Caring for a dog with diarrhea feels like a full-time job. You constantly have to worry about accidents in the house, watch for signs that the symptoms are getting worse, and figure out what to feed them.
In this blog post, you’ll learn what to feed a dog with diarrhea. If your dog continues to have diarrhea for more than a couple of days or doesn’t respond well to the easily digestible foods and tips in this blog post, contact a veterinarian and make an appointment as soon as possible.
Common Foods and Situations That Cause Dogs To Have Diarrhea
Having a dog with diarrhea can be scary when the symptoms don’t let up. It also becomes a pain to constantly clean up messes and wonder what caused them. Dogs are sensitive to weird foods, sudden changes, and things you’d never think would upset their stomach.
The following sections describe common foods and other things that can cause your dog to have diarrhea.
Weird Foods and Sudden Food Changes
Dogs often react badly to foods they aren’t used to eating. Table scraps, greasy foods, rich treats, dairy products, and spicy foods can all upset their stomach fast. Even changing to a new dog food too quickly can cause diarrhea because your dog’s digestive system needs time to adjust.
Trash, Outside Items, and Things They Shouldn’t Eat
Many dogs eat things they find before you can stop them. Trash, spoiled food, grass, sticks, mulch, and random items on walks can irritate the stomach or cause infection. Dogs don’t know what’s safe to eat, so they often swallow things that lead to diarrhea and other stomach problems.
Stress and Other Non-Food Causes
Stress from boarding, travel, loud noises, moving, or changes in routine can trigger diarrhea in some dogs. Parasites, infections, and underlying health problems can also cause symptoms that don’t improve on their own. If your dog’s diarrhea keeps happening, gets worse, or comes with vomiting, weakness, or low energy, call your veterinarian.
What To Feed Your Dog When It Has Diarrhea
Feeding a dog with an upset stomach is a delicate process. If you don’t know what initially caused the diarrhea, it can be hard to know what foods will help and what foods could make it worse. The right choice often depends on your dog’s symptoms, appetite, energy level, and how long the diarrhea has lasted.
The following sections describe what to feed your dog when it has diarrhea based on different situations.
Boiled Chicken and White Rice
Many veterinarians recommend a bland diet for dogs because it gives their stomach a chance to settle while still providing some nutrition. Boiled chicken and plain white rice are common short-term options for dogs with mild stomach upset because both foods are gentle, simple, and easier on the digestive system than rich treats or heavy meals.
Pumpkin
Many dog owners use pumpkin for dog diarrhea because the fiber in plain canned pumpkin can help firm up loose stool and support digestion. Make sure you use plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, since pie filling contains added sugar and spices that can upset your dog’s stomach even more. Start off by mixing a small amount into your dog’s food for mild symptoms to see how they respond and then go from there.
Easily Digestible Dog Food
Many dogs respond well to easily digestible dog food because the formulas use simple ingredients and protein sources that prove easier on the stomach. Sensitive stomach diets often help when diarrhea keeps happening or when your dog reacts badly to richer foods. If digestive problems keep coming back, your veterinarian may recommend a food change or a prescription digestive diet that better fits your dog’s needs.
The Importance of Hydration and Electrolyte Support
You know how, after you throw up, you’re supposed to wait a little bit, then start working on replacing the fluids you lost? The same is true for dogs.
When a dog throws up, they lose water and important electrolytes that help the body function normally. Repeated vomiting can lead to dehydration, weakness, dry gums, low energy, and worsening symptoms.
Give your dog small amounts of water slowly if they can keep it down, but don’t let them drink too much too fast because that can trigger more vomiting. If your dog can’t hold down water, seems weak, or shows signs of dehydration, contact your veterinarian right away.
How To Care for Your Dog After They Have an Accident
Stay calm after your dog has an accident. Dogs often pick up on your tone, body language, and stress. If you react with anger or panic, your dog may become more anxious, and stress can make stomach problems worse.
Clean the mess without scolding your dog. Diarrhea accidents usually happen because your dog couldn’t control it, not because they misbehaved.
Watch your dog closely after you clean up and check their energy levels, appetite, and bowel movements. Remember that diarrhea isn’t always an accident, and you need to watch their normal bowel movements outside to see if the stool improves, stays loose, or gets worse.
If you notice bloody diarrhea, contact a veterinarian right away to identify the cause, stop the bleeding, and protect your dog from serious complications.
Call Penny Paws To Diagnose and Treat Your Dog With Diarrhea
In this blog post, you learned what to feed a dog with diarrhea. If your dog continues to have diarrhea for several days or doesn’t respond well to the foods mentioned in this blog post, call Penny Paws at (817) 993-1234 to schedule an appointment.
When you step into our clinic, we’ll listen to your concerns, examine your dog, look for the cause of the diarrhea, and recommend the right treatment plan. Our team works hard to relieve symptoms, protect your dog from dehydration, and help them get back to feeling normal as soon as possible.
Make sure you check out our other blog post about bowel incontinence to learn the warning signs, common causes, and treatment options for dogs that keep having accidents.