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Why does my dog have diarrhea, a warm dry nose, but is eating?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's nose is warm and dry, and he has diarrhea. He is still eating and drinking. What's wrong?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Debi Matlack

Veterinary Technician

Published on January 29th, 2015

The diarrhea could be caused by any number of things; intestinal parasites, a bacterial infection, even being constipated will sometimes manifest as diarrhea because liquid feces is all that will get by the impacted fecal material. It could be as simple as a dietary indiscretion, meaning she might have gotten into the trash and eaten something that didn't agree with her. Try taking away all food, treats included, for 24 hours (only if she is an adult dog; puppies should never be fasted for more than 12 hours). She can still have water. This will give her gut a chance to rest. After the 24 hours are up, introduce just a small amount of her normal food. Wait a little while and give her a little more. Keep doing this until she has had her normal amount for the morning. However, if she continues to have loose stool, or starts vomiting, loses her appetite, acts lethargic, and/or develops a fever, get her in to be seen by your vet right away as this could indicate a more serious problem.

68Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Debi Matlack
Veterinary Technician
Published on February 5th, 2015
The diarrhea could be caused by any number of things; intestinal parasites, a bacterial infection, even being constipated will sometimes manifest as diarrhea because liquid feces is all that will get by the impacted fecal material. It could be as simple as a dietary indiscretion, meaning she might have gotten into the trash and eaten something that didn't agree with her. Try taking away all food, treats included, for 24 hours. S/he can still have water. This will give the gut a chance to rest. After the 24 hours are up, introduce just a small amount of normal food. Wait a little while and give a little more. Keep doing this until s/he has had her normal amount for the morning. However, if s/he continues to have loose stool, or starts vomiting, loses her appetite, acts lethargic, and/or develops a fever, get her in to be seen by your vet right away as this could indicate a more serious problem.
17Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on November 27th, 2016
Poor pup! If she's acting normal otherwise, you can try feeding her a bland diet of plain boiled chicken and rice for the next few days until her stool returns to normal. Also, if she hasn't been dewormed recently, I would suggest doing this also - intestinal parasites are a very common cause of diarrhea in puppies this age.

If these things don't help, or if she develops any other symptoms such as vomiting, acting lethargic, or not wanting to eat, I would recommend having her examined by a vet as these can be signs of a more serious problem.
4Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 13th, 2017
Poor Zoey! If you already tried chicken and rice and she is still having diarrhea then she should be examined by a vet for treatment. She may have ingested something that is causing inflammation in her intestines. Your vet can prescribe medications to help stop the diarrhea. If you can't get her to a vet then you could withhold food for 12-18 hours and then try a small amount of chicken and rice and see how she does. Offer plenty of fresh water so she doesn't get dehydrated.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My dog has diarrhea, dry nose, warm ears, not eating. Vet or wait?

Your information doesn't say how old she is. If a young puppy then I would go in immediately. If an adult, then fasting food for 12 hours, then offering a bland diet of Boiled chicken and rice. If she won't eat, if she begins vomiting, or if there is blood in her bowel movement then she should be seen. Or at any time if she seems to be getting worse. I hope she improves soon. Thanks for using Pet Coach

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my dog not eating food, has diarrhea, but still eats treats?

It is common for them to lose their appetite when they have a gastrointestinal disburance. Considering she has diarrhea, she is likely battling an infection, or food intolerance that is also making her feel nauseous. This may be due to another problem like a foreign body, or intestinal worms. Diarrhea is a common problem and is usually self-limiting (will go away on its own). It doesn't appear to be serious right now, but it's always possible that it could be the start of something serious. If Abby has any of the following, then she should see a vet: 1) Blood in diarrhea 2) Very watery diarrhea 3) Starts acting very depressed 4) Stops eating (i.e. will not even eat treats) or drinking for longer than 24 hours. 5) Diarrhea lasts longer than three days. You can often help them get through this by feeding bland food (boneless chicken and rice is good), but if she won't eat her normal food, then this may not work. Feed small portions (1/2 cup or less) three times a day. You can also add probiotics to the food (can get this at the pet store), which has demonstrated some efficacy for improving diarrhea. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available. I hope this helps and Abby gets better soon.

