My raw-fed German Shepherd has diarrhea but is still lively. Why?

Finding the cause of the diarrhea is the most important thing right now as the treatment will depend on the cause. If you haven't already, having a fecal exam done as well as possible bloodwork or X-rays is best. This can help rule out common issues such as parasites, infections, etc that can cause diarrhea. German Shepherds are also prone to some issues that can cause malabsorption, which can lead to diarrhea, discolored stool, weight loss, etc. Bloodwork can help to rule these out, and in most cases the issue is resolved with a daily medication. If no major issues can be found, then a food trial may be helpful for finding any food allergies causing the GI upset.

It is possible that Chloe is having an adverse food reaction and might not be tolerating the Purina Lamb and Rice. I recommend having your veterinarian check a sample of her diarrhea to make sure no parasites are present, but if everything looks okay, you might consider a prescription hypoallergenic diet trial. If that doesn't help, German Shepherds are known to occasionally have some chronic diarrhea that can be due to enzyme deficiencies, so further testing might be warranted. Hopefully a simple food change might be enough.

Chronic diarrhea can be a frustrating issue! In a young German Shepherd, my main concerns for Charlie are that he may have intestinal parasites, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or inflammatory bowel disease. If he has not recently had a stool sample checked for parasites, this is a good starting point. If no parasites are seen, consider discussing blood work (CBC, chemistry, B12, TLI, folate) and an abdominal ultrasound to try to get to the bottom of this situation. Probiotics (Fortiflora and Proviable are two brands) may be beneficial. I hope that all goes well!

I am sorry Chingo is not feeling well. With Chingo being older I would recommend taking him to the vet for a good exam and some basic testing like blood work. IT is possible that parasites, gastric upset or even infection has caused the diarrhea. However with his older age I would be concerned about possibly a more sever underlying disease. You can try an over the counter probiotic with a bland diet for 24-48 hours of boiled chicken and white rice. However if the diarrhea does not improve Chingo really needs to go to a vet. I hope that helps

She may have eaten something she shouldn't have, it could be infection or possibly intestinal parasites. You can submit a stool sample to your vet to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. In the meantime, withhold food for 12 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until the stool is normal before transitioning slowly to Jedda's regular diet. See your vet if Jedda becomes lethargic, begins vomiting, loses her appetite or exhibits signs of abdominal pain. A bland diet can be plain white rice mixed with one of the following: cottage cheese, boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked/drained ground turkey or cooked/drained ground beef.

If lethargy is not present, you could try, as a first approach to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice more vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I can certainly understand being concerned about Apollo! Given that he is up to date on his vaccines and deworming treatment, it could be that the diarrhea is caused by a GI illness, eating something rotten, or a foreign body. Keep in mind, however, that at 10 weeks of age he isn't old enough to be fully vaccinated, so there is always a chance it could be something more serious like parvovirus or distemper causing the diarrhea. I would keep a close eye on him, and if you see blood in his diarrhea, he starts vomiting, he becomes lethargic, he starts having diarrhea more frequently, he develops a high fever, he becomes very lethargic, he has reddened eyes, and/or he develops a nasal and eye discharge, have him seen by a vet immediately. Having diarrhea three times over a nine hour time period with no other signs isn't excessive enough to warrant a trip to the animal ER, so I will give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Withhold food for 6-8 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. As I said above, monitor him closely for the signs I mentioned earlier in my answer, and rush him into a vet right away if you see any of them. Good luck, I hope this helps and thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your concerns!