Diarrhea

As with vomiting, every pet will have diarrhea in their lifetime. The vast majority of the time, they can be monitored and treated at home. However, if your pet is vomiting, lethargic, painful, or not eating, they must be examined by a veterinarian immediately. There are serious conditions that can cause diarrhea including foreign bodies, inflammatory bowel disease, organ failure, toxicities, and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis just to name a few.If your pet seems completely normal other than having loose stool, usually they have ingested human food, a different dog/cat food, or have contracted a virus that causes colitis.  These pets will benefit from a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice or any other diet your veterinarian recommends. This diet needs to be continued for 48 hours after the stool is normal once again. Never withhold water. There are also over the counter medications that can decrease the amount of diarrhea, but it is usually recommended to allow the pet to have diarrhea to expel whatever is causing the distress in the first place.  Probiotics can be extremely beneficial and can be purchased from your veterinarian.If the diarrhea is severe and your pet is having to defecate every 2 hours, it is best to visit the veterinarian so they can prescribe medications to halt anymore fluid loss.  It is also wise to visit the veterinarian immediately if the diarrhea is bloody, especially if you have a dog less than 25#.