Dog Diarrhea & Loose Stool

"My dog always has loose, mushy stools. How can I help my dog have firmer stools without medications?"

When your dog has diarrhea or loose stool, it is an opportunity to improve his gut health.

Summary

Probiotics

Loose stool and diarrhea indicate an imbalance in the gut. To improve this situation, we recommend therapeutic doses of probiotics to restore your dog's natural balance of friendly flora. Use Probiotic Miracle® or MiracleZyme® chews for best results.

WHAT IS IT?

Diarrhea or Loose Stool is when your dog passes loose, watery, or unformed stools. Diarrhea is usually accompanied with an increase of volume of the stool and an increase in the number of bowel movements. A rapid transit of food substances through the small intestine to the bowel is the cause of diarrhea.

Loose stool is actually a more mild form of diarrhea. The treatment for loose stool is the same as it is for diarrhea in dogs.

CAUSES

A common cause of dog diarrhea and loose stool can be caused by poor diets which cause food intolerances, or when your dog's gut is overrun with harmful bacteria (such as, C. difficile. Foods that some dogs seem unable to tolerate can include beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, spices, corn, wheat, soy, gravies, salts, spices, fats, and some commercial dog foods.

Some medications (most antibiotics) can also cause loose stool and diarrhea.

Related: Your Dog is on Antibiotics, What To Do Next

NATURAL REMEDIES

1. Probiotics

   Generally speaking, the main therapy for dog diarrhea would be to give your dog probiotics such as Probiotic Miracle, which will generally improve food intolerances and other causes of diarrhea and loose stool such as lack of bile, or infection.

2. Enzymes (optional)

   Look for the following signs where it would be wise to also add a digestive enzyme, such as Enzyme Miracle®:

   • Dog is losing weight
   • Dog's stools are large and gray in appearance
   • Stools are rancid or foul smelling
   • Dog passes three or four large stools in a day
3. Water

   Make sure your dog drinks plenty of water to bring hydration to the colon. Dehydration is a common secondary side effect of diarrhea, also, water helps to flush out toxins from the gut.

4. Low fat diet

   Consider a diet that is low in fat for a period, and parcel the food out in 3 meals for the first two days before switching back to the regular diet.