You have seen it many times; soft, runny poop found in a pile on the carpet under the kitchen table. In this article, I’m going to go over the common causes of canine diarrhea and how it’s diagnosed based on clinical signs. Finally, you will see the most common and effective home remedies to quickly stop your dog’s diarrhea.

Anything that upsets the digestive tract and prevents water from being absorbed causes diarrhea. Some common causes include dietary indiscretion (eating compost), parasites (Giardia or roundworms), food allergies, infectious causes (Salmonella), inflammatory changes (inflammatory bowel disease; similar to Crohn’s disease in people), and pancreatic abnormalities (pancreatic insufficiency, common in German Shepherds).

Diarrhea in dogs is classified as either small bowel diarrhea (originates from the small intestine) or large bowel diarrhea (originates from the colon). Small bowel diarrhea is generally large in volume, rare, sometimes with vomiting and weight loss. The causes of small bowel diarrhea are many, from parasites to infectious agents. Signs of large bowel diarrhea include frequent bowel movements, straining, and occasionally mucus and blood. Most large bowel diarrhea is classified as colitis and is caused by dietary indiscretion.

Severe diarrhea resulting in dehydration is a medical emergency and should be treated by your veterinarian. If you have an unvaccinated young dog, the diarrhea may have an infectious cause; the dog must be examined by a veterinarian. If your pet is still very alert, active, and drinking, try some of the following home remedies.

Stop feeding your pet for 24 hours (day 1). This allows the intestines to rest and regenerate. Always have access to plenty of fresh water. After 24 hours, introduce a soft food for the next 24 hours (day 2). Cooked white rice for dogs, with cups of rice equivalent to their normal diet. After a day of bland food, mix 1/2 regular diet and 1/2 bland diet (day 3). At the end of day 3, they should return to their normal diet.

Probiotics help restore natural bacteria in the gut, normalizing the intestinal immune system. The most effective supplement is Lactobacillus acidophilus: give 1/4 capsule for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily. I advise probiotics for all cases of diarrhea, but I buy them from a trusted source to ensure the probiotics are active.

Pepto-Bismol is an ancient remedy that can be effective for dogs. The dose for dogs is 1 ml / 10 pounds of body weight given three times a day for no more than 7 days. Imodium (Loperamide) can be used with care, avoid giving it to Collie or Collie crossbreeds. The dose for dogs is 0.5 mg / 10 pounds three times a day (give your 40 pound dog a 2 mg tablet three times a day).

Kaopectate has a newer version that is safer for dogs. Contains attapulgite clay as an active ingredient that binds toxins, decreases fluid in the intestinal tract and subsequent diarrhea. Dosage for dogs: 0.5-1.0 ml per pound orally every 4-6 hours. Treatment should only be necessary for 1-2 days.

There are some herbs that I find helpful for dog diarrhea. Slippery elm in dried form can be helpful for chronic diarrhea, such as inflammatory bowel disease in dogs. The dry herb dosage is 20 mg / lb of body weight twice a day. Peppermint helps with intestinal gas and cramps; give 25 mg / lb of body weight twice a day of the dried herb or 1 drop / lb of body weight twice a day of the tincture.

One homeopathic in particular stands out as being especially helpful for most cases of diarrhea in dogs. It’s called Arsenicum Album and it’s my favorite homeopathic remedy for dogs with ‘Garbage Gut’. Dosage: 1 tablet of 30 ° C per 20 pounds every 2-4 hours.

You should now have a good understanding of what the signs and symptoms of dog diarrhea are. You should be able to differentiate between large bowel diarrhea and small bowel diarrhea, and now know when to seek urgent veterinary care or to try some of my suggested home remedies. You now have a selection of home remedies to use the next time your dog has diarrhea, and now you can stop your dog’s diarrhea quickly at home.