My puppy ate earthworms and has diarrhea. What should I do now?

It is quite possible that he is nauseous from the medicine or he had a lot of worms which are now dying and that is causing him a tummy ache. Don;t feed him for 12 to 24 hours and then offer him some bland food such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken. Feed him small portions often. When he has regained his appetite he should be fine. There is a possibility that he will get diarrhea as well for a day or two as the body is going to try to get rid of the worms as quickly as possible.

These signs could be compatible with a colitis, which is an inflammation of the last part of the colon possibly secondary to the parasite infection, usually related to dietary indiscretion. As a first approach, I would suggest 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 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!

Oh no, poor Fat Boy! You are correct that worms could be causing the diarrhea, but if he was being starved, the sudden change in diet could also be causing the diarrhea. I can give you a home remedy to try to see if that helps. Withhold food for 12-24 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. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, he starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away. With the deworming, he will need another deworming treatment two weeks after the first to kill all the worms. After that, he should be dewormed every three months.

It is possible that if your dog had a severe round worm problem, all the dead worms now are causing the intestine to try and get rid of them as fast as possible. This is achieved by diarrhea. I would wait for another day to see whether it goes away by itself. If not, then I suggest you withhold food for about 12 hrs and then feed some bland food (boiled rice and boneless chicken) for a day and then slowly transition back to his normal food. If that does not clear it up, it is time for a vet visit.

It sounds like Odin has a very heavy infestion of worms, and you can get him an OTC deworming treatment for it. I recommend Panacur. In the meantime, try to tempt him to eat by soaking his puppy food in gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth, or offering him small amounts of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice. Should he refuse to eat this and continues not to drink, then it becomes a medical emergency, and you will need to find a vet on call to see him right away.

Poor pups. While a heavy parasite load can cause severe GI upset, and anemia which can cause a pup to become extremely lethargic, have bloody diarrhea, etc, I would also want to rule out underlying illnesses as a possibility. It would be best to bring them to a vet ASAP especially if they are lethargic or unable to keep any food or water down as puppies can quickly become very dehydrated. They may also need supportive care such as an IV or injected medications if they are very ill from the parasites or other causes. You can try continuing to offer water, or rubbing a little honey on their gums for energy until you can get to the vet, however due to the severity of symptoms it would be best to seek emergency care.

Yes, if your dog has a sensitive GI tract. Dogs won't typically get infected with rabbit parasites. They are usually species specific. Withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet ( boiled boneless / skinless chicken and plain white rice) in small, frequent amounts. Continue feeding until the stool is normal. Transition slowly to the regular diet afterwards. If the diarrhea does not resolve, see your veterinarian. Submit a stool sample to rule out other intestinal parasites. Try to restrict your dog's access to rabbit stool.