Digestive

Medical problems related to the digestive system are the most common ones to be seen by veterinarians. The digestive system begins with the mouth where the food enters. Teeth break the food down into smaller pieces so that the digestive enzymes in the mouth can begin the process of digestion. In the oral cavity, the journey of digestion and absorption of food starts. The esophagus is a long tube that connects the mouth to the stomach, this is where digestion begins. Once the food is in the stomach, acidic secretions from the stomach separate the food into its constituents. In the small intestine, pancreatic and gall bladder secretions allow the food nutrients to be absorbed. This is where most of the absorption occurs. Next to the small intestine lies the large intestine where the water needed to the body is absorbed.  Any abnormality with the digestive system is indicated with the symptoms like vomiting, loss or increased appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, and lethargy. The irregularity in the digestive system can largely affect the overall health of your pet.  Diseases involving the oral cavity are the major concern as 85% of all pets above 4 years of age get affected by periodontal disease. Oral diseases may not show obvious signs but foul-smelling breath is an indication of poor oral health. If the oral cavity gets infected, the infection can spread to other organs as well.  Problems in the digestive system can occur due to sudden changes in diet, dietary carelessness, intestinal parasites, intestinal inflammation, metabolic imbalance, and cancer.