What causes 3 days of diarrhea? Discover the symptoms, underlying causes, and when to seek medical attention for this common gastrointestinal issue.

Symptoms and Signs of Diarrhea

The primary symptom of diarrhea is the passage of loose, watery stools three or more times a day. Individuals with diarrhea may also experience additional symptoms, such as:

• Bloody stools
• Fever and chills
• Light-headedness and dizziness
• Vomiting

Diarrhea can also lead to complications like dehydration and malabsorption. Dehydration symptoms in adults may include thirst, decreased urination, fatigue, dark-colored urine, dry mouth, and reduced skin turgor. Infants, toddlers, and young children may exhibit signs like thirst, fewer wet diapers, lethargy, dry mouth, and sunken eyes or cheeks. Malabsorption can cause symptoms such as bloating, changes in appetite, gas, loose and foul-smelling stools, and weight loss or poor weight gain.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Diarrhea can become a serious issue if it leads to severe dehydration or if it signals an underlying condition. Adults should see a doctor if they experience diarrhea lasting more than 2 days, a fever of 102°F or higher, frequent vomiting, 6 or more loose stools in 24 hours, severe abdominal or rectal pain, or stools containing blood, pus, or a black, tarry appearance. Older adults and those with weakened immune systems or other health conditions should also seek medical care for diarrhea. Parents or caretakers of infants, toddlers, and young children should take them to a doctor if the diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours, they have a fever of 102°F or higher, they experience severe abdominal or rectal pain, or their stools contain blood, pus, or have a black, tarry appearance.

Causes of Acute and Persistent Diarrhea

The most common causes of acute and persistent diarrhea are infections, travelers’ diarrhea, and side effects of medications. Foodborne illnesses, viral and bacterial infections, and parasitic infections can all lead to diarrhea that may last for more than 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks.

Travelers’ diarrhea is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites, and it is often acute in nature. However, some parasites can cause diarrhea that lasts longer. Travelers’ diarrhea is a common issue for individuals visiting developing countries.

Many medications, including antibiotics, antacids containing magnesium, and cancer treatments, can also cause diarrhea as a side effect.

Causes of Chronic Diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea can have a variety of underlying causes, such as:

• Persistent infections from bacteria or parasites
• Food allergies or intolerances, such as lactose intolerance or fructose intolerance
• Digestive tract problems, like inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome
• Abdominal surgery
• Long-term use of certain medications

After an infection, some people may have difficulty digesting carbohydrates or proteins, which can prolong diarrhea. Food allergies to cow’s milk, soy, grains, eggs, or seafood can also cause chronic diarrhea.

Lactose and Fructose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a common condition that can lead to diarrhea after consuming dairy products. Fructose intolerance is another condition that may cause diarrhea after eating foods or drinking liquids containing fructose.

Preventing and Managing Diarrhea

To prevent diarrhea, it’s important to practice good hygiene, such as washing hands regularly, and being cautious when traveling to areas with poor sanitation. If diarrhea does occur, it’s crucial to stay hydrated and replace lost electrolytes. Over-the-counter medications and dietary changes may also help manage symptoms, but individuals should consult a healthcare provider if the diarrhea persists or worsens.

Conclusion

Diarrhea can be a frustrating and potentially dangerous condition, but understanding the causes and seeking appropriate medical attention can help individuals manage their symptoms and prevent complications. By recognizing the signs of dehydration and malabsorption, and seeking care when necessary, individuals can take the necessary steps to address the underlying cause of their diarrhea and regain their health.

Symptoms & Causes of Diarrhea

What are the symptoms of diarrhea?

The main symptom of diarrhea is passing loose, watery stools three or more times a day.

People with diarrhea may also have one or more of the following symptoms:

People with diarrhea caused by some infections may also have one or more of the following symptoms:

• bloody stools
• fever and chills
• light-headedness and dizziness
• vomiting

Diarrhea may cause dehydration and malabsorption.

What are the symptoms of dehydration and malabsorption?

Dehydration and malabsorption can be serious complications of diarrhea. Their symptoms in adults, infants, toddlers, and young children are as follows.

Dehydration

Symptoms of dehydration in adults may include:

• thirst
• urinating less than usual
• feeling tired
• dark-colored urine
• dry mouth
• decreased skin turgor, meaning that when your skin is pinched and released, the skin does not flatten back to normal right away
• sunken eyes or cheeks
• light-headedness or fainting

Signs of dehydration in infants, toddlers, and young children may include

• thirst
• urinating less than usual, or no wet diapers for 3 hours or more
• lack of energy
• dry mouth
• no tears when crying
• decreased skin turgor
• sunken eyes, cheeks, or soft spot in the skull

Malabsorption

Symptoms of malabsorption in adults may include

• bloating
• changes in appetite
• gas
• loose, greasy, foul-smelling bowel movements
• weight loss

Symptoms of malabsorption in infants, toddlers, and young children may include

• bloating
• changes in appetite
• gas
• loose, greasy, foul-smelling bowel movements
• weight loss or poor weight gain

Seek care right away

Diarrhea can become dangerous if it leads to severe dehydration. Diarrhea may also signal a more serious problem.

Adults

Adults with any of the following symptoms should see a doctor right away:

• diarrhea lasting more than 2 days
• fever of 102 degrees or higher
• frequent vomiting
• six or more loose stools in 24 hours
• severe pain in the abdomen or rectum
• stools that are black and tarry or contain blood or pus
• symptoms of dehydration

Older adults and adults with weakened immune systems or other health conditions who have diarrhea should also see a doctor right away.

Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children

The parent or caretaker of an infant, toddler, or young child with diarrhea and any of the following symptoms should seek a doctor’s care right away:

• diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours
• fever of 102 degrees or higher
• severe pain in the abdomen or rectum
• stools containing blood or pus
• stools that are black and tarry
• symptoms of dehydration

What causes diarrhea?

Acute and persistent diarrhea may have causes that are different from those of chronic diarrhea. In many cases, doctors do not find the cause of diarrhea. Most diarrhea goes away on its own within 4 days, and finding the cause is not necessary.

Acute and persistent diarrhea

The most common causes of acute and persistent diarrhea are infections, travelers’ diarrhea, and side effects of medicines.

Infections

Three types of infections that cause diarrhea include

Infections in the digestive tract that spread through foods or drinks are called foodborne illnesses.

Infections lasting more than 2 weeks and less than 4 weeks can cause persistent diarrhea.

Travelers’ diarrhea

Travelers’ diarrhea is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Travelers’ diarrhea is most often acute. However, some parasites cause diarrhea that lasts longer. Travelers’ diarrhea can be a problem for people traveling to developing countries.

Travelers’ diarrhea can be a problem for people traveling to developing countries.

Side effects of medicines

Many medicines may cause diarrhea. Medicines that may cause diarrhea include antibiotics, antacids containing magnesium, and medicines used to treat cancer.

Chronic diarrhea

Some infections, food allergies and intolerances, digestive tract problems, abdominal surgery, and long-term use of medicines can cause chronic diarrhea.

Infections

Some infections from bacteria and parasites that cause diarrhea do not go away quickly without treatment. Also, after an infection, people may have problems digesting carbohydrates such as lactose or proteins in foods such as cow’s milk, milk products, or soy. Problems digesting carbohydrates or proteins can prolong diarrhea.

