What Causes Diarrhea in Dogs

Meta Description: Is dog diarrhea something you have to clean up regularly? Let’s talk doggy business – causes, types, and treatment. 

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Vets deal with loose stool in pets regularly. Most often, parasites or an unfussy pet who’s been eating garbage causes an upset stomach. If your dog has had a bout of doggy runs, then you know the unpleasantness that comes with squirting poop and soft stool. Maybe you find yourself dreading the next bowel movement because of how often diarrhea occurs for your dog. 

Canine diarrhea can range from mild to severe. Whether it’s a non-event that a bland diet can remedy, or a life-threatening condition that requires further expert investigation, your veterinarian is the best person to consult. Chronic diarrhea in dogs can be an indication of systemic illness. If left untreated, it can lead to severe dehydration or further complications of the causative disease.

In this article, we wish to educate you on the most common causes of dog diarrhea, how to identify when it’s serious and when you should get your veterinarian to tap in on the treatment. 

The Canine Digestive System

The canine digestive system aims to absorb and break down food, finally expelling solid wastes from the body. The gastrointestinal tract of a dog is very similar to your own, with few differences. It consists of the mouth, teeth, salivary glands, esophagus and stomach, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, liver, and gall bladder. When any of these organs are compromised, which can happen for numerous reasons, diarrhea is a common side effect. 

Diarrhea in dogs is a warning sign that something is amiss. 

Bile from the liver digests fats and oils, while the pancreas produces digestive enzymes that speed up the digestion and absorption of nutrients from the canine diet. Helpful bacteria called probiotics are an essential part of the GI tract as they prevent disease caused by harmful bacteria and break up indigestable fibers.

A few differences between your pet’s digestive system and your own are:

• Our jaws are shaped differently. In pet parents, salivary enzymes in the mouth start the digestion process. In pets, their jaws are shaped to crush and tear food. They swallow food much quicker than we do, and their salivary enzymes rapidly kill bacteria, allowing digestion to start in the stomach and not the mouth. 
• Dogs produce more stomach acid than humans. This allows their stomach to digest larger chunks of food or even bone parts. 
• The trip through the gastrointestinal tract takes between six to eight hours for dogs, which is three times faster than the digestion process in humans.
• In dogs, food spends most of its time in the stomach and travels quickly through the small intestine, whereas in humans, it’s the other way around. The small intestine makes up a large volume of the gastrointestinal tract – about 25% in omnivores – humans and dogs alike. 

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Common Causes of Dog Diarrhea 

Diarrhea is a side effect of an underlying problem in the body, specifically in the GI tract. Several things can cause loose stools in your dog. Some are minor and can be remedied at home with a few adjustments, while others require urgent veterinary care or long-term treatment. 

What causes diarrhea in dogs? Here are a few culprits:

• A change in diet, a new food, or a new doggy treat.
• Food intolerance or allergy
• Antibiotics that destroy healthy gut bacteria. 
• Dietary indiscretion, which is when a dog eats a non-food item or spoiled food from the garbage.
• Trauma from a penetrating wound or internal damage caused by a car accident.
• Stress and anxiety
• Bowel obstruction or intestinal tract obstruction caused by foreign objects.
• Toxicity is caused by the ingestion of toxic human food, human medications, chemicals in the home or outside during winter (ice melt chemicals), plants, and more. 
• Intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, giardia, and coccidia can lead to severe stomach problems. Puppies or senior dogs with compromised immune systems are more at risk and should see a vet immediately. 
• Infectious diseases like parvovirus, distemper, or a bacterial infection like Clostridium difficile, salmonella, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth are often an underlying cause of severe diarrhea.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease can be caused by many things, including gut bacteria imbalance. 
• Metabolic, neoplasia, or autoimmune diseases like diabetes, cancers, kidney disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease), and more.

