Natural Remedies for Diarrhea in Puppies

Puppies commonly suffer from diarrhea, and bouts usually last only a couple of days. If the problem continues for a longer period of time, it can cause dehydration and other serious problems. You can treat your puppy's diarrhea at home by looking at likely causes and taking the appropriate action to treat it in its earliest stages. There are remedies you can try at home to naturally treat your puppy's diarrhea and avoid costly trips to the vet.

There are numerous conditions that can cause your puppy to have diarrhea. According to the Dog Breed Info Center, young puppies can often get diarrhea from parasites and viruses. One of the most common causes of diarrhea in puppies is worms. If the dog has worms, it must be treated with medication by a vet. Excitement or stress can also cause diarrhea; being away from home and traveling can often bring it on. Changes in food can bring on diarrhea, too, and just like people, dogs can get stomach bug. Most cases of diarrhea can be treated naturally at home by changes in diet.

Also like us, a dog's diarrhea can be mild or severe. A couple of days of loose stool that clears up on its own is normal and considered mild. These mild cases can be treated at home without medication. But uncontrollable, liquid diarrhea that lasts longer is cause for concern. A dog with severe diarrhea needs to be taken to a vet, as he may be suffering from dehydration and require intravenous fluids. Check for dehydration by lifting the skin on your dog's neck; if the skin stays up instead of immediately returning to place, the dog may be dehydrated. In addition to causing dehydration, diarrhea weakens the immune system, inviting other kinds of illness. The younger the pup is, the more cause there is for concern; puppies with diarrhea who are under 7 weeks old should be taken to the vet immediately. If you do go to the vet, take along a stool sample so the cause can be determined quickly.

Treating the problem early on, when you first begin to see the onset of symptoms, is your best bet in preventing more serious illness and a trip to the vet. If you can, begin treating the problem naturally at home within the first 24 hours. If you can catch the problem early, before dehydration has a chance to set in, puppies over 8 months old should be made to fast (no food or water) for 24 hours. Give younger pups small amounts of bland food (like rice or scrambled eggs) three to five times throughout the day. Other recommended foods include low-fat plain yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, plain baked potatoes and canned pumpkin. Give him a little water with each meal, but nothing overnight for at least 12 hours. In addition to water, you can also try Gatorade. If the puppy won't drink, use an oral syringe. Also on Day 1, puppies over 6 weeks can have liquid Pepto Bismol every 3 to 4 hours. The dosage should be ½ to 1 tsp. for every 10 lbs. of the dog's weight. You can also get Nutri-Cal from your vet's office; it's a paste that has the nutrition and calories the puppy is missing. If the problem continues past 1 day, continue to encourage water so he doesn't dehydrate. On Day 2, start mixing boiled chicken into rice and give the dog a slightly increased amount. See if the stool is beginning to harden. If, after the second day, the problem seems to be getting worse, not better, call the vet and seek some advice.

Holistic Pet Info recommends these herbal remedies to help with diarrhea: "L-Glutamine - An amino acid which fuels intestinal cells and helps maintain mucosal cell integrity. Slippery Elm - An emollient that provides soothing protection for the mucus membranes of the intestinal tract. Saccharomyces boulardi - A beneficial yeast that decreases intestinal permeability. N-acetyglucosamine - Helps heal the inflamed bowel lining by supporting glycoprotein synthesis. Boswellia - Helps to reduce bowel inflammation. Lactobacillus sporogenes - A probiotic that has been shown to help treat diarrhea caused by bacterial overgrowth. DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) - Supports the healing process in the intestinal lining by increasing blood flow and reducing muscle spasms."

Hopefully, the puppy will begin to recover. To help the process along, continue the bland diet while slowly increasing portion size over a few days. Nearing a week, begin to mix in the puppy's regular food in increasing amounts until the dog has adjusted. Don't feed the dog table scraps or any strange foods during this time.