How To Prepare For Your Dog’s Journey Across The Rainbow Bridge

by Lori Ennis

Published: December 6th, 2016

how to prepare for your dogs journey across the rainbow bridge

Our pets are family, there’s no doubt about that. It’s tough when our special, furry family members are sick, and tougher when we know they will be crossing the Rainbow Bridge soon. Here are five ways you can make the most of that time.

Today, I have been a hot mess.

No, really.

My beloved, almost-11-year-old Golden Retriever, Dixie, was diagnosed with bone cancer, and the treatment plan is basically to keep her as pain-free and happy as possible. Our veterinarian is wonderful and humane and doesn’t want to subject Dixie to the trauma that would come with leg amputation and chemotherapy (if she recovered well from the amputation). When you add in the fact that she’d just been diagnosed with Cushing’s disease a few months ago? The loving solution is to do just what he said.

But how hard is that? I’ve had two other dogs die from cancer in the last 10 years. Both retrievers; one Flat-Coated and one Golden, but in both, the cancer diagnoses were fast and their deaths came on suddenly. The ‘decision’ was not even really a decision for either as they were clearly in distress. Our veterinarian believes that we will know when it’s time for our sweet Dixie Belle to cross the bridge as well, guess-timating we’ll have no more than five months at best, most likely one to three, depending on how well she responds to the pain medicine.

So now, we wait.

Now, I spend wondering when her time will be and what we can do as we wait. It’s not like there’s a handbook titled “What To Do When You’re Expecting Your Dog To Die,” and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of guidance for the waiting. There’s much to look for in your pet–signs to know when it’s time and so on, but not much for me to do to prepare myself and my family as we prepare to let her go. Nothing can make her leaving us any easier, but I think that there are some things every pet parent can do as they wait for that day that will give comfort to hearts on the journey.

1. Love on her shamelessly.

Our Dixie was a gift to me from my first-grade class almost 11 years ago. She has been our spoiled-rotten baby since she was just six-weeks-old. But now, in her last days, we plan to give her just about whatever attention and affection she wants, whenever she wants it. We’ve always joked she’s a pet-whore because she can’t get enough pets from people and in these last days? We’ll happily oblige and soak it in.

2. Take pictures/videos and make memories.

Yes, the vet will send us her paw print and a little poem when we receive her ashes once she’s passed, but I want to ensure that we have just what we want while he still have the time to do so. We’ve not taken a family picture with her in it in a while; I am grateful for the opportunity to make that a priority now. I have a five-year-old son who will be heartbroken when she passes and including him on things we can do together with Dixie will hopefully help him feel like he has some control in a sad and uncontrollable situation.

3. Gather pictures and memories from days past.

Typically, when a pet passes, parents go looking back through old pictures to remember the good days and to share with friends and family. I want to do that too, but I don’t want to be frustrated at the same time I’m devastated about her loss, looking through countless pictures of God-only-knows what trying to find her in her Halloween costume from eight years ago (She was hilarious!). I am taking the time to do that now and have them accessible so that my family can have them exactly when we need them.

4. Crying.

Yes, I said crying. I am allowing myself to cry and to grieve and to mourn what I know is to come. Losing a pet is so hard on the heart, and their love and loyalty to you through the years is worthy of your tears. I will not be ashamed of crying about how much we’ll miss her because the truth is, we will. Terribly. And that hurts.

5. Honoring

When she passes, our house will be much more quiet and empty. This, we know. There are so many animal welfare organizations that need help and/or donations and helping and donating in her name will help her live on in our hearts. Today alone, I randomly received an email about these bracelets sold by I Heart Dogs. They are designed specifically for dogs who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and every purchase of one feeds seven shelter animals. When Dixie is gone, we will probably get another dog, eventually, but we will rescue a shelter dog, as they need our help so much. When you’ve loved a pet, the acts of service and kindness you do in their memory is what keeps them alive with us, and there’s no better way to honor your love than to serve and help other dogs.

There’s never, ever a good time to lose your furry family member. But, knowing that we do, and knowing that’s the hardest part about being a pet parent, I am grateful for the time to be able to make her last days the best days we can. Her love for us has been a gift in our lives, and we’ll do our best to return the favor before she joins our other dogs on the other side.

