What Canine Stools Tell You About Diarrhea
Diarrhea is the passage of loose, unformed stools generally occurring in more frequent bowel movements. It is the most common sign of an intestinal disease.
Diarrhea can be classified as acute or chronic, depending on its duration. Acute diarrhea comes on suddenly and is finished in a short period. Chronic diarrhea often comes on gradually and persists for three weeks or longer, or has an episodic pattern of recurrence.
Chronic diarrhea requires veterinary investigation.
Food in the small intestine takes about 8 hours to reach the colon. During that time, the bulk of the food and 80 percent of the water is absorbed. The colon concentrates the remainder. In the end, a well-formed stool is evacuated.
Transit time in the intestinal tract can be speeded up for a variety of reasons resulting in a large, loose, unformed bowel movement. This accounts for the majority of acute diarrheas of short duration.
To determine the cause of the diarrhea, it’s impoprtant to decide where the disease is located: small intestine or colon. This is done by examining the color, consistency, odor and frequency of the stools, as well as the condition of the dog:
COLOR
- Yellow stool — indicates rapid transit (small bowel). When the stool is loose, full of mucus and is yellow in color, it is typically the result of a food intolerance. Did you change foods recently?
- Green stool — It could mean your dog has eaten a large amount of grass. It can also be intestinal parasites, rat poisoning or other internal issues.
- Orange stool — It could indicate a liver issue or biliary disease, or it could just mean that your dog’s poop moved too quickly through the GI tract to pick up the bile which changes poop to the normal brown color we expect. If your dog has orange diarrhea, contact your vet.
- Black, tarry stool — indicates bleeding in the upper digestive tract. It may be a sign of a gastrointestinal ulcer or a stomach ulcer. Many human medications can cause stomach ulcers in dogs, especially aspirin, so never give human meds without consulting your vet.
- Bloody stool — red blood or clots indicate bleeding in the colon. Streaks of blood may be colitis (inflammation of the colon), a rectal injury, an anal gland infection or possibly a tumor.
- Pink or purple stool — Anything that resembles raspberry jam could indicate hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE). A large number of dogs die each year from HGE but most will recover with prompt treatment. Seek medical attention.
- Pasty, light-colored stool — indicates lack of bile (liver disease). While it could be a sign of liver or biliary disease, it could simply mean that your dog’s poop moved too fast through the GI tract to pick up the bile which changes the color to the normal brown you recognize.
- Large, grey, rancid-smelling stool — indicates inadequate digestion or absorption (malabsorption syndrome). Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) is commonly referred to as maldigestion. Essentially this means the pancreas is not functioning properly. It is a common issue for German Shepherds and Collies. The good news is that this is a very treatable condition, but it is serious, so take your dog to the vet right away.
- White specks — Worms often look like white grains of rice in your pup’s stool. Your dog needs to be de-wormed.
CONSISTENCY
- Watery stool — indicates small bowel wall irritation (toxins and severe infections). When the stool is watery, it can be a sign of an upset stomach due to dog food or GI tract issue. If it continues, see a vet.
- Foamy stool — suggests a bacterial infection
- Greasy stool — often with oil on the hair around the anus: indicates malabsorption
- Excessive mucus — a glistening or jellylike appearance; indicates colonic origin.
ODOR (the more watery the stool, the greater the odor)
- Foodlike, or smelling like sour milk — suggests rapid transit and malabsorption: for example, overfeeding, especially in puppies
- Putrid smelling — suggests an intestinal infection.
FREQUENCY
- Several in an hour, each small, with straining — suggests colitis (inflammation of the large bowel)
- Three or four times a day, each large — suggests a malabsorption or small bowel disorder
CONDITION OF DOG
- Weight loss, malnutrition — suggests small bowel disorder
- Normal appetite, minimal weight loss — suggests large bowel disorder
- Vomiting — small bowel origin, except for colitis
Common Causes of Diarrhea
Intestinal parasites are a common cause of acute and chronic diarrhea in puppies and adults. The greatest problems are caused by roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, threadworms, and giardia.
Most cases are caused by an irritation of the bowel lining from ingested substances or infections agents — in other words, something they ate. Any change in your dog’s diet could be the trigger: unfamiliar water; intolerance to certain foods like beef, pork, chicken, horsemeat, fish, eggs, spices, corn, wheat, soy, gravies, salts, spices, fats, and some commercial dog foods; excitement or emotional upset.
Dogs are scavengers and sometimes tend to eat things they can’t digest like:
- dead animals, rodents and birds
- garbage and decayed food
- rich foods, table scraps, gravies, salts, spices and fats
- sticks, cloth, grass, paper, etc.
- parts of flea collars
Toxic substances causing diarrhea include:
- gasoline, kerosene, oil or coal tar derivatives
- cleaning fluid, refrigerants
- insecticides
- bleaches, often in toilet bowls
- wild or ornamental plants, toadstools
- building materials: cement, lime, paints, caulks
- fireworks containing phosphorus
Many of these are equally as irritating to the stomach and will cause vomiting.
Treatment
Diarrhea is a symptom. The first step in treating it is to identify and remove the underlying cause, if possible. If the diarrhea is caused by overeating, cut back the food intake and feed 2-3 times a day in controlled portions. If unfamiliar water is the problem, carry an extra supply with you. In the case where irritating or toxic substances have been ingested, an effort should be made to identify the agent as specific antidotes may be required.
Food allergies can be cleared up by removing the problem food. Sometimes changing a dog’s food can trigger diarrhea. The new food should be introduced slowly over a couple weeks to avoid this kind of diarrhea.
Most cases of diarrhea can be treated at home:
- Withhold all food for 24-48 hours. If your dog appears thirsty, give a small amount of water or ice cubes to lick.
