Ascites in dogs: causes, symptoms, treatment

Ascites in dogs, also called abdominal dropsy, should alarm the wearer, as it may well be fatal. The condition is accompanied by the accumulation of large volumes of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, which can cause disruption of the organs of this area and difficulty breathing. What leads to the development of ascites and can you get rid of the disease at home?

Causes of Ascites in Dogs

First of all, it is worth noting that ascites is not an independent disease, but a sign of a disease of internal organs. And there are plenty of reasons for its manifestation:

• Tumor neoplasm . Often, oncological processes occurring in the peritoneum of an animal are accompanied by dropsy, and it does not matter which organ has suffered. Pathology arises due to the fact that the tumor compresses the blood vessels and causes a persistent increase in pressure in the portal artery system. Against the background of increased pressure, the cavity is filled with exudate. In addition, there is a risk of impaired lymph flow, which leads to effusion.
• Liver disease . Since the liver is a filter of the blood and lymph nodes, and is also responsible for protein synthesis, any damage to it, whether infectious or not related to infection, leads to the fact that the organ no longer copes with its many functions. If we talk about abdominal dropsy, in this case, blood stagnation occurs, and the fluid seeps through the vascular walls, the state is aggravated when protein synthesis is disturbed.
• Heart Disease . Blood stasis is one of the conditions often detected when a dog is diagnosed with heart failure. It also causes the penetration of fluid into the abdominal cavity.
• Kidney disease . This body regulates water and electrolyte balance and controls the processes of excretion of exchangeable products into the environment. If the kidney tissue is inflamed, blood enters the urine, and this, in turn, leads to loss of protein. The last fact becomes the cause of ascites.
• Lack of protein foods in the diet . As in the previous case, abdominal dropsy develops due to protein starvation. Owners should carefully select the diet of your pet.
• Peritonitis (inflammatory process of the peritoneum). This disease is often accompanied by accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum, this is due to the fact that the tissues of blood vessels lose their tightness.

Whatever the cause of abdominal dropsy, the signs of pathology will be exactly the same.

Symptoms of ascites in a dog

The severity of dropsy depends on the stage of the disease and the level of fluid in the peritoneum. Among the bright manifestations of the disease is worth noting the following:

• The dog's stomach swells up. In animals with obesity and a small amount of fluid, this symptom may be mild.
• It becomes difficult for the dog to breathe - when the amount of ascitic exudate increases significantly, in addition to shortness of breath, shortness of breath appears, mucous membranes become bluish. If the development of dropsy occurs on the background of liver damage, then the mucous tissue becomes icteric, that is, jaundiced.
• The most comfortable position of the dog becomes sessile - this is due to difficulty in breathing and the pressure of the filled peritoneum on the lung area and diaphragm.
• Puffiness - a similar symptom can accompany a variety of diseases, but more often it occurs if ascites proceeds together with hypoalbuminemia (a pathological decrease in the level of albumin) and renal failure.
• The dog drinks a lot , and then there is abundant urination. This symptom of edema in dogs occurs against the background of a chronic form of renal failure.
• The activity of the animal is reduced - more and more often the pet has lethargy, apathy, the dog reacts little to what is happening around. When the disease progresses, the dog refuses to eat and moves with difficulty.
• Muscle tissues atrophy, and body weight increases significantly - these processes occur due to the fact that fluid is retained in the body.
• Vomiting is a frequent symptom of abdominal dropsy, its appearance is caused by the development of the main disease - damage to the renal, hepatic tissues, paraneoplastic process.

In addition, there may be other disorders in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, such as diarrhea.

It is important to know: how much water a dog should drink .

Treatment of ascites in dogs

In this case, there is no cure for complete cure, since ascites is only a consequence of more serious health problems. It is possible to get rid of dropsy of the peritoneum only if the primary disease is cured. If this is not done, even after the fluid is removed from the abdominal cavity, it forms again. Ailments such as renal failure, cirrhosis of the liver and other serious pathologies require compulsory medical intervention.

Usually, for ascites, veterinarians prescribe diuretic drugs - drugs that enhance the process of removing water and fluids. This group includes drugs such as Veroshpiron, Eufillin, Temisal, Furosemide, etc. However, you should be careful with similar drugs, because the wrong dosage can lead to electrolyte imbalance and the removal of the necessary minerals from the body.

If you are sure of yourself see how to give medicine to a dog .

You can also prepare a folk remedy with an effective diuretic effect. Excellent result gives a decoction of milk and parsley, it will require fresh herbs and homemade milk. Parsley, without chopping, should be placed in a pan, pour with milk and placed in an oven heated to 70 ° C. Here the tool should languish, but not boil, until its amount is halved. The dog is recommended to give it daily.

A decoction of fresh bean pods, apricots, deyatila, and coltsfoot has a similar effect. You can also make a decoction from the collection of herbs - chamomile flowers, currant leaf and sage. Dried raw materials pour boiling water, insist for an hour and give your pet. It is necessary to correct the diet of the animal, eliminating from the diet foods that promote fluid retention in the body.

Unfortunately, the owner cannot help his pet with anything else; the best thing he can do is to deliver the dog to the veterinary clinic as quickly as possible. As a rule, ascites accompanies illnesses that cannot be cured, and here maintenance therapy is carried out. It is very important that the four-legged friend during this period be surrounded by care and love.