What causes diarrhoea in a dog?

It can be difficult to pinpoint the original cause of diarrhoea in a dog, which is brought on by an upset digestive system. One well known cause of diarrhoea in a dog is a change of pet food; it is not advisable to suddenly give your dog new pet food.

Easing him into his new pet diet over a couple of days will help his digestive system to accept new ingredients in the food. You should do this by mixing his new food with his old food, gradually increasing the mix so that the levels of new food increase.

Sometimes a dog that is out in the park or running through woodland will stop and chew on a twig or pick up a stone, thinking it is food. If he swallows it (as dogs often do) this can cause him to have a problem until it passes through his system.

A serious condition, and cause of diarrhoea, is your pet having a parasite, a roundworm or maybe a whip worm, if this is the case your vet will be able to assist.

Also if you allow a dog to play with an empty container that has held certain chemicals, he may have an allergic reaction.

More often than not, a dog that has diarrhoea will still play with his toys and eat and drink, if he is listless then you should take him to a vet. The main symptom of diarrhoea is a soft watery stool, although this should clear up within 24 hours. If your dog continues to have this problem, along with a rumbling stomach and ‘gas’, it is important you take him to his local vet straight away.

Doggie tip: boil some chicken or rice, feed him some of the meat with a little of the boiled water and reduce the size of his portions of biscuits to half for a couple of days, this action will calm his digestive system.

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