How to Take Care of a Dog with Diarrhea

It seems like my dogs only get sick on the weekend or in the middle of the night when I am unable to get a hold of the vet. However, I have found over the years that there are a few things that I can do to take care of my dog while I'm waiting for the veterinarian's office to open.

A dog with diarrhea can be difficult to take care of, but it's extremely important to treat symptoms early. Diarrhea in dogs can be very dangerous and if left untreated can possibly lead to death. When any of my pets get diarrhea, I make sure to talk to my vet in order to get individualized treatment based. Because of this, I get a hold of my vet the minute they open their doors so that my dog has the best chance of recovery.

Over the years, I have been given advice on how to take care of my dogs when they are sick. These tips are something you can follow while you're waiting to get your pooch to the vet. Here are the things that I do when they come down with something that causes diarrhea:

Step 1: Call your vet
If your dog has an infection of any type, it could be what's causing the diarrhea. Getting rid of the infection will be a huge step in getting rid of the diarrhea. Also, your vet will be able to offer professional advice on top of any medications that he or she may prescribe. If your vet is unavailable, leave a message so they can get a hold of you ASAP.

Step 2: Make sure your dog is comfortable
Try to keep your dog from getting stressed. If your dog is stressed out, it will only make the diarrhea worse. While your dog is sick, keep him or her in a warm quiet area in order to allow it to relax. Your goal is to keep your dog as relaxed as possible.

If there is someone in the house that makes your dog apprehensive, keep this person away from your dog. Additionally, if there is a person that makes the dog feel secure, have this person stay with your dog and petting it in order to soothe it. Speaking softly to the dog and petting it may calm it down long enough for it to get some rest.

Step 3: Make sure your dog has enough food and water
Keep your dog well hydrated and fed. Now this may seem difficult as the dog may not be interested in eating. Instead of offering the dog his or her favorite snack, you'll want to offer up something that is gentle on the stomach. There are some well-known foods that can help with this. These gentle foods make up what is called the BRAT diet and is also beneficial for humans with diarrhea.

Bananas
Rice (with Chicken or Turkey. Plain rice will work fine as well)
Apples (Pectin found in apples can curb diarrhea. Try plain applesauce.)
Toast (Don't butter it. Just plain dry toast)

Another thing to try is Pedialyte. It is an orange drink that can be found in the baby food section at the grocery store. This will help the dog with dehydration. Since it has diarrhea, your dog is losing a lot of water which needs to be replaced. Pedialyte will help with this.

In the past, we've used chicken and rice baby food for our cat, when she was sick. Feeding it to her a little bit at a time got her the nutrients she needed to get better.

If your dog does not seem interested in eating or drinking try to force him/her a little bit. Do not stress the dog out, though. Remember it's better for your dog to eat a little bit and keep it down than to get stressed out and start vomiting or worsen its diarrhea.

Remember to keep your vet notified about any changes that have occurred in your dog as your vet will know the best course of action in treating diarrhea in dogs.