Wednesday, November 29, 2023

What To Do About Upset Stomach And Diarrhea

What Can I Give My Cat To Ease Vomiting

Mayo Clinic Minute: What to do if your child has an upset stomach

There are not many reasonable over-the-counter solutions for cat vomiting. In addition, since cats cant correctly digest plant material, herbal remedies would further irritate the digestive tract. You should not give your cat anything if theyre vomiting. You are far more likely to damage your cats stomach and intestines with herbal and over-the-counter medications than you are to ease their vomiting.

Use Apple Cider Vinegar For Upset Stomach

This is one of the most popular and potent home remedies for getting rid of upset stomach and diarrhea.

If you can handle the taste, drink a tablespoon or two of ACV for upset stomach relief.

If not, you can add some lemon juice to make it taste a bit better.

That way, more of it can get into the intestine to maintain healthy gut bacteria.

Some people take apple cider vinegar as a preventive measure.

The menthol in its leaves has been proven to be a good upset stomach medicine.

You can use peppermint to get rid of an upset stomach and diarrhea by:

  • Chewing the leaves directly
  • Brewing the leaves into a tea and drinking it
  • Sniff peppermint extract This is a great way to get rid of kids upset stomach ache at school.
  • Sucking a peppermint candy

You can also use this to relieve upset stomach after eating.

Dog Upset Stomach Treatment

The treatment for your dogs upset stomach depends on the condition your veterinarian identifies.

Parvovirus. If they have parvovirus, they will need to be isolated from other dogs and require hospitalization. The veterinarian can give your dog intravenous fluids to rehydrate them and maintain their system’s ability to fight off the virus. Veterinarians might prescribe antibiotics to reduce any bacterial infections that result from the sickness.

Inflammation. For inflamed stomach tissue and conditions that cause a lot of vomiting, veterinarians generally prescribe short-term fasting and lots of fluid intake to make sure your dog is hydrated.

Other conditions. Bloating, cancer, and obstructions require immediate surgical procedures that can range from open surgery to less invasive procedures to remove obstructions.

On rare occasions, an ulcer might need to be removed surgically if it has caused a perforation in part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Common treatment. Vets often suggest a bland diet to treat a dog’s upset stomach. Rice and chicken, or a more specific diet, removes the irritating substances from food to help your dogs digestive system rebalance itself.

Veterinarians will treat your dogs symptoms with medication while they are determining the cause of their stomach problems. Probiotics are a common prescription for a dogs tummy troubles.

Pagination

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Relief Of Upset Stomach And Diarrhea

To experience true relief from digestive discomfort and all the uncomfortable symptoms that come with it, you need to eliminate the cause from your life. This can mean saying no to that next glass of wine or prioritizing stress relief in your day-to-day life, you can achieve long-lasting comfort with a few lifestyle changes. In the meantime, start with the following stomach relief tips.

What To Do About Nutrition When You Have Diarrhea

Home Remedies for Upset Stomach Diarrhea

Do stick with bland foods. One tried and true diet for diarrhea is the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Low in fiber, bland and starchy, these foods can help replace lost nutrients and firm your stools. According to the National Institute of Healths National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases , you can also try boiled potatoes, crackers, or cooked carrots.

Do eat small meals. Too much food will stimulate your gastrointestinal tract to move even more, says Ganjhu, and possibly worsen the diarrhea. Eating five to six small meals, rather than three large ones, can give your intestines a chance to digest the food more easily.

Dont eat fried food. Prepare foods like beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey by baking or broiling, not frying, which can worsen diarrhea. Cooked eggs are okay, too, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Do eat when hunger strikes. Listen to your body and dont force yourself to eat, which can worsen symptoms. Trust your body to tell you when and how much it can tolerate, notes Ganjhu.

Dont eat fruits and vegetables that cause gas. Eating gassy food when you have diarrhea can increase intestinal gas and should be avoided. This includes fruits and vegetables, like prunes, berries, beans, peas, broccoli, corn, and green leafy vegetables, and sweet foods like cookies or cakes.

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Living With Vomiting And Diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea usually dont last long. If its caused by an infection, vomiting and diarrhea are a way for the body to get rid of the infection. Giving medicines that stop vomiting and diarrhea may actually interfere with the bodys efforts to heal. Antibiotics are usually not necessary either. Talk to your family doctor if you or a loved one is frequently vomiting or having diarrhea.

Causes Of Abdominal Pain And Diarrhea In Pregnant People

Pregnant people are especially prone to abdominal pain and diarrhea. One common reason is that many people make changes to their diet when they find out theyre pregnant. This can cause digestive trouble.

If youre pregnant, you may also start having sensitivities to particular foods. This can include foods you eat on a regular basis, resulting in abdominal pain and diarrhea. On top of that, hormone changes in your reproductive system that occur during pregnancy may also cause these symptoms.

