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Diarrhea in Puppy

June 1, 2011   Dog Diarrhea


Puppy Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common problem with puppies, here is an informative guide to the different types of puppy diarrhea and the options you can go for to cure them.

The stool passed by puppies can be divided in four types

  1. In form of normal logs
  2. In form of soft stools that mold up known as pudding stool
  3. In form of brown water diarrhea
  4. In form of brown water diarrhea with signs of blood

Every dog owner would want his pet to have normal stools, as if your dogs is having normal log stool and is having a normal temperature that is 101 to 102 in dogs these are signs of a healthy dog. Of course there are exceptions to this rule such as a dog suffering from cancer, but generally this is a standard to measure the good health of your dog.

DIARRHEA DUE TO PARASITES

Among diarrhea that occurs due to parasites the main cause are Coccidia or Giardia. Both these parasites cause diarrhea but both require a different type of medication.

There are some levels of coccidia present in the dog’s gut but sometimes due to stress of either moving in to a new environment, separation from the mother or due to shipping to a different place. The coccidia present in the dog blooms and instantly multiply causing diarrhea. You can give your dog ALBON to overcome this situation how much and at what interval will be advised to you by your vet.

Humans develop Giardia through drinking water that is contaminated with fecal matter. Like if you are camping and drinking water straight from a stream, you are likely to develop Giardia in you.  When dogs get Giardia they are treated using METRONIDAZOLE. It is however not possible for a vet to diagnose the presence of Giardia from a sample of stool taken earlier. To diagnose it your vet may require a fresh sample of stool direct from the rectum as fresh sample gives more chances in sighting Giardia.

Both Giardia and Coccidia need to be diagnosed by a vet and also the medication should be prescribed and advised by him.

STOOL IN FORM OF PUDDING DIARRHEA

If your dog is laying pudding diarrhea form of stool it is concerning and continuous monitoring is required until the form of stool is back to normal, e.g. log stool. Pudding puppy diarrhea should be considered as a small red flag of alert.

Pudding puppy diarrhea is normally caused due to

  • Over feeding the dog resulting in diarrhea
  • Change of foods consumed by the dog resulting in diarrhea
  • Eating out of the garbage can result in diarrhea
  • Stress can lead to diarrhea
  • Over excitement and a lot of exercise can result in diarrhea

Overcoming this form of puppy diarrhea is important and before that you should be aware of the exact reason behind it. Adding up canned pumpkin in the dog’s diet would help as pumpkin is known to firm up stool; this is also a handy thing in constipation.

If you are feeding your dog a natural diet your dog will easily consume it but if the diet is a kibble one your dog might refuse to take it in which situation you may require going to medication if the stool form gets too loose or watery.

BROWN WATER DIARRHEA

This form of stool is a serious sign that your puppy is sick. Brown water diarrhea should not at all be ignored and you should always stay alert that your dog does not get dehydrated. If you are unable to stop the diarrhea within 24 hours you should immediately consult a veterinarian.

All dog owners should be aware of how healthy and hydrated his dog his and how he would know if the dog is not in a healthy condition. The best way of finding out if a dog is hydrated is if the skin on the back of the dog is loose and easily comes in hand it is a sign that the dog is hydrated. However if the skin is tight and you find it difficult to pull the skin off the body mass it is a sign that your dog is dehydrated.

When such a situation arises rehydrate your pup by giving him lots of water, you can also get an unflavored pediatric electrolyte from the baby shelves of the super market and feed the puppy. If he refuses to take it mix it with some chicken broth which is also readily available in the soup section of the super markets.

When your dog suffers from diarrhea it is good to take him off food for at least 24 hours which they can easily survive. A dog though cannot survive without water so if your dog is drinking plenty of water there is nothing to worry but if he is not it could be serious.

If a puppy does not drink water you should immediately consult a vet. He will send the puppy on an IV fluid other than providing him proper medication.

BROWN WATER DIARRHEA WITH BLOOD

Brown water diarrhea with signs of blood is a serious sign and indicates emergency. The vet is required instantly and waiting for even a day or two would result in the death of the puppy.

Puppies can easily die within 24 to 48 hours of suffering from this form of diarrhea and it is beyond the control of pet owners to cure it without the help of a vet.

It is very crucial to visit your vets as soon as possible if your puppy diarrhea is still on going after 2 days.

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