How to Treat E Coli in Dogs Naturally? 6 Science-Backed Ways

E.Coli, one of the most common bacterial infections, is not limited to any dog age or breed.

As it could happen with any pet and stem from any source, dog parents must stay alert and investigate treatments when they are due.

My article will discuss how to treat E Coli in dogs naturally before you need to turn to medical treatments. Keep scrolling.

What Are The Symptoms Of E.Coli In Dogs? 

how to treat e coli in dogs naturally
  • Vomiting: The dogs either suffer from frequent retching or forcefully expel foods and drinks from their stomach.
  • No appetite: Observe whether your canine refuses their usual treats and meals or has digestive upsets.
  • Diarrhea: Diarrhea often goes hand in hand with E.coli, which might be bloody, watery, or both.
  • Dehydration: Too much diarrhea and vomiting leads to water loss, which explains the dehydration shown in excessive thirst, skin loss, dry mouth, and even weight loss.
  • Rapid heartbeats: Your dog’s body tries to make up for its fluid loss, squeezing out more heartbeats than usual at quicker rates.
  • Depression: Canines infected with this bacteria might showcase clear signals of depression, no longer interested in anything, and always wearing a dejected expression.
  • Lethargy: The dog always looks and feels tired, with significantly reduced activities and energy levels compared to its peak condition. Its overall discomfort and behavior changes around new dogs/puppies could also be observed.
  • Low body temp: In more serious cases of E.Coli, the dog’s immune system temperature drops much lower than normal. It usually shivers, has cold ears, or hunches back to preserve more heat. 
  • Bluish nostrils, anus, lips, ears, and gums: As the infection in dogs spreads around, blood oxygen is stripped off and causes bluish tints in the body parts mentioned above.

Dogs that have fallen into such serious health issues are in critically dangerous situations and need veterinary care right away.

How Does A Dog Get E.Coli? 

Unhealthy Mothers

Being born to sick mothers is among the most common reasons behind this disease in dogs.

How so? In most cases, healthy puppies are supplemented by the dog mom’s colostrum (after-birth, antibody-rich milk).

Thus, failure to receive colostrum for any reason pushes the puppies into increased vulnerability to infections, including E.Coli.

The common causes of failure in colostrum deliveries include:

  • The mother’s poor nutrition/ health condition
  • The mother’s mammary gland inflections 
  • The mother is already infected with E-Coli herself
  • Prolonged birth
  • Crowded or unsanitary birthing environment

Other Farm Animals and Objects

E.Coli causes also stem from intimate contact with infected animals or objects (ex: bedding suites used by infected dogs).

As such, E.Coli is often caught together with other bacteria or viruses, such as parvovirus.

Foods

Though less common, canines also go down with E.Coli due to contaminated water or pet food. Feeding them raw diets is also confirmed by a few parents to increase the risks of E.Coli.

How To Treat E Coli In Dogs Naturally? Top 6 Suggestions

home remedies for a dog uti

Due to their beneficial properties, natural honey, turmeric, Oregano oil, coconut oil, apple vinegar, and olive leaves are considered some of the best natural home remedies for male dog UTI, E-Coli bacteria, or other similar-nature infections in dogs.

Natural Honey

Its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory nature has proven practical for E.Coli’s healing process. Cases in point: 

  • Lower pH promotes wound heals
  • Amino acids (glucose and fructose) hydrate the dog’s skin
  • The higher MG (methylglyoxal) levels than standard honey speed up the dog’s healing and fight bacteria.

Apply some doses in the dogs’ foods as sweet treats. But if your dog has a medical history of diabetes, avoid using honey as oral treatment; instead, spread it on the skin’s wounds or infection areas.

Turmeric

The turmeric’s curcumin content comprises anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial properties that strengthen the canine system for quicker E-Coli healing.

