The second factor to contend with is secondary bacterial invasion. Normally, the intestines are inhabited by billions of bacteria that peacefully reside there without causing any problems whatsoever. In fact, the very presence of these non-disease-causing bacteria actually helps prevent the growth of pathogenic, or disease-causing, bacteria within the intestinal setting. However, if disease strikes the small or large intestine, these “friendly” bacteria can be wiped out, allowing pathogenic ones to proliferate and cause disease themselves. If the inflammation persists, or if an intestinal perforation occurs, these and any other bacteria within the intestines can leak out of the gut and even gain entrance into the bloodstream, causing a life-threatening systemic infection and shock.
For these reasons, it is obvious that antibiotics become very important in the treatment of moderate to severe cases of gastroenteritis, even if the original cause is nonbacterial in origin.
Dehydration
The final threatening factor that arises when acute gastroenteritis strikes a pet is dehydration. Pets suffering from vomiting and/or diarrhea can quickly become dehydrated as a result of water loss through the bowels. Since inflamed bowels cannot regulate water absorption as they do when they are healthy, any fluid intake that indeed occurs will usually pass right out of the body via vomiting and/or diarrhea without being absorbed.
In fact, the disruption of normal motility and distension occurring within the affected bowel can actually attract and draw water right out of the body and into the intestinal lumen. As a result, pets that have become dehydrated or are on the verge of dehydration due to gastroenteritis require intravenous fluids to correct the dehydration occurring within the body’s cells, at least until the gut has healed sufficiently to resume these functions once again.
For these reasons, it is obvious that antibiotics become very important in the treatment of moderate to severe cases of gastroenteritis, even if the original cause is nonbacterial in origin.
Dehydration
The final threatening factor that arises when acute gastroenteritis strikes a pet is dehydration. Pets suffering from vomiting and/or diarrhea can quickly become dehydrated as a result of water loss through the bowels. Since inflamed bowels cannot regulate water absorption as they do when they are healthy, any fluid intake that indeed occurs will usually pass right out of the body via vomiting and/or diarrhea without being absorbed.
In fact, the disruption of normal motility and distension occurring within the affected bowel can actually attract and draw water right out of the body and into the intestinal lumen. As a result, pets that have become dehydrated or are on the verge of dehydration due to gastroenteritis require intravenous fluids to correct the dehydration occurring within the body’s cells, at least until the gut has healed sufficiently to resume these functions once again.
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