- Administer lomotil at a dose of one tablet per 25 lbs of dog, three times a day. Or Kaopectate at 1/2 – 1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 2 Tbsp every 8 hours. Or Pepto-Bismal at 0.5 ml per lb or 1/2-1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 30 ml or 2 Tbsp.
- As the dog starts to respond, feed an easily digested diet that contains no fats:
- boiled hamburger (1- to 2-parts cooked rice; discard the broth)
- cottage cheese
- cooked macaroni or soft-boiled eggs
Prescription diets are available from your vet.
- Continue the bland diet for three days, even if your dog seems better.
A diarrhea that persists for more than 24 hours, a bloody diarrhea and diarrhea accompanied by vomiting, fever and other signs of toxicity should be checked out by your vet immediately.
Source: Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook
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I believe my dog has over eaten she’s been throwing up and have loose stool. She is in heat as well could that also be a source of this ?
There are a number of reasons why a dog throws up. Over-eating is one of them. It could be that something she ate is not agreeing with her. Did you notice anything unusual in her vomit or her diarrhea that might point to something else? Has she been wormed?
You said that she is in heat. Could she be pregnant? Morning sickness affects some dogs, but only for a few days during the 3rd or 4th week. (It’s caused by hormone changes.) Your pet may seem tired, and she may eat less than usual. Some dogs throw up a little.
Are you planning to breed her? If not, please keep her inside and away from male dogs for about 2 1/2 weeks. There are so many dogs in shelter and rescue that are looking for homes.
cooked macaroni or soft-boiled aggs
Please advise:: what are AGGS? or is it supposed to be EGGS?
thanks
Paul
Oops! Yes, EGGS. Thanks for the heads up.
Yuki seems to be fine but when i fed him the med for the 2nd time, he woke up crying. He doesnt want to drink water anymore, we force him to drink water. he keeps crying especially when i touch his tummy. Before if he smelled the chicken he will want to eat but now he doesnt want to and ignore it. He just sleep and cry like he is in pain. Im new on taking care puppies with breed so i really need so much help.
He really needs to see a vet if he is not eating or drinking, has pain and is just sleeping. He needs someone who can check him for what exactly the problem is. It may be something as simple as a belly full of worms or it could be that he ate something you did not notice or something else. Is there any kind of doctor near you?
Is he skinny or average weight?
I fast him for more than 12 hours and gave him about .5mg of diatabs. It seems that it worked. His poop is becoming liquid but not that watery anymore. I already fed him rice and chicken. I’ll just continue it till his poop becomes firm again. Thank you so much for your help. But should i continue giving him diatabs? Or should i already stop?
You can give it 2-3 times a day not exceeding one week.
My puppy is only 5 pounds isak he is too small, im afraid if i do fasting for him he will become weak. Should i fast him for how long? Can you help me step by step. His poop became totally liquid. Im so stressed right now. Please help.
With diarrhea, you have to be careful that your puppy doesn’t get too dehydrated. Is he drinking? Is he active?
Can you get some Pepto-Bismol? What size is your lomotil? Keep feeding him the chicken and rice.
Uhm kefir is not available here in our town. I don’t know what to feed him because our town has limited resources only. I bought the available puppy food (brown colored squared shape dry food). I put few water to make it soft and tried to feed it to him along with some boiled chicken. He liked it but his poop became brown watery. Maybe it was because of the dog food. Coz i need to feed him solid food now for there is no mommy dog to give him milk. His stool isn’t getting harder, still watery eventhough i fed him rice and boiled chicken. Should i now give him diarrhea medicine? The only available here are diatabs, and lomotil. Can i give that to him? And what dosage?
Try to stick with one food for a few days so his stomach can adjust to it. You can give him some Pepto-Bismol: For every 10 lbs weight of your dog, you can give 1ml of this drug three times a day, not longer than one week.
You can also give .5 mg of Loperamide Immodium or Diatabs for every 10 lbs. weight of your dog. Similar with Pepto-Bismol, you give it three times a day not exceeding one week.
You can give lomotil — the dose is 0.05 mg – 0.1 mg per pound every 8-12 hours — but be very careful as it can cause respiratory depression.
Thanks isak, i’ll try to observe him in few days more, and try to do your treatment. By the way, plain yogurt isnt available here, since we live in rural area stores doesnt sell pupmkin or yogurt. Uhm can i give him Yakult? Its a probiotic drink for humans, do you think its ok for him? Thanks again.
Maybe “no” on the Yakult because of the sugar content in it. You want the yogurt, but without the sugar. Do they sell kefir, by chance? Plain kefir is like super-strength plain yogurt . It’s even better than yogurt.
Uhm, he hasnt been dewormed. There are no white spots on his poop, just plain yellowish water. Im worried coz he is still young, i just got him last week. I had just been feeding him milk and i think my mistake was trying to feed him white rice, do you think its just an upset stomach? Ive been observing him for quite a while, his last poop was 4 hours ago. I didnt feed him with milk anymore, just water with sugar so he wont be dehydrated. Should i make him do the fasting? Im afraid he will become weak, coz i havent fed him for almost 6 hours already just water. Thank you for your quick response.
You should pick one thing and stick with it because changes in diet can cause changes in stools. Also, if all he has had is liquid, that’s pretty much all that will come back out. I suggest you feed him something bland like boiled chicken and rice for several meals. You can add some plain pumpkin or plain yogurt to it to help add good bacteria to his gut to help smooth things out.
But stick with one course of action.
Dogs can have worms even if they are not always present in the poop. And it is common for puppies to have them, too. But let’s get his stools firmed up first.
Hi. My pup is just a month old, his stool is yellowish and watery and in the end is a somewhat a drop of blood. Im so worried though he is still cheerful and doesnt seem to be weakening. What should i do with his diarrhea? Are those treatments applicable to my 1 month old pup?
Which treatments are you referring to?