Lori Ennis

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Death Of A Pet May Trigger Long Term Grief In Children

The hardest part of being a pet parent is that they don’t live long enough. For children, though, losing a pet may be especially hard, and may trigger longterm and profound grief. The death of a family pet is hard on the whole family. Losing a furry family member is losing a family member, and each person deals with that grief uniquely. Research supports, however, that the grief in children that’s triggered by the loss of a pet can be significant and profound, and can even lead to mental health issues even years after the death. Related: Losing A Pet; Dealing With The Death Of Your Dog Researchers with the Massachusetts General Hospital published a report in Eurpean Child & Adolescent Psychiatry that is one of the first to look at the mental health responses in children when a pet dies. Looking at survey data from 6,260 children participating gin the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in Bristol, England, the researchers found pet death brought about significant and often prolonged grief in children. The research team found that the association between exposure to a pet’s death and the grief and trauma children felt as a result occurred despite a child’s socio-economic status or prior traumas they may have already endured in their lives. Katherine Crawford is a Certified Genetic Counselor and the lead author of the study. She said that one of the first major losses a child will probably have in their life is the death of a pet, and that impact can be traumatic, particularly if the pet feels like a member of the family. Crawford says it’s imperative that clinicians and parents recognize the symptoms of their child’s grief, and take it seriously –not to brush it off as ‘just a dog.’ Related: How To Prepare For Your Dog’s Journey Across The Rainbow Bridge The data showed that 63% of children with pets were exposed to the death of a pet by the time they were 7-years-old. Dr. Erin Dunn is a senior author of the study and said that that a child’s stage in life and even prior trauma didn’t diminish the association between the death of a pet and psychological symptoms occurring in the children. The research team found that male children seemed to have more pronounced mental health distress after the loss of their pet, and that mental health impact and loss didn’t lessen based on when the pet died during childhood, how recently the pet had died or how many times the child experienced the death of a pet. Dr. Dunn says this highlights the strength and durability of the bond children form with pets even at very early ages, and how the loss can affect them even years later. Crawford says that adults need to really pay attention to the feelings and emotions of their children after the death of a pet, and note if the feelings and emotions seem deeper or last longer than they might expect. This might represent complicated grief, and a child may benefit greatly in talking to someone either in a sympathetic or therapeutic way. Though more research is needed to look at specifics of child grief and pet loss, parents, pediatricians and caregivers should take note and take the grief and any other psychological manifestations their children show seriously. Because as we all know, it’s not ‘just a dog,’ or ‘just a cat.’ It’s a family member, and losing a family member hurts.