Food allergies and intolerances

Allergies to foods such as cow’s milk, soy, cereal grains, eggs, and seafood may cause chronic diarrhea.

Lactose intolerance is a common condition that may cause diarrhea after eating foods or drinking liquids that contain milk or milk products.

Fructose intolerance is a condition that may cause diarrhea after eating foods or drinking liquids that contain fructose, a sugar found in fruits, fruit juices, and honey. Fructose is added to many foods and soft drinks as a sweetener called high-fructose corn syrup.

Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol may cause diarrhea in some people. Sugar-free candies and gum often include these sugar alcohols.

Digestive tract problems

Digestive tract problems that may cause chronic diarrhea include

Abdominal surgery

You may develop chronic diarrhea after abdominal surgery. Abdominal surgery is an operation on the appendix, gallbladder, large intestine, liver, pancreas, small intestine, spleen, or stomach.

Long-term use of medicines

Medicines that must be taken for a long time may cause chronic diarrhea. Some medicines, such as antibiotics, can change the normal gut flora and increase your chances of infection with Clostridioides difficile, a bacterium that can cause chronic diarrhea.

Diarrhea | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is when your stools are loose and watery. You may also need to go to the bathroom more often.

Diarrhea is a common problem. It may last 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own.

If diarrhea lasts more than 2 days it may mean you have a more serious problem.

Diarrhea may be either:

• Short-term (acute). Diarrhea that lasts 1 or 2 days and goes away. This may be caused by having food or water that was made unsafe by a bacterial infection. Or it may happen if you get sick from a virus.
• Long-term (chronic). Diarrhea that lasts several weeks. This may be caused by another health problem such as irritable bowel syndrome. It can also be caused by an intestinal disease such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease. Some infections such as parasites can cause chronic diarrhea.

What causes diarrhea?

Diarrhea may be caused by many things, including:

• A bacterial infection
• A virus
• Trouble digesting certain things (food intolerance)
• Food allergy (such as celiac disease, gluten allergy)
• Parasites that enter the body through food or water
• A reaction to medicines
• An intestinal disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease
• A problem with how your stomach and bowels work (functional bowel disorder), such as irritable bowel syndrome
• A result of surgery on the stomach or gall bladder
• Recent antibiotic use
• Metabolic conditions such as thyroid problems
• Other less common reasons such as damage from radiation treatments or tumors that make too many hormones

Many people get traveler’s diarrhea. This happens when you have food or water that is not safe because of bacteria, parasites, and even food poisoning.

Severe diarrhea may mean you have a serious disease. See your healthcare provider if your symptoms don’t go away or if they keep you from doing your daily activities. It may be hard to find out what is causing your diarrhea.

What are the symptoms of diarrhea?

Each person’s symptoms may vary. Symptoms of diarrhea may include:

• Belly (abdominal) cramps
• Stomach pain
• Swelling (bloating)
• Upset stomach (nausea)
• Urgent need to go to the bathroom
• Fever
• Bloody stools
• Loss of body fluids (dehydration)
• Leaking stool and not being able to control your bowels (incontinence)

Dehydration is a serious side effect of diarrhea. Symptoms include:

• Feeling thirsty
• Not urinating as often
• Having dry skin as well as a dry mouth and nostrils (mucous membranes)
• Feeling very tired
• Feeling that you may pass out or faint (lightheaded)
• Headaches
• Fast heart rate
• Sunken fontanelle (soft spot) on baby’s head

Diarrhea symptoms may look like other health problems.   Bloody diarrhea is always a concern. Always see your doctor to be sure. Be sure to tell the doctor about any bleeding, fever, or vomiting.

How is diarrhea diagnosed?

To see if you have diarrhea, your healthcare provider will give you a physical exam and ask about your past health. You may also have lab tests to check your blood and urine.

Other tests may include:

• Stool studies including culture and other tests. This test checks for any abnormal bacteria in your digestive tract that may cause diarrhea and other problems. To do this, a small stool sample is taken and sent to a lab.

• Sigmoidoscopy. This test lets your healthcare provider check the inside of part of your large intestine. It helps to tell what is causing diarrhea. A short, flexible, lighted tube (sigmoidoscope) is put into your intestine through the rectum. This tube blows air into your intestine to make it swell. This makes it easier to see inside. A biopsy can be taken if needed.

• Colonoscopy. This test looks at the full length of your large intestine. It can help check for any abnormal growths, tissue that is red or swollen, sores (ulcers), or bleeding. A long, flexible, lighted tube (colonoscope) is put into your rectum up into the colon. This tube lets your healthcare provider see the lining of your colon and take out a tissue sample (biopsy) to test it. He or she can also treat some problems that may be found.

• Imaging tests. These tests can see if there are any problems with the way your organs are formed (structural abnormalities).

• Fasting tests. These tests show if you are unable to digest certain foods (food intolerance). They can also tell if certain foods bring on an immune system reaction (food allergy).
• Blood tests. These can look for metabolic problems like thyroid disease, anemia (low blood count), evidence of low vitamin levels suggesting poor absorption, and celiac disease, among other things.

How is diarrhea treated?

Your healthcare provider will make a care plan for you based on:

• Your age, overall health, and past health
• How serious your case is
• How well you handle certain medicines, treatments, or therapies
• If your condition is expected to get worse
• What you would like to do

In most cases you will need to replace the fluids you have lost.

You may also need a medicine that fights infection (antibiotic) if a bacterial infection is causing your diarrhea.

Complications of diarrhea

If your diarrhea is not treated you are at risk for dehydration. Severe dehydration can lead to organ damage, shock, and fainting (loss of consciousness) or coma.

Can diarrhea be prevented?

Having good personal habits can keep you from getting diarrhea caused by bacteria or a virus. It is important to:

• Wash your hands often
• Use alcohol based sanitizers
• Eat foods that have been cleaned and cooked in a safe way
• Not take any foods or liquids that may have been infected with a bacteria or virus

When you are traveling, make sure anything you eat and drink is safe. This is even more important if you travel to developing countries.

Travel safety tips for water and other liquids include:

• Not drinking tap water or using it to brush your teeth
• Not using ice made from tap water
• Not drinking milk or milk items that have not gone through a process to kill certain bacteria (pasteurization)

Travel safety tips for food include:

• Not eating any fresh or raw fruits and vegetables unless you wash and peel them yourself
• Making sure all meat and fish have been cooked to at least medium doneness
• Not eating raw or rare-cooked meat or fish
• Making sure meat and shellfish such as shrimp, crab, and scallops, are hot when served
• Not eating food from street vendors or food trucks

Living with diarrhea

In most cases diarrhea is a short-term problem. Often it only lasts for a few days. Be sure to take plenty of liquids when you’re having a bout of diarrhea.

Some health problems can make diarrhea last longer or keep coming back. These include inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. If another health problem is causing your diarrhea, follow your healthcare provider’s advice for treating that problem.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider if:

• You have diarrhea more often
• You have a greater amount of diarrhea
• You have symptoms of dehydration. You may feel thirsty, tired, or dizzy. You may also have less urine, or a dry mouth.
• You have diarrhea with rectal bleeding or black and tarry stools, a fever, or are vomiting

Key points about diarrhea

• Diarrhea is when your stools are loose and watery.
• You may also need to go to the bathroom more often.
• Short-term (acute) diarrhea lasts 1 or 2 days.
• Long-term (chronic) diarrhea lasts several weeks.
• Diarrhea symptoms may include belly cramps and an urgent need to go to the bathroom.
• Loss of fluids (dehydration) is one of the more serious side effects.
• Treatment usually involves replacing lost fluids.
• You may need an infection-fighting medicine (antibiotic) if a bacterial infection is the cause.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your health care provider:

• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
• At the visit, write down the names of new medicines, treatments, or tests, and any new instructions your provider gives you.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
• Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.