If the yellowish, watery stool is a new condition, it could be something that he ate. Or it could even be worms which can be common in puppies. Has he ever been dewormed?
The last round of round wormed was 1 week ago. She is playing, energy level totally fine and drinking normal as well as still interested in food. I will try plain yogurt and get capsules for continuing us3. Hopefully this will work bc this night thing is tough!
Thanks again
I bet that night time thing is exhausting! Good luck!
Hi. We have a 10 month old doberman puppy. She has always had mushy poop (we took her home from a shelter in Fall and Vet said sensitive anxious stomache). About a month ago we discovered she had round worm. The first dosage of medicine caused diarrhea however cleared up in a week. Since second dose of meds the diarrhea is back pale yellow/mucous and really foul smelling all night long. Vet said could be med reaction we’ve tried rice/ pumpkin and not working. For past 3 nights she is up every hour to go out and “squirt” small amounts. Any thoughts? Suggestions? Thank you!
Sounds like her stomach is upset. How long has it been since the last deworming? Is she eating, drinking and playing normally?
I would suggest adding either plain yogurt, or even better, sprinkle a capsule of acidophyllus on her food once a day for a couple days. This will add the good bacteria back into her gut and balance things out. You can buy capsules of acidophyllus where vitamins are sold.
It won’t hurt to give her acidophyllus on a regular basis. I give it to my dogs regularly.
I have been feeding my dog science diet and most recently we ran out of dry food so we began giving him Ceasar for a week and now he has green loose stool and he has lost a little weight. I have currently switched him back to his dry dog food, but he is a picky eater and refuses to eat at his scheduled eating times. Eventually he does eat it but he still has the green stool.
Often when a dog has an upset stomach, they will eat grass. And often, they will throw it up. But if they don’t, their stools will reflect the green from the grass. That may be what you are seeing. So you need to locate the source of the stomach upset.
Was the Science Diet dry food? Generally if given a choice, a dog will choose wet food. I imagine that your dog found the Ceasar food much more flavorful and exciting to eat and a nice change. You could try wetting his dry food with some water and putting a little Ceasar food on top. You can also give him some plain yogurt or sprinkle some acidophyllus on top of his food to put the good bacteria back in his stomach.
I have an 18 month old GSD. She has always had loose greenish gray stools. They smell awful, almost sour. She’s been on probiotics since we got her over a year ago. Have tried adding yogurt and pumpkin to her food with no improvement. She’s up to date on vaccines and wormed regularly. Other than this issue, she is healthy. Eats, sleeps, plays no problem. I’m out of ideas. She’s been on several different foods and there has never been any change in the color or consistency of her stools.
Has she been tested for Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)? Commonly referred to as maldigestion, EPI is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce the necessary enzymes to digest fat. It is a common issue for German Shepherds and Collies. The good news is that this is a very treatable condition, but it is serious so you should take her to the vet right away and specifically mention EPI.
You are on the right track with the probiotics, but if it’s EPI, you will need prescription-based pancreatic enzymes as well.
Here’s a more detailed explanation of EPI and what to expect.
You can also google “canine epi support group” and see what people are saying their symptoms were as well as measures they have taken.
Good luck and keep us posted on how things go.
My dog is 16 months old. For the last 2-3 months, he’s had soft stools and sometimes super runny. He has energy, no weight loss, eating, drinking and urinating normal. I’ve taken him to the vet multiple times, he’s had de-wormers, tested for all types of parasites, and blood tests and all normal. No significant change in food. We tried a prescription food which helped a bit but didn’t bring the stool to normal. He isn’t sensitive to the touch, and no bloating in the stomach. Is it just that’s how he poops now? Is it “normal” for him? We are at a loss. Any guidance would be appreciated. 🙂
You might be able to make his stools a bit firmer by adding some pumpkin to his food. If that works, then what you are looking for foodwise would be something with a bit more fiber in it than what he is currently eating. You might also sprinkle some acidophyllus — or other probiotic — on his food daily just to keep his good stomach bacteria in check. You can buy acidophyllus capsules (that you can open to sprinkle on his food) where vitamins are sold.
Good luck and let us know how things go.
Brought home an 7-8 yr old lab almost 2 wks ago. Yesterday while I was at work, family said he never pooped, having stinky gas. He finally pooped for me (after 8pm) and it was several piles of soft then liquid yellow in color. (I’m surprised he kept it in until I got home.) Lots of stinky gas. Gave him plain rice. I decided no dog food today. This morning around 5 I took him out and he’s still having the liquid running out kind of poop. Oh, I said yellow but the Wellness food is kind of yellow. I’m worried… Thank you for reading this!
Is he still eating, drinking and active? Could it be the change in his diet? Is Wellness food what he was eating before? Also, given his young age, could he have eaten something when no one was watching that is disagreeing with him? Because he is not vomiting, it seems more like a change of diet.
Has he recently been de-wormed or vaccinated? That can sometimes affect them.
The yellow color could be the Wellness food and/or digestive acids. You can add some plain yogurt or sprinkle some acidophyllus (sold in capsules you can open where vitamins are sold) on his food. This puts good bacteria into his gut and should help even things out.
You can also give him a spoonful of plain pumpkin. This should firm up his bowel movements, too.
If the situation doesn’t straighten out in a 2-3 days, then you should have him checked out with your vet.
Hi I have a 15 week old puppy who started to vomit a couple of days ago which has since stopped. However this then went into her having quite loose stools which have a bloody, greasy substance in with them. I’m not really sure what to do about it?
Sounds like she may have swallowed something that is not agreeing with her — first the vomit, now the diarrhea.
The mucous naturally occurs inside their digestive system to protect the walls from digestive acid, however it’s not always obvious like you are seeing.
How is her energy level? Is she eating? From what you describe, I think this will run it’s course, however you can add some plain yogurt or sprinkle some powdered acidophyllus (available where vitamins are sold) on her food. This will put good bacteria back in her stomach.
