By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2011-02-18 13:29:31 | Word Count: 664
Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) is a terrible disease that strikes dogs, usually younger and small bred dogs.
Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis can be deadly, but it is not contagious.
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Medically speaking they don’t know what causes Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis. It seems to be related to a reaction to toxins produced by bacteria. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis creates an increase in the permeability of the intestinal lining and a leakage of blood and proteins into the bowel.
The bacteria Clostridium perfringens is normally found in decaying plants, marine wastes and soils. In the United Kingdom and United States, C. perfringens bacteria are the third-most-common cause of food poisoning from processed meats, especially those found in dog food.
Generally Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis can be prevented by heating food at or above 165.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis takes hold within 6 to 24 hours of ingesting contaminated food.
The symptoms of HGE and parvovirus (CPV) are similar, except with HE there is no fever or low white blood cell count. It seems chronic dehydration is the most dangerous part of having Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis, that’s why replacing fluids and potassium intravenously and oral hydration is important.
If your dog has bloody vomit or diarrhea, even if it’s a tiny amount, get your pet to the vet ASAP.
It’s interesting to note that if the internal terrain of the dog is balance, recovery from eating fainted food will be fast. Bacteria can’t thrive in an environment or terrain that is well hydrated and maintains an alkaline pH because bacteria need an acid pH to live.
If you get treatment fast mortality rates drop to fewer than 20%, otherwise death is almost certain and about 15% of dogs will experience a relapse.
Whether the cause is bacteria or viral or even parasitic doesn’t change the fact that none of these harmful organisms that may be the cause of Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis can thrive in an alkaline pH environment . . . I use Japanese coral tea bags or Ionyte® drops to treat my dog’s water. Alkaline water is higher in oxygen and minerals where as acidic water is the opposite.
