How to Cure a Dog’s Colic

Everyone has a stomachache at least once in their life, and so do pets. If you suspect your dog is suffering from colic, there are steps you can take to make your dog more comfortable and reduce the risk of illness or diarrhea.

Table of Contents

Cure stomach pain for dogs

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Stop feeding the dog. If your dog’s digestive system is having problems, you should let his stomach rest. When you feed your dog, the dog’s stomach and intestines are forced to produce digestive juices to process the food. Digestive juices will aggravate inflammation or pain, thereby making the condition worse.

Stop feeding your dog for 24 hours.
If your dog is still exhibiting colic symptoms, take your dog to the vet.

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Give your dog cool, clean water to drink. Watch your dog drink water. Within 24 hours, if your dog drinks less than usual and still seems uncomfortable, take him to the vet. You should also pay attention if your dog is thirsty often. Some dogs will tend to drink a lot of water every time they are sick. Dogs will vomit if they drink a full bowl of water at once.

If your dog vomits water, you should divide the water into small portions and give it to the dog every 30 minutes.
If your dog weighs less than 10 kg, give him half a small glass of water (egg cup) every 30 minutes. If your dog weighs more than 10 kg, give him about half a cup of water (about the size of a teacup) every 30 minutes.
If after 2-3 hours the dog is not vomiting anymore, you can give the dog as much water as usual.
Take your dog to the vet if it continues to vomit despite limiting water intake.

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Slowly feed your dog again as usual. If after 24 hours of not eating, the dog seems to have recovered and wants to eat, you can give the dog a light meal for the next 24 hours. Feed your dog foods that are low in fat and easy to digest, such as chicken breast, rabbit, turkey, or cod. You can combine the meat with white pasta, rice or mashed boiled potatoes (don’t feed your dog dairy products).

Do not give your dog ‘chicken flavored’ foods. This food contains little chicken and cannot replace real chicken. ^{[1] X Canine and Feline Nutrition Research Source . Case. Publisher: Mosby}
You can consult with your veterinarian about what foods to feed your dog to help him recover. Your doctor may recommend 2 Hills ID or Purina EN diets.

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Initially, the dog should eat less. To probe the dog’s stomach, the first meal after 24 hours of fasting should be only 1/4 of the normal amount of food. Eating less will make your dog’s digestive system more comfortable. This makes it easier for you to check your dog’s recovery.

If after 24 hours of fasting, your dog still refuses to eat or eats little, you should take your dog to the doctor.

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Petting the dog. Whenever sick, care and caresses will help the sick person recover quickly. Therefore, you should sit still with the dog and talk to the dog in a gentle and reassuring voice. Rub the dog’s head and stroke it along the dog’s spine.

Do not massage your dog’s stomach. Dogs can’t tell you if you’re helping them get better or getting worse. If you hit a particularly sensitive spot, you will cause the dog to suddenly sting and turn to bite you.

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Keep your dog warm. Some dogs will feel better with heat therapy. If your dog is shivering, you can use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to roll over the dog’s body. Make sure that if it feels uncomfortable (e.g. too hot), the dog can avoid it on its own. Don’t force them and let them figure it out on their own whether they want to continue using heat therapy.

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Contact your veterinarian as needed. If your dog is only slightly upset and is still healthy, simply monitor and take the steps above to make it more comfortable. However, you should contact your veterinarian if your dog exhibits the following ominous signs:

Can’t vomit. Trying to vomit but not vomiting anything indicates that the dog is having a gastric torsion. Contact your veterinarian immediately in case of an emergency
Vomiting continuously for more than 4 hours
Vomiting and inability to retain water in the stomach. This sign indicates that the dog is at risk of dehydration. You will need to contact your veterinarian to have your dog infused with fluids if necessary.
Slowness and lack of energy
Do not eat for more than 24 hours
Diarrhea (without blood) for more than 24 hours
Diarrhea with blood
Increased levels of discomfort, such as whining

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Give your dog medication to treat vomiting. If your dog has a frequent cause of colic (such as undergoing chemotherapy or kidney disease), your veterinarian may prescribe medication.

Maropitant (Cerenia) is a commonly prescribed medication for dogs undergoing chemotherapy. ^{[2] X Credible Sources US Food and Drug Administration Go to source} Give your dog a drink once a day. The drug takes effect within 24 hours. The oral dose is 2 mg/kg body weight of the dog. For example, an average Labrador dog will need to take 60 mg of the drug once a day.

Diagnosing colic in dogs

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Watch out if the dog seems restless. ^{[3] X Research Sources Canine and Feline Gastroenterpogy. Washabau. Publisher: Saunders} Since you’re a pet dog, you’ll know what’s wrong with it. Whether your dog is normally active or likes to lie down, you can immediately notice if your dog is more agitated than usual. This could be a sign of an upset stomach.

Dogs cannot find a comfortable position to lie still.
Dogs can constantly walk back and forth.