Boo, World’s Cutest Dog, Dies Of Broken Heart After Best Buddy Passe

Boo, the adorable little Pomeranian who stole everyone’s heart as the ‘world’s cutest dog’ has passed away, and his humans believe it was his broken heart over his best furry friend Buddy. They say the only fault of dogs is that they don’t live long enough, and in this dog lovers all agree. The adorable little social media hit Pomeranian ‘Boo’ has died, and in social media posts sharing the news of his death, his humans say they believe that it was a broken heart over losing his furry brother Buddy in 2017. Related: Top 10 Cutest Dog Breeds In the post, his pet parents say that Boo’s heart issues first began after his adorable sidekick Buddy passed in September of 2017. Buddy and Boo shared 11 years together–thick as thieves and as close as dog brothers could be. After Buddy died, Boo’s heart showed signs of troubles, and he was able to live for a little over another year. View this post on Instagram Dearest friends of Boo, With deepest sadness I wanted to share that Boo passed away in his sleep early this morning and has left us to join his best friend, Buddy. Our family is heartbroken, but we find comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain or discomfort. We know that Buddy was the first to greet him on the other side of that rainbow bridge, and this is likely the most excited either of them have been in a long time. Since starting Boo’s FB page, I’ve received so many notes over the years from people sharing stories of how Boo brightened their days and helped bring a little light to their lives during difficult times. And that was really the purpose of all this…Boo brought joy to people all over the world. Boo is the happiest dog I’ve ever met. He was so easy going that we never had to bother with training. He made the manliest of men squeal with delight over his cuteness and made everyone laugh with his quirky, tail wagging personality. Over the years Boo met some super cool people, a lot of crazy talented people, but most of all so many kind people…friends who gave him endless love, people who prioritized his comfort over getting that perfect picture, partners who understood that Buddy ALWAYS had to be included, and last but definitely not least, the amazing doctors, therapists, and staff at Adobe Animal Hospital and Sage Veterinary Centers for the countless hours of care and dedication they poured into Buddy and Boo. I brought Boo home in the spring of 2006 and so started the greatest, most heartwarming friendship of all time. Shortly after Buddy died, Boo showed signs of heart issues. We think his heart literally broke when Buddy left us. He hung on and gave us over a year. But it looks like it was his time, and I’m sure it was a most joyous moment for them when they saw each other in heaven. Boo, we love you with all our hearts and will miss you until the day we meet again. Have fun running around with Buddy and creating adorable mischief wherever you guys go. Thank you to all of you for following along on their silly adventures over the past 10 years. They sure had a LOT of fun. With love and our deepest gratitude, Boo’s humans A post shared by Buddy Boo Blue Benny (@buddyboowaggytails) on Jan 18, 2019 at 6:29pm PST In their Instagram post, his humans said, “We think his heart literally broke when Buddy left us.” I am heartbroken to tell you that I said good-bye to my best friend, Buddy, yesterday. He had 14 full years, 11 of them… Posted by Boo on Thursday, September 7, 2017 In humans, there is a phenomenon that occurs sometimes after traumatic grief and loss. It’s called Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, or ‘Broken-Heart Syndrome,’ and while often temporary, can lead to death. Boo’s family says they are sure that when Boo passed in his sleep, he immediately went to Heaven and had a joyous reunion with his best pal Buddy. View this post on Instagram ok so we’re not in costumes here as i promised, but this showed up in my memories and i had to share. 5 years ago today, buddy and i met a human dressed up as a silver fox. to this day the bookmark we got in his likeness is human’s greatest piece of schwag she’s received. if someone seeing this can send us a box of them, we can retire happy. A post shared by Buddy Boo Blue Benny (@buddyboowaggytails) on Oct 11, 2018 at 9:17am PDT Boo brought lots of joy to people all over the world, with over 16 million followers. He met and delighted celebrities and television audiences and made anyone who met him laugh at his adorable personality. His humans said that they were grateful that their furry family members were able to brighten days, and the notes and stories of how Boo (and Buddy) did so help them in this difficult time. View this post on Instagram a cuddle from 4 years ago today. love facebook “on this day” memories. A post shared by Buddy Boo Blue Benny (@buddyboowaggytails) on Mar 26, 2018 at 12:29pm PDT Related: How To Prepare For Your Dog’s Journey Across The Rainbow Bridge They also thanked the staffs at Adobe Animal Hospital and Sage Veterinary Centers for their efforts with both Buddy and Boo. Since Buddy passed, Boo’s been sharing his days with his other fur-siblings, and from their social media pictures, one can see that they will surely miss Boo too. 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Science Says Grieving For Our Pets is Human

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Dogs Trained to Detect Ancient Remains Expedite Search for Graves

Canada’s recent discovery of hundreds of tiny unmarked graves attributed to the residential school system has created not only cross-country outrage but also a determination to locate and repatriate the remains of all children who left home to attend these schools but never returned.Within a few weeks, the number of unmarked graves throughout Canada had quickly grown to over 10,000 and the ability to locate and identify additional sites (that would date back decades), had become almost impossible. Particularly since many of the schools had since been razed and pinpointing potential burial areas leaned heavily toward guesswork.The search had to be done respectfully – meaning without the use of large, excavation equipment – however, the need to cover a vast range of land in a timely manner was a challenge.That’s when the search teams decided to bring in the dogs.Part of the Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue Dog Association, German Shepherds, Recce and Taz are proficient in detecting older, archeological remains with drill work that has included using older cemeteries as their training ground. In fact, Historic Human Remains Detection Dogs have been used throughout North America and Europe to identify human remains in archaeological sites that date back hundreds of years… and longer. These dogs can pick up on the much lower scent levels that come from teeth and bones found in ancient graves… and some are even explicitly trained to detect cremated remains where no bones or teeth remain.This switch from bulldozers to the canine duo is a change welcomed by the area’s former residential school students who feel that because dogs have always been part of the Indigenous culture, they offer a natural, more appropriate approach to finding the missing children.According to Archaeology Professor Adrian Burke, dogs make a great option because they are non-invasive. Although it’s not an exact science – they can’t pinpoint an individual grave - they can hone in on a location and this saves time and the need for random digging. Once dogs flag a site, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is used to confirm what lies beneath.By adding Recce and Taz to the search teams, it’s estimated the time needed to cover a couple of acres can be reduced from a few weeks to just a couple of days.While the process is still slow and time-consuming, Indigenous residents confirm it’s about the children’s families understanding what happened to their little ones, being able to bring them home for appropriate burial, and ultimately experiencing a sense of closure and justice.

