My dog has loose stools, won't eat, and eats grass. Should I worry?

Loose stool and lack of appetite could be caused by parasites, change in diet, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Please make an appointment to have Tootsie seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible for diagnostics and treatment. In the meantime, if she is not eating well, you can try boiling boneless skinless chicken in water, shredding the chicken, and feeding her small amounts of the resulting chicken broth and cooked chicken once it has cooled. You can also add in plain boiled white rice. I recommend taking in a fecal sample from Tootsie to your vet as well, as that may aid them in making a diagnosis. Good luck, and I hope she feels better soon!

Poor Ace! The diarrhea could be due to many conditions including eating something he shouldn’t have, bacterial over growth, parasites or other even organ disease. It's likely the diarrhea and the not eating are related. If the diarrhea has continued beyond 24 hours, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian. With continued diarrhea, there are often bacterial shifts in the gut that will make matters worse regardless of the initial cause. Make sure to bring in a sample of fresh stool. The doctor will check him for parasites and bacterial over growth. Many times a bland diet can help and then a slow, gradual introduction to the normal food can be done. A bland diet can consist of 25% boiled white meat chicken and 75% boiled white rice. This should all be plain. A good diet in general is Royal Canin. It is low residue and highly digestible. Since Ace will not eat anything you offer, he needs treatment and medication to get and feel better. When pets don't eat well, they often don't drink as much as they should and can become dehydrated. Have him examined today. I hope Ace starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions!

It sounds like Moose may have some gastro-intestinal upset. You didn't mention vomiting-- If there's been no vomiting then that is good. However, decreased appetite and the loose stools are concerning. When the colon (large intestine) is inflamed, sometimes they feel like they need to poop even though there isn't anything more coming out. As for what may be causing the GI upset, it could be gastroenteritis which is inflammation of the stomach and or intestines-- this could be from eating something out of the ordinary such as getting into the garbage or eating mulch, etc, or it may be secondary to anything from kidney disease to cancer. I don't see Moose's age listed; if he is older, the concern that there is a more serious underlying problem is higher. If he is a younger dog, gastroenteritis is more likely. Since he seems lethargic, I strongly recommend that you take him in to the vet at your first convenience. If the lethargy is getting worse, or if he starts vomiting or having blood in the stool or vomit, seek emergency care. If you are unable to take him to the vet, you can offer a bland diet (boiled chicken and white rice) for a couple of days and see if that helps. If it is not improving, please get him in for an exam. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

She may have an upset stomach, maybe she ate something she shouldn't have, swallowed something that is causing an obstruction, parasites, or an infection of some kind are possibilities. I recommend getting he seen by your vet, especially if she isn't feeling well. Your vet will do an exam, labwork and possibly x-rays. Based on these findings, they will be able to give you a better idea of what is going on and give you treatment options.

Hello, and thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like Sirius may have an upset stomach. Keep an eye on his stools - you may be seeing some diarrhea in the next day or two. I recommend feeding him small amounts of bland food today (white rice and boiled lowfat chicken). If you see any further vomiting, if his appetite decreases, or if diarrhea shows up, then I recommend bringing him in to the vet to be evaluated. He may need some supportive GI meds to turn around, or this could be the first sign of something more serious, such as a foreign body (something stuck in his GI tract), pancreatitis, etc. Hope this helps and he feels better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear about Oreo. The eating of manure/mud does not concern me nearly as much as the weight loss. In a dog this age, kidney disease, heart failure, and cancer are big worries for me. Take Oreo into your vet sooner rather than later. He or she will do a good physical exam (which is sometimes enough to suspect heart failure or cancer) and will likely recommend routine bloodwork to rule out organ disease. If everything comes up normal, probiotics, supplements, or pancreatic enzymes may be recommended. Best wishes to you and Oreo.

Poor Oreo! If he's had a sudden change in diet, that could be the cause of his diarrhea, but it could also be due to a GI illness, eating something rotten, or a foreign body. The discharge from his eye is indicative of an eye infection. He will need to see a vet for these problems. The eye infection has to be treated by a vet, as leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss. Call his vet today to make an appointment so his problems can be diagnosed and treated. Best of luck.