Weaning diarrhea in puppies and kittens
First thing to think of?
At the time of weaning, the digestive tract is still maturing and more susceptible to any dietary changes. Additionally, puppies and kittens are going through a period of immune deficiency, as the immunity they received from their mother at birth gradually wears off. Therefore, the first thing to do in case of diarrhea is to confirm or rule out the specific pathogens usually encountered such as parvovirus in puppies or feline panleukopenia in kittens, giardia or coccidia and, if confirmed, to give pet owners clear cleaning instructions.
How to control the environment?
Sanitation should always be a 2-step process: First cleaning (remove the organic matter like stools and urine), then disinfection (with bleach, potassium peroxide monosulfate or accelerated hydrogen peroxides for instance). Don't forget to bathe puppies (and kittens if they are cooperative) to limit the passive carriage and to clean the kittens' litterbox properly and thoroughly every day.
What about nutrition?
Nutritional weaning needs to be smooth and progressive. Use a growth diet and don't start until the puppies and kittens are for 4 weeks old. Gradually switch from liquid to solid food. A typical weaning protocol lasts 4 weeks, changing the ratio of water to kibbles every week:
1. The first week, mix 2 volumes of water to 1 volume of kibbles. It is possible to use a milk replacer instead of water to make the transition even smoother.
2. The second week, mix 1 volume of water to 1 volume of kibbles.
3. Third week mix 0.5 volumes of water to 1 volume of kibbles.
4. On the 4th week only feed dry kibbles.
The final point of concern for puppies is the number of meals per day. A study has shown an improvement in stool quality at weaning when puppies are fed 4 meals a day, probably due to the reduced digestive workload. The same approach can be applied to kittens, even if cats have a different feeding behavior than dogs.
To learn more, watch the full video!
You may also be interested in watching the following videos:
- Supplements during gestation
- The importance of Nutrition in newborns
- Milk replacers for Veterinarians
- The duration of the growth period
- The Microbiome in puppies and kittens
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