canned organic pumpkin, in an 80/20 ratio, which are much better choices for good reasons. 1) ground turkey is less fatty than beef. 2) pumpkin is higher in soluble fiber than rice, and provides soothing qualities for the GI and nutrients such as potassium (replenishing if there's been likely dehydration). Rice is a starchy, pro-inflammatory carbohydrate with little nutritional value, in comparison, that turns to sugar, so it is never a good choice for diabetic animals.
Helpful Supplements, Herbs, Homeopathic Remedies
In many cases. the above recipe will provide relief and restore critical nutrients lost during the diarrhea episode. There are some excellent things to support continued soothing of the GI and rebuilding of the gut microbiota -- essential for restoring health and the immune system. The herbs, Slippery elm or Marshmallow root, probiotics and a few homeopathic remedies such as Nux Vomica.
Every animal's situation is different and it's important to find out what combination of food and supplements are ideal for their personal healing. Your holistic vet will be a big help, but your alopathic vet is unlikely to be familiar with any of the above and is likely to prescribe antibiotics alone. Many of these are super strong (like Flagyl) and are often overkill, unless there is a diagnosis or Giardia, Pancreatitis or a bacterial infection. Antibiotics will always require a rebuilding of the gut biome. When they are given to a very young animal, antibiotics can weaken their developing immune system for life. It's even more critical to rebuild their gut biome after a round of antibiotics (or steroids).
Do you have questions about keeping your beloved's GI healthy and happy, so that when a bout of diarrhea occurs, you're all set? Let's do a session! Click here for my schedule. With some mental and physical preparedness, you'll feel better so they will too!