The blood may be just because of the upset, but it might also indicate worms. Has she been de-wormed yet?
Hi! I have a 13 week old Sport Retriever who we got about 3 weeks ago. Since we have gotten him, he has had loose stools. We have taken him to the vet, where he negatively tested for worms. She put him on a probiotic for 10 days, Metronidazole for 7 and a prescription wet canned food diet for as long as needed. He finished the medication, and was doing well on just the canned food diet (stools almost normal but smelled like the wet food). We were told to try to slowly transition him back onto the puppy chow his breeder gave him, but his stools became more loose and smellier as the percentages increased (only made it to 40% – 4 days). We put him back onto the prescription wet food, but did not want to have to pay for this forever. The vet suggested boiled chicken and rice in the short term as we transitioned him to another puppy chow. Unfortunately, she would not recommend a particular type of food which I find frustrating. We are up to 40% new puppy chow/ 60% boiled chicken and rice, and the puppy is starting to get a little looser and very light brown stools (does not smell bad like the last puppy chow). Nothing is watery, formed but very soft, but I am torn on what to do. Back to square 1? If this is a food intolerance, how will we ever find the right brand, or will he be stuck to a lifetime of prescription food? Could he have another problem? I feel like he has been to the vet enough in his first few weeks here, and would love to get past this so we can all enjoy his puppyhood with him. By the way, he is gaining weight and is energetic. Also, could this be a case of overfeeding? It is hard to manage all the percentages (especially with conflicting instruction on the chicken and rice) and puppy chow. I see another vet visit for him in the very near future. I want to head in the right direction, but I am not sure that we are headed that way now.
Having fun yet? 🙂
Too much food can cause loose stools. However so can an intolerance/allergy to something in his food. Some dogs don’t do well on food that contains corn or other grains, so you might try something that is grain-free. You can also add some pumpkin — about a tablespoon full — to his food to help bulk up his stools a bit.
As for finding the right food… some companies offer small bags (like a couple servings) of food for you to try. Sadly, it may be a matter of trial and error, but I would go outside the ones that contain grains. There are also some brands for sensitive stomachs. That may help.
Good luck. Things will get better.
Sounds like EPI — Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency — my baby girl Bella a 11 month old German shepherd had the same issues. Check out a web site called epi4dogs.com google it. The information is invaluable and the people in the forums will save your sanity.
Hello. My 4 1/2 month old daschund has been pooping slimy light brown/yellow stool, and the he drags his bottom across the grass. He only eats Science diet kibble. We recently changed from small bites to regular. He also only drinks bottled water. We try to monitor everything he plays with and chews. Is this something that will pass, or should we go back to the small bites?
Scooting his but generally is a way that dogs express their anal glands. This generally happens when the poop, but sometimes if their stool is not firm enough, the glands do not express. Scooting can also be a sign of worms. Has he been wormed recently? DO you have any flea problems? If he ingests a flea — by biting an itch — it can lead to tapeworms.
If it is food related, it should pass. You can add a little acidophyllus (comes in capsules where vitamins are sold) or some plain yogurt. Or even some other form of probiotic. This will add good bacteria to his gut and help with digestion.
I have a one year old female terrier mix. We just got back from visiting my family in Los Angeles a few days ago and she has been fine. I took her outside to go to the bathroom and noticed that she pooped normally and then a maroon liquid followed right after. I took her out about 10 minutes later and this time it was just the maroon liquid. This is the first time that this has happened and I am unsure of what to do.
Also, my brother just got a 2 month pit bull puppy that only has one set of shots, could this be a reason for my dog to be having these maroon liquid poops?
The poop could be maroon because of the presence of blood in the stool. If the poop is very soft, you could give her a mix of plain pumpkin and plain yogurt to try and firm it up, but you should monitor it to see if the color changes to a normal color.
At one year of age, could she have gotten into something she shouldn’t have? Is she eating and drinking okay? Is she active?
If it does not improve in the next day or two, you should have your vet check a sample of her stool.
My 3 year old Yorkie recently returned from three days of boarding with her regular vet. Since she’s been back she’s been lethargic and passing unformed stool– the stool is brownish yellow with an oily appearance. She’s passing the stool in two parts, the first part is more formed, the second part is very watery and oily. I’ve also noticed she’s trying to vomit but unfortunately nothing comes up instead she’s left with a choking/ hacking cough. After the choking session, her saliva has a very strong foul odor, foul odors are a never with my pup. I’m bringing her to the vet in the morning, but wondering if someone has experienced similar symptoms with their pup and able to give some insight.
Sorry we missed your comment. Can you tell us what your vet determined was the problem and what actions they took? It may help someone else in a similar situation.
I have a litter of 3 week old puppies. Last night one of them started vomiting up what looked like curdled milk. We have been keeping an eye on him and it seemed to only happen after he ate. Otherwise he is happy and plays with his siblings. Then today he had dark green mucus like stool. And one of his sibling was dry heaving. They both are still happy and playful just like the others. The mother still cleans them and feeds them just fine. We are worried because of the vomiting mostly. But it is only a small amount after he eats. Do you have any idea what could be wrong? I have been looking everywhere. My friend is a vet and I asked him what could be wrong but he wasn’t sure.
It’s hard to say. The good temperament is a good sign. The vomit that looks like curdled milk makes sense because all he has had is his mother’s milk. Given his young age, do you think he could have eaten something when you weren’t looking? If so, the vomiting and the green stool should pass. The dry heaves as well.
At this point, be sure they are fed, peeing and pooping, and happy. If the vomiting, strange stools and dry heaves continue for more than a few days, a visit to the vet may be in order. In the meanwhile, monitor them.
Babies… they are so much fun to watch! Even when they are asleep.
