Parvo recovery: Is soft, inconsistent stool normal for my dog?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. In dogs infected with parvo virus, there can be long term health effects from the infection such as chronic gastrointestinal disease. I would recommend going on a sensitive stomach formula and adding in a probiotic to see if this helps. As always, check the stool for intestinal parasites to make sure a parasite is not the cause. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would agree with your veterinarian. He is likely going to go to the bathroom soon. Oftentimes when a dog is recovering from having diarrhea, they stop defecating for a a day or two. That is not a big concern. I am so glad to hear that Leo is getting better! Keep up the good work!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Nayla! I am very glad Nayla is on the road to recovery! Yes, the diarrhea will persist for several days after parvo viral infections. More due to the fact that intestinal lining is what is affected from virus. It takes time for the lining to repair itself and for absorption to return to normal. Very black tarry stool indicates upper gastro-intestinal bleeding. It could be residual from stomach ulceration. If she has more black stool I would call your Vet and ask if that is the color of her diarrhea while she was hospitalized. They may want to add pepcid or another antacid if she isn't on one. I hope this helps and I wish Nayla continued improvement!

Hello. It does sometimes take time for the gut to heal after a bad bout of Parvo, & 11 days of treatment says to me this was a tough one. Continue to fed Pluto, but you might want to switch to an intestinal diet or one made for sensitive stomachs & skin. I would try feeding pretty small amounts frequently, rather than 2-3 larger meals a day. Even a tablespoon or two every hour or so might be tolerated better. If your Pluto was not under the care of a vet for this, I would also be concerned about concurrent intestinal parasites, so a good deworming may be necessary. Take a sample into your vet for analysis & a recommendation if there are parasites present. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This could still be from the parvo. Puppies can have abnormal stool on and off for up to a month after surviving the disease. If that’s not the case, often a prescription strength high fiber or hydrolyzed protein diet will help. There are some cases that will not respond to diet, and at that point your vet can discuss referral to an internist, further testing, or medications like Tylan powder to help. Best of luck to you and Luna!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Luna has made a pretty impressive recovery from her Parvo diagnosis, and you did a great job caring for her at home. Since she is doing so well with her currently therapy plan, I would continue her medications for the proper length of time as indicated by your veterinarian. I would not recommend stopping any medication earlier than prescribed, as this can sometimes cause dog's clinical signs to reappear. If you have any specific questions about the medications prescribed for Luna, I recommend contacting the veterinarian who prescribed them to see if he/she would like you to continue them for longer than originally prescribed. Otherwise, as long as Luna is otherwise healthy and acting normally at home, I would not be concerned. I hope this is helpful!