Dog Diarrhea - Is This Serious?

When your poor little puppy or dog has diarrhea, you have two thoughts, well maybe three. Mine are "what is causing this?" and "what do I do to help him?" Diarrhea in dogs and puppies is usually only a temporary condition and is nothing to get worried or panic about.

There are some cases where dog diarrhea can be a symptom of a condition more serious. If that is the case, then you do need to get your dog to a vet as soon as possible so they can find what the underlying cause is and treat it.

2 Types of Diarrhea

Basically there are two different types of dog diarrhea and they both sound bad. These are acute and chronic. Acute is the type we are all familiar with. It just suddenly comes on but is only temporary. With acute diarrhea your dog will have soft or watery stools, minor stomach discomfort, and frequent bowel movements. Chronic is when the diarrhea is ongoing, maybe even with normal stools in between the bouts of diarrhea. This kind can last for days and will have blood or mucus in the stools and be explosive watery. Your dog may strain when trying to go. Your dog acts sick or lethargic.

Causes of Dog Diarrhea

The most common cause of dogs with diarrhea are:

* Eating garbage, maybe spoiled food, and undigestable objects like leaves, sticks, grass etc.

* Switching dog food brands is a very common cause. Pick a large brand company and stick with them. Don't just buy a cheap

product just because it says protein on it. Hooves and beaks are protein.

* Your dog may not be able to tolerate certain foods, beef, lamb, poultry. Depends on the dog.

* If your dog is on any medication that can cause diarrhea. Antibiotics often cause diarrhea.

* Stress: If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, that can cause diarrhea.

* Intestinal worms: Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms. These are common in puppies.

* Parasites: Giardia and coccidia

Dog Diarrhea Treatment

The most important thing to be aware of is dehydration. Make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water. If your dog is not acting sick and seems to be fairly normal you can try this.

* Putting him on a full 24-hour fast.

* If he seems to be feeling better after 24 hrs you can give him a bland diet of cooked rice and chicken or hamburger for 2 days. 2 parts to 1. Small portions every 4 hrs.

* After 2 days if he still has diarrhea call your vet. If he is doing better, you can start mixing in his regular food with

the rice diet.

If your puppy or dog is not better after two days call your vet.