Poop Talk: Diarrhea
I read a news article the other day that reported a dog on United Airlines had horrible diarrhea, and they had to make an emergency landing due to the smell & mess! I had to laugh because 1) it wasn’t my dog, and 2) I wasn’t on the plane :) But we’ve all been there - up in the middle of the night letting our poor companion outside multiple times, or cleaning up loose, liquid stool from our floors and carpet. The poor things!! Its never easy seeing our dogs in pain. In this newsletter I will go through some common causes of sudden upset stomachs, and how to help or prevent diarrhea. Of course you should always see your veterinarian if your dog develops soft, loose, or liquid stool.
Causes of Loose Stool
There can be many causes of loose poops, but I will go over the most common ones I see in practice. These are the dogs that have acute (sudden) diarrhea, not chronic or consistent off and on diarrhea.
Stress Colitis - anxiety or new situations like boarding, new people or animals in the household, different environment, construction noises, travel, new baby, or any other change in their routine or environment.
Parasites - dogs frequenting dog parks, daycare, boarding, stagnant water, other dog populated areas (hiking trails, common areas in apartment buildings) can pick up parasites.
Food - new treats, not transitioning slowly to a new food, too much of one particular food (rich or fatty), something they be sensitive or allergic to (ask your vet!).
Medications or Supplements - both medications and supplements can cause a change in the gut resulting in loose stool.
Lets look at each of these causes and ways to minimize or help clear up their loose poops!
STRESS COLITIS - If you know there is an event or situation coming up that is stressful for your dog, start probiotics at least 1-2 weeks in advance and throughout the stressful situation! Here are a few brands I like: Proviable-DC, Doggy Biome, Visbiome Vet, Now Pets GI, Fortfiflora. You can also start incorporating some calming supplements into their routine 1-2 weeks beforehand (and during the event) to help turn down their anxiety. Ask your vet before giving anything new to your dog! Try adding in one of these to calm your pet’s nervous system - ElleVet Sciences CBD, Rescue Remedy Pet, Solliquin, Vetrisceince Composure. There are also sprays like Adaptil, and longer term Probiotics that take about 6-8 weeks to work - Fortiflora Calming Care - that you can try.
PARASITES - Its hard to completely avoid popular dog areas, especially if your dog loves running and being social! I advise clients to wipe off their paws after playing in these parks, give a probiotic consistently (see above for recs), and avoid muddy parks after rain or when there are known outbreaks (Giardia is ever present!). You need to see your vet to discuss any deworming or medications to get rid of the parasites, and you can also support your dog while taking these Western meds with supplements like NHV Natural Pet.
FOOD - This is probably the most common reason I see upset tummies! New treats (especially during training where the receive A LOT of them), quick transition to a new diet, or too much of a food. When introducing a new treat, go slow! Give just 2-3 bites once a day starting out, then you can s-l-o-w-l-y increase from there. Same with new meals - the transition should take 7-10 days to completely change to a new food. There are 2 slippery elm supplements I recommend to try: Herbsmith Inc, Honest Kitchen Digestive supplement. Try one of these to help firm up their bowel movements.
MEDS & SUPPLEMENTS - This can disrupt their stomachs and gut, causing loose poops. Again, probiotics can help (see above), especially with antibiotics. They should get probiotics during the course of meds and at least 2-4 weeks beyond. But yes, some dogs don’t do well with a sudden blast of good gut bacteria! If this happens, decrease the frequency of the probiotic to 3 times a week, and slowly build up to the recommended daily dose. You can also change to a bland diet for a few meals, adding in plain white rice, potatoes, plain chicken or other lean meat, banana, pumpkin puree, or choose a bland diet for a few days from Just Food For Dogs, Pure Dog Food, or talk to your vet about a GI Diet they’d recommend for your pet (especially since they may be on meds or supplements for a specific problem).
Other Ways to Support Your Dog During Bouts of Diarrhea
Be sure to keep them hydrated, since they’re losing water through their loose stool. Add in some water to their meals, or bone broth warmed up. Be sure to avoid bone broths with onion in it. A few pet bone broth brands are: Open Farm, Primalvore, Brutus.
Pee pads can help minimize mess when they can’t make it outside, and they will feel a little better about pooping in the house if they have a “designated” place to go.
Keeping their rectum and the area underneath their tail clean by using wipes can decrease irritation. If the rectal region does get red and irritated I like putting on Pipette Baby Balm or Waxelene Ointment around the area. Distract them with play time or a walk to let it absorb and prevent them from licking it off!
Visit your veterinarian! They can run diagnostics such as fecals, bloodwork, or imaging to make sure nothing serious is going on, plus they can provide extra support in terms of IV or SQ fluids, probiotics, binding agents, prescription GI diets.