Symptoms of Intestinal Spasm in Dogs
📝 Summary
Intestinal spasm in dogs can easily lead to intussusception, displacement, or torsion, so it deserves attention. Early detection, prevention, and better living conditions help. Avoiding fright, feeding cooked food, limiting cold water, and regular deworming are ways to prevent intestinal spasm.
1 Overview
Symptoms of Intestinal Spasm in Dogs:
A disease where the stomach rapidly fills with food, liquid, or gas and over-expands; common in large dogs, where after intense exercise the stomach twists (gastric dilatation-volvulus), blocking the outlet.
Shows as vomiting and loss of intestinal motility. The frequency and nature of vomit vary with the blockage site; the higher the spasm, the more violent the vomiting. Severe vomiting causes obvious dehydration – skin loses elasticity, mucous membranes dry. With lower intestinal obstruction, gas builds up and the abdomen enlarges with tenderness on press. Secondary peritonitis shows progressive abdominal pain, fever, weakening signs, sometimes shock.
Obstruction from string or cloth is hard to judge. For intussusception or torsion, a mass can often be felt on palpation, and the dog shows localized tenderness.
Residual food ferments and produces gas that cannot escape, enlarging the stomach; without timely treatment the dog quickly goes into shock, and the swollen stomach presses on breathing – severe cases die within hours.
The most obvious symptom is diarrhea and loose stools; intestinal spasm causes an urgent need to defecate. Some dogs get constipation, straining, or reduced stools; severe cases show alternating diarrhea and constipation.
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