Diarrhea in puppies: how to react correctly!
What could be better than the sound of little paws eagerly pawing across the parquet floor?? A puppy is something wonderful, because you expect an exciting time with your faithful companion. Of course you have taken your new family member straight to your heart and want him to grow up healthy and lively. But what do you do if your puppy suddenly has diarrhea? Although there is not always a reason for concern, the thin feces may well be caused by a more serious illness. Diarrhea in puppies should in no case be taken lightly. In this article we will show you not only possible causes of your puppy's diarrhea, but also how best to help your charge in case of emergency.
Diarrhea in puppies is not always a cause for concern, but it should always be kept in mind.
Get to the bottom of the cause: Why does my puppy have diarrhea?
The main cause of diarrhea in puppies is their digestive system being out of balance for some reason. Therefore, in most cases, the thin feces stems from the fact that the young dog ate something wrong. Puppies are very curious. Like to try a lot of things. That's why they often bite into all kinds of things. So it may happen that something gets into their stomach, which ultimately disrupts digestion. The organism tries to get rid of the foreign body by diarrhea and vomiting.
If dogs have not yet learned what they are allowed to eat and what not, many of them first consider almost everything edible. So it may happen that your four-legged darling eats leftovers or spoiled food, which is not good for his body and eventually manifests itself with diarrhea. As long as the puppy does not ingest anything poisonous or sharp-edged, it is a harmless gastrointestinal upset. The situation is different if the small dog accidentally eats food that is harmful to him (z. B. Chocolate), eats medicines, cleaning products or poison bait. As soon as you notice this, you should take him to the vet immediately, as there is an acute danger to his life.
Puppy tummies are quick to get out of balance, which can lead to diarrhea.
Checklist: Possible accompanying symptoms and causes of diarrhea
Cause
Description
Parasites (z. B. tapeworms, threadworms, flushing worms)
Transmission occurs by sniffing foreign dog feces or grassy areas or plants where worm eggs or larvae are present. Transmission can also occur by eating mice. The detection of these parasites is done by a fecal sample. Subsequently, appropriate treatment solves the problem.
Symptoms include weakness and fatigue, anal distress due to itching, skin irritation and eczema, weight loss, blood in the diarrhea, vomiting, and in puppies, a typical bloated belly. The microscopic parasites are very contagious. Massively disturb the digestion. They are not treatable with a normal worming treatment.
Giardia is manifested by mushy diarrhea, often yellowish in color. The dog is still fit, but his weight is steadily reducing. Young dogs are often massively ill in this. In intensive treatment. The adult dog can cope better and is usually still fit, but his weight is steadily reduced. Many new impressions. Experiences can overwhelm puppies. Sensitive dogs are particularly susceptible.
The stress can be both positive (z. B. by excessive joy) as well as negative (z. B. express themselves through unfounded nervousness/anxiety).
Medication
Medicines for quadrupeds have certain side effects, which often include diarrhea and vomiting (z. B. deworming tablets).
Worming may cause diarrhea and vomiting in the puppy, because the preparation fights the worm infestation. The worms are killed. The body wants to eliminate them as quickly as possible. The symptoms should be temporary.
Gastrointestinal infection
Viruses, bacteria and fungi settle in the puppy's digestive system. His immune system is still weak, which is why the infection can occur.
In addition to diarrhea, faintness, a high need for sleep and vomiting are also symptoms of an infection.
serious illnesses such as inflammation of the pancreas, cancer or liver disease
If digestive organs are diseased, diarrhea will occur in adult dogs as well as puppies. Other diseases can also affect the digestive system, because they affect the whole organism.
Normally, behavioral changes such as nervousness, restlessness, drowsiness, sleepiness are manifested. In addition, some diseases cause vomiting. There is blood in the feces ("black diarrhea"). In the case of colitis, mucus appears in the feces.
Immediately off to the vet? When medical advice is really useful
If your puppy has diarrhea, you do not have to go to the vet immediately. Always pay attention to the general condition of your dog. If the dog is dull and weak, go directly to the veterinarian. If the puppy is fit and happy, in many cases you can manage the symptoms yourself with the help of a fasting period or a light diet. However, if the small dog defecates thinly over several days, you should take him to a veterinary practice or veterinary clinic to have the cause clarified. If possible, you should take a fecal sample with you, which will help to determine the trigger. Your puppy's diarrhea does not necessarily have to have a serious cause. Nevertheless, the visit to the veterinarian is also recommended because the organism of the small dog does not receive nutrients if everything is immediately excreted again. In addition, the puppy loses a lot of water with the liquid feces and runs the risk of dehydration. This condition can become life threatening for young dogs.
If your puppy has diarrhea for more than 2 days you should contact your veterinarian and bring a stool sample with you.
How diarrhea in puppy and his diet are related
If your puppy has diarrhea, the food can also play a role, because his digestive system is relatively sensitive. If you feed the little dog too varied, this can irritate its gastrointestinal system. For this reason, you should always make a feed change gradually and not suddenly. In addition, a rapid change of food in dogs can be accompanied by constipation, flatulence or lack of appetite.
Our recommendation: Plan at least one week for the change to a new dog food, in which you exchange the food types gradually. In the first few days, replace about a quarter of the previous food with the new one. Increase the proportion in the following days until the complete meal consists of the new food type. If your dog is very sensitive and has difficulties with this, extend the changeover phase. First add only a very small amount to the usual food and increase the amount very slowly. Here you get more information about the topic food change for dogs.
Change your dog's food step by step It is important to change the food gradually, especially if you want to switch from wet to dry food or vice versa. The reason is obvious: the puppy's organism has to adapt to a completely different diet.
Is the current food not the right one for your young dog??
Furthermore, dogs can also have nutritional sensitivities such as intolerances and allergies. These can cause diarrhea, ear infections or skin rashes in puppies, among other things. Feeding hypoallergenic dog food can be a measure in case of nutritional sensitivity. Basically, if your puppy has diarrhea for a long period of time, you should see a vet. If it turns out that he does not tolerate certain ingredients or is allergic to them, you can then select a suitable dog food.