Types of Dog Diarrhea 

When speaking to your veterinarian about your dog’s diarrhea, a few things will help your veterinarian pin down the cause. Knowing what type of diarrhea your dog is inflicted with is therefore essential. And we’re not talking about descriptive words like “disgusting” or “runny,” but more specific terms that can identify the source of the problem. 

Large-bowel Diarrhea in Dogs

Diarrhea caused by a large bowel or colon disruption can be identified by small volumes of runny poop several times throughout the day. These “squirts” are usually signs of inflammation in the colon where fluid is not being absorbed as it should.

Blood present will be noticed as red streaks (when the blood is coming from the anus) or a red blood pool mixed with the loose stool. Burst blood vessels due to straining and swelling of the large intestine can cause red blood to appear in the stool. You may also notice that the poop is shiny and has a mucus coating. This is another sign of large-bowel diarrhea, where an overproduction of the mucus coating occurs as a response to reduced water absorption. 

The medical term for large-bowel diarrhea and inflammation of the colon is Colitis. Stress is the leading cause of Colitis in pets. 

Small-bowel Diarrhea in Dogs

Diarrhea from the small intestine is usually identified by large volumes of runny stool three or four times a day. The stool can appear oily or frothy and slides out of your pet, rather than it requiring strained effort.

The job of the small intestine is to digest food and absorb nutrients. When nutrients aren’t correctly drawn out, then the stool can appear fatty. Malabsorption symptoms like weight loss, gas, vomiting, constant hunger, and poor coat health are other signs of small bowel diarrhea. 

If there is blood in the small intestine, it will not appear red, as with large bowel diarrhea, but it will look black or purple due to it being partially digested. 

Acute Diarrhea in Dogs

Acute diarrhea lasts for no more than 48 hours and can occur suddenly. If your dog has had one somewhat soft stool but is generally in good health and without any other symptoms, then it’s probably nothing serious. A short period of fasting can clear up the irritation. Make sure your pet drinks their water. Home remedies may be effective in acute diarrhea situations. 

If, however, your pet is vomiting, lethargic, collapsing, showing signs of dehydration, or there is blood in their sudden bout of diarrhea, call your veterinarian. 

Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs

Ongoing diarrhea that is unresponsive to home treatments or supplements needs expert attention. If your pet has intermittent diarrhea, it may be due to an intolerance to something in your dog’s regular food. Metabolic conditions or digestive enzyme insufficiency in the small intestine need medical treatment. If your dog is losing weight, seems bloated, lethargic, and has a dark or yellow stool, then they may be struggling with Pancreatitis. 

Parasites, IBS, or cancers can also lead to chronic diarrhea in pets.

Diarrhea With Vomiting

A lot of the same diseases that cause diarrhea can cause vomiting too. When both of these messy symptoms occur intermittently, then it may be a sign of Gastroenteritis – inflammation in the GI tract, or more specifically in the stomach and small intestine. Your dog’s health may worsen, and signs of abdominal pain may appear. 

It’s important to contact your veterinarian if your dog has both of these symptoms, especially if you notice any blood in their vomit or signs of dehydration. Signs of dehydration in pets include lethargy, sunken eyes, panting, dry nose, dry gums, and loss of skin elasticity. 

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What Your Dog’s Poop Can Tell You 

Aside from the frequency and texture of your dog’s stool, the color can also tell you a lot. You want to see a cookie-dough-like consistency in various shades of brown, 2-4 times a day. 

Your vet may ask for a stool sample if your pet is ill, but a detailed description can also help identify the underlying cause. 

Yellow Diarrhea can be a sign of Pancreatitis or liver disease. It often indicates an excess of bile.

Black diarrhea indicates the presence of blood digested by the stomach or small intestine. Ulcers in these regions can cause bleeding, as can perforation caused by a blockage. 

Red diarrhea is a sign of blood in the large intestine. It can indicate Colitis or a rectal injury.

White spots or dots that look like rice indicate intestinal worms.

Greasy grey poop can be a sign of biliary or digestive enzyme insufficiency. 

