Dog Diarrhea Home Remedies That I Learned While Working For A Vet (Bland Diets That Work + OTC Meds To Try)

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Dealing with a case of dog diarrhea? Looking for a home remedy for dog diarrhea that works fast?

I used to work at a vet. While I was there, I learned a few home remedies for common pet ailments.

The most popular DIY option we gave to our clients was the following dog diarrhea home remedy — because (thankfully!) diarrhea in dogs can often be treated yourself at home.

I have personally tried each of the following dog diarrhea 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 other dog owners.

Here’s what to do when your pup gets a case of the runs…

Home Remedies For Dog Diarrhea

These are the steps to follow when treating diarrhea in dogs at home:

#1 – Don’t give your dog any food for 24 hours.

Take away all food for 24 hours.

Take away your dog’s regular water bowl for 24 hours.

Instead of letting your dog drink too much water freely, you want to give your dog ice cubes and very small amounts of water several times throughout the day to keep them hydrated — because diarrhea (and/or vomiting) can put your dog at serious risk of dehydration.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT take away the water bowl if your dog is a puppy OR if your dog seems dehydrated and wasn’t drinking much before the diarrhea started. (Be sure to read How To Stop Puppy Diarrhea at the very end of this article.)

#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 (still not a full water bowl though).

TIP: If your dog won’t drink regular water, try rice water instead! Boil high-quality rice in a lot of water. Then, remove the grains of rice, and offer your dog the creamy white soup that’s left. A splash of broth or a bit of baby food will make it more palatable for some dogs.

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 bland diet options for dogs that you can choose from:

• Cooked white rice (no butter or flavorings)
• Cottage cheese (no liquid)
• Boiled chicken (no grease, no skin, no flavorings)
• Canned shredded chicken (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)
• Microwaved or 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 dogs:

#3 – Continue to feed your dog foods from 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 their water bowl again.
• Start to wean your dog back to their regular food over the course of a week by gradually working in small amounts of their regular dry dog food.

#4 – Monitor everything your dog eats.

Do not give your dog any bones, snacks, or table scraps during this time.

Why not?

Because they can further irritate their intestinal tract, which is already overly sensitive. Your goal is to get the contents inside your dog’s intestines to slow down their movement. Adding more food will just keep things moving and the loose stools will continue.

Once the diarrhea has passed, you can go back to feeding your dog whatever you fed them before.

How To Treat Diarrhea In Dogs With OTC Medications

If you want to try to speed up the process, there are a handful of over the counter human medicines that help with dog diarrhea.
Here is a quick & easy tool that converts kilograms to pounds — for doses based on your dog’s body weight.
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! (And it’s safe 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

As a bonus, the Pepto Bismol also works to stop dog vomiting! So if you’re wondering, “What can I give my dog for diarrhea and vomiting?”…try the Pepto first.

Two other over-the-counter medicines can be given to dogs with diarrhea using the following dosage instructions:

• Kaopectate (Kaolin/pectin): 0.5-1.0 milliliters per pound of body weight by mouth every 4-6 hours.
• Imodium (Loperamide HCl): 0.08-0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight by mouth every 8 hours.

Please heed this word of warning before you give any human medications to your pet.

How Long Does Diarrhea Last In Dogs?

After following the above instructions, your dog’s diarrhea will usually clear up in about 24 hours.

A home remedy for dog diarrhea should only be needed for 1 to 2 days max.

If the diarrhea persists or worsens, contact your veterinarian.

When Does Dog Diarrhea Require A Vet Appointment?

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 the longer your wait.

Here’s some good 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.

How To Stop Puppy Diarrhea

If you’re wondering what to give a puppy with diarrhea, pay close attention here…

There is no such thing as a puppy diarrhea home remedy!

Puppies with diarrhea need to be seen by a veterinarian right away — because their bodies are much more fragile, and they don’t bounce back as quickly.

Diarrhea in puppies can be especially dangerous. You need to make sure they don’t get dehydrated or they will rapidly decline.

I know of several puppies that died while being treated with a “home remedy” — simply because they didn’t receive the proper treatment quick enough.

With a young puppy, you can’t waste time trying to “guess” what’s wrong… and what might be causing the diarrhea… and experiment with home remedies.

Puppy diarrhea is a sign that something traumatic is going on in that tiny little body, and only a veterinarian can access it properly and treat it fast enough. (The same is true for puppy vomiting, too.)
See the home remedy that holistic veterinarian Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM recommends to treat acute or bloody diarrhea in dogs.

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