Firefighters Save Dog From Drowning in the Icy Waters of Lake Superior

A dog is lucky to be alive after taking a dip into Lake Superior’s frigid December waters. Minnesota Firefighters battled biting cold and eight-foot-tall waves to save the pooch who escaped from their leash and jumped into the lake’s freezing water. The Duluth Minnesota Fire Department posted on social media that several marine units were sent to rescue a dog that jumped into Lake Superior from the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. The pup’s owner met the rescues on the bridge and pointed out the dog struggling to stay afloat in eight-foot-plus waves in the middle of the ship canal. Crews donned ice rescue suits before entering the lake to protect them from the ice-cold water of Lake Superior. At the same time, additional rescues were sent with the department’s 14-foot inflatable boat to assist the crew in the water. The rescue team fought their way through freezing water and huge waves to find the dog, but couldn’t see him due to low light and waves. The dog’s coat was also dark in color and they kept slipping under the water, making them hard to find.Thanks to the dog owner and fire personnel who shouted directions from the pier, the firefighters managed to locate the dog and grab them by their collar. Even though they had their hands on the pup, firefighters faced several problems before bringing the dog safely to the shore. The crew tried to swim with the dog to the shore, but they struggled in high waves. The pooch was large and terrified, and rescues struggled to keep its head above water. The waves swept the firefighters and the pup under the Duluth bridge, towards the bay and away from shore. Luckily the additional firefighters arrived with an inflatable boat and pulled the dog and the rescues from freezing waters.As soon as their paws touched solid ground, the exhausted pooch was treated for hypothermia by emergency staff. To everyone’s delight, the dog’s condition improved quickly and they were able to walk on their own. According to officials, the dog was wagging their tail as they jumped into their owner’s car. The Duluth Minnesota Fire Department shared that firefighters prevented the dog’s owner from jumping into the water in an attempt to save the beloved dog themselves. The officials added that bystanders had to convince the owner not to go in after the dog and warned people against putting themselves in danger to save a pet.“The Duluth Fire Department wants to stress to the public the importance of not putting yourself into a situation you are neither trained nor equipped to handle. This will not only put you at risk but the emergency responders as well. It will also greatly limit the options we have to try and save your pet as all efforts will now be directed at saving you,” Duluth Fire Department officials said.“We have learned in the fire service that if we don’t respond to help in these situations that bystanders and owners likely will take action on their own,” they added. “Without the proper training and equipment, this most often results in the firefighters now responding to a call for a person in harm’s way.”“Given the waves and temperature conditions in the canal last night, anyone entering the water without the proper training and equipment would most likely have ended in tragedy,” fire officials added. Luckily for all that wasn’t the case! Thanks to the brave firefighters the pooch and their owner are safe and can enjoy each other’s company for many years to come.  Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

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Study Reveals Older Dogs Who Sleep Badly May Have Dementia