Hey I have a 6year old female boxer mix. She has been house trained since about 6 months old and has all of a sudden began having accidents in the house. Her poops are very pudding like and smell horrible! Should I be concerned?
Are the accidents always poop? How long have they been occurring? If just a couple days, she may have ingested something that is disagreeing with her. You can mix some plain yogurt with plain canned pumpkin. This will add some good bacteria to her gut and some fiber to bulk up her stools. If things don’t change, you may need to see your vet.
My puppy is about 9 weeks old. I recently changed her food to simply nourish salmon with sweet potato puppy formula. She was doing fine with it for almost a week and started with diarrhea. It started off dark colored and liquidy; and now it’s like a greenish yellow color and kind of mucus like. Not sure if I should be worried. She has an appointment on Tuesday not sure if I should rush it or wait till then.
Mucus exists in a dog’s stomach to coat it from digestive acids. Sounds like an upset stomach. The cause could be the food change. Or maybe she ate something when no one was looking. Or perhaps even worms (have you dewormed her?).
It sounds like it is improving. You could give her some plain canned pumpkin and/or plain yogurt. The pumpkin will add fiber so her stools start to bulk up. The yogurt will add good bacteria back into her gut. You can also feed her boiled chicken mixed with cooked white rice.
Is she drinking okay? With diarrhea, you want to be sure she is drinking water so she doesn’t dehydrate herself.
I have a 6 week old puppy that I have been bottle feeding(goats milk) since she was a day old because her momma died(from birthing complications). She has been eating great and doing well but 2 days ago she started having runny diarrhea. I have boiled chicken and rice and feed her the broth and also some boiled egg. She is still in a good mood, playful and acting normal other than that. What could be wrong? What else can I try?
Congrats on all your work for this little baby! Given her young and curious age, is it possible that she ate something you did not see?
You can add some plain yogurt or sprinkle some acidophyllus (capsules can be bought where vitamins are sold) on her food to add good bacteria into her stomach. You can also give her plain pumpkin — no spices: 1/2 – 1 tablespoon.
You can make a mash of yogurt and pumpkin as follows:
Mix up 2 tablespoons of plain live cultured yogurt with ¼ can pureed pumpkin (again, pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.) Feed this in place of a regular meal, slowly introducing regular food over the course of several days.
Has she been dewormed yet? It’s quite common for puppies to have worms and if left unchecked, they can cause diarrhea.
Hello, I have a 3yr old brindle Lab/Boxer/Australian shepherd mix. A couple days ago we were taking a walk and he produced a large peanut butter pudding poop. I didn’t think much of it because sometimes when we are walking he does a poop like that and then everything is normal. But that same night or next morning at 4am he woke me up because he had to go out. So I took him out and he did about 3 small poops of the same sort. Before I went to work I gave him a little of his normal lamb and rice food and then about 4hrs later I came home and gave him a plain egg that I had cooked up. He only did a small pudding poop that day and that was about it. For dinner I boiled up some rice and mixed it with cottage cheese. This morning he went out at about 6am and did a pretty big poop that was mostly a yellow gelatinous mucous with a little brown in it. I fed him the same rice and cottage cheese mixture for breakfast as well. He hasn’t shown any signs if pain or lethargy, he still wants to play and go outside and chase the squirrels. He still has his normal appetite and drools over peanut butter and yogurt. Is his change in poop a cause for concern? If this keeps up, how long should I wait before consulting my vet?
Thanks
See my answer below.
I have a 3yr old lab/boxer/Australian shepherd mix. A couple of days ago I was walking him and he did a large peanut butter pudding poop. That night he woke me up at about 4am and had to go out, so I took him out and he did about 3 smaller poops of the same. Yesterday he only did about 2 small peanut butter pudding poops and that was it. This morning he did a pretty good size poop but it was mostly yellow/clear gelatinous with mucous and a little brown. His last 3 meals have been boiled rice with cottage cheese and yesterday morning I gave him an egg. He hasn’t shown any signs of fatigue or pain. He wants to play and go outside and run around still and has been barking and going crazy at the squirrels like he normally does. He has been hungry and let’s me know when it’s his usual dinner time and still drools over peanut butter and yogurt. Is it a cause for concern that his poop has changed from pudding to more mucous and if this keeps up how long should I wait before going to the vet?
Thanks
The digestive tract is naturally coated with mucous and I think this is what you are seeing. It is likely in a larger quantity because of the recent bout of “pudding.” You might add some plain yogurt or sprinkle some acidophyllus powder (comes in capsules you can break open, available where vitamins are sold) on his food to add good bacteria back into his stomach. Given that his activity level is normal and he is eating and drinking water, I think you are fine to monitor him for a couple more days. His poop should start to firm up. If this changes and his energy level drops, and he doesn’t eat and his poop goes back to pudding, then a visit to the vet would be a good idea.
My pup is 11 year old poodle, she’s been having this runny like yellowish poop for 3 days now, before that, she had diarrhea with some kind of tarry colored like some kind of rotten that was in it. Been giving her pepto-bismol and it turned yellowish, she’s still her old self though, eats and drinks, she only putty one time a day… I hope it has nothing to do with her pancreas coz she had pancreas problem before. I don’t know why she’s suddenly like that, I’ve been feeding her that pedigree, wagon train chicken treats and sometimes milk bones. Has anybody ever had this problem before, any idea what this is? Thanks in advance.
You might add some plain yogurt or sprinkle some acidophyllus (comes in capsules you can break open) on her food to add good bacteria back into her stomach. For the diarrhea, you could add a bit of plain pumpkin (no spices) to her food. If this doesn’t produce any change, you may want to have your vet check her out.