Seek medical help if youre having abdominal pain and diarrhea that last for 3 days, if the pain grows increasingly worse over a 24-hour period, or if its accompanied by any of these symptoms:

  • frequent nausea or vomiting
  • a sustained fever of 101°F for adults or 100.4°F for children
  • stool that contains blood or dried blood, which looks like wet coffee grounds
  • an inability to keep food down
  • extreme thirst or dry mouth
  • an inability to speak or see
  • mental confusion or loss of consciousness
  • yellowing of the skin or eyes
  • swelling of the genitals
  • external bleeding

Diarrhea can be more dangerous for infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. In these cases, discuss symptoms with a doctor.

If you dont have a primary care doctor, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.

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Drink Plenty Of Water

Vomiting and diarrhea are both quick ways of losing electrolytes and fluid, which can cause or even worsen. It is important to maintain fluid intake to prevent dehydration, but it is important to recognize this can be difficult for individuals dealing with an upset stomach. A good overall recommendation is to aim for six to eight glasses per day in between meals. Some mild choices include pulp-free juice, vegetable or fat-free chicken broth, tea and honey, and sports drinks. Everyone should note it is easier for their stomachs to handle beverages in small sips rather than all at once. Additionally, those with upset stomachs should consider adding sprigs of mint to their water for a refreshing and stomach-soothing drink.

Should You Eat Fiber After You’ve Had Diarrhea

How to Calm an Upset Stomach Naturally

You may have heard you should avoid fiber when you have diarrhea. This is not necessarily true.

There are two different types of fiber:

  • Soluble fiber can be dissolved in water. It ferments readily in the colon. This type of fiber can be prebiotic. This means it acts as food for healthy bacteria in the stomach. It also delays the speed at which stools pass through and exit the body.
  • Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in the body. Instead, it absorbs water as it passes through the digestive tract. This softens and loosens stools.

When recovering from diarrhea, focus on foods with soluble fiber, like oatmeal. This will help the good bacteria in your intestines recover while building more solid stools.

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Diagnosing Stomach Problems In Dogs

Tests vary for each of the conditions that your dog might have. Your veterinarian will do a physical exam and take an X-ray if needed. They might decide that blood tests are the only way to figure out whats going on. Ultrasounds are also used to diagnose stomach problems in dogs. If your dog is passing stool with blood in it, bring in a sample for the veterinarian to test.

Diarrhea And Upset Stomach

There are a few different medical conditions that are strongly associated with:

  • Diarrhea
  • Upset Stomach

While the symptoms above can be considered a guide to help associate symptoms common among the conditions below, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms. Below are the top condition matches for your symptom combination from MedicineNet:

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What To Do If Youre Experiencing Chronic Stomach Pain Or Diarrhea

Stomach pain and diarrhea are often short-lived and require no special treatment.

However, there is a long list of medical conditions and medications that can cause GI symptoms to last for weeks.

These include infections, inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, food sensitivities or allergies, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, stress and anxiety, and medications like NSAIDs and antibiotics.

Because there are many different reasons for chronic stomach pain and diarrhea, its important to check with a healthcare provider to detect an underlying cause.

Knowing the root of your symptoms will lead to an effective treatment and some much needed relief.

About Joe Leech, Dietitian

Joe Leech is a university-qualified dietitian from Australia.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, followed by a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2011.

Learn more about him on the About page.

Joe Leech, Dietitian

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Abdominal Pain And Diarrhea Caused By Medications

9 Best Foods for Upset Stomach

There could also be a chance that any painful stomach cramps and diarrhea that you experience could be the side effects of medication.

Here are some common medications that are known to cause abdominal pain with diarrhea:

Antibiotics. Mayo Clinic staff say that taking a course of antibiotics can cause watery, loose stools as well as lower abdominal pain. The stomach pain and diarrhea could start about a week after taking antibiotics.19

NSAIDs. The long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has the side effect of stomach pain and loose stools. In some cases, the side effects of NSAIDs also include bloating, heartburn, nausea, or constipation.20

Laxatives. The overuse of laxatives for constipation can make you have constant diarrhea with stomach pain. A review published in 2016 found that some types of laxatives cause bloating, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.21

Chemotherapy. Cancer treatment involving chemotherapy can cause unpleasant side effects like persistent diarrhea. The journal Frontiers in Pharmacology reports that stomach pain is also a common side effect of chemotherapy.22

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Lowering The Effects Of High Fat Meals

In 2011, researchers concluded that diets rich in antioxidant spices, including cinnamon, may help reduce the bodys negative response to eating high fat meals.

Six people consumed dishes containing 14 g of a spice blend. Blood tests showed that antioxidant activity increased by 13%, insulin response fell by 21%, and triglycerides fell by 31%.

Some Studies Show Gastrointestinal Symptoms Are More Common Than Previously Thought & Linked To Poorer Outcomes

The gastrointestinal symptoms of coronavirus include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and lack of appetite, according to the CDC.

A study conducted in China found that gastrointestinal symptoms might be more common than previously thought. Instead of the 4% initially suggested, the study found that 11.4% of 651 coronavirus patients presented with GI tract symptoms. In the studys conclusion, researchers noted, Attention to patients with COVID-19 with non-classic symptoms should increase to protect health providers.

