Q&A for How to Treat Dog Diarrhea

Some dogs respond well to a little extra fiber, such as pumpkin, being added to the diet. Others need a bland, highly digestible food, such as chicken breast and rice. The rule of thumb is to feed white meats, such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, and cod, as well as white carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, or boiled potatoes (with NO added diary products.) If the diarrhea persists longer than a few days or you see blood, see a vet.

Unfortunately, pea green poop is not a sign of improvement. Whatever reason the diarrhea started, it sounds like your little guy needs to a vet to settle it down. It might be that the pup has an underlying infection or parasite problem, or that he's had diarrhea for so long that he has a bacterial imbalance in his gut. Either way, its time to get some help.

Antibiotics kill bacteria, and sometimes they kill the helpful bacteria in the gut as well as any infection. Your dog therefore might get diarrhea because antibiotics cause an imbalance in the bowel. If the dog isn't absorbing the goodness from the food because of diarrhea, this will lead to weight loss. However, if the dog was already unwell enough to be on antibiotics, your vet will want to know about the tummy upset. A course of probiotics may be necessary in order to get things back in balance.

For a straightforward case of garbage gut, make she has plenty of water to drink. Starve her for 24 hours. When she starts eating again, give her bland foods until she's passed formed poop for a couple of days. Try giving white meat (chicken, rabbit, cod, coley fish) and boiled white rice or boiled potato. Alternatively, offer a prescription diet from your vet that is designed to settle upset stomachs.

This depends entirely on the medication. With some medications, such as non-steroidal painkillers, it's essential to stop them if the dog has an upset stomach, while, with others, such as heart meds, the dog must take them. Give the vet who prescribed the medication a call and take their advice.

If she is drinking plenty and seems otherwise strong, then let the puppies carry on feeding. If she is feverish, weak, vomiting, or passing blood, then she must see a vet. Try a bland diet for a day or so, and if she isn't improving, get her checked out.