Hello! I’ve been reading everywhere on trying to help my poor pup out and anything I’ve tried isn’t helping him. Thanksgiving day his stools became loose,then as the day went on they became more watery & he developed diarrhea. He was eating and drinking just fine,no change in his attitude. Later that night I found that one or both or my pups tore apart my mop that had been used..Yesterday his stools became more loose as if he was peeing. The color was normal. Last night he threw up dog food so he was eating. I left a little water out for him and took the food away. He didn’t seem to drink any over night. Now tonight he threw up and it was a light color like he didn’t eat anything all day(I did see him drink some water) so I boiled some rice and tried giving it to him.. Didn’t touch it. I gave him chicken noodle soup and downed it. About an hour ago he had an accident and his stools were light colored like dirty water and was loose like water and the smell was foul. Vet said last night to see if he’d keep anything down for 24 hours before taking him in…
Help!?!
Thanks!
What kind of mop? The sponge kind or the string kind? The thing to be watching for is if the mop gets stuck or slows down along it’s path through his stomach. In the beginning, it could allow liquid past it, but could begin to block his butt until he seems mostly constipated. If it’s the sponge kind, this may be easier to pass. With a stomach/intestinal obstruction, a dog will not feel much like eating. They seem to feel full, and can actually lose weight. You might try a bit of oil on a piece of bread to grease his tract.
The vet may want to X-ray his intestinal tract to be sure the mop is moving and not stuck. Often, it can be a “wait and see if it passes” situation, but it will need to be monitored.
My 35-lb dog ate a whole sock. It took a couple weeks to pass and he lost a couple pounds before it finally poked out his butt and I could help him ease it out.
Yesterday my dog started pooping a runny tarry stool. She never has accidents in the house but this morning I woke up to accidents everywhere. She’s not eating. Hasn’t ate since Wednesday after she came home from the groomer but she is drinking water. On Wednesday her stool was formed and regular. Also, on Thursday morning. She is still barking and her pattern hasn’t changed. It’s just no eating and this dark runny stool. Almost like a burgundy color. She is a 6 year old Yorkie Poodle mix. Please help until I can get her to the vet on Monday.
The “tarry” color could be blood in her stool. Is it possible that going to the groomer stresses her or does she like it? Or maybe she ate something somewhere that doesn’t agree with her.
If she is not eating, then I would guess her stomach is upset. You might try Pepto-Bismal at 0.5 ml per lb or 1/2-1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 30 ml or 2 Tbsp. This will coat her stomach. Do you have an oral syringe you can use to administer it? She is drinking water, so that is good.
Good morning! I have a 11yr old rescue dog. She is part poodle and the rest is unknown. Her stool yesterday was watery, butterscotch in color and toward the end of the bowel movement there was a small amount of mucus and red blood.
Today the same color and texture but no mucus or blood. She does not appear to be in any discomfort and still plays with our other dogs. Still eating and drinking normally. She is an “inside” dog but has access to a doggie door. We have a grass backyard. We feed her normal dried dog food.
This morning I gave her a small piece of white turkey meat, no skin and snuck in an antibiotic; Amoxicillin.
Not sure what else to do for her and any advice or guidance would be deeply appreciated.
While the mucous and blood in your dog’s stool can be an indicator of an underlying problem, usually, you need not worry about seeing a small amount in your pet’s stool. Dog stool normally contains some mucus — a slime-like substance made by the intestines to keep the lining of the colon lubricated and moist. And given your dog’s current happy attitude — eating, drinking and active — I’d say you can just watch it for now.
But if you notice an excessive amount of mucus in the stool, or if it is accompanied with blood or a radical change in your dog’s bowel movements, visit your vet.
Antibiotics generally kill all the bacteria in her gut. This includes the good bacteria as well and sometimes this will lead to soft stools. So you might give her some plain yogurt or sprinkle some acidophyllus on her food. It can be purchased in capsules where vitamins are sold. This will restore good bacteria.
uhm hi. i have a 3 month old chihuahua pup and last night her poo was yellow. can someone tell me what’s the problem? i’m a little nervous cause its my first time taking care of a pup. ps her food is rice & sometimes i mix it with a small amount of soup. any advice with the food i give her? thank you so much!
Do you have her on regular puppy food or do you feed her just rice and sometimes soup? It would be best to feed her puppy food on a regular basis so her system can adjust to it. Also, as a puppy, she needs a puppy food for the extra nutrition it provides because she is young and growing. It’s not unusual for a dog to have a soft poop now and then. It is a problem if it persists.
I think it would be good to get her on some puppy food. If you feed her kibble, wet it first and let it sit for a bit to soften the food. Good luck.
Hello, my little prissy has had diarrhea for a day now. Originally it was yellowy-brownish and foul smelling (she let loose on my face and sheets the other night while I was asleep). I immediately changed her diet to rice and water, the issue now is that her diarrhea is yellow and full of partially undigested rice. Please help!
Not the best way to wake up.
This is a dog, right? If so, have you tried administering lomotil at a dose of one tablet per 25 lbs of dog, three times a day. Or Kaopectate at 1/2 – 1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 2 Tbsp every 8 hours. Or Pepto-Bismal at 0.5 ml per lb or 1/2-1 tsp per 5 lb, to a maximum of 30 ml or 2 Tbsp.
Also sprinkling some acidophyllus on her food will boast the good bacteria in her stomach to combat what ails her. Acidophyllus comes in capsules that you can pull apart and is sold generally where vitamins are sold.
Hey there, I have a 5 month old lab/hound puppy mix. It’s 3am and he just started having this runny green diarrhea, that smells absolutely terrible. He went and pooped allllll over the whole house with this green, foul smelling diarrhea. We put him outside now. I’m not sure what the problem could be. Please help me.
One common cause of green diarrhea is a parasite called giardia. It lives in open groundwater, such as creeks, ponds and puddles. Giardia is common in rural areas where there are many mammals sharing space. White tail deer are carriers, as are coyotes, wolves, rabbits, raccoons and any mammals that share a groundwater source.