Diarrhea (for Parents) – Nemours Kidshealth

What Is Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is frequent soft or loose bowel movements (poop). Most kids have diarrhea from time to time. It usually doesn’t last long and often gets better on its own.

What Causes Diarrhea?

Diarrhea is usually caused by an infection in the intestines. The germs that cause the infection are:

• viruses (most common)
• bacteria
• parasites

Viruses

Viral gastroenteritis (often called the “stomach flu”) is a common illness in children. It causes diarrhea and, often, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms usually last a few days, but kids (especially babies) who can’t take enough liquids may become dehydrated.

Rotavirus affects babies and young kids and can bring on watery diarrhea. Outbreaks are more common in the winter and early spring months, especially in childcare centers. The rotavirus vaccine can protect children from this illness.

Enteroviruses, like coxsackievirus, also can cause diarrhea in kids, especially during the summer months.

Bacteria

Many different types of bacteria can cause diarrhea, including E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Shigella. These bacteria are often responsible for cases of “food poisoning,” which can cause diarrhea and vomiting within a few hours after someone is infected.

Parasites

Parasitic infections that can cause diarrhea in children include giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis.

What Else Can Cause Diarrhea?

Kids can sometimes get diarrhea from:

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Diarrhea?

Kids often get crampy belly pain first, followed by diarrhea that can last 3–5 days. Other symptoms may include:

• fever
• loss of appetite
• nausea (an uncomfortable feeling before vomiting)
• vomiting
• weight loss
• dehydration

How Do Doctors Find the Cause of Diarrhea?

Doctors will:

• ask about what the child ate most recently, when symptoms began, and how often the diarrhea is happening
• ask specific questions about the diarrhea: Is it watery? Is there blood in the poop? 
• do an exam
• sometimes, take a stool (poop) sample to send to a lab for analysis. This helps them find out which germ is causing the illness.

How Is Diarrhea Treated?

Viral diarrhea goes away on its own. Most kids with bacterial diarrhea need treatment with an antibiotic. Parasites always need treatment with anti-parasitic medicines.

Kids who aren’t vomiting or becoming dehydrated can continue eating and drinking or breastfeeding as usual. Continuing a regular diet may even shorten the diarrhea episode. You may want to serve smaller portions of food until the diarrhea ends.

Don’t give your child an over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicine unless your doctor tells you to do so.

What if My Child Is Dehydrated?

For kids who show signs of mild dehydration, doctors recommend giving oral rehydration solutions (ORS). These are available in most grocery stores and drugstores without a prescription and replace body fluids as needed. Your doctor will tell you what kind to give, how much, and for how long.

Kids should not be rehydrated with water alone because it doesn’t contain the right mix of sodium, potassium, and other important minerals and nutrients.

In some cases, kids with severe diarrhea may need to get IV fluids (given into a vein) at the hospital for a few hours to help treat the dehydration.

How Can Diarrhea Be Prevented?

It’s almost impossible to prevent kids from ever getting diarrhea. But there are some ways to make it less likely:

• Make sure kids wash their hands well and often, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Hand washing is the best way to prevent diarrheal infections that pass from person to person. Dirty hands carry germs into the body when kids bite their nails, suck their thumbs, eat with their fingers, or put any part of their hands into their mouths.
• Keep bathroom surfaces like sinks and toilets clean.
• Wash fruits and vegetables well before eating.
• Clean kitchen counters and cooking utensils well after they’ve been in contact with raw meat, especially poultry.
• Refrigerate meats as soon as possible after bringing them home from the store. Cook them until they’re no longer pink. Refrigerate all leftovers as soon as possible.
• Never drink from streams, springs, or lakes unless local health authorities have checked that the water is safe for drinking.
• Avoid washing pet cages or bowls in the same sink that you use to prepare food. And try to keep pet feeding areas separate from family eating areas.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Call your doctor if your child has diarrhea and is younger than 6 months old. Also call if your child has:

• diarrhea many times a day or it lasts for more than 3 days
• repeated vomiting and can’t or won’t drink fluids
• severe belly pain
• diarrhea that has blood in it

Call the doctor right away if your child seems dehydrated. Signs include:

• a dry or sticky mouth
• few or no tears when crying
• eyes that look sunken
• in a baby, the soft spot (fontanelle) on top of the head looks sunken
• peeing less or fewer wet diapers
• drowsiness or dizziness

Causes of Diarrhea for 5 Days

When you have acute diarrhea, you may feel like you’re constantly running to the restroom.

Image Credit: AbeSnap23/iStock/GettyImages

Diarrhea has a way of ruining your day, doesn’t it? Running to the bathroom every few minutes is definitely not the way anyone wants to spend their time. Plus, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly why you are experiencing this condition.

While an occasional bout of diarrhea can be considered completely normal and chalked up to something you ate, a change in your routine or even stress, diarrhea lasting for five days or more is most likely linked to a more serious cause, such as a viral or bacterial infection. Read on for what you need to know if you’re experiencing this condition.

What Is Diarrhea?

Although it might sound strange, David Cutler, MD, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, says it’s very important to understand the definition of diarrhea.

According to Dr. Cutler, the generally accepted definition of diarrhea is stool that is so liquid that it takes the shape of the container it is in, and happens three or more times per day.

For background, all stool is liquid before it reaches the large intestine, where the job of the bowel is to absorb excess water and create formed stool. With this in mind, Dr. Cutler says, diarrhea can result when:

• too much fluid is present, so the bowel can’t absorb it all
• the bowel fails to absorb the fluid
• stool passes too quickly through the colon for liquid to be absorbed
• a disease of the colon causes it to leak out
  more fluid than it absorbs

Factors like infection, dietary changes, medications and neuromuscular effects on the intestine all can play a part in any of the above causes.

Common Causes
of Acute Diarrhea

According to Dr. Cutler, the most common causes of diarrhea are foodborne illnesses. These illnesses alone cause an estimated 50 million cases of diarrhea in the United States every year, he notes.

Diarrhea can be caused by a virus or bacteria in food that hasn’t been cooked or refrigerated properly, or from improper food handling (aka when the chef doesn’t wash his or her hands or instruments effectively). Most cases of foodborne illness-related diarrhea resolve on their own, but diarrhea lasting more than five days should be treated by a doctor.

