My Shih Tzu has diarrhea after pumpkin. How can I get him better?

The short answer is...yes. Plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling) can be used to add fiber to the diet, promote healthy stool and a healthy gut, but may cause loose stool if too much is given or if Romeo has an allergy to pumpkin. The rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight once or twice daily. Decrease the amount if the stool is soft. As long as he is behaving normally, he does not need to be seen by your veterinarian. What you can do at home is withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small amounts until the stool is normal then transition slowly back to his regular diet. You can try the pumpkin again at a later date, but if he develops loose stools, then discontinue it and consider an alternative. Make sure he has plenty of fresh, clean water to drink at all times. Dehydration may cause firm stool. Monitor for lethargy, vomiting persistent diarrhea, loss of appetite or abdominal pain. These are symptoms that should be addressed right away by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER.

Hello! I wouldn’t be too worried about lily at this point. if she is otherwise feeling good, I might try her on a very bland diet for a few days. An example of a bland diet would be boiled skinless chicken breast and steamed white rice (1 part chicken to 2-3 parts rice). If the diarrhea is persisting or if her appetite decreases or if she begins vomiting then I would have her veterinarian evaluate her. It would be a good idea to bring a sample of her stool in if the diarrhea continues so her vet can screen for intestinal parasites. I hope lily is back to herself very soon!

Pumpkin does contain fiber, which can help with mild diarrhea some of the time. It certainly won't hurt anything to give it a try. However, if the diarrhea has been going on for more than 24 hours, I'd also schedule a vet visit for tomorrow. If Bruno seems weak, uninterested in eating, or just generally very ill, I'd recommend going to an emergency clinic tonight for evaluation.

Poor Penny. You're doing the right thing by first trying to fast her. Try adding in 1-2 tsp of canned pumpkin (not the filling) in her food once a day. If she is still having really loose stools by tomorrow, then she needs to see your vet. She may have a parasite problem or another internal illness (i.e. Pancreas, Liver disease, Gallbladder disease) that subsequently causes abnormal stools. The vet will know what to check and test for to determine the cause. I hope Penny gets better soon.

I'm sorry that Jorkey is having diarrhea. It is unlikely that the diarrhea is related to getting the vaccines. It is possible it is due to intestinal parasites or even the de-worming medication, if he received that on Saturday. Stress can also cause diarrhea, so if he was anxious or stressed about the visit, that could have contributed. I would recommend you take him back to your vet to have his diarrhea evaluated. He may need a temporary diet change, probiotics, and potentially an anti-inflammatory medication for his colon. He also may need to be checked for intestinal parasites and be de-wormed with a different medication. I hope he is feeling better very soon!

"Simple" diarrhea can frequently be managed at home by withholding food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet (1:1 ratio of plain boiled boneless chicken and plain white rice). Feed in small, frequent amounts waiting at least one hour between feedings. Continue feeding until the stool is normal. Transition slowly to the regular diet. If the diarrhea doesn’t stop or other symptoms (vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc.) develop, see your veterinarian.

As long as Benny isn't straining or attempting to defecate without producing stool I wouldn't worry about lack of defecation. Sometimes after diarrhea resolves things can slow down through the gastrointestinal tract and it can take several days to resume a normal frequency of defecation. Sometimes adding fiber to the diet such as canned pumpkin can help with diarrhea, but since Benny hasn't had diarrhea in the past 24 hours I would simply continue the chicken and rice and begin a gradual transition to his usual diet in a day or two. If he goes more than three days without defecating I'd recommend seeing your vet.