How Peritonitis Affects Dogs

A thin lining, called the peritoneum, fills the abdominal cavity of all dogs. If there is an injury, this membrane can become inflamed.

The inflammation can be severe, or moderately so, depending on the specific injury. Do not be surprised if your dog responds while touching them on the stomach, this condition can be very painful.

Watch your dog closely, some of the symptoms you can expect to see are: fever, arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm), vomiting, increased heart rate, dog assumes ‘praying’ position for relief, lowered blood pressure and signs of shock.

Peritonitis is caused by invaders in the blood. A Secondary type can also occur as a result of an injury somewhere in your dog’s body. Some of the things that can lead to it include bacteria coming into contact with an open wound, rupture of the urinary bladder, prostatic cysts (in male dogs), penetrating abdominal wounds, rupture of the gallbladder, liver abscesses, blunt abdominal trauma and pancreatic inflammation.

When you take your dog into the vet they will give him/her a complete physical examination, blood profile, electrolyte panel, urinalysis and blood count. They will carefully look at the history of your dogs health and probably ask some questions. Your vet might find some valuable clues that can let them know whether or not specific organs are responsible for your dog falling ill.

The vet might also use imaging equipment such as an ultrasound or radiograph. This will allow them to see if there is fluid, gas or an abscess in the abdominal region.

If your dog is diagnosed then they will probably need to be hospitalized in ICU to make sure they are getting plenty of fluids and electrolytes. In the case that heart disease is detected they will need to eat a food that is lower in sodium.

You will likely have to put your dog through surgery. Even with surgery, many dogs still do not survive. This is a very serious medical condition and you need to be prepared for whatever may happen. While your dog is hospitalized, the vet will continue to monitor his/her blood every couple days.

After surgery, make sure that your dog has a nice quiet place to rest and recover. There should not be any kids or other pets near. Make sure that you talk with your vet about what kind of foods would be okay for your dog. It is critical that their food does not put any stress on the abdomen.

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