Read more: 11 Food-Safety Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are five top offenders:

• Norovirus: The norovirus is a common and very contagious virus that causes diarrhea and vomiting. It’s easily spread by direct contact with an infected person or via contaminated food, such as raw fruits and vegetables or shellfish. Symptoms usually last between one to three days, but you can be contagious for up to two days after you feel better.
• Salmonella: Salmonella food poisoning most commonly results from eating contaminated raw or undercooked eggs or poultry, or drinking contaminated water, unpasteurized milk or juice. Typical symptoms include diarrhea (possibly bloody), vomiting, fever and abdominal cramps usually lasting four to seven days.
• Clostridium perfringens: According to the CDC, C. perfringens is the bacterium responsible for the majority of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. (about 1 million each year). It’s found frequently in raw meat and poultry, and in precooked food that sits out for a long time, such as under a warmer. Infection leads to diarrhea without vomiting, and symptoms usually pass quickly, within a day or two. However, diarrhea can last up to two weeks in older individuals and those with weakened immune systems.
• Campylobacter: Campylobacter intestinal infections most commonly come from the same types of contaminated foods as salmonella infections. Characteristic symptoms include bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and possibly nausea and vomiting. Symptoms usually last two to 10 days.
• Staph: Staphylococcus aureus, _also known as Staph bacteria,_ is found in about 25 percent of people and doesn’t always cause illnesses, but it can produce toxins that can make people sick with food poisoning. Unfortunately, although Staph is killed by cooking foods, the toxins it produces are not, so it can make people sick even if the food is prepared properly. The CDC also notes that non-cooked foods, such as sliced meats, puddings, pastries and sandwiches, are also at risk for contamination with staph toxin. Fortunately, symptoms of diarrhea with staph usually don’t last longer than one day.

Parasitic infections, such as giardiasis, the most common type of parasite found in water, are less common in this country but rampant in other parts of the world. So if you’ve recently traveled and are experiencing diarrhea, be sure to tell your doctor in case additional testing is needed.

2. Food Intolerances or Sensitivities

One other common cause of diarrhea, especially in adults, is food intolerances or sensitivities. For example, Dr. Cutler notes that some degree of lactose intolerance is present in about 50 percent of adults worldwide. People who are lactose intolerant may experience diarrhea after eating dairy products.

Other food issues, such as a gluten intolerance, may also cause diarrhea. If you think you might have a food intolerance or sensitivity, ask your doctor about appropriate testing.

Many medications have diarrhea as a possible side effect. Common culprits include antibiotics, laxatives, magnesium-containing antacids, certain blood pressure medicines as well as the diabetes drug metformin. However, it’s important that you never stop taking a medication that has been prescribed to you without consulting your doctor first.

Recent dietary changes can potentially cause acute diarrhea.

Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, commonly found in sugar-free foods and drinks, might be to blame for your diarrhea. And even your favorite cup of coffee in the morning can cause diarrhea if you’re especially sensitive to caffeine, or have consumed more than your normal amount.

Read more: Ice Cream and Diarrhea

Diarrhea lasting at least five days might herald a more serious digestive disorder, especially if your diarrhea continues or recurs on a regular basis. A few of the more common conditions that might be to blame include:

• Irritable
  bowel syndrome
• Inflammatory
  bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
• Celiac
  disease
• Pancreatic or
  liver disease
• Ischemic
  colitis (colon damage caused by reduced blood flow)
• Colon or
  pancreatic cancer

If you suspect that any of these conditions might be to blame, contact your doctor for an evaluation.

Read more: Spinach and Diarrhea

When to See a Doctor for Diarrhea

Dr. Cutler assures us that most cases of diarrhea will resolve on their own without treatment. But if you have diarrhea that lasts for three or more days without improvement, you should see a doctor, according to the Mayo Clinic.

You should also schedule an appointment if you have additional symptoms accompanying the diarrhea. “If there is no fever, abdominal pain, blood or pus in the stool, and good hydration is maintained, then there is no immediate concern, but a cause should be sought,” adds Dr. Cutler.

Seek help sooner if you have a weakened immune system, are unable to keep down fluids for more than 12 to 24 hours or if your diarrhea is accompanied by a fever. And you should seek urgent medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
• Severe or worsening abdominal pain
• Bleeding from your rectum
• Confusion or other mental changes
• Signs of dehydration, such as decreased urine production or dark urine
• Blood or puss in the stool

Diarrhea | Boston Children’s Hospital

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is defined as watery stool, increased frequency of bowel movement or both. In most cases, diarrhea in children lasts no more than a few days and goes away on its own. These short-term (or acute) cases of diarrhea are usually related to bacterial or viral infections.

In other cases, diarrhea may last for weeks at a time — this is called chronic diarrhea. Chronic diarrhea may also be caused by infections such as giardia, but is more likely to be caused by a chronic medical condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome, or an inflammatory condition such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease. 

Chronic diarrhea in children may indicate a larger health problem. If your child has diarrhea for more than a few days, consult your doctor. For mild diarrhea, you can typically wait for your child to get better and use home care remedies.

According to the National Institutes of Health, you should call your doctor if your newborn (under 3 months old) has diarrhea.^{Also call your physician if your child has:}

• blood, mucus, or pus in the stool
• more than eight stools in eight hours
• vomiting that continues for more than 24 hours
• fever and diarrhea lasting more than two to three days
• stomach pain or abdominal cramping
• diarrhea that develops within one week of travel outside of the United States or after a camping trip (the diarrhea may be due to bacteria or parasites that require treatment)
• diarrhea that keeps returning, or if your child is losing weight
• much less activity than normal (not sitting up at all or not looking around)

Severe or chronic diarrhea may indicate a serious disease, and it is important to consult your child’s health care provider if the symptoms persist or affect daily activities. Identifying the cause of the problem may be difficult. 

Seek medical help immediately if your child shows signs of dehydration:

• dry and sticky mouth
• no urine for six hours
• no tears when crying
• sunken eyes

What are the symptoms of diarrhea?

The following are the most common symptoms of diarrhea. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Severe or chronic diarrhea may indicate a serious disease, making it important to consult your child’s health care provider if any or all of the following symptoms persist:

• cramping
• abdominal pain
• bloating
• nausea
• urgent need to use the restroom
• fever
• bloody stools
• dehydration
• incontinence

The symptoms of diarrhea may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child’s health care provider for a diagnosis.

What are the causes of diarrhea in children?

Diarrhea in children may be caused by a number of conditions, including the following:

• bacterial infection
• viral infection
• food intolerances or allergies
• parasites
• reaction to medications
• intestinal disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease
• functional bowel disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome
• result of surgery on the stomach or gallbladder

Many people suffer “traveler’s diarrhea” caused by a bacterial infection or a parasite, or even food poisoning.

How we care for diarrhea

The Boston Children’s Hospital Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition is part of the #1-ranked children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report. Our team includes the best doctors and clinicians for children, who can help with the diagnosis and treatment of different gastrointestinal diseases, including problematic or chronic diarrhea. For children who have chronic diarrhea with a genetic cause — also called congenital enteropathy — the skilled clinicians in our Congenital Enteropathy Program can offer comprehensive evaluation and treatment.

Toddler’s Diarrhea | Riley Children’s Health

There are several factors that contribute to toddler’s diarrhea, including:

• Excessive fluid intake. Too much fluid can overwhelm the ability of a toddler’s digestive tract to absorb water and electrolytes, resulting in diarrhea.
• Carbohydrate malabsorption. Fruit juices often contain large amounts of sugars and carbohydrates, such as sorbitol and fructose, which are poorly absorbed in a child’s digestive tract.
• Low-fat/high-fiber diet. Many children may prefer fruits and/or vegetables over meat or higher fat foods. Fat can slow down a child’s digestion allowing more time for absorption of nutrients. Diets high in fiber and low in fat may cause food to move through the intestines rapidly resulting in diarrhea.
• Immature digestive tract. The nerves that carry signals to a toddler’s digestive tract may not be fully mature which results in rapid movement of food through the digestive tract. This may not allow adequate time for absorption resulting in diarrhea.

