If you have a puppy, it's a pretty safe bet that you're going to see some puppy diarrhea sooner or later!
Puppies tend to eat anything and everything, plus stress, a change in diet and all sorts of other things can result in loose stools.
You want to keep little Fido healthy and happy, so it's natural to worry when your puppy's 'poop' doesn't seem normal.
Although puppy diarrhea isn't unusual, and it can signal something as simple as a reaction to a new puppy food, it can also be the symptom of some pretty nasty dog illnesses and diseases.
But before you start to panic, take a few minutes to read the information below! It tells you a bit about the different kinds of diarrhea most often seen in puppies, what to do about it and....... when to worry!
The different kinds of puppy diarrhea
Diarrhea in puppies can take range from a soft pile to a jet of water..and just about everything in between!
If your puppy's stools are just of the soft, chocolate-pudding variety there's generally no need for instant panic.
There are several possible reasons for the change in consistency, these include -
A change in diet Switching your puppy from one brand of food (or from dried to canned, commercial to home-made etc) is a very common reason for loose stools. To help avoid this, be sure that any change in diet is made gradually, over at least a week.
Begin by replacing a small amount of the regular food with the new one. Then over the next 7 days or so, gradually increase the new food while decreasing the old. By the end of the week, your puppy should be happily eating his new
dog food
without any upset.
Stress A puppys' digestive system can be fairly delicate and may be affected by stressful situations. Things such as leaving their mom and siblings, a visit to the veterinarian, getting used to a new home environment, excess excitement or exercise and so on, can trigger this type of puppy diarrhea.
It'll usually right itself over the course of few days, meanwhile you can help by making sure your puppy has plenty of quiet time, lots of fresh drinking water available and monitoring his bowel movements to be sure that his 'poop' returns to normal rather than becoming more loose.
Eating something he shouldn't! Little puppies are endlessly curious, and often seem to believe that EVERYTHING is edible, until proven otherwise! If your pup has been snacking on left-overs from the garbage can, the flowers in your front yard, or something of that nature, puppy diarrhea is most likely going to happen.
Obviously it's important to re-double your efforts to keep undesirable objects from being ingested by Fido. Many times the forbidden things a puppy has eaten are fairly harmless. But there's a whole range of
stuff that's toxic to dogs
(sometimes to a deadly degree).
Many of them will surprise you, and are commonly seen in any home or yard.
If you're in any doubt at all about what your puppy has injested, or believe it may be harmful, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Control Center at once. You can find tips and advice on what to do if your pup does ingest something poisonous, plus the emergency telephone number you need, on my Dog Poisoning page.
When you're dealing with a fairly mild case of puppy diarrhea, focus on eliminating the cause and replacing any fluids your puppy may have lost. You can use unflavored Pedialyte instead of water, or mixed with it.
If your puppy is drinking well, is bright-eyed and lively, and isn't getting worse you can probably afford to just monitor the situation. However, if little Fido seems lethargic, dull eyed or just 'not himself', or if his condition deteriorates, seek veterinary advice straight away.
Quite often diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, and it can also be caused by something simple or by a serious illness or condition. If puppy vomiting is present along with the diarrhea, it's even more important to be extra-cautious.
If the puppy diarrhea is liquid (anything from soupy to watery) there's reason for concern. There are many reasons for this type of diarrhea -
Parasitic infection Your puppy could have developed an infection caused by parasites, such as Coccidia or Giardia, both of which can cause pretty severe, foul smelling diarrhea (sometimes accompanied by vomiting, lethargy and loss of appetite).
A bad case of
puppy worms
(particularly roundworms) can also result in your furbaby suffering from puppy diarrhea and/or vomiting.
The most immediate concern in this case is that little Fido will become dehydrated, which is a dangerous condition for a puppy. As little as 24 hours (or less in very young puppies) with diarrhea and vomiting can cause a puppy to become seriously dehydrated.
Whenever you see this kind of puppy diarrhea, consult your veterinarian right away. There are tests and treatment for these causes of diarrhea in puppies, and IV fluids are also often necessary.
A serious disease Many of the most contagious, serious (and often potentially deadly) puppy illnesses have diarrhea as one of the major symptoms.
This kind of diarrhea is usually very watery, and can contain mucous and/or blood (shows as red or brown). This is a very serious situation and immediate, emergency veterinary care is needed if your puppy is to have a chance of recovery.
Watery, mucous-y or blood streaked puppy diarrhea is a red flag. Don't be tempted to 'wait and see', seek professional veterinary assistance immediately. Your puppy's life could literally depend on it.
Severe diarrhea that could be associated with illness, needs immediate veterinary attention, and you shouldn't try to treat it yourself.
However, for the occasional bout of diarrhea caused by a foray into the garbage/stress/dietary changes etc, (or for dogs who regularly have loose stools/bowels but have been pronounced otherwise healthy by their veterinarian), here's a wonderful herbal product that can make your dog feel much better....
....or if you'd like an expert opinion about your puppys' diarrhea (or any other health issue)just use the box below to ask a qualified veterinarian or animal health professional. It's a quick, cost effective way to peace of mind!
Knowing when diarrhea could be a symptom of something serious could save a puppys' life! Do you know other puppy owners who could benefit from the information on this page?
If so, share it with them right now. It could be the best thing you'll do today!
