There may be times that your dog has diarrhea but there is no 24-hour veterinary clinic near you, or you can not contact your vet.
You might think of trying out home remedies but Pet Helpful, in Home Remedies for Fog Diarrhea, stressed that an owner must not rely on home remedies alone.
You must determine why your dog is having diarrhea in the first place, Pet Helpful added.
Here are some possible causes of diarrhea in dogs:
1. Any abrupt change in diet can cause diarrhea in dogs. If the diarrhea is due to a recent change in diet, you may want to make the change gradual next time.
2. Stress from a recent change in a dog’s life can also cause diarrhea. You can help your dog relax.
3. Your dog may have eaten something he should not have eaten. Please consult a vet immediately. He might have eaten something toxic.
4. The dog may have parasites or the diarrhea was caused by protozoans, viruses, and bacteria. A vet needs to run some tests and prescribe medication for this condition.
“So you may need to do a bit of troubleshooting before deciding if home remedies for dog diarrhea are suitable for your dog. Not all dogs are good candidates! For instance, home remedies for dog diarrhea may work for mild cases of diarrhea such as from changing foods too abruptly or your dog eating something that's not toxic but that upset his stomach because he's not used to eating it,” said Pet Helpful.
Pet Helpful stressed home remedies will not work if your dog has diarrhea due to an underlying problem that require medication prescribed by a vet such as worms, protozoans like giardia, coccidia, or food intolerance.
If you dog has fever, is lethargic and not acting right, aside from having diarrhea, please bring your dog to the vet immediately.
If the diarrhea is severe and your dog is in danger of getting dehydrated, please bring the dog to the vet immediately.
Home remedy is not recommended.
“Puppies can get dehydrated quite quickly and should see a vet rather than trying remedies at home and senior dogs may have diarrhea due to underlying organ problems. So please use good judgement before trying home remedies for your dog's diarrhea!,” Pet Helpful stressed.
Home remedies
Home remedies may not work for all dogs.
Here are some basic guidelines from Pet Helpful:
· Fast the dog. Fasting will allow the dog’s gastro-intestinal tract to rest and recover. If there is no food, there is also less diarrhea. “Usually, a 24 hour fast is necessary for adult dogs while puppies should not be fasted for more than 12 hours. Consult with your vet if you have a toy breed dog or a dog who is diabetic,” Pet Helpful said.
· Keep the dog hydrated. If the poop is watery, and the dog has uncontrollable squirts, you have to hydrate the dog as often as possible. “You can give unflavored Pedialyte to help replace lost electrolytes or mix Gatorade 50/50 with his water. However, see your vet if the diarrhea doesn't resolve or if your dog is vomiting too. Monitor for signs of dehydration as outlined below,” it added.
· Provide Yogurt. Plain yogurt or cottage cheese add some good bacteria to a dog’s bowels. Add this to his bland diet, which is explained in detail below, Pet Helpful said.
· Bland Diet. After the 24-hour fasting, replace his usual food with boiled chicken and rice or boiled hamburger and rice. Remove the skin from the chicken before boiling. Fat should be drained from the burger first. Rice should be the main (bulky) ingredient of the meal. This should be given until the stool is better formed and over a few days only. Then re-introduce his usual food slowly.
· Do a hydration check. Lift the dog's shoulder blade or back skin. If the skin returns back promptly, the dog is well hydrated. But if it takes a few seconds or worse, remains lifted, the dog needs immediate vet attention and fluids given under the skin or intravenously, Pet Helpful said.
· Check gums. Bring to the vet immediately if the gums turn pale, whitish, grayish or purple. Normal gums should look like a healthy bubble gum pink. “Try as well to press your finger on his gum. The gum should become whitish and return promptly pink. If it takes a few seconds, the dog again needs to be seen ASAP,” Pet Helpful said.
· Vet appointment. Bring the dog to the vet “if the dog becomes lethargic, the diarrhea continues regardless of diet change or stops and then returns, other symptoms develop such as bloody stools, vomiting, loss of appetite, or fever,” Pet Helpful stressed. Possible causes of diarrhea may be parasites, gastro-enteritis, pancreatits, a foreign body ingestion (usually along with vomiting), parvo, and many other serious conditions that need immediate vet attention, it added.
“Diarrhea may be the simple result of the dog getting into your trash can and getting an upset tummy,” Pet Helpful said.
“He may have roundworms, especially if he is a puppy. It may be due to a recent abrupt diet change. These are usually mild cases of diarrhea,” it said.
It added: “ However, if any worrisome or out of the ordinary symptoms arise along with the diarrhea, do not hesitate to have him seen by a vet promptly. Chances are that it may be just a minor issue, but as with most issues, if caught promptly, it likely will not evolve into a more serious and costly issue,” it said.