Dealing with dog diarrhea

It's unfortunate but common for our pets get dog diarrhea, and the causes may be a diverse variety of reasons.

Commonly, it's an up-set stomach from something ingested not agreeing with our pet that causes digestive problems, but other more severe cases should not be taken lightly.

Perhaps the best way to get an idea of how your dog's digestive tract is doing is by simply looking at it's stool during your daily clean-up. You don't have to get out a magnifying glass, just note the firmness and take action if you suspect issues.

Common reasons for diarrhea:

rapid change in diet (always change a dog's brand of food gradually over a period of one or two weeks) Even a slight change in protein such as chicken to turkey may cause issues.
eating garbage/fatty foods and or human foods not tolerated by the dogs digestive system. (also see foods harmful to dogs)
ingestion of mildly toxic plants. ( toxic plants to dogs)
infectious causes such as intestinal parasites and or parvovirus.
food allergies. These may precipitate over time or have immediate results.
excessive consumption.(I found my dog one day eating a pile of freshly mowed grass I had raked up. What a mess!)

Always provide your dog with adequate amounts of water to avoid dehydration especially when dealing with dog diarrhea

Home remedies for mild case's of diarrhea:

Cut back on feeding to smaller meals at extended times.
You could try feeding a plain bland diet of cooked rice and cooked chicken in small amounts.
Feeding small amounts of pumpkin (not pie filler, pure pumpkin) to tighten the stool.
Should the dog not be cured or cleared up in 2 days, seek veterinary attention.

Acute Diarrhea is much more dangerous than a mild case of the runs. If your dog shows the following signs, veterinary treatment is needed.

blood in the stool
sharp and sudden weight loss
severe dehydration (sticky and dry gums)
high fever
lethargic and general inactivity
abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating

vomiting

Your vet will probably ask for a sample of the stool to determine what the cause is as well as perform other checks to see if the diarrhea is not a sign of more complex issues.

Proper medical treatment will cure your dog, and get him back on the right track.