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Note if the dog keeps looking to one side. The dog’s flanks are located near the legs and just in front of the thighs. Sometimes when a dog is sick, he doesn’t understand what’s going on with him. At this time, dogs often turn their necks around looking for the cause of the discomfort and pain. The dog turns its head to look at the position of its flanks, it may be a stomachache.

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Excessive licking. Abdominal pain or cramps often make dogs feel nauseous. When it comes to stomach pain and nausea, dogs tend to lick their lips constantly. Some dogs even lick their front paws or other parts of their body to try to make themselves more comfortable.

Unusual or excessive drooling can also be a sign of nausea or an upset stomach. However, some dog breeds are born with a lot of drooling, so you need to know your dog well to know if drooling is abnormal.
Dry swallowing can also be caused by an upset stomach.

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Hear a gurgling or gurgling sound in your dog’s stomach. If your dog has colic due to a digestive disorder, you may hear unusual sounds coming from the dog’s belly. This sound is caused by air moving in the intestines and causing the dog’s stomach to bloat.

Just because you can’t hear belly sounds doesn’t mean your dog doesn’t have an upset stomach, it could mean you can’t hear it.

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Pay attention if the dog is in the “kneeling” position. The ‘kneeling position’ is the basic sign of a dog’s colic. This position is very similar to the kneeling position when the dog is playing. You can tell if your dog is kneeling to play or in pain based on their attitude.

The dog will stick its butt up high and extend its front paws on the ground.
In this position, the dog is trying to stretch the stomach to relieve discomfort.

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Observe if the dog vomits and has diarrhea. It’s easy to tell if your dog is vomiting or has diarrhea. Just like people, dogs experience vomiting and diarrhea when they have an upset stomach. While cleaning isn’t fun, you shouldn’t get mad at your dog because they can’t control themselves.

Preventing colic for dogs

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Do not let your dog eat spoiled food. Dogs usually eat almost everything. Unfortunately, food that dogs eat, including spoiled food, can cause colic or more serious problems. You need to make sure to dispose of spoiled food in a safe place so your dog can’t rummage and eat it. Sweep the yard regularly to remove any insects or dead animals. Remember, dogs can smell rotting meat faster than you.

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Do not overfeed your dog. ^{[4] X Research Source} Many people like to feed their dogs as much as they want. They find it easier to feed their dogs freely than to feed them at regular intervals. However, experts advise against doing so. Feeding a dog a lot and comfortably will make the dog prone to obesity, along with related health problems. Overeating in a short time can also lead to abdominal pain, which can be prevented with a little effort.

For adult dogs, you should feed twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening. The amount of food per meal depends on the size of the breed. The amount of dog food on food packaging often varies, so you should consult your veterinarian for more specific instructions.
You can use an online tool to calculate your dog’s recommended calorie intake. ^{[5] X Research Sources} After doing your research, you can look at the calories on the food and feed your dog the recommended amount.

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Buy high-quality food. ^{[6] X Research Sources} There are foods for specific dogs on the market. However, dog food does not depend on the breed of the dog. Instead, you should pay attention to your dog’s “size” and choose a food formula that boosts metabolism.

Choose foods with high-quality ingredients. Cheap food often contains poor quality ingredients and is difficult to digest.
Just like human food, dog food must also state the content of ingredients on the package. Choose foods rich in protein such as fish, meat or eggs. The more protein the food has, the easier it is for a dog to digest.

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Do not feed your dog the foods listed below. Although dogs can eat almost any food, unlike humans, they cannot digest all of them. Many of the foods we eat every day can be toxic to dogs. Abdominal pain in dogs when eating these foods in small amounts can cause poisoning. Never give your dog the following foods: ^{[7] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source} :

Avocado
Bread flour
Chocolate
Wine
Grapes or raisins
Food containing hops
Macadamia Nuts
Onion
Garlic
Xylitp, a product commonly found in “sugar-free” foods.

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Do not let your dog play with sick dogs. Just like the flu in young children, dogs can become infected through contact with other sick dogs. If you know a dog is sick, avoid exposing your dog to it to prevent infection.

The dog park is a place where it is hard to count the number of dogs because there are so many dogs playing here. Plus, every day other dogs come to the park to play.
If your dog is sick, you should ask nearby dog owners if any dogs have been sick recently.
Meet with the owner of the infected dog to find out what your dog is sick with and the severity of the disease.

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Identify potential health problems that may be causing your dog to have colic. Some diseases, such as pancreatitis, cause frequent abdominal pain. If you know your dog has a similar illness, watch closely and regularly for signs of stomach pain and other symptoms. Watch to see if the dog becomes sluggish, sick, or has diarrhea. Take your dog to the vet early to help with less pain and faster recovery.

Beware of certain diseases (like diabetes) as these can become more serious if the dog does not eat well. Simple abdominal pain can also irritate and make the condition worse. Contact your veterinarian if there are any changes in your dog’s eating habits.

Steps

Cure stomach pain for dogs

Diagnosing colic in dogs

Preventing colic for dogs

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