A puppy can experience diarrhea due to a variety of reasons. Generally, it’s not enough reason to panic unless you’re experiencing extra signs. Begin by identifying the primary reasons behind the diarrhea of your puppy first:
- There have been profound life-altering events. He’s moving out of the home, living with his dog and family members, and then moving to a new location with a new group of people and possibly even new pet friends. Diarrhea is a widespread response to stress. Avoid visiting friends with your puppy. Let him get settled with some quiet time and rest.
- Change in diet. Most breeders send the puppy home with a bag of the same food that your puppy was eating. Stay with the food you have been feeding him at first, and then slowly add the number of snacks (treat using the puppy’s food!). You should do it slowly if you want to transition your food choices or diet.
- Health issues and parasites. Anytime a dog vomits, particularly for puppies, parasites and diseases should be considered. If you think your breeder or rescue facility has treated him for deworming and you have a sample of feces, bring it to your veterinarian. The perfect feature is to be safe rather than not knowing. Pests such as Giardia and Coccidia are easily missed by only one test or treatment.
When to Worry With Puppy Diarrhea
If diarrhea is followed by vomiting, liquids in the stool, or signs of illness like fever, fatigue, or not eating it, the dog must see a veterinarian. Dogs are susceptible to dehydration, mainly toy breed pups that are at risk of hypoglycemia, which is a condition that causes lower blood sugar levels.
If your puppy is vomiting, however, it is generally soaring with excitement due to some loose stool. You can handle this by yourself with attention and attentive observation.
- Make sure he is clean. The most challenging problem when you have a lively and active dog with diarrhea is keeping it well-maintained. Make sure to change bedding often and wash his front and feet in the sink or bathtub with warm water.
- Make sure that he’s well-hydrated. Make sure your puppy is drinking. It is a primary concern when a puppy has diarrhea. Add a small electrolyte remedy like Pedialyte to his drinking water if needed.
- What can a puppy eat when suffering from diarrhea? Keep the food simple and leave out the sweets for the moment. Rice and chicken or homemade bare (no spice mixes) chicken breasts and simple white rice are both easy to consume. Mackerel canned in cans is easy to access. Include a tiny amount of simple canned pumpkin (not the pie-like version that contains spices!) to benefit in settling the stools. If stool does not begin to become firm after the next 24 – 36 hours, a visit to the veterinarian is recommended.