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Dog diarrhea for 36 hours, eating & acting normal. When to see vet?

There are many reasons why dogs develop diarrhea. Some of these reasons are that they are something they shouldn't like trash, fatty foods, or possibly ate something that isn't food at all, such as a piece of a toy, stick, or stone. A dog may also develop diarrhea from parasites, ingesting a toxin, or some sort of infectious disease, among many other possibilities. My general cutoff if a dog is eating and drinking well and acting normally is 36 hours without the diarrhea resolving likely warrants a trip to the veterinarian. Your vet will examine Natty Boh and may recommend abdominal radiographs and possibly some bloodwork. The vet may prescribe an antidiarrhea medication and because diarrhea can lead to dehydration, they may offer to give her some fluids either under her skin (subcutaneously or in an IV). Until you can get Natty Boh to the veterinarian I would recommend making sure she is drinking well. You can also try a bland diet of plain boiled boneless skinless chicken breast and white rice to help settle her GI tract until she can be examined by her vet. I hope this was helpful!

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My dog has diarrhea and a rash near her nose. Could they be related?

I doubt they were caused by the same thing but that doesn't mean stress or being sick didn't affect another part of the body to make it more susceptible to a disease. There is nothing to put on her mouth since she will just lick it off. You can try boiled chicken and rice and add canine probiotics to the food to help with the diarrhea until you can get her seen. She will likely need a fecal exam and a skin sample by a vet since it has been going on for so long

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My dog has diarrhea, isn't eating, runny nose. Should I see a vet?

Hi there! Sorry to hear that Reeses is not feeling well. The clinical signs you describe are concerning when they occur in a puppy as they can be seen with serious gastrointestinal infections such as Parvovirus. Other possibilities include intestinal worms and dietary indiscretion, among other possibilities. The sooner these conditions are treated the better the outcome tends to be. For this reason, I recommend that you have Reeses evaluated by your veterinarian to check for these possibilities and to start therapy based on findings. At the very least they can address dehydration if present and start him on medications to make him feel better. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for your boy!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why is my dog having bloody diarrhea and not eating for several days?

Blood in the stool, even if it seems to "go away" and come back later, is never normal. The fact that it's accompanied by diarrhea suggests colitis, or inflammation of the colon, as opposed to some type of bleeding mass in the rectum or colon. Colitis can have a number of causes, including dietary indiscretion (eating something rotten or non-food), parasites, food allergies/food sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, or infection. Leah may improve with a diet change, perhaps a more digestible diet specifically for gastrointestinal problems. To assume it's a "tummy issue" could be to ignore causes that are treatable, and at this point she's not only having diarrhea but she also lost her appetite. It's been three days and she's not improving, so I recommend having her seen by her vet for labwork to include parasite testing, blood work, and urinalysis for starters. If all is normal consider a bland diet (as recommended above), and a probiotic supplement. Ultimately, she may need to have biopsies taken to diagnose the exact cause.

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My dog is shaking, trembling, and has watery diarrhea. Is he sick?

It sounds like your dog is very uncomfortable or even painful, probably in his belly from your description of his symptoms. The diarrhea could be caused by any number of things; intestinal parasites, a bacterial infection, even being constipated will sometimes manifest as diarrhea because liquid feces is all that will get by the impacted fecal material. It could be as simple as a dietary indiscretion, meaning he might have gotten into the trash and eaten something that didn't agree with him. If he continues to have loose stool, or starts vomiting, loses his appetite, acts lethargic, and/or develops a fever, get him in to be seen by your vet right away as this could indicate a more serious problem.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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