Puppy Diarrhea Remedy

Puppies, like humans, can develop diarrhea for a variety of reasons. Puppies in a new home may experience loose stools simply because they are excited or nervous about their environments. Eating table food can lead to variations in the stools and may cause diarrhea at times. Hookworms and roundworms, two types of parasites that live in a dog's intestines, are another cause of this messy ailment. The remedy for a puppy's diarrhea depends on the root of the problem. Treatment may be handled at home or may need to be supervised by your veterinarian.

A puppy is a baby and his developing digestive system, similar to those of human babies, is still fragile. Therefore, eating anything that is out of his regular routine can cause gastrointestinal distress from time to time. One of the easiest remedies that also serves as a preventative tool for canine diarrhea is to feed your puppy the same type of food every day. Dog foods are no different from the foods people eat--ingredients vary and can effect each puppy differently. By feeding your pup the same food, you will allow his digestive system to develop with as few variables as possible.

According to Vetslovepets.com, a question and answer service for pet owners (see Resources), the first step to remedy a puppy's diarrhea issues is to conduct a day-long fast (as long as your dog is at least 2 months old). Though the withholding of food may sound cruel, it gives your pup's system a chance to sort itself out and heal from factors such as overindulgence or a virus that is causing your dog to be sick. If you have a very young puppy less than 2 months old, she may be at risk for developing hypoglycemia if you do not feed her. In this case, a half-day fast of 12 hours or less should be sufficient. Allow your dog to have water from a safe water source during this time, and assess her condition at the end of the day.

Vetslovepets.com experts state that it is safe for your puppy to take Kaopectate, and over-the-counter (OTC) medication that soothes upset stomachs and diarrhea, after you have completed the fast. You will need to weigh your dog to know how much medicine to give her. The medicine packaging contains dosage information for humans--use this same dosing strategy for your pup. Administer the medication only as needed if the diarrhea continues. If the bouts seem less frequent and less severe, your dog may not need medication, but just a watchful eye and a careful diet for the next few days.

Your puppy's fragile digestive tract needs bland foods to allow it to heal after an extended episode of diarrhea. For 3 to 4 days after the fasting day, forgo the puppy chow and feed him bland "people" food. Broiled or baked chicken, boiled eggs, cooked white rice or plain pasta are binding foods and help your puppy to regain normal bowel movements. If you cook pasta, make sure to use short shapes rather than spaghetti or other long strands to prevent choking. Once the bowel movements have firmed up, you can add some puppy food back into your dog's diet. Offer him a mixture that is half human food and half dog food for a day or so and see how he tolerates it. Slowly increase the dog food and decrease the human food ratios until he is back to an all-dog food diet.

You may notice your puppy's diarrhea is not getting better despite all of remedies you have tried. At this point, take her to the vet for an exam. In most cases, you will be required to collect a stool sample for testing. Often, the test results will show parasites of some kind that have made a home in your pup's colon. Hookworms and roundworm infections manifest themselves through diarrhea, as well as a decreased appetite and vomiting. If your puppy tests positive for worms, your veterinarian will prescribe de-worming medications that will kill the parasites.