A number of non-infectious causes can result in diarrhea. These include lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, and a number of medications. In most cases, stool cultures to confirm the exact cause are not required.
Most dogs are first bred between the 10th and 14th day after the onset of proestrus. As long as the bitch will accept the male, mating every other day for a total of two or three matings is generally considered sufficient. However, signs of proestrus are not obvious in some bitches.
Breeding occurs primarily during late spring to early fall and after a gestation of about 11 months, one foal is born. They usually reach maturity at around the age of 1 or 2. They are highly resistant to diseases, and remain healthy into old age, which can be over forty years.