It is not pleasant to see our pets fight health problems. In addition, the way to cope with diseases, in many occasions, is much more complicated than with people, since they cannot always express what hurts them. Knowing what is happening to them and how to fix it requires additional effort.

If you are noticing that your dog is not working as well as it normally does, particularly with issues related to digestion, you may be suffering from gastritis. It is a fairly common ailment, especially when these are young, since they tend to eat more things without any control.

Do you want to know what exactly canine gastritis is, what are its symptoms and how to treat it? So keep reading to find out everything.

What is gastritis?

Gastritis is an infection, in this case in dogs, the result of inflammation of the gastrointestinal lining in the stomach. This inflammation causes a variety of very annoying symptoms to the animal.

The lining of a dog’s stomach can be irritated by various substances or foreign bodies, which is very common in younger dogs, as they tend to eat things they shouldn’t.

Gastritis can be acute, where symptoms appear suddenly and severely, or chronic, where they appear constantly and may even worsen over time. If you have the feeling that your dog may be suffering from some kind of gastritis, do not hesitate to consult your vet.

Next, we will tell you more about the possible symptoms, the causes of gastritis and the possible treatments.

Common symptoms of gastritis in dogs

As we have previously said, the symptoms of gastritis in dogs are the result of inflammation in the gastrointestinal lining. When this, called gastric mucosa, becomes inflamed and the condition continues over time, it can cause other conditions such as ulcers, gastrointestinal blockage, or infection.

Next, we detail some symptoms that your dog may suffer in case of having gastritis. If you notice any of it, you should go to the vet to be examined and receive treatment:

• Excessive vomiting, which may include frothy, yellow bile.
• Decreased appetite or anorexia.
• Dehydration or increased thirst.
• Lethargy.
• Depression, sadness.
• Diarrhea.
• Blood in the stool or vomit.
• Black, tarry stools
• Abdominal discomfort or pain, which can cause a curved back.

In the case of acute gastritis, these symptoms can be severe, although they can also disappear within 24 hours. Gastritis can be chronic when it lasts more than two weeks, it even lasts over time and can have more serious consequences. In any case, we insist: it must be reviewed by a veterinarian.

Possible causes of gastritis in dogs

Acute cases of canine gastritis are generally caused by inflammation of the stomach due to the intake of contaminated substances or substances not prepared to be digested. One of these cases could result:

• Raw or spoiled, rotten or contaminated food.
• Trash.
• Sand for cats.
• Certain plants.
• Mold or fungus in the food eaten.
• Foreign objects or non-food items.
• Toxins or poisons, including chemicals and cleaning products.
• Medicines.

On the other hand, it could be that the cause was not related to something ingested by the dog. These causes could be:

• Infection with bacteria, viruses or parasites.
• Long-term exposure to allergens.
• Immune disease.
• Stomach cancer.
• Renal insufficiency.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Ulcers.
• Neurological disease.

Treatments for canine gastritis

The usual treatment for symptoms caused by gastritis in dogs goes through, first of all, the rehydration and restoration of electrolytes, in the most severe cases, by intravenous fluid. In addition, your vet may prescribe antibiotics to treat the bacteria and antiemetics to help control possible vomiting.

Whether severe or not, it will generally be good to stop the animal from eating food, and provide only water for 24 to 48 hours. Afterwards, it is advisable to gradually reintroduce food in small amounts.

In the event that the dog suffers from recurrent gastritis, the vet may well prescribe a low-fat diet; He will be the one to advise you on what is best and safest for your dog’s recovery.

In anything, it will always be important to treat the underlying causes of gastritis. If the reason is that your dog ingested something unusual, you should take steps to prevent it from having access to that substance. You should be aware that if your dog tends to ingest objects, you may have to have surgery to remove it.

If the cause of gastritis is exposure to allergens or toxic products, the responsible substances should be removed from the dog’s environment, and if the veterinarian sees it necessary, prescribe antihistamine treatment.

When it comes to other conditions whose symptoms are, among others, gastritis, such as kidney disease or stomach cancer, they should be treated independently.

If you think that your dog suffers from gastritis frequently, it is important that you take action on the matter: watch what he eats, what substances he may have been exposed to, his behavior and other symptoms that may appear, and analyze it together with your vet.

Is it possible to prevent gastritis?

Depending on what is causing your dog’s gastritis, it will be possible to prevent it. Although, most of the time, it is inevitable. Especially if it is the result of a change in diet, food allergy or medications. If your dog continues to suffer from recurrent gastritis, and any other disease or cause has been ruled out, try to change elements of its routine until you notice that it improves. This will help you identify the problem.

If your dog develops gastritis as a result of getting into places they shouldn’t, the problem may be a little more difficult to solve. Dogs love to get into things like trash, plants, and rummaging through food that is not theirs, making it a difficult behavior to mitigate. However, you can take steps to lessen the problem. For example, if your dog has a habit of picking up food that is not his, always try to place it in places where it can not access it.

It is important to note that these behaviors in your dog may also be the result of anxiety, stress, or lack of exercise. So you need to make sure that you give your pet the exercise it needs and spend an adequate amount of time with it.