Medical researchers attempting to understand why coronavirus appears to cause respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms conducted studies on coronavirus patients, using nasal swabs and testing their fecal matter. In a , they noted that the presence of coronavirus could indicate an alternative route of infection and might be the result of fecal-oral transmissions:

In over half of the patients, faecal samples remained positive for SARS-CoV2 RNA for a mean of 11 days after clearance of respiratory tract samples. A recent study further confirmed that 8 of 10 infected children had persistently positive viral rectal swabs after nasopharyngeal testing was negative. Importantly, live SARS-CoV-2 was detected on electron microscopy in stool samples from two patients who did not have diarrhoea, highlighting the potential of faecal-oral transmission.

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Is It Safe To Take Activated Charcoal

Unlike charcoal briquettes , activated charcoal is of food-grade quality and safe for human consumption.

Your body doesnt absorb activated charcoal. Instead, this compound stays within the gastrointestinal tract without changing its form. Eventually, it passes out of your body, along with the toxins that were present in your digestive system.

How To Find Relief

Upset Stomach Help

Many of the conditions that cause PD require medical treatment, but these four lifestyle treatments may also ease the condition:

Avoid trigger foods: Certain foods may contribute to PD. If you arent sure what your trigger foods are, keep a food diary. Make note of what you eat and when you experience PD. Look for food commonly associated with PD, such as fatty foods, fiber, and dairy.

Practice food safety: Keep bad bacteria at bay by washing fruits and vegetables before eating them, cooking meat to the proper temperature, and properly refrigerating foods that need to be kept cold.

Eat smaller meals: Eat five to six small meals a day instead of three big ones. This may help your intestines more easily digest food, and that could reduce symptoms of PD.

Reduce stress: Your mind has a lot of power over your gut. When youre stressed or worried, you may make your stomach upset more easily. Learning to manage your stress and anxiety is good not only for your mental health, but also for your digestive health.

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What Causes Stomach Upset In Dogs

There are a variety of reasons why dogs suffer from an upset stomach. Some of the more benign triggers could be linked to an abrupt change in appetite, overeating, or simply not eating enough. In both cases, a pups stomach can become irritated and cause illness. Here are some of the common causes for dogs upset stomachs.

Nsaid Drugs And Stomach Ulcers

A group of painkillers known as NSAIDs carries a risk of stomach ulcers. The two best-known NSAIDs are aspirin and ibuprofen.

The risk of ulcers increases if the drugs are taken in high doses, or regularly for a long time.

Stronger NSAIDs, such as those that need a prescription, are riskier for stomach ulcers than those that can be bought over-the-counter .

People should always check labels and talk to a pharmacist or a doctor about any concerns with using painkillers. They may recommend an alternative such as acetaminophen.

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Questions To Ask Your Doctor

  • Can vomiting and diarrhea be the signs of another health condition?
  • What, if any, medicines can help treat vomiting and diarrhea?
  • What should I do if I think my child has food poisoning?
  • My child has frequent diarrhea. Should I be worried?
  • My child has diarrhea occasionally. Should I be worried?
  • What should I do if my child wont eat or drink anything when he or she is vomiting or has diarrhea?

Symptoms Of A Dogs Upset Stomach

Home Remedies for Upset Stomach &  Diarrhea

If your dog has an upset stomach or an issue that makes you think they have a stomach or gastrointestinal issue, they can display some or all of the following symptoms. These symptoms are grouped by cause to show you their similarities:

  • Parvovirus: dullness, fever, loss of appetite, progressing to vomiting and blood in the stool
  • Intestinal inflammation: diarrhea, strain to move bowels, pain when emptying bowels, weight loss, and vomiting
  • Constipation: hard, dry feces, straining to move bowels
  • Bloating: restlessness, discomfort, rapid breathing, abdominal swelling, dry retching, excessive drooling
  • Stomach inflammation: vomiting of bile, froth, fresh blood, or digested blood
  • Cancers: vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, pale gums
  • Obstruction: lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, low body temperatures, dehydration
  • Ulcers: vomiting fresh or digested blood, abdominal discomfort, pale gums, dark stool with blood, decreased appetite
  • Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis: sudden vomiting, bloody diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression
  • Inflammatory bowel disease: weight loss, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, swollen abdomen, fluid retention, watery diarrhea
  • Malabsorption: weight loss and/or diarrhea

Continued

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What Can I Give A Cat For An Upset Stomach

An upset stomach isnt fun for anyone, but its even worse for cat parents who have to deal with the vomit or diarrhea that their cat has left behind. Unfortunately, veterinarians dont recommend home and herbal remedies for an upset stomach1. Giving your cat home remedies can significantly worsen the problem.

But is there anything you can do if your cat has an upset stomach? Lets look at some of the symptoms of an upset stomach in cats and see what you can do about it.

When Vomiting Is An Emergency

Vomiting can be so severe that it becomes a medical emergency. The easiest way to figure out if your cat needs to be taken to an emergency vet is to look at the contents of the vomit. The color and contents of your cats vomit can tell you a lot about the causes. Additionally, if your cat vomits twice a day, you should make an appointment with a veterinarian for your cat.

Your cat may also experience a lack of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, sneezing, or increased thirst. Call your veterinarian if your cat is experiencing any of those symptoms, as this could signify something severe.

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