In puppies, diarrhea is a common problem that can range from a single mild episode to a severe symptom of a serious underlying condition. Almost every dog gets diarrhea at least once in his lifetime. Mild cases of diarrhea may be treated easily at home, but severe diarrhea can be deadly for the puppies. Diarrhea is not a disease, but it is a sign of illness that can be caused by many different conditions. Severe diarrhea is one of the ten conditions when you must take your dog to a vet.
Diarrhea can be associated with viruses like distemper and parvovirus. Main causes for diarrhea in puppies are:
- Stress
- Change in diet
- Ingestion of a foreign object
- Parasites
- Viral infection
- A change of food
- Worms
- Parasites
It is quite important to keep a close eye on your puppy suffering from diarrhea. Young dogs may get sick much faster than older dogs. If your puppy is older than 7 weeks and has mild diarrhea, you should not offer any food the first day. You can offer him water or Pedialyte because it will help to clear virus and bacteria from his system.
On the second day, offer your puppy a mixture of boiled rice in the same water as a piece of raw chicken. It will make the taste of rice like chicken and your puppy will eat it easily. In addition to this, you can mix a couple of tablespoons of plain low fat yogurt with live active cultures and feed it for the day. On the third day, add the chopped-up piece of chicken and ask your vet how long to continue your canine companion on this modified diet. You can also follow below mentioned suggestion:
- You should add pro-biotic powder to the water of your dog, or feed him a brand of healthy pet food that includes the pro-biotic.
- You should refresh (dump, wash bowl, refill) several times in a day
- Try to give 100% pure canned pumpkin to your pet. Most dogs love pumpkin flavor, but it is a unique fiber that regulates the bowel
- You can feed plain boiled chicken (shredded after cooked) and plain boiled white rice. The added moisture of this food will also help to keep your puppy hydrated