If your dog’s stool is bright green or neon green, the dog may have eaten rodent poison, or a rodent that had eaten the poison. The consistency of diarrhea from giardia is often like pea soup. A flare-up is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, tenderness and gas, and will often progress to blood and mucous in the stool. A single fecal sample may not show any cysts, and samples need to be taken for two to three days to get an accurate check.
The medication given for giardia is metronidazole. It kills down the population during a flare-up, and it seems to boost the dog’s immune system.
My 9 year old lab has had diarrhea for the last 22 hours.(I was out from 9am-2pm and it started during that time). He never has accidents, and he went near the door. It reeked. Was completely liquid with little white specs (not worms) yesterday, also a little blood. I first thought it was vomit. He got up every 1 hr 20 minutes to go all night. It has gotten a little more solid today. He is alert and hungry. I made him rice with chicken for breakfast, but he just passed some of it (orange and rice consistency) with some blood. I don’t know how long to wait to go to the vet. He is sleeping now, but that’s normal for him. I have another dog and she is fine and symptom free. He always eats things he shouldn’t, like socks and paper towels.
A little blood can be normal when their digestive tract is in stress like this. You could give him some acidophyllus or even some plain yogurt to add good bacteria back into his gut. Plain pumpkin can help firm his stools, too.
My 10.5 yr old Rott has had diarrhea more than a week. The episodes have been like water. We took him to the vet in which they did all tests and all were negative for cancer, infections, worms…etc..they kept him for 2 days and did several X-rays that did not show any obstructions at that time. They sent him home with several antibiotics and a deworming liquid. And a weight management diet. He didn’t want to eat at first,but he ate chicken and rice for 2 days followed by diarrhea,. This morning it seemed as though there was some blood in one of his episodes of diarrhea. The vet said to let medicines work, but we are now on 5 days with no sign of improvement. What the next step we should follow? We plan to take him back to vet who took our money with no diagnosis….any ideas?
I always recommend acidophyllus to people in this circumstance because it works well for me. It comes in capsules that you can pull apart and sprinkle on your boy’s food. It can be purchased where vitamins are sold. I imagine some of the diarrhea might be related to de-worming and the antibiotics. Antibiotics destroy all the bacteria in the stomach, including the GOOD bacteria. Acidophyllus is good bacteria.
Have you tried pepto-bismol? That’s pretty fast working for me, too. Did the chicken and rice slow him up at all? Traces of blood in his diarrhea could be a result of having diarrhea.
Is he drinking a lot? If he is drinking more than normal, this may be contributing to the diarrhea, too. Good luck.
Also she is a chewer, but is usually crated when we are not home so she can’t get into anything. She usually chews on blankets. Her level of anxiety is up right now because she doesn’t feel well so she had chewed parts of two blankets in the past two days… And she is still on her anti-anxiety meds.
Well, you would think the blanket parts would have slowed things down. Have you checked to see if the anti-anxiety meds have any side effects, like soft stools?
I was giving her ground beef and brown rice for days and it didn’t help at all. She is now on prescription food for GI problems but that isn’t helping either. I want to get her probiotics, not just acidophilus. There are so many more good bacteria strains in the gut and I fear that she has now lost all of them.
It does sound like her food is passing through too quickly.I’m surprised the rice didn’t slow things down.
I have had a lot of good results with acidophyllus so I am quite pro-acidophyllus/probiotics for their gut. Good luck.
1 year old German Shepherd/Whippet mix. Began having diarrhea 2.5 weeks ago suddenly. Had been on same food, same brand, same flavor since January. Only difference is that I bought this new bag at a different store and she started with the diarrhea within 24-48 hours of eating the new food. Also we had a water main break nearby the night before her diarrhea started. But I didn’t give her any of the tainted water. I gave her water that we had from the Keurig tank and bottled water until it was safe to drink again. Have been to the vet twice now. Stool samples show nothing. She is on her second course of Flagyl and is now on special food but it is not helping. Her stool is still watery and disgusting. Doesn’t seem like she is absorbing anything. She is still acting like her normal self but I’m worried sick about this. It needs to stop. Please does anyone have any insight?
You might try some boiled chicken and rice for a couple days. The rice is slower to digest and should slow the diarrhea until her stomach gets straightened out. Also sprinkle some acidophyllus on her food. It can be bought in capsule form usually where vitamins are sold. Just pull the capsule apart, sprinkle the powder on her food and stir it in. It will add good bacteria back into her gut and smooth things out. Plain yogurt will also help, but the powder is usually easier to get in them and seems to work faster for me.
Given her young age, is there something she is getting into that you don’t know about yet?
I forgot to mention my pup is a garbage picker, she is always looking for something to get into.
Then giving her some acidophyllus once or twice a week may be a good idea for her. It keeps the good bacteria active in her gut.
My 7 yr old miniature poodle mix had been vomitting and regurgitating food for a few days it took a few for me to figure out which pup was getting sick since we have 2 and neither seemed to look ill. I started feeding her boiled chicken and rice 2 times a day in place of her normal kibble. The vomiting has stopped but now she has loose mustard yellow stools. She seems to have perked up a bit but you can still feel her tummy rumbling. Is there anything else I should be doing or is it time for a trip to the vet. Thank you
You can sprinkle some acidophyllus on her food– about 1/2 capsule once a day. It can be bought in capsule form usually where vitamins are sold. Just pull the capsule apart, sprinkle the powder on her food and stir it in. It will add good bacteria back into her gut and smooth things out. Plain yogurt will also help, but the powder is usually easier to get in them.
Hi there, I have a 3 year old pit rotty mix and is in very good health she is very active and upbeat. Yesterday she was very whinny and began to have diarrhea. Today it continues and has gotten to point where she needs out every 2 hours to poop. And now her poop is simply a slimy yellowy Orange Mucas looking substance . Any idea of a cause and should I wait 48 to 72 h to see if it passes or is this more serious then a case of the blues pooes
I think you can give her some powdered acidophyllus or plain pumpkin or even some plain yogurt to see if this helps firm things up over the next day. You might also feed her some boiled chicken and rice. It’s bland and rice slows things down.