  • For skin application: Mix natural aloe and turmeric powder to soothe the dog’s severe infection and wounds.
  • For feeding: Give the pet 5 to about 20 mg/body pound a day. Start with 1/4 teaspoon (dogs at 20 to 50 pounds of body weight) or less (smaller canines and golden retrievers). I sometimes also incorporate it with my dog supplements as appetite boosters.

Be careful with your turmeric usage, by the way: unhealthy levels harden the dog’s digestive systems and lead to possible abdominal cramps and loose stools.

Add these herbal supplements in small, gradual turns, and stop whenever your pup shows symptoms of discomfort with this extra absorption of nutrients.

Oregano Oil

Scientific studies have cited thymol and carvacrol as the major reasons behind the benefits of Oregano oil in infection recovery.

Still, like with other essential oils, consult your doctor/vet first before treating the pet with it.

  • Ensure it is the oil you are currently using, not the herbs
  • Dilute about three drops within a second carrier oil (ex: olive oil). Once done, distribute the mixture topically.
  • Avoid using oil of Oregano as holistic treatment for UTI in dogs with previous experiences of seizures.

Coconut Oil

Antibacterial while still 100% organic, coconut oils are great for E-Coli healing properties, cracked paws/ skins, or chapped lips.

Animal enthusiasts could also use the oil for cleaning rashes and hot spots.

You can use coconut oil as home remedies for a dog UTI or E Coli in either of the following: 

  • Add one teaspoon to the pet’s meals
  • Massage the coconut oil into its skin

Olive Leaf/Oil

Olive leaf extracts ooze antioxidant properties, whose polyphenolic compounds have been proven effective in inflammation reduction (often seen in dogs infected with the E-Coli bacteria)

So how to use these dog remedies for UTI/ E Coli? Assess your dog’s total weight, then add one (larger dogs) or half a teaspoon (smaller ones) to their usual dry food.

Incorporating sardines in the olive oil for daily meals is another good alternative for natural treatments.

Apple Cider Vinegars

Though research is ongoing, the vinegar reportedly includes natural antibiotics for dogs UTI that fight viral infection and gut inflammation.

As a result, E-Coli-infected dogs feel much more comfortable digesting food and do not have to suffer from severe lack of appetite.

I also bathe my pooch in vinegar every now and then to ensure its hygiene.

Another usage besides diet additions is to mix the vinegar (about one tablespoon) in warm water, then put it inside the dog’s ears to flush out common bacteria and ear infection:

  • Before doing it, ensure the pet’s eardrums are intact.
  • Do not use too much vinegar; otherwise, it might irritate the ear canals.
  • Most importantly, ask for professional advice before proceeding with these natural remedies dog UTI.

How To Prevent E Coli In Dogs Naturally

dog remedies for uti

Careful Food Preparations and Cooking

Remember to practice handling techniques during food preparation, especially when tackling raw meat.

Plus, ensure the dog treats are thoroughly and properly cooked before being delivered, which helps eliminate most potentials of E Coli infections.

Good Hygienes

Of course, proper hygiene maintenance also plays a critical role in infection prevention.

  • Wash your hands regularly, especially before and after processing the dog’s food.
  • Teach your kids and family members the right handwashing technique to reduce infection risks for the dogs – even when you are not around to take care of them.
  • Do not use contaminated water to wash your hands or bathe your dogs (and do not let the pet drink it, either, obviously). Always stick to clean and safe water sources.

Selective Foods

Be careful with dairy, unpasteurized products since they contain high levels of harmful bacteria.

It would be much better to stick to pasteurized alternatives instead; plus, do not forget to remove potential E. Coli in vegetables and fruits before feeding them to the dog.

Conclusion

Learning how to treat E Coli in dogs naturally is breezy with the help of accessible organic content like honey, olive leaf, and vinegar.

Take extra caution to avoid excessive usage or triggering previous medical conditions/allergic reactions.

And, of course, never apply these herbal remedies without your vet’s approval.

Author

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Hi I am Mitchell. Dog Growth is a blog about dog caring and training where I share my experiences to my community. Hope you enjoy it!

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