27 May Abdominal Pain in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Abdominal pain may be due to a variety of disorders. The severity of these pains indicates a significant illness that needs to be addressed quickly. The only way to diagnose abdominal pain is to change your dog’s behaviour. So whenever you think your dog is behaving strangely, take him to the vet right away. Abdominal pain is significant and should be treated without delay after diagnosing the cause and type of disease; Because it may cause other problems such as obstruction, tumours or other dangerous conditions.

Abdominal pain symptoms in dogs

Abdominal pain occurs due to secondary disease. Therefore, it has different symptoms that are different in each race. To know the type of disease and the cause of your dog’s abdominal pain, you must first observe his behaviour to identify possible disease symptoms. These symptoms include:

• Change in body position
• Difficulty getting up from lying
• Moaning in pain
• Abnormal and deep breathing
• Swollen or stiff abdomen
• Restlessness
• Loss of appetite
• Weight Loss
• Fever
• Depression
• Bloody or mucous diarrhoea
• Vomit
• Lethargy
•  Water seeps out of the mouth
• Dehydration
• Shock
• Shaking
• crying
• deep breath

Different types of abdominal pain

Abdominal pain in dogs is divided into two types, infectious or non-infectious. The causes of abdominal pain are different in these two categories and include the following:

• Metabolic like kidney failure
• Peritoneal cavities such as physical trauma or infection
• Urinary tracts such as urethral obstruction or pyelonephritis
• Digestive tract such as pancreatitis, gastric ulcer, bile duct rupture
• Genitals such as ruptured pyometra (uterine infection) or testicular torsion
• Infectious disease such as a viral or bacterial infection
• Musculoskeletal disorders such as abdominal trauma or intervertebral disc disease
• Miscellaneous like a torn tumour

Causes

There’re countless reasons for dog abdominal pain. This disease is severe, and if not treated quickly, it can lead to a dangerous and threatening problem. Young dogs often have acute abdominal pain due to infection or trauma, and older dogs often develop acute abdominal pain due to malignant cancers. Determining the root cause of abdominal pain is very important; Because the veterinarian may have to perform emergency surgery to fix the problem. Some of these reasons are:

• Intestinal obstruction
• Pancreatitis
• Inflammation of the bladder
• Peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdomen)
• Ischemia (insufficient blood supply to an organ or part of the body)
• Gastrointestinal obstruction
• Constipation (severe constipation)
• Bloat
• Cancer
• Leptospirosis
• Parasitic infection
• Expansion of the gastrointestinal tract
• Inflammation of the prostate
• Gastritis
• Gastrointestinal ulcers
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intervertebral disc disease
• Holes in the dog’s stomach lining
• Stomach or intestinal tract viruses
• Bacterial infection of the uterus
• Abscesses of the liver, spleen or pancreas
• Tumour
• Poisoning
• congenital disability
• Abdominal trauma, possibly including a ruptured organ (hernia)
• Rupture of the ureter (tubes that carry urine)
• Congenital hernias trap limbs
• Obstruction of the urethra or ureter
• Kidney or gallbladder obstruction (e.g., stone deposits)
• Stomach and volvulus dilatation

Diagnosis 

Your veterinarian will ask you questions about your dog’s recent history; so he or she can diagnose the disease and how to treat it. Describe any recent abnormal signs or symptoms of your dog. Your veterinarian may ask you about the details of your dog’s diet, recent travel, exposure to toxins, possible injuries, spaying or pregnancy. He may also use various tests, such as a complete blood count, chemical characteristics, and a urine test, for better diagnosis.

In addition to various tests, the veterinarian may perform various physical examinations to diagnose the disease better. this examination includes:

• examining the mucous membranes,
• listening to the lungs for sounds such as abnormal cracking,
• exploring the heart for pulse quality,
• neurological tests,
• anal tests,
• walking,
• mentality

Evidence such as trauma or bruising is also significant. Heart rate and other abdominal examinations are in the final steps; because if your dog feels severe pain while touching or examining, he may prevent the rest of the test.

Direct contrast, fluoroscopic imaging, cytology, and abdominocentesis may also be needed to analyse abdominal fluid. Throughout the diagnosis, your veterinarian will monitor your dog to monitor if the condition worsens.

Treatment 

To treat abdominal pain, you must first determine the cause. If the required treatment for abdominal pain is non-surgical, the vet should start treatment with intravenous fluids to balance electrolyte levels and nutritional needs. The vet may also prescribe medications to prevent nausea and vomiting. These steps can help control your dog’s critical condition. Pain therapy, gastrointestinal protectors, antidiarrheal drugs, and antibiotics (if needed) are essential parts of treatment. Of course, the treatment of a particular underlying disease will be different.

For example, treatment for the parvovirus is intravenous fluids to replace the loss of sodium and potassium. The drug is also used to control persistent vomiting. Flatulence can be a severe illness. The disease is quickly treated using intravenous fluids and passing a tube through the mouth and stomach to release gas. Surgery may be necessary if a twisted stomach needs to be repositioned. In severe cases such as bloating or a problem such as gastrointestinal obstruction, intravenous fluids to stabilise the disease, pain therapy (painkillers), antibiotics, and supportive care will be part of the treatment process.

Diet management is vital in all diseases, especially abdominal pain. Importance of nutrition or a balanced and regular diet is crucial for maintaining good health. After examining and diagnosing the disease, your veterinarian will adjust your dog’s specific diet, such as an anti-allergy diet, based on the cause of the disease and your dog’s needs.

Dogs with surgery will have more time to heal due to sutures, dietary and exercise restrictions, and the need for follow-up visits to evaluate wound healing. Anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers and antibiotics are part of the medication regimen given after discharge from the clinic.

Acute abdominal pain generally indicates a severe illness that requires intensive care under the supervision of a veterinarian. In some cases, your dog may be hospitalised in the ICU for a long time. After taking your dog home, give him all the prescribed medications exactly as your veterinarian instructed, even after your dog has passed his symptoms and is fully recovered. Examine your dog thoroughly for the slightest change. If you notice swelling, pus, or other problems, call your doctor right away, as this can quickly become a dangerous condition. One of the leading causes of diseases is lack of hygiene or timely and regular cleaning. Mishka’s specialised and experienced team ensures the health and freshness of your dog by providing complete and accurate cleanliness.