It’s common for dogs to get diarrhea, so you shouldn’t panic; instead, figure out the problem and solve it so that it doesn’t happen again. There are many different reasons why a dog could have diarrhea, from the wrong food to a stomach or intestinal virus, although the symptoms and treatment of diarrhea in dogs are always the same.
Dogs can get diarrhea very easily, more than you might think. Given that they’re animals who will eat just about anything, from the food you give them to whatever garbage they find on the street, it’s no wonder they would have loose stool every once in a while. But it’s important not to confuse diarrhea with your dog having soft poop, which is something completely normal.
My dog has diarrhea. What do I do?
The first thing you should do is figure out the cause of the diarrhea. If your dog has a healthy diet and you are certain he hasn’t eaten anything unusual outside or in the house, you should wait a day to see what his next poop is like. If he continues having diarrhea, it’s possible that it’s a virus, meaning you should see your veterinarian to get him checked out and get the appropriate medication.
On the other hand, it’s also possible that while outside, he drank some water from a puddle or canal, water that wasn’t good to drink which gave your dog diarrhea. The wrong food is another possible cause; there are many types of foods that dogs don’t tolerate well. In a way, they have fairly sensitive stomachs. Which seems odd, seeing the random things they eat, but it’s the truth.
The solution to this problem is very simple. You need to take away all food from your dog for 24 to 36 hours. Don’t worry, dogs won’t die or have any serious problems from going a few hours without eating, it won’t hurt them. On the contrary, it will help resolve their diarrhea. It’s very important that they always have access to water; this is fundamental so they don’t get dehydrated.
After 24 to 36 hours of fasting, don’t give him dog food or meat to eat. Give him some boiled white rice. White rice is perfect to help stabilize their stomach and digestive system. It should be served in small amounts and always at room temperature, never hot. Even if your dog only eats twice a day, give him the rice four to five times, in very small portions and without any other type of food. Always with water freely available.
After one day of just rice, you can start to mix the rice with his regular food. If he eats dog food, a little rice with dog food (half and half), and if he eats meat, the same thing: half rice and half meat. You should notice an improvement in his poop. If not, you should see your veterinarian because it could be a virus.
My dog has diarrhea with blood in it
In this case, you should see the vet to determine the cause. Don’t panic, it could be due to a small ulcer in the stomach or intestine. Everything has its solution; just go to the vet so they can examine him and give you the right medications for him.
When vomit or diarrhea contain blood, you should really leave the home remedies for another day and leave it in the hands of the experts. Your vet is the best person to turn to for this and you shouldn’t hesitate to see them.
Not to be alarmist, but these symptoms are also typical of canine parvovirus, a very aggressive virus. Don’t put off a trip to the vet until tomorrow if you can go today.
In summary, most cases of diarrhea are because your dog has eaten or drank something he shouldn’t have, something in bad condition and as a result his body needs to eliminate it. Generally, it can be solved with a little fasting and rice, but if you see that it doesn’t go away and that his mood has changed (he doesn’t play, run, isn’t happy), you should see a veterinarian so they can evaluate how serious it is and the possible causes. It’s possible that some virus is to blame, which is also something quite common in our beloved pets.
