What Cause a Dog to Have Intussusception

What Causes a Dog to Have Intussusception

Another cause of bleeding is a telescoping of the bowel called intussusception. A fold of intestines slides inside the adjacent intestine and is gradually forced farther and farther along until perhaps ten or twelve inches has become invaginated. This means that three times that much of the intestine is involved, as can be easily understood. A ten-inch intussusception involves thirty inches of intestine. The invaginated part dies from pressure because its blood supply is compromised. Food cannot move through it, nor even moisture.

Once suspicion points to this condition, detection is not difficult because a long, swollen section with an abrupt beginning can generally be felt quite easily through the abdominal wall. Usually, the dog so affected vomits everything it eats. It becomes dehydrated, its temperature rises, and its expression and attitude show pain. A day or two after the condition has become established, the fecal material begins to appear watery and have an acrid odor. Usually, this watery secretion turns reddish from the blood exuded by the entombed intestine, whose lower end is free.

Giving strong purgatives tends to produce intussusceptions, but these particular dogs had received no medication. Foreign bodies that stick to the intestinal lining are often implicated. And growths, like large polyps, sometimes move downward, dragging the intestine after them in a fold.

Surgery is the one treatment for this condition. A piece of the intestine has to be removed together with the blood supply to the section. It is true, however, that there have been cases in which intussusceptions have just started and been detected by feeling, and surgery has been averted by manipulation, which has worked the fold out and prevented its further development.

Dogs of all ages and breeds can suffer from the disease. Mainly the dogs belonging to the breed German Shepherded are the common victims of this intestinal disease. Though its incidence is quite rare it can be quite fatal for your dog if at all it occurs. The following are the steps that you may take up if you suspect your dog to be suffering from the disease.

Instructions on What Causes a Dog to Have Intussusception

• You should have to watch the behavior of the dog very closely. An affected dog would be repeatedly vomiting accompanied by rapid weight loss. It would feel lethargic and look depressed.
• Immediate medical attention would be quite ideal for the dog to get rid of the intestinal disease. The process of the disorder is quite fast and so you are recommended to admit your dog to a vet emergency ward as early as possible.
• For treatment, the animal would be given a measured dosage of antibiotics along injection of intravenous fluids. Surgery is probably the only way of treating chronic cases of intussusception.

After bringing your dog home you are recommended to administer medicines as prescribed by the vet doctor. Even if you find that your dog is on the way of curing, do not stop the medication before the dog completes the entire dosage. Encourage your pet to take rest and not involve it in any stressful environment.

See more: Dog Diet