If your dog is suddenly plagued by nocturnal diarrhea, that’s just a reason to clean, not to worry.
Diarrhea in dogs is not uncommon and has many causes. Very nervous dogs react to even the slightest stress with an indigestion.
Nevertheless, you should know when to worry and what you can do for your four-legged friend now.
Causes: Why does my dog have diarrhea at night?
Your dog often has diarrhea at night after eating something unhealthy off the floor on an evening walk or drinking from contaminated puddles.
Then the gastrointestinal tract reacts with defense and wants to get the intolerable substance out of the body as quickly as possible.
But a change in feed or a feed intolerance also has an impact on the digestion and eventually leads to spontaneous diarrhea – even at night.
Many dogs show stress through diarrhea, especially when they feel alone or threatened at night.
Is nocturnal diarrhea dangerous for my dog?
One-time nocturnal diarrhea does not usually harm dogs.
Care should only be taken with older dogs or puppies, as they have a weaker immune system and their circulation is less stable.
In their case, dehydration as a result, or poisoning or infection as a cause of nocturnal diarrhea poses a greater risk to the animal’s health.
However, if the diarrhea persists, water loss can also become a problem for a healthy adult dog.
However, diarrhea can be a symptom of a serious illness.
What to do if my dog has diarrhea at night?
The first thing you should do is to take a quick look to see if there are any traces of blood or live worms in the diarrhea.
Then it is important that you clean up the mishap hygienically. All textile surfaces should be cleaned in the washing machine and all other surfaces with cleaning agents.
Even if you wake up very tired when you wake up, it’s important not to be careless.
Because if a disease is the cause of the diarrhea and it is transmissible, other pets or even humans could be infected.
You should also clean the dog if necessary so that it does not pick up any germs again when it licks clean.
If your dog’s diarrhea persists at night, you should move it to an area that is easy to clean, such as the bathtub, for a short time.
If he is showing signs of a serious illness, is in pain or is convulsing, an emergency veterinary service may need to be called.
home remedies for diarrhea
If you have diarrhea, you should only give your dog bland food to begin with. But only after he hasn’t eaten anything for 24 hours.
Light food in the form of Porridge, mushy rice, carrot soup, cottage cheese, or boiled chicken are proven home remedies for diarrhea. Also charcoal tablets can help your four-legged friend.
Tip:
we have you 5 light food recipes put together for diarrhea, which you can prepare for your sick four-legged friend. You can find the article here: Light food recipes
When should I go to the vet for diarrhea at night?
If the nocturnal diarrhea only occurs once, you can keep your dog under observation for a few days before you have the cause clarified by a veterinarian.
However, if the diarrhea persists, you should make an appointment at short notice in your practice the following day.
Likewise, if the diarrhea smells very bad, you can see live worms, or your dog gets a fever.
There your dog will receive boosting substances and electrolytes to keep the circulation stable. In addition, your veterinarian can clarify the cause and act accordingly.
If the nocturnal diarrhea comes with vomiting and is not just a one-off, the appointment should also be made promptly, preferably in the morning.
Critical and therefore a case for the veterinary emergency service is nocturnal diarrhea when your dog is convulsing, shaking uncontrollably, foaming at the mouth or blood can be seen.
Severe pain, a hard stomach and unusually strong panting are also a case for the emergency service or the emergency room of the veterinary clinic.
Conclusion
Nocturnal diarrhea in dogs is not bad per se, but it is time-consuming.
Not only is there cleaning instead of sleeping, it can also lead to serious problems. Therefore, research into the cause is just as important as thorough disinfection of the affected surfaces.
Luckily, nocturnal diarrhea usually only occurs once, when the dog has eaten something wrong, and it resolves itself.
Nevertheless, you should also consider other, more serious causes and, in critical cases, also call the veterinary emergency service.
Has your dog ever had diarrhea at night? What helped him get well again? Tell us about your insider tips in the comments!