Managing Stress-Induced Diarrhea veterinary medicine in Companion Pets
Diarrhea is one of the most common clinical signs encountered in veterinary medicine and represents a disturbance in normal gastrointestinal function. It is characterized by increased frequency, fluidity, or volume of fecal output. While diarrhea itself is a symptom rather than a disease, it frequently signals an underlying problem that may range from mild and self-limiting to severe and life-threatening. In animals, diarrhea can originate from disruptions in any region of the gastrointestinal tract. Small intestinal diarrhea typically presents with large volumes of watery feces, weight loss, and possible vomiting due to impaired nutrient absorption. Large intestinal diarrhea, by contrast, often involves increased urgency, mucus or fresh blood in stools, and smaller fecal volumes. Causes are diverse and may include dietary changes or intolerance, infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites, inflammatory or immune-mediated conditions, metabolic disorders, adverse dru...