It’s hard to watch a beloved dog get old, as it seems like only yesterday your senior pooch was a teething puppy with a penchant for chewing your slippers. The American Kennel Club, the expert on all doggy things, says that most small breeds become seniors between the ages of seven and 10. Larger breeds age faster than their small counterparts and are considered old when they are six years old. Like old people, senior dogs can get dementia.As they age, dogs can develop canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS), a condition that is very similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Scientists have long known that people with dementia can find it harder to get to sleep. Now, researchers from North Carolina State University have discovered that senior dogs with dementia experience the same sleep problems as people with dementia. “Just like humans with Alzheimer's disease, dogs with CCDS, experience sleep disruptions, such as insomnia, and sleep fragmentation,” said senior study author Dr. Natasha Olby, a professor of veterinary neurology, neurosurgery, and gerontology at North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine. To discover whether sleep problems are a sign of early dementia in dogs, as they are in people, Dr. Olby and her team used a group of senior dogs who were part of an ongoing trial testing antiaging supplements. Scientists selected 28 dogs between the ages of 10 and 16 to participate in the new sleep study. To be included in the antiaging study, the dog must have lived more than 75% of the expected lifespan for their breed. The dogs also couldn’t suffer from arthritis or be blind, as they needed to complete tasks designed to test their cognitive abilities. Scientists evaluated each dog’s cognitive abilities by having them perform a series of tests and asking their owners to fill out a list of questions, known as the Canine Dementia Scale Questionnaire.In the new study, researchers used polysomnography, a form of electroencephalogram (EEG) used to diagnose sleep problems in people. The researchers affixed electrodes on the dogs’ skulls using a water-soluble gel and recorded brain activity during a two-hour nap. “Past sleep studies in dogs often involved surgically implanted electrodes,” said Alejandra Mondino, a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University. “Non-invasive studies are relatively new. We are one of a handful of groups doing this work.”When results from cognitive testing were compared to sleeping brain waves, researchers discovered that dogs with more advanced dementia took longer to fall asleep and spent less time sleeping. “These dogs have dementia and sleep disruption is a part of that,” said Mondino. “In addition to the shorter time spent sleeping, when we look at the EEG, we saw their brain activity during sleep was more akin to wakefulness. In other words, when they do manage to sleep, their brains aren’t really sleeping.”These results don’t explain the link between sleep and dementia, but studies like this one may help scientists to better understand the process and find ways to treat it. “There’s a possibility we might be able to identify an early signature of change on the EEG that can tell us ‘Hey, things are starting to slide’. Because with a chronic neurodegenerative process, of course, we’d love to be able to intervene sooner rather than later,” said Olby according to CNN Health.Until that happens, veterinarians can prescribe medications for anxiety and melatonin for sleep to senior dogs with cognitive decline. Diet and exercise also appear to be a factor. Studies have shown that diets rich in flavonoids, antioxidants, and medium-chain fatty acids could potentially slow the development of dementia in dogs. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

Library Accepting Cat Photos to Cover Your Fees

A library in Massachusetts is waiving certain fees in exchange for cat photos.

Golden Retriever Survives 65 Days Alone in the Alaskan Wilderness

It’s always tragic when a beloved pet dog goes missing, but this was particularly hard for the Mahoskey family, whose senior golden retriever vanished in the Alaskan wilderness. The family was unsure that they would ever see Stella again. Luckily for them, Stella is one tough cookie. Stella’s adventure began in early July when she was enjoying a quiet evening with her family on the back deck of their Sitka home. According to local news outlet KCAW, an unexpected burst of fireworks startled a 13-year-old Stella and sent her dashing into the wilderness. Sarah and Jerrom Mahoskey and their two kids, Kai and Quinn, searched until nightfall but had yet to locate Stella. The next morning, the family grew even more concerned when they realized that their pooch hadn’t returned. Their worries increased even further when the neighbor told them about the bear attack that happened the previous night. “They said, ‘Did you hear there was a bear that attacked a dog last night? We had the windows open in the back of the house, and my wife heard this altercation that sent chills up her spine. And basically, I don’t think your dog could be alive,’” Sarah recalled to KCAW. However, Stella’s family still had hope that she was alive, somewhere, in the woods. The Mahoskeys spent the summer checking out trails near where Stella went missing and followed up on any lead or potential Stella sightings reported by their friends and neighbors. After two months and many investigated reports, Sarah told a friend, “I feel like there’s a 1% chance that she’s out there, and so I cannot let go.”Then, in early September, more than two months after Stella disappeared, the family received a phone call from Tim Eddy, a friend of Jerrom, who was working at the quarry that day.“He said ‘Do you have a golden retriever?’ And Jerrome said, ‘Well, we did have a golden retriever.’ And he says, ‘Well, I think this is your golden retriever,’” Sara shared. Jerome hopped in his four-wheeler and drove to the quarry, where he spotted Stella.“She was on the cliffside, and it was basically this ash and rock that was the same exact color as her,” said Sarah. “She totally blended in. The fact that Tim saw her -  I just kept saying to him, ‘How did you see her?’”Considering the lack of food and water at the quarry, the Mahoskeys don’t believe Stella was there long. The family suspects the quarry looked like a familiar ground to Stella, who grew up around Jerrome’s excavation business. After more than two months in the wilderness, Stella weighed only 30 pounds - that’s nearly half of her regular body weight. Sarah believes that Stella likely foraged to survive. “She has always picked her own berries when we are out hiking,” Sarah explained. “And she loves dandelion roots.”In addition to being underfed, the golden retriever also had a large gash on her left side, possibly from the encounter with the bear. “We think she probably hunkered down for quite a while, and just probably wasn’t able to move a lot and knew that it needed to heal,” said Sarah. “She obviously found a safe space, because the fact that she was bleeding and wasn’t found by that bear or another bear again is quite a miracle.”Upon her safe return home, Stella was examined by her vet, who placed her on a strict diet for the first 10 days. Now, she’s eating well and has already gained 11 pounds.Although Stella can’t share everything that happened during the time she was lost in the wilderness, she hasn’t changed much. According to Sarah, the only difference is that Stella is now definitely hungrier than before. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