Children with toddler’s diarrhea often have:

• Between five and 10 loose, watery large stools per day
• Stools with undigested food particles
• Diarrhea lasting weeks followed by weeks of normal bowel movements

You should contact a pediatric gastroenterologist if your child experiences more serious symptoms with diarrhea, such as:

• Blood in the stool
• Chronic fever
• Greasy or oily stools
• Severe abdominal pain
• Bowel movement accidents
• Vomiting
• Weight loss or poor weight gain

If your child experiences diarrhea associated with dairy products or other foods, you should consult a physician.

Diagnosis of Toddler’s Diarrhea

Doctors may suspect toddler’s diarrhea in children with chronic diarrhea who are six months to five years old and are gaining weight, developing normally and otherwise healthy. The doctor will ask questions about your child’s symptoms and the frequency of diarrhea to make a diagnosis. A detailed dietary and fluid intake history is often very helpful when evaluating causes of diarrhea.

Diarrhoeal disease

Diarrhoea is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day (or more frequent passage than is normal for the individual). Frequent passing of formed stools is not diarrhoea, nor is the passing of loose, \”pasty\” stools by breastfed babies.

Diarrhoea is usually a symptom of an infection in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms. Infection is spread through contaminated food or drinking-water, or from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene.

Interventions to prevent diarrhoea, including safe drinking-water, use of improved sanitation and hand washing with soap can reduce disease risk. Diarrhoea should be treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS), a solution of clean water, sugar and salt. In addition, a 10-14 day supplemental treatment course of dispersible 20 mg zinc tablets shortens diarrhoea duration and improves outcomes.

There are three clinical types of diarrhoea:

• acute watery diarrhoea – lasts several hours or days, and includes cholera;
• acute bloody diarrhoea – also called dysentery; and
• persistent diarrhoea – lasts 14 days or longer.

Scope of diarrhoeal disease

Diarrhoeal disease is a leading cause of child mortality and morbidity in the world, and mostly results from contaminated food and water sources. Worldwide, 780 million individuals lack access to improved drinking-water and 2.5 billion lack improved sanitation. Diarrhoea due to infection is widespread throughout developing countries.

In low-income countries, children under three years old experience on average three episodes of diarrhoea every year. Each episode deprives the child of the nutrition necessary for growth. As a result, diarrhoea is a major cause of malnutrition, and malnourished children are more likely to fall ill from diarrhoea.

Dehydration

The most severe threat posed by diarrhoea is dehydration. During a diarrhoeal episode, water and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium and bicarbonate) are lost through liquid stools, vomit, sweat, urine and breathing. Dehydration occurs when these losses are not replaced.

The degree of dehydration is rated on a scale of three.

• Severe dehydration (at least two of the following signs):
• lethargy/unconsciousness
• sunken eyes
• unable to drink or drink poorly
• skin pinch goes back very slowly ( ≥2 seconds)
• Some dehydration (two or more of the following signs):
• restlessness, irritability
• sunken eyes
• drinks eagerly, thirsty
• No dehydration (not enough signs to classify as some or severe dehydration).

Causes

Infection: Diarrhoea is a symptom of infections caused by a host of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms, most of which are spread by faeces-contaminated water. Infection is more common when there is a shortage of adequate sanitation and hygiene and safe water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Rotavirus and Escherichia coli, are the two most common etiological agents of moderate-to-severe diarrhoea in low-income countries. Other pathogens such as cryptosporidium and shigella species may also be important. Location-specific etiologic patterns also need to be considered.

Malnutrition: Children who die from diarrhoea often suffer from underlying malnutrition, which makes them more vulnerable to diarrhoea. Each diarrhoeal episode, in turn, makes their malnutrition even worse. Diarrhoea is a leading cause of malnutrition in children under five years old.

Source: Water contaminated with human faeces, for example, from sewage, septic tanks and latrines, is of particular concern. Animal faeces also contain microorganisms that can cause diarrhoea.

Other causes: Diarrhoeal disease can also spread from person-to-person, aggravated by poor personal hygiene. Food is another major cause of diarrhoea when it is prepared or stored in unhygienic conditions. Unsafe domestic water storage and handling is also an important risk factor. Fish and seafood from polluted water may also contribute to the disease.

Prevention and treatment

Key measures to prevent diarrhoea include:\r\n

• access to safe drinking-water;\r\n
• use of improved sanitation;
• hand washing with soap;
• exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life;
• good personal and food hygiene;
• health education about how infections spread; and
• rotavirus vaccination.

Key measures to treat diarrhoea include the following:

• Rehydration: with oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution. ORS is a mixture of clean water, salt and sugar. It costs a few cents per treatment. ORS is absorbed in the small intestine and replaces the water and electrolytes lost in the faeces.
• Zinc supplements: zinc supplements reduce the duration of a diarrhoea episode by 25% and are associated with a 30% reduction in stool volume.
• Rehydration: with intravenous fluids in case of severe dehydration or shock.
• Nutrient-rich foods: the vicious circle of malnutrition and diarrhoea can be broken by continuing to give nutrient-rich foods – including breast milk – during an episode, and by giving a nutritious diet – including exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life – to children when they are well.
• Consulting a health professional, in particular for management of persistent diarrhoea or when there is blood in stool or if there are signs of dehydration.

WHO response

WHO works with Member States and other partners to:

• promote national policies and investments that support case management of diarrhoea and its complications as well as increasing access to safe drinking-water and sanitation in developing countries;
• conduct research to develop and test new diarrhoea prevention and control strategies in this area;
• build capacity in implementing preventive interventions, including sanitation, source water improvements, and household water treatment and safe storage;
• develop new health interventions, such as the rotavirus immunization; and
• help to train health workers, especially at community level.

“,”datePublished”:”2017-05-02T12:44:00.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://www.who.int/images/default-source/departments/diarrhoea/4901242825-66b4ef3301-o.jpg?sfvrsn=338b7c8b_5″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2017-05-02T12:44:00.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease”,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”Article”};

90,000 The main danger of rotavirus infection is associated with dehydration of the body due to severe diarrhea

Wednesday,
13
Martha
2019

Rotavirus infection (synonyms Rotavirus gastroenteritis, stomach flu, intestinal flu) is one of the forms of acute intestinal infection caused by human Rotavirus from the genus Rotavirus. People of any age can get rotavirus infection, but most often children from 6 months to a year or two get sick.

In some countries (for example, in the United States), intestinal flu accounts for up to 40% of all cases of acute intestinal infections in children. Adults contract rotaviros (rotavirus infection) by contracting it while caring for sick children.

Source of rotavirus infection and disease progression

The source of Rotavirus infection is a sick person or a healthy virus carrier. The virus multiplies in the cells of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted in the feces.Isolation of rotavirus begins from the first days of the disease, simultaneously with the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease. The main transmission mechanism of rotavirus infection is food.

In children’s groups, rotavirus infection can cause outbreaks of acute diarrhea (diarrhea).
Rotavirus infects the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine with the onset of gastroenteritis (gastro – stomach, entero – small intestine). Damage to the mucous membrane of the digestive tract disrupts the digestion of food and leads to the development of severe diarrhea and dehydration.

Rotavirus infection symptoms

The incubation period for rotavirus lasts from 1 to 5 days. Rotavirus disease begins acutely: the first symptoms of rotavirus are abdominal pain (acute, cramping), vomiting (up to 3-4 times a day), malaise, fever (up to 38 C).

