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There’s no question that it’s unpleasant, but dealing with dog diarrhea is a normal part of caring for a dog. Whether it’s due to an underlying health condition or the dog eating something too rich for their digestive system, every dog will have loose stool at some point in their life. It’s distasteful for you to clean, but it’s not fun for your dog either. And of extra importance, it can be a sign of something more serious than an upset tummy. Learn when dog diarrhea is cause for concern, how it’s treated, and how you can help prevent it.
Key Points
What Is Dog Diarrhea?
According to Dr. Carly Fox, Senior Veterinarian in the Emergency & Critical Care Service at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, healthy dog stool is firm and can be picked up easily. If your dog’s poop is softer than it should be, ranging from loose to liquid, your dog has diarrhea. Your dog should also poop once or twice a day. But with diarrhea, the frequency of pooping can also increase.
Dr. Fox says there are different types of dog diarrhea, too. Typically, veterinarians categorize it into large bowel diarrhea which arises from the colon (also known as the large intestine) versus small bowel diarrhea which arises from the small intestines. The diagnosis, underlying cause, and treatment your vet recommends will vary based on the type. “Most dogs that present for acute (sudden) diarrhea, have large bowel diarrhea, and are treated supportively with minimal diagnostics. Small bowel diarrhea is often more chronic in nature and requires more of a diagnostic workup in most cases.”
What Causes Dog Diarrhea?
Dog diarrhea isn’t a disease in itself, but a symptom of some other issue. One of the more common causes is dietary indiscretion where your dog eats something they shouldn’t have. It could be foods that are too rich, getting into the garbage, or eating toxic foods like chocolate, which can be fatal to dogs. Some other causes include:
- Change in diet. Switching your dog’s food over to a new variety too quickly can upset your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.
- Stress. Just as with humans, stress in dogs can impact their digestive system.
- Infectious diseases. Some illnesses such as parvovirus or canine distemper can cause diarrhea as one of their symptoms.
- Internal parasites. Some of the parasites that can lead to diarrhea include giardia, hookworms, roundworms, coccidia, and whipworms.
- Food allergy. Usually, food allergies lead to skin conditions, but they can cause diarrhea in some dogs.
- Medication. Diarrhea is a side effect of certain medications.
- Pancreatitis. Diarrhea is a sign of pancreatitis, which is a life-threatening condition involving inflammation of the pancreas.
When Is Dog Diarrhea Cause for Concern?
The occasional bout of soft stool probably is not cause for concern. Dr. Fox advises if your dog is otherwise eating and behaving normally, then making an appointment with your regular vet is best. That will rule out any complications or other health concerns. But if your dog’s diarrhea contains blood or occurs with vomiting, lack of appetite, or significant lethargy, then she recommends a visit to the emergency vet clinic. It’s critical to rule out life-threatening conditions.
Diagnosing Dog Diarrhea
Dog diarrhea is obvious, but as it’s typically a sign of an underlying cause or disease process, it’s important for your vet to diagnose what that is. Dr. Fox says most cases of diarrhea are self-limiting or clear up with outpatient treatment. “However, if diarrhea is more chronic, accompanied by weight loss, vomiting, severe in nature, or noted in a puppy, diagnostics are typically recommended.”
Your vet will likely want a poop sample for fecal analysis which can detect internal parasites. Other diagnostic tests your vet might run include full blood work plus or minus a GI panel, PCR testing (a test to detect viral infections and other infectious diseases through their genetic material), abdominal ultrasound, testing for parvovirus, and possibly endoscopic biopsies (samples of tissue from the gastrointestinal tract taken by inserting a tube down the dog’s throat or through the rectum). Dr. Fox advises, “These diagnostics will be recommended by your veterinarian based on your pet’s clinical signs, history, and physical examination.”
If your vet suspects your dog’s diarrhea is due to food intolerance, then they might recommend putting your dog on a prescription diet. Dr. Fox says, “A diet trial can sometimes help with diagnosis (i.e. confirm a food intolerance if there is a positive response) as well serve as treatment. If your dog’s veterinarian recommends a food trial, the trial should go for at least eight weeks. This diet trial should be strict without any other food source used as a diet or treats.”
The recommended diet might use a novel protein, meaning the main protein is from an unusual source that your dog hasn’t encountered before such as ostrich, rabbit, or venison. Alternatively, your vet might suggest a hydrolyzed protein diet. This is a therapeutic food where the protein has already been broken down into very small fragments. Dr. Fox explains these fragments are less likely to trigger an immune response or allergy.
How Do You Treat Dog Diarrhea?
Dr. Fox says in many cases diarrhea can be self-limiting or will respond to a bland diet. As an at-home remedy, try switching your dog to boiled chicken and rice and adding an over-the-counter veterinary probiotic. That should help resolve most cases.
However, if the diarrhea is persistent or accompanied by other clinical signs, your vet will use other diagnostic tests and likely discuss other treatment recommendations with you. For example, they might recommend an antiparasitic for internal parasites or fluid therapy if your dog’s diarrhea has been so severe as to cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. But Dr. Fox urges people not to use human medications to help with their dog’s diarrhea. “Most human medications are ineffective, but some can be harmful.”
Can You Prevent Diarrhea in Dogs?
Although you can’t ensure your dog never has a bout of loose stool, Dr. Fox says the best way to prevent dog diarrhea is to limit what your dog eats. Be careful about the human foods you choose to give your dog and watch them carefully when they’re outside to prevent them from eating dangerous foods or inedible items off the street. “Also, have your pet vaccinated! Vaccination will prevent potentially life-threatening causes of diarrhea, especially in young dogs, caused by parvovirus.”
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.