The 18-Hour Detox

The 18-Hour Detox

If you own a dog or cat and have never had a run-in with his or her gastrointestinal tract, you must be the luckiest pet owner on earth. It seems like the intestine of the dog and cat is in a perpetual state of mutiny against the human masters and their infernal carpets. If it’s not a tightly- gob of hair they’ve been gradually consuming for the last several days, it’s the tasty serving of trash they ingested while you were out for a few minutes mid-day. Should you scurry off to the vet every time something unexpected is ejected from your pet? It depends on the situation, of course. If your pet was previously healthy and hardy, a couple of at-home measures may calm the storm and save you a trip to the doctor’s office. Not going to restore your carpet to its original condition, though.

A pet that is old or very young, or has some kind of chronic debilitating condition, should visit the doctor for medication to stop the problem regardless of its cause. If she seems weak from the vomiting, it’s important to see a professional. Vomiting does cause fluid loss and imbalances in the blood which may need to be corrected with hospital treatments. A pet that is going about her business and seems otherwise normal, however, might be spared a clinic visit if you play your cards right. One caveat: if you suspect that your pet ingested an object of some kind, seek professional help. Trying to manage a swallowed object at home will end up doing more harm than good.
First, allow nothing by mouth. You may need to look around the house for previously unrecognized sources of water and food, such as the toilet bowl or the trash can. Let everybody in the family know what you’ve done, so that they don’t unintentionally foil your plan. We are removing food and water so that the gut can empty out naturally and take a rest from any stimulation. About 12-18 hours is all we need to see if this will work on its own.

When the vomiting has stopped, a return to normal intake must be executed in meticulous fashion. Start with only a tablespoon or two of water and watch for an hour or so to ensure that it stays down. Then move forward to a little more water, maybe 1/3 cup, and monitor for any vomiting or nausea. Once you have stepped up the water intake gradually and observed no problems, you can try a tablespoon or so of bland food. A mixture of boiled white-meat chicken and rice is often used. If that stays down for two hours, you can try just a little more, and so on until your pet can eat a normal-sized meal. After a day or so, begin a slow transition to your dog or cat’s regular diet. For minor illnesses that are confined to the stomach, this “18-hour detox” will often work. If not, it’s off to the doctor for a little assistance.

Dr. M. S. Regan