Acute diarrhea (diarrhea) very quickly joins the described symptoms. Diarrhea in a patient with rotavirus infection is plentiful, yellowish in color with a sharp, unpleasant, sour odor.
When examining a patient with rotaviros, you can notice redness of the conjunctiva of the eyes, mucous membrane of the pharynx and palatine arches (sore throat).

The main danger of rotavirus infection is associated with dehydration of the body due to severe diarrhea.
The course of rotavirus infection is usually benign.
The disease ends in 4-7 days with complete recovery.

The symptoms described should be distinguished from those of cholera, salmonellosis, food poisoning.
After suffering a “stomach flu”, stable immunity remains, therefore, recurrent rotavirus infection is rarely observed.

An adult may not even notice that he is a carrier of a rotavirus infection, the disease, as a rule, proceeds with erased symptoms: a short, possibly one-time case of diarrhea, decreased appetite, a short-term rise in temperature. But during this period, a person is contagious!

Rotavirus infection treatment

There is no specific treatment for rotavirus infection (stomach flu).Symptomatic treatment of the disease is shown: treatment of diarrhea (mainly adequate rehydration of the body), temperature reduction, light diet and enzyme preparations (Smecta, Creon).

The most common scenario for the development and treatment of rotavirus infection in a child is:

A child wakes up in the morning sluggish, he can be vomited even immediately on an empty stomach. No appetite, vomiting starts again after eating, vomits even after several sips of water.These symptoms of rotavirus infection are joined by a gradual rise in temperature to more than 39 degrees Celsius and diarrhea. The temperature is poorly knocked down by drugs and can stay elevated for up to 5 days. With such symptoms, immediately exclude any dairy products from the child’s diet, including fermented milk products: milk, milk porridge, kefir, cottage cheese, and so on. The exception is breastfed babies. Call your local doctor. Do not force the child to eat.

To replenish the water-salt balance, prepare a rehydron solution – 1 sachet per 1 liter of water and let your child drink 50 ml every hour.Do not give in large portions – it can vomit immediately. Drink in small sips.

What can you feed with rotavirus infection: diet for the first 2-3 days – liquid rice porridge in water, chicken broth, jelly (water, starch, any homemade jam – boil until tender).

How and how to bring down the temperature of a child
with rotavirus infection:

When the temperature rises above 38 degrees, cefekon candles will help to reduce it (dosage according to the child’s age), candles are practically safe for use at any age, you can put these candles every 2 hours, but do not overdo it, knocking down the temperature. Less than 38 degrees, it should not be reduced, since the rotavirus infection virus (rotavirus) dies at 38 degrees. Do not wrap the child up! When sleeping, cover with a sheet, not a warm blanket.

For abdominal pain with rotavirus infection: if a child cries and / or complains of abdominal pain (only with a confirmed diagnosis of rotavirus infection!), No-shpa will help relieve them. Buy ampoules (2 ml each), give the child 1 ml in the mouth for pain, drink tea.

To prevent the development of intestinal bacterial infection, enterofuril is prescribed (dosage according to the age of the child, from 1 to 2 years – 1 tsp 2 times a day for 5 days) or enterol (but enterofuril is better).

For the treatment of diarrhea with rotavirus infection, smecta is prescribed (2 sachets per day in half a glass of water).

Vomiting with rotavirus infection can last up to 3-5 days, diarrhea – even longer.

For faster restoration of intestinal microflora and normalization of stool in case of rotavirus infection, the drug bactisubtil is prescribed – 2 times a day, 1 capsule dissolved in water one hour before meals. Bactisubtil should be started after vomiting has subsided, approximately on the 3rd day of illness.

On the second day of the disease, the child develops severe drowsiness, let the child sleep as much as he wants, just constantly monitor his body temperature, when he wakes up – let’s drink a little.

Before using the above drugs and to diagnose the disease, be sure to call a doctor, do not self-diagnose, since the symptoms of rotavirus infection are similar to the symptoms of more dangerous diseases that require urgent medical attention.

Prevention of rotavirus infection

Prevention of rotavirus infection consists in observing personal hygiene measures and isolating the patient during illness.

You can prepare the solution yourself. In one liter of boiled water, you need to dissolve a tablespoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar, add juice from half a lemon or a decoction of raisins.

Infectious Disease Doctor
Belyaeva Anna Yurievna

90,013 90,000 American doctors named the early symptoms of coronavirus :: Society :: RBC

Photo: Go Nakamura / Getty Images

Loss of appetite and nausea in patients with coronavirus infection may appear before respiratory symptoms. This is stated in a message on the website of the Mayo Clinic in the United States.

“COVID-19 can cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms including loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms can last as little as one day, ”the scientists said.

According to them, some patients with coronavirus have diarrhea and nausea earlier than fever and respiratory symptoms.

The WHO predicted the continuation of the mutation of the coronavirus

Earlier, British scientists reported that several more symptoms may indicate infection with coronavirus.According to them, we are talking about muscle pain, fatigue and blisters on the legs.

Invisible danger Rotavirus can cause death. Is there a chance to protect yourself from it: Science and technology: Lenta.ru

Rotavirus causes an acute infectious disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes it is mistakenly called “intestinal flu”, because in addition to diarrhea and vomiting, the disease can be accompanied by fever, runny nose and sore throat. While a sick adult usually recovers after a few days, for young children – who are statistically most ill – the disease can be deadly.”Lenta.ru” tells what you need to know about rotavirus in order to avoid negative consequences.

Rotavirus was first described in 1973. But it got its name only in the next year, 1974, when the virologist Thomas Henry Flewitt, studying the virus under an electron microscope, noticed that its particle resembles a wheel (Latin rota – “wheel”).

There are several major varieties of rotavirus, but more than 90 percent of all cases are caused by rotavirus A. Nearly every child under the age of five has rotavirus infection at least once in their life.According to the latest data, only among children under five years of age in 2016, up to 258 million cases of diseases caused by rotaviruses occurred worldwide, of which 128 thousand were fatal.

The peak of the spread of rotavirus infections both in Europe and in Russia is in the cold months of the year, that is, from December to May.

A child becomes infected from a sick person through contaminated water or food. The virus gets there through unwashed hands due to poor hygiene during cooking or violations of food storage conditions.

The main carriers of rotavirus infection are children attending kindergarten or other children’s groups. Rotavirus is transmitted by household contact through objects and dirty hands, therefore, hygiene should be carefully observed when in contact with a sick person.

Parents may have a reasonable question – so, if you wash your hands thoroughly, it will save your child from illness? Unfortunately no.

The incubation period, that is, the time from infection with the virus to the appearance of the first signs of the disease, ranges from a couple of hours to several days – usually 1-2 days.

Most often, rotavirus infection is manifested by enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) or gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and small intestine).

The disease begins acutely. In most children, the temperature rises to 38 degrees, but can reach 39 and even higher. The child may experience abdominal pain combined with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence. Abdominal pain, as a rule, appears from the first days of the disease, is diffuse or localized in the upper abdomen.Of course, in children who still cannot complain, it will not be possible to find out the features of abdominal pain.

In addition to intestinal disorders, with rotavirus infection, common cold symptoms can also occur: runny nose, redness and sore throat, swollen cervical lymph nodes. Against the background of a high temperature, young children may even develop seizures.

