Symptoms of Duodenitis in Dogs

When a dog has duodenitis, the main clinical signs are poor spirits, loss of appetite and vomiting. The vomit is white or yellow mucus, and in severe cases the dog may have a little blood in the vomit and black faeces. However, these clinical signs alone are not sufficient to administer medication, as the severity of the inflammation must be determined. Further tests are required to determine the location of the inflammation. In the early stages of the disease, the bowel is hyperactive, with varying degrees of abdominal pain, watery stools mixed with mucus and pus, and a strong odour in the faeces. In the later stages, the anus is flaccid, the bowels are incontinent and depressed, and there is soon a state of dehydration. When the disease deteriorates further, the extremities become cold and death from heart failure can occur quickly if left untreated.