Natural Diarrhea Remedies in Dogs

Diarrhea and dogs are two words you might not want to mix. The two together can wreak havoc on your home and destroy your carpets. However, even more importantly, diarrhea can be extremely uncomfortable for your dog and can lead to a dangerous case of dehydration. You can help your dog remedy diarrhea naturally, hopefully leaving cleaner floors and a happier dog. 

Fasting

Your dog may stop eating on their own once they begin to feel tummy pain. If the dog has not stopped eating, force a gentle fast on them to give their sensitive tummies a rest for twelve hours. Keeping your dog from food and water will give the stomach a chance to finish cleaning out without more to process and digest.

It is important to know if your dog is diabetic or hypoglycemic if you have your dog fast. If so, give your give a small lick of honey or sugar water every hour as the dog fasts. If your dog needs water, encourage small licks or laps from a small bowl and limit how much you allow your dog to drink during this time.

The dog should not go without food or water for more than 24 hours.

Bland Diet

A bland diet of rice and boiled chicken or boiled potatoes and boiled turkey can be presented to the dog in small amounts once they begin eating again. A bland diet will give the stomach easy foods to process as the dog starts to eat again. Be sure to start slow with small meals every two to three hours. A watered-down chicken soup or broth can help keep the dog hydrated. During these first few meals, try not to let the dog drink water heavily. Prepare a small bowl of water for your dog, but don’t allow them to lap quickly or drink too much as drinking too quickly or drinking too much water can upset their sensitive stomach before it fully recovers.

If your dog is handling the first two small meals without more bouts of diarrhea, give your dog two to three of the same small meals over the course of the day. Watch your dog carefully to see how quickly they need to eliminate if at all.

Probiotics

Once your dog is eating small meals without stomach upset or diarrhea, you can supplement their food with a probiotic. Yogurt can also be added to the bland food mixture as well as the dog’s regular diet for the added benefit of probiotics. Probiotics help put natural, healthy bacteria back into your dog’s GI system once it has been flushed of everything. Powder or capsule form probiotics can be found in your local pet store or at your veterinarian's office. You may use probiotics on a regular basis, with your vet’s approval, mixed in with food or given as a treat once your dog has fully recovered from diarrhea.

Diarrhea is unpleasant for you and for your dog. Making your dog comfortable and stress-free while dealing with diarrhea is important. You may find fewer accidents if you can catch it early and watch the dog closely during the first 24 hours. A bland diet gives your dog’s stomach the opportunity to finish the clean out of whatever toxin created diarrhea while also giving your dog calories and simple, easily digested meals.

Diarrhea, though messy and stressful for your dog, should not last more than 24 hours. Give your dog time to rest and relax as you let them know how loved they are with love, gentle petting, and a bland diet.

There is little to no cost involved with offering supportive therapy at home for a diarrhea-stricken dog. A purchase of probiotic supplements and appropriate foods, such as raw chicken and yogurt, should cost most pet owners less than $10 to $20. A visit to the vet for an exam and fecal testing may cost $50 to $150.

If your dog experiences diarrhea for more than 24 hours, contact your veterinarian for a checkup. Your vet may request a stool sample for parasite and bacterial testing. If your veterinarian is seen and recommends antibiotics, giving your dog probiotics as well is an excellent way to stabilize the chemistry balance in your dog’s gut.

Though the occasional case of diarrhea is not uncommon in dogs, monitoring their activities and diet can help prevent your dog from eating something inappropriate or coming into contact with harmful bacteria or parasites. Supportive care during a bout of diarrhea can help your dog recover quicker and prevent complications, such as dehydration.