Green stool may be caused by a pet that has been eating grass. Dogs do this for several reasons: boredom, illness, parasites, or lack of adequate nutrition.

When Should You Call the Vet?

If diarrhea continues for more than 48 hours or is intermittent and chronic, then it’s time to visit your dog’s veterinarian. Other warning signs include blood in the stool, vomiting, dehydration, collapse, lowered heart rate. 

You know your pet better than anyone else, so you’ll be able to assess the situation. Trust your instinct as a pet parent and call the vet if you’re concerned about your pet’s health.

Dog Diarrhea Testing and Treatment

It’s crucial to treat ongoing diarrhea early to prevent dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance. Severe dehydration may require hospitalization, so act fast. 

Since there are so many possible causes of diarrhea, your vet will run a series of tests to rule out or confirm specific problems. These diagnostic tests include:

• A fecal flotation test requires a small stoole sample to be submerged in a special liquid. The goal is to identify parasite eggs in the host’s stool. 
• Parvo testing screens for parvovirus and is done with a fecal swab.
• Giardia tests or a fecal smear are used to identify the presence of the Giardia parasite.
• Gram stains are microscopic tests done to look for harmful bacteria.
• Blood work can identify metabolic disease, inflammation, anemia, and the balance of electrolytes, digestive enzymes, and endocrine levels. 
• Clostridium difficile toxin test to identify C. difficile.
• Food allergy tests
• Blood clotting tests
• Imaging includes x rays, ultrasounds, or radiographs and will be used to identify obstructions caused by foreign objects, inflammation, cancers, and more.

Veterinary Treatment

Your vet will administer medications appropriate for your pet’s diagnosis. 

Over-the-counter supplements like probiotics or Vets Preferred Advanced Anti Diarrhea can soothe the stomach, restore gut bacteria and stop diarrhea fast. You can give probiotics to your pet regularly to boost their immune system and support a healthy gut microbiome. Pre+ Probiotics are complementary treatment with antibiotics. 

If digestive enzymes are insufficient, Digestive Enzyme supplements may form a part of your pet’s long-term care. 

Parasite prevention and vaccinations are also important for preventing many of the diseases that can trigger diarrhea. 

Home Treatment

A short period of withholding food, followed by a bland diet of cooked rice and boiled chicken, can help the stomach recover while still providing your pet with an easily digestible diet. Stick to small portions and continue to offer bland food until diarrhea has stopped. Slowly reintroduce your dog’s food when they’ve made a full recovery. 

Dietary management is a fundamental part of caring for your pet. Please speak to your vet about your dog’s diet to make sure it’s suitable for your pet’s stage of life and health. 

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Brown, Firm, and Squishy – The Perfect Poop!

You may want to run and hide when you see the first signs of diarrhea on your rug. However, as pet parents, we all need to deal with the messy that comes with taking care of a dependant. Your pet cannot tell you how they feel, so it’s important to notice any changes in their health and behavior. If you don’t, then who will? 

Continue to care for your pet by supporting their immune system, taking them for regular wellness exams, exercising with them, a feeding them a healthy diet. If you’re lucky, your pet will reward you with loads of affection…and perfect brown logs! 

FAQ:

• What is the most common cause of diarrhea in dogs? Most often, an upset stomach is caused by parasites or an unfussy pet who’s been eating garbage. 
• What do you give a dog for diarrhea? Over-the-counter supplements like probiotics or Vets Preferred Advanced Anti Diarrhea can soothe the stomach, restore gut bacteria and stop diarrhea fast.
• When should I be concerned about my dog’s diarrhea? If diarrhea continues for more than 48 hours or is intermittent and chronic, then it’s time to visit your dog’s veterinarian. Other warning signs include blood in the stool, vomiting, dehydration, collapse, lowered heart rate. 
• Why does my dog have diarrhea but is acting normal? Your dog may be reacting to something they ate, such as spoiled food. Antibiotics or new medication can also cause diarrhea while your pet adjusts.