Can Stress or Anxiety Cause Diarrhea in Dogs?

Dogs are no strangers to stress and anxiety. While most pooches are the picture of the tail-wagging, carefree dog whose only stress is that they have to wait for their next meal, some have it a bit more ruff. Anxiety in dogs can vary from mild to severe, triggered by specific and occasional stressors (such as  fireworks, for example) or present on a daily level. Naturally, your pet’s state of mind has a big impact on their overall health, so it doesn’t surprise that dogs with anxiety often have tummy issues. But does that mean that a stressful situation or anxiety can directly cause diarrhea in dogs? Having in mind that, in a way, your pet’s mental health is connected to their digestion, it sounds highly probable.How Stress and Anxiety Can Cause DiarrheaSo how does it work? The connection between the brain and the gut, often referred to as the gut-brain axis, plays a crucial role in the overall health and well-being of dogs. When dogs experience stress or anxiety, it can trigger a cascade of physiological responses, including changes in gut motility, secretion of digestive enzymes, and alterations in the composition of gut microbiota. These disruptions can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea.When stress or anxiety takes hold, it's not just a matter of frazzled nerves. These emotional states can set off a domino effect within your dog's digestive system. Rather than a simple list of effects, think of it as a cascade of events:Picture your dog feeling anxious during a  thunderstorm or while being left alone. This emotional response triggers a surge of adrenaline, part of the body's "fight or flight" response. Blood flow shifts away from the digestive organs and toward the muscles, heart, and lungs, hastening gut motility.Meanwhile, the delicate balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut, known as the microbiome, is disrupted by stress. This dysbiosis can lead to inflammation, changes in gut permeability, and an upset stomach.Furthermore, chronic stress weakens the immune system, leaving your dog more susceptible to infections and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.Beyond these physiological effects, stress-related behaviors like excessive chewing,  licking, or ingesting non-food items can irritate the digestive tract, exacerbating diarrhea.How To Deal With Stress-Related Diarrhea in DogsIf your dog is experiencing stress-related diarrhea, there are several things you can do to alleviate their discomfort and ensure a speedier recovery.Before anything else, it’s essential to identify and address stressors. Determine the underlying causes of your dog's stress or anxiety and take steps to minimize or eliminate them where possible. This may involve providing a calm, predictable environment, addressing separation anxiety, or using  desensitization techniques for noise phobias.Next, support their digestion with a mild, nurturing diet and the right supplements. Your pet’s tummy is upset, so you shouldn’t neglect the importance of rebalancing their gut biome and helping their digestion. Instead of their usual kibble, offer them a bit of broth, some cooked rice, or boiled chicken breast. Additionally, a digestive supplement such as  Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets FortiFlora Powder can work wonders in managing symptoms of diarrhea. With a combination of special probiotics and antioxidants, this powdered supplement will quickly restore your pet’s GI tract and help their stool get back to its normal consistency. And since it’s packed with live microorganisms to benefit beneficial intestinal microflora, it can also help treat excessive gas and other digestion-related troubles, so it’s good to keep stocked in your pet’s first aid kit, especially if they have a sensitive stomach. 

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