I have 2 standard poodles. Apollo is rescue I’ve hS him for about 2 years Now, he has been having soft orange poops, for a couple weeks now. Took him to the vet fecal showed nothing,
his sister same age (3 years old) always has perfect poops.
((( What could cause poops that are orangy looking, very stinky like vinegar smell almost, consistency of canned pumpkin – I have not given him any pumpkin for a few days now))))
Prior to giving him the pumpkin, where his bowel movements regular? I am wondering if he was constipated and this is the pumpkin finally passing through. I always recommend adding acidophyllus to a pet’s food on a regular basis. I buy it in 4-lb containers and sprinkle it on my pets’ food a few times a week. You can also buy it in capsule form from most any store that sells vitamins, then break the capsule open and sprinkle the powder into his food. It adds good bacteria to their stomach and helps keep them regular.
Because vinegar is acidic, it sounds like his stomach may be a bit too acidic. The acidphyllus will help balance the acidic levels. Plain yogurt will work too, but it doesn’t seem to be as fast working to me as the capsules.
My 10 week old puppy is having diarrhea every other night, about every hour for 4-5 hours and then relatively normal stool during the day. I’ve stopped giving him any treats, just the same food he’s been on, but no change. The stool is mucus-y and foul smelling but the vet said the fecal was negative (although he’d just come off a ‘good’ night for the one I took in). Any ideas?
I suggest you add acidophyllus to his food to balance out the good bacteria in his stomach. It can be purchased in capsule form from almost anywhere that vitamins are sold. Just open a capsule, sprinkle some of the powder on his food and stir it in. As this is beneficial bacteria, you can add some to his food fairly regularly.
Once you get the diarrhea issue worked out, you might try a different food in case there is something in the food you are feeding that he is reacting to. Maybe there is grain in his food that his system doesn’t like? I don’t know, but given the consistency of the diarrhea, that would be a possibility.
Year old beagle, lethargic, shaking, vomiting bile, bowel movement is greasy and slightly bloody. Very little scent. Help
Given the age, it could be something he/she ate that is disagreeing. Make sure the dog stays hydrated — maybe some pediolyte or Gatorade — and you could add some plain yogurt or powdered acidophyllus to a meal of boiled chicken and rice. Let us know how things progress.
Hello,
we recently brought my dog to the vet because she had diarrhea. they prescribed her an antibiotic and probiotic. all tests were normal. we are feeding her boiled chicken and rice so its easy on her stomach. she just had a bowel movement and the stool was neon yellow. should I be concerned?
Not yet, but keep an eye on her. What you may be seeing is the tail end of what has been bothering her. If it continues, then call your vet. You can keep her on probiotics regularly in the form of acidophyllus capsules that you can open and sprinkle on her food. They sell them wherever they sell vitamins. It keeps good bacteria in her gut so it generally helps with a dog’s stools.
Hi my puppy is a chihuahua , he is only 2 months & isn’t getting up , isn’t eating , is drooling , and has diarreah I am scared for the worst someone please help me I am scared he may die :'(
If he is drooling, it sounds like he may have eaten something that is not agreeing with him. If so, this could be the cause of his diarrhea. It could also be why he doesn’t want to get up — because he just plain feels bad. I’m sorry I am just getting your comment. How is he doing now? If he still has diarrhea, you could try some plain pumpkin or some plain yogurt mixed into his food. If he won’t eat, try giving it to him with an oral syringe. You can usually buy them for less than $1 at many pharmacies or a feed store.
Also make sure he is getting liquids. They can dehydrate easily with diarrhea.
4 month old boxer has had what I guess is diareha for a few days. She is eating fine. Happy and bouncy. She eats all natural lamp and rice food. 2 weeks ago she had all her booster shots. Deworming,Lyme, kennel cough. Etc. Stool is a little slimmy at times. Smells like poop. Lol. Normal colour. Not sure what to do.
You can give her some plain pumpkin or plain yogurt or break open an acidophyllus capsule and sprinkle that over her food. All those meds probably killed the good bacteria in her gut. Glad her poop smells like poop. 🙂
My 5 month old lab/german shepherd mix just today started showing some blood in her bowels. The first time she passed was right after she ate and it was very compact, yellow in color and very rotten smelling. There was just trace amounts of red (blood) on the outside of the bowels. Next was about 6 hours later and it was 2 separate piles. The first was compact like the first and the second was runny, still yellow in color with the blood more mixed in. She has not had a change in diet or gotten into anything that I know of. This weekend was her first weekend home with me at my parents house (I live up at school) and my parents have 3 dogs of their own and 3 cats. I don’t know if it’s something I should be concerned about or if it is just caused by the stress. About a month ago she was having problems with diarrhea and the vet prescribed an intestinal medication that was given orally and seemed to solve the problem. Hoping for some input, thanks!
I think at this point, it’s a “watch it” thing. By compact, do you mean hard? If so, that may be contributing to the blood you are seeing. You might sprinkle some acidophyllus on her food (capsules can be bought where vitamins are sold) or add some plain yogurt to her food to add some good bacteria to her gut. This may even things out. Is she drinking plenty of water?
I have a 6 year old, 9lb Chihuahua who has bright green diarrhea. Last night it started. He also vomited 2 times last night. Mostly just liquid, frothy from drool. This morning he did push out a little diarrhea again, just 3 small little spots. Should I be concerned?
It sounds like his stomach is upset. At this point, I think you can “wait and see” if it improves. If you have some plain yogurt or some acidophyllus (can be purchased in capsule form wherever they sell vitamins), add that to his food to put some good bacteria beck into his system.