The duration of diarrhea on average ranges from three days to a week, but it can, especially in young children, persist for a longer time, up to 10-14 days.

The main danger of rotavirus infection in children is the rapid onset of dehydration due to vomiting and frequent diarrhea. At the same time, it is often not possible to replenish the loss of fluid with ordinary drinking – a sick child may refuse water, and due to an increased vomiting reflex, fluid is not retained in the body.

The main goal of treatment is to combat dehydration, as there are no effective antiviral drugs to combat rotavirus. Doctors call this therapy rehydration therapy.

Depending on the severity of the child’s condition, replenishment of fluid losses is carried out either by drinking or by droppers with saline solutions in a hospital. Drinking is carried out fractionally, every 5-10 minutes, 5-10 milliliters of liquid in any way convenient for the child – from a cup, bottle, from a spoon, from a syringe.

The need for hospitalization also depends on the severity of the condition: children with moderate and severe forms of the disease are usually treated in a hospital.

Symptomatic treatment is also used – antipyretic drugs for fever, enterosorbents, drugs to combat flatulence, and so on.

Doctors at the American Gastroenterological Association believe that taking certain probiotics may help fight diarrhea caused by rotavirus gastroenteritis.

Nutrition during treatment must be adjusted. Dairy products from whole milk and gas-forming products (for example, cabbage, rye bread, legumes, soda) are completely excluded from the child’s diet.

It is recommended to eat in small portions 5-6 times a day. For a child, porridge on the water, lean chicken, meat or fish, vegetable soups are suitable.

Breastfeeding with rotavirus infection is possible and necessary. Mother’s milk contains antibodies that help the baby fight the virus and disease.

It is known that rotavirus infection belongs to “diseases of dirty hands”, therefore, the main methods of disease prevention are associated with strict adherence to personal hygiene rules, environmental health, compliance with sanitary standards and other preventive measures. The rules of hygiene are well known to everyone, but given the importance of such a problem as rotavirus infection, it will not be superfluous to remind them:

— If your baby is breastfed, continue breastfeeding.
—Sterilize all utensils that are used to feed your baby.
—Wash your child’s toys thoroughly daily.
—Use only boiled water for drinking.
—Wash thoroughly all fruits you give your baby. Even if you usually do not wash bananas or oranges – “you still need to peel them”, then in a period when there is a danger of infection, it is better to play it safe.

Unfortunately, even the strictest adherence to all hygiene rules does not guarantee protection against infection.There are at least two reasons for this.

First, rotavirus itself is considered highly contagious. Secondly, there is the concept of “asymptomatic carrier”. A person whose disease does not manifest itself in any way, but he himself is a walking source of infection.

Therefore, vaccination is currently recognized as the most effective method of controlling the incidence rate. The World Health Organization strongly recommends the inclusion of rotavirus vaccine in national immunization programs around the world.It has been proven that in countries that followed this recommendation, the frequency and severity of rotavirus infection decreased significantly. Moreover, WHO recommends the introduction of the first dose of rotavirus vaccine as early as possible – from the sixth week of a child’s life, so that the immune defense is ready for the first contact with rotavirus.

Information provided with the support of MSD Pharmaceuticals LLC,
119021, Russia, Moscow, st. Timur Frunze, 11, building 1
tel. + 7-495-916-70-94
Consultation with a healthcare professional is required.
RU-ROT-00062, 01.2020

Causes and treatment of diarrhea in cats

Cat owners often have to deal with various health problems of their pets. The lion’s share of diseases occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, especially often representatives of the feline family suffer from such a digestive disorder as diarrhea or diarrhea. In most cases, stool disturbance does not pose a threat to the pet’s life and does not require drug therapy.However, in some cases, frequent loose stools can signal the development of a serious illness. In particular, if blood is present in the feces, the animal’s condition deteriorates sharply, indigestion is accompanied by vomiting, the temperature rises, etc. In this case, it is important to know what to do and how to properly treat diarrhea in cats.

What is diarrhea in cats

Diarrhea (diarrhea) is not an independent disease, the condition is a signal of the presence of certain health problems of the cat.We are talking about a dysfunction of the digestive tract, which is accompanied by abundant loss of fluid, pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, weakness and loss of appetite. In cats, frequent loose stools are caused by increased intestinal peristalsis, provoked by irritation of the mucous membrane by pathogenic bacteria or toxins.

Along with frequent defecation, the animal behaves restlessly, experiences discomfort, and often cannot find a place for itself.Despite the fact that in the vast majority of cases, a disturbance in the digestive system does not pose a threat to the life of the cat, it is important to understand that prolonged diarrhea can lead to dehydration and can lead to the death of the pet. It is extremely important to correctly recognize the symptoms of the disorder and help the animal in time on their own at home or in a hospital.

Symptoms of diarrhea

The symptomatology of diarrhea is pronounced, the condition involves frequent urge to empty the intestines, while the volume of a single bowel movement is less than usual, the consistency is liquid.In addition, among the most common symptoms, it is worth noting:

• acts of defecation – more than 3 times per day;
• watery, unformed stools;
• fecal incontinence, urge to defecate;
• The color of feces is light with shades of yellow, green, red if diarrhea with blood is observed, and even black if the animal has damage to internal organs.

In addition, vomiting, painful spasms, lethargy, apathy and impaired appetite and other symptoms are often added to the existing picture.It is extremely important to recognize the symptoms in time and identify the root causes of the painful condition in order to understand what to do and what kind of help the cat needs.

Causes

The most common cause of digestive problems is a change in the cat’s diet. If frequent bowel movements occurred during the introduction of changes in nutrition, it is safe to say that the cause of the ailment lies precisely in this. In this case, indigestion can be cured without special therapy.All you need to do is return to your usual food. However, the causes of digestive disorders in cats are not limited only to errors in nutrition, a number of domestic factors can provoke a painful condition:

• unbalanced nutrition – the presence of raw fish, dairy products, fatty foods in the pet’s diet, which can cause digestive problems;
• Too large portions or frequent feeding;
• transition from natural food to special food or vice versa;
• poor-quality water, a change in its usual composition can affect the work of the digestive tract;
• Food poisoning The pet may be suffering from the consumption of expired spoiled food;
• individual intolerance to any product, allergies;
• dysfunction of the digestive tract can be provoked by drugs, manufacturers of veterinary drugs often indicate diarrhea in the list of side effects;
• postoperative period;
• Postpartum rehabilitation and the period of gestation are also often accompanied by disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Frequent urge to defecate can be caused by an unstable emotional state of the cat. An experienced stressful situation, unfavorable home conditions, anxiety, fear, the appearance of other pets in the house, a long separation from the owner, the arrival of guests, moving can cause diarrhea. These factors should not be a cause for concern, usually, special treatment is not required, the pet recovers on its own immediately after the disappearance of the factor traumatizing the psyche.

At the same time, the cause of diarrhea with blood in a pet (or without blood discharge) may lie in the presence of life-threatening diseases:

• salmonellosis, E. coli infection and other bacterial infections;
• Diarrhea and vomiting in a cat with white foam can be caused by viral diseases, including the so-called feline leukemia, rotavirus, panleukopenia, etc .;
• Causes of green diarrhea in a pet may be due to various liver diseases, including pancreatitis;
• diarrhea with blood in a cat causes pathologies of the digestive system of various etiologies, including partial or complete intestinal obstruction;
• intoxication of the body resulting from complex drug therapy or caused by severe poisoning;
• metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus;
• parasitic lesions of the body – roundworms, helminthic infestations, worms;
• oncology;
• pathology of the urinary system;
• fungal infections (mycoses).

