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Dealing with a case of dog diarrhea?
I used to work at a vet. While I was there, I learned a few home remedies for common pet ailments.
The most popular home remedy we gave to our clients was for doggie diarrhea. Thankfully, it can often be treated at home yourself.
I have personally tried each of the following home remedies with our dogs.
Usually, dog diarrhea clears up in about 24 hours!
I thought I’d share our vet’s recommendation, in order to assist dog owners everywhere when your pup gets a case of the runs…
Home Remedies For Doggie Diarrhea
These are the steps to follow when treating a case of diarrhea in dogs at home:
#1 – Don’t give your dog food or water for 24 hours.
Take away all food and water for 24 hours. Do not take away water if your dog is a puppy or if your dog seems dehydrated and hasn’t been drinking much before the diarrhea started. In that case, give your dog ice cubes or very small amounts of water several times a day.
#2 – Give your dog small amounts of food and water after 24 hours.
After 24 hours, give your dog small amounts of water all throughout the day (not a full water bowl that your dog can lap freely from, though).
You can also try rice water. Boil high-quality rice in a lot of water, remove the grains, and offer the dog the creamy white soup that’s left. A splash of broth or a bit baby food will make it more palatable. Source
And instead of your dog’s usual food, give your dog small servings of a bland diet 4 to 5 times throughout the day.
Some options to choose from:
- cooked white rice (no butter or flavorings)
- cottage cheese (no liquid)
- boiled chicken (no grease, no skin, no flavorings)
- boiled turkey (no grease, no skin, no flavorings)
- scrambled egg (no butter or oil)
- boiled egg (no butter or oil)
- boiled potato (no skin or flavorings)
- baked potato (no skin or flavorings)
This is my all-time favorite home remedy for dog diarrhea. It has consistently worked the best for my dog.
#3 – Continue to feed your dog the bland diet for the next 3 to 4 days.
The idea is to gradually increase how much food you’re giving your dog until a formed stool is passed.
So do this:
- Continue to feed several small servings of this bland diet for a few days.
- Let your dog drink freely from his water bowl again.
- Start to wean your dog back to his regular food over the course of a week by gradually working in small amounts of his regular dry dog food.
#4 – Monitor everything your dog eats.
Do not give your dog any bones, snacks, or table scraps during this time — because they can further irritate your dog’s intestinal tract, which is already overly sensitive.
Once the diarrhea has passed, you can go back to feeding your dog whatever you fed him before.
#5 – Consider OTC medications to speed up the process.
If you want to try to speed up the process, there are a handful of meds that help with dog diarrhea…
Diarrice is an all natural probiotic that was developed by a veterinarian to help with the discomfort and symptoms diarrhea in dogs. It works practically overnight – even for puppies, too!
Dogs can be given a dose of Pepto Bismol every 6 hours in the following dosage:
The typical dose administered to dogs is 0.5 to 1.5 ml per pound per day (1 to 3 ml/kg/day). The total daily dose should be divided into 2 to 4 doses. This amounts to approximately 2 teaspoons (10 ml total) per 10 pounds per day, ideally split between 2 to 4 doses. Source
Bonus: the Pepto Bismol also works to stop dog vomiting!
Two other over-the-counter medicines can be given to dogs with diarrhea: Imodium or Kaopectate in the following dosage:
Dogs can have 0.05-0.1 mg/pound by mouth every 8 hours. Treatment should only be needed for 1-2 days. If diarrhea persists or worsens, contact your veterinarian. Source
Please heed this word of warning before you give any human medications to your pet.
Should You Go To The Vet… Or Not?
The bottom line is if your dog has had runny poop or loose stools for more than 48 hours, then you should take your dog to the vet — otherwise your dog will become dehydrated and weak and the vet bills will be significantly higher.
Here’s some advice on when your dog needs to go to the vet — and what to do if your dog has diarrhea for more than 48 hours.
I like to help Dog Parents find unique ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about "outside the box" Dog Tips and Dog Hacks that most wouldn't think of. I’m a lifelong dog owner — currently have 2 mixed breed Golden Aussies that we found abandoned on the side of the road as puppies. I've always trained my own dogs and help friends train theirs, as well. Professionally, I worked at a vet and have several friends who are veterinarians — whom I consult with regularly. (And just because I love animals so much, I also worked at a Zoo for awhile!) I've been sharing my best ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998 (the same year that Google started… and before the days of Facebook and YouTube). My daily motivation is to help first-time dog owners be better prepared from the first day your new puppy enters your home. I like to help dog owners understand what's 'normal' and what you can expect in terms of living with and training your dog — how to get through the ups & downs of potty training, chewing, teaching commands, getting your dog to listen, and everything else that takes place during that hectic first year! When I'm not training, walking, grooming, or making homemade treats for my dogs, you will find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I've written over 500 articles for dog owners on this site!
