Symptoms of Proctitis (Rectal Inflammation) in Puppies

1 Overview

I. Causes of Enteritis in Dogs

The causes of enteritis are similar to those of gastritis in dogs:

Eating rotten or toxic food.

Secondary to infectious diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, coronavirus disease, and parasitic diseases (tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, trichomonas, etc.); in addition, pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella can also cause enteritis.

A dog kept in a high-stress environment for a long time is also prone to enteritis.

II. Clinical Symptoms of Enteritis in Dogs

Diarrhea is the main symptom of canine enteritis, appearing in the early stage. The stool is liquid, foul-smelling, and later often mixed with mucus, blood, and foam. Auscultation reveals increased intestinal peristaltic sounds. When the inflammation involves the front of the duodenum or the stomach, vomiting occurs. Small-intestinal bleeding produces dark green or black stool. The sick dog’s temperature can reach 39-39.5 C; if bacteria infect, mild to moderate fever also appears. As the disease progresses, dehydration and acidosis symptoms appear.

III. Prevention and Treatment Measures for Canine Enteritis

1. First fast the dog for 1-2 days; to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, give fluid replacement, which can be intravenously dripped with Ringer’s solution or compound sodium lactate chloride solution.

2. Clean the gastrointestinal tract: apply an appropriate amount of laxative internally.

3. Reduce inflammation and stop diarrhea: oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, chloramphenicol, etc. can be used for anti-inflammatory treatment.

4. For antiemetic, use metoclopramide, 1-2 mg/kg body weight by intramuscular injection, twice daily.