Separately, it is worth noting the reasons for vomiting with white foam with frequent bowel movements, their nature is most often physiological, thus, the pet independently gets rid of undigested food and toxins. In the absence of accompanying symptoms that aggravate the health of the animal, special treatment is not necessary.

Types of diarrhea in cats

Depending on the causes of an eating disorder, feces acquire a different color, texture and smell.Based on the analysis of these parameters, it is possible to conclude about the presence of a particular disease and determine the course of treatment at home.

Classification of diarrhea by consistency and the presence of impurities in the feces:

• liquid diarrhea, the presence of vomiting is highly likely to indicate food poisoning;
• the presence of mucus in the stool signals the defeat of the large intestine;
• Blood in the feces indicates the infectious nature of diarrhea, the presence of parasites, or indicates damage to internal organs.

Depending on the color of the stool, the following types of diarrhea are distinguished:

• yellow feces – defective digestion of food eaten;
• black color – indicates the presence of internal bleeding (you should seek emergency veterinary help or call a veterinarian at home), may also be the result of taking medications containing iron or indicate an excessively meat diet;
• green color – with a high degree of probability indicates the consumption of spoiled foods that provoke the processes of putrefaction in the intestines, you can treat green diarrhea on your own;
• white color – indicates the presence of problems in the biliary tract;
• orange color – the pet is severely intoxicated and needs urgent help.

Treatment

In the vast majority of cases, problems with the digestive tract in cats are treated at home and do not require hospitalization. If the diarrhea lasts no more than two days, the animal leads a normal life, does not suffer from pain, eats normally – treatment of diarrhea in a cat at home is indicated. Veterinarians recommend a fasting diet for 12-24 hours, but no more, and ensuring free access to water. If the diarrhea is caused by stress, it is worth treating the cause immediately and giving the cat peace of mind.In the case when the violation of the digestive process is caused by errors in nutrition, vomiting with white foam and short-term diarrhea can be cured by correcting the diet and eliminating possible allergens.

It is strictly forbidden to load the pet’s digestive tract immediately after recovery. In the early days, dietary food is recommended – boiled rabbit meat, chicken, special food for cats with digestive problems (dry and wet).In addition, the first day you can give rice water to stabilize the stool and a weak chamomile decoction.

In our online store you can buy effective veterinary drugs for the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract:

It is worth noting that it is impossible to cure diarrhea with conventional diarrheal drugs for humans, the decision to buy a drug for a cat on its own can lead to a worsening of the condition. In severe cases, the veterinarian prescribes special cat tablets, gentle medication for kittens, and even prescribes intravenous medications to maximize the effect of the medication for indigestion.By the way, you can give medicine to a cat in tablet form along with your favorite food.

If you have certain symptoms, home care may not be effective. The animal should be immediately shown to the veterinarian if it is noticed:

• high temperature;
• The pet is very weak, does not get up;
• the condition is aggravated by convulsions, vomiting;
• refuses water;
• there is diarrhea with blood and mucus;
• the frequency of diarrhea per day exceeds 5 times;
• feces of orange, white or black color.

If you can cure green diarrhea in cats at home, then if you have the above symptoms, do not postpone the visit to the doctor, perhaps your animal needs urgent help. The veterinarian will carry out the necessary diagnostics, including laboratory tests of feces, blood, urine, on the basis of which effective drug therapy will be prescribed – antibiotics, sorbents, anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.

Prevention

As a preventive measure for diseases of the digestive system in cats, it is necessary to correctly compose the pet’s diet.Poor-quality feed and products with an expired shelf life should be excluded, meat and fish should be subjected to sufficient heat treatment.

Here are the medicines and feed additives that you need to have in your home veterinary medicine cabinet:

In addition, it is worth systematically giving medicine for worms, vaccinating, keeping food and water containers clean, and limiting contact with stray dogs and cats. Proper care of your pet and balanced nutrition is a guarantee of your cat’s well-being and a long, carefree life.

What to do if a dog has diarrhea

Almost every owner has encountered such an unpleasant phenomenon as diarrhea in a dog. And every time it gives a lot of excitement to both the owner and the pet. What to do in this situation and how to provide first aid? Let’s try to figure it out.

The causes of diarrhea can be infectious and non-infectious in nature.

One of the most common causes of non-infectious diarrhea is nutritional disorders of the animal:

– Abrupt change of feed.When changing from one brand of food to another, when changing the type of feeding, the body takes time to adapt. An abrupt transition leads to indigestion.

– Food poisoning. Due to their food “promiscuity”, dogs quite often suffer from gastrointestinal disorders. The cause of poisoning, as a rule, is eating poor-quality food, poison for fighting rodents, fertilizers, medicines, etc. Common signs of food poisoning are weakness, refusal to eat, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation.

– Intolerance to one or more feed ingredients.

– The appearance of clinical signs of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including diarrhea, is also caused by metabolic disorders, kidney and liver diseases, pancreatitis, etc.

– Diarrhea can be a manifestation of an allergy and an animal’s reaction to stress.

A common cause of acute diarrhea, especially in young animals, is parasitic diseases – infection with worms. The parasites themselves can not be seen, however, special research methods make it possible to identify helminth eggs in the feces.

Acute diarrhea accompanies:

– bacterial diseases (Salmonella, Clostridium, Campylobacter, E. coli, Yersinia, etc.). As a rule, infection occurs when animals consume contaminated water and feed;

– viral infections such as parvovirosis, coronavirosis, rotavirosis, plague of carnivores, adenovirosis;

– protozoal and fungal infections, for example, coccidiosis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, histoplasmosis, etc.

A single case of diarrhea in an animal is generally not cause for concern.But if diarrhea lasts more than one day, it can cause serious consequences: dehydration (fluid loss, dehydration), electrolyte disturbances and / or acid-base imbalance. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately contact a veterinarian, establish the cause of the disease and begin appropriate treatment

Distinguish between acute and chronic diarrhea.

Acute diarrhea is characterized by sudden onset and short duration. Chronic diarrhea in an animal can last for several weeks or even months, or it can manifest itself occasionally.

Symptoms for acute and chronic diarrhea are similar:

– Liquid feces;

– Feces have a strange color and a pungent odor;

– Rumbling, stomach may be painful to the touch;

– Frequent defecation, sometimes painful;

– In the feces there is an admixture of blood, mucus;

– Nausea, vomiting.

If the animal is not vaccinated, it has a fever, blood in the feces, severe vomiting, you should immediately contact your veterinarian! Remember, getting vaccinated will save your pet a lot of trouble!

The doctor will examine the animal, take the necessary blood and feces tests, and do an ultrasound scan.And only after a full examination, your dog will be prescribed treatment.

If all the vaccinations are done, the general condition of the four-legged friend does not cause much concern and there is no veterinary clinic nearby, you can help the pet yourself.

1. Put your dog on a starvation diet. This means that the dog should not be fed for at least 24 hours; access to clean boiled water must be provided. After the dog’s condition has stabilized, you can slowly begin to give it boiled rice and boiled chicken breast in small portions.

2. Give the dog some adsorbents (activated carbon, enterosgel, etc.)

3. You can provide first aid to a dog by injecting the drug Veracol ^® .