Diarrhea is basically a little part of a whole, which means diarrhea is a symptom of an illness and not an illness on its own. In puppies, diarrhea usually goes hand in hand with vomiting and drowsiness. However, if your little dog is showing no other sign or symptom of a disease asides diarrhea, he is most likely just having an upset stomach and not a disease.
We would discuss some reasons your puppy might be acting normal while having diarrhea, in this article. A soft poop is indication that your pup only has a mild case of diarrhea but a watery poop squirt is sure sign of a severe diarrhea.
The severity of your dog’s diarrhea is usually evident in how watery or soft the poop is so you know when your pup’s diarrhea should be a cause for concern. Nevertheless, you must be prepared as puppies cannot be predicted. A mild diarrhea in your puppy can quickly degenerate into a really severe one.
Puppy Has Diarrhea But Still Playful
It is therefore advised that you immediately seek medical help from your veterinary doctor, even if your pup only has mild diarrhea.
Your puppy’s diarrhea may be caused by something as harmless as an upset stomach, or as serious as a terminal disease, bacterial or viral infection.
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Reasons For Diarrhea In Puppies
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful and is not showing any other symptoms asides the diarrhea, it could be due to one or all of these reasons:
- Allergies
If your dog is allergic to some foods, it is expected that his system would react negatively after consuming such food. The expected reactions to such allergies is diarrhea and vomiting.
This is why you must give your puppy only small portions of a new food you are just introducing him to, in order to know if he is allergic to the food or not. Observe and know foods your dog is allergic to and avoid feeding him such food
- Stress
Moving to a new location, meeting new people and pets, new diets and daily routines can be stressful activities for your little puppy which could lead to a lose bowel, due to an unsettling in his system from anxiety.
With time and a good amount of affection, your pup will settle into and get used to his new environment, thereby causing the diarrhea to stop.
- New Diet
Introducing your puppy to a new diet, all of a sudden, can destabilize his system and cause digestive issues for him. Ensure to go at a gradual pace when introducing a new diet to your young dog.
This would help your check his body’s reaction to the food. You can go on to increase the quantity of each serving portion with time, if his system does not react to it.
- Junk Intake
Diarrhea in your puppy might be as a result of consuming unhealthy things like food wrappers, trash or any toxic substance.
In some cases of junk intake, you might have to visit your veterinary doctor to help flush these junk substances out of your pup’s system in order to prevent a blockage in your dog’s stomach, leading to other health issues.
- Viruses
Viruses like Parvovirus and Corona virus are viruses common with diarrhea. These viruses affect your puppy because of the vulnerability of your pup’s system as a result of weak immunity. Viruses rarely have cures and can only be fought against by your dog’s body itself.
When your little dog is vaccinated, this boosts his immune system and helps him to fight against these viruses and diseases.
- Bacteria And Parasites
Hookworms, Roundworms, Giardia and Whipworms are parasites that have easy access to your puppy and can even be transferred from the mother dog to the puppy. This is because your puppy’s immunity is still very low and cannot fight off unwanted guests at the moment, leaving your puppy vulnerable and porous to infections.
Bacteria like Salmonella and E.Coli are common ones your puppy can get infected with easily. These parasites and bacteria cause not just diarrhea but also vomiting, drowsiness and fever in your baby dog.
Even though parasites can be killed through medications, it is much harder to get rid of their eggs and so, your puppy can have these parasites grow on or in him again, if proper care is not taken.
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Treatment For Diarrhea In Puppies
Your puppy can run out of body fluid real quickly due to its little body; this could lead to dehydration and in some extreme cases, death. For this reason, it is important that you keep your pup hydrated with lots of fresh water and ice cubes.
Even though your puppy’s digestive system is not in order, it is unwise for you to allow your dog go without food. Instead, change his diet and feed him only light, easily digestible food like boiled rice with boiled chicken served plain and void of any additives or flavors; in small portions.
Feed your puppy with some Yakult or yogurt to provide his body with the probiotics (good bacteria) that is necessary to help him fight against the bad bacteria.
To support the probiotics that the yogurt provides, include some food with prebiotic components like fiber to your pup’s diet. These would help combat the bad bacteria responsible for the watery stool.
Ensure you consult your veterinary doctor to get prescriptions that you can administer to your puppy at home, to aid recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do I Know My Puppy Has Diarrhea?
Puppies eat at least three to four times every day and need to poop just as many times i.e. after each meal. Whenever you pup begins to take potty breaks more than the number of times he eats, he may just have diarrhea. To confirm your suspicion of the beginning of diarrhea in your dog, observe the appearance of his poop.
If his poop has a slight change in color from its usual milky chocolate and is not able to hold together, it is a clear indication that your dog is at the beginning stage of diarrhea.
How Long Should Diarrhea In Puppies Last?
Diarrhea dehydrates your pup quicker than any other symptoms. If your puppy’s diarrhea is not a symptom of a bigger illness i.e. the diarrhea is only as a result of stomach upset, and it persists longer than one day, it is advised that you pay a visit to your veterinary doctor immediately so that it can be treated while it is still in the beginning stage.
How Can I Firm Up My Puppy’s Poop?
To help normalize your pup’s stool, you can feed him some cooked potatoes and canned pumpkin served plain. You can also add some yogurts to her meals and treats to help get your puppy’s stomach to return to its normal state.
Conclusively
Ensure that you do not disregard your pup’s mild diarrhea as a trivial issue. He might look quite alright and you might just conclude that he is only having an upset stomach but as soon as this mild diarrhea does not stop in one to two days, do visit your vet doctor as it might be more than it looks on the surface.
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