Puppy ate mulch, now has diarrhea but is playful. What to do?

Hi, and thanks for your question. These signs could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. 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!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bennett. The concern I have is that he may have more mulch still in his system given that one piece has come out. I'd monitor him for now. If you still see blood in his poop or other signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, a loss of appetite, or lethargy, take him into an ER vet right away. I hope this helps!

Poor Barney. Feed him 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 refuses to eat 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. I hope this helps!

Thanks for the question. I'm glad to hear that Fenris is still playing and eating, but I am concerned that the stool is so watery. Yes, it is always possible that this is just a dietary issue, however because it has been going on for 4 days, and is so watery, I'm concerned that this is something infectious. At 11 weeks my main concern is parvovirus, however most of these pups act really sick, but it is still possible. Other possibilities are things like giardia, coccidia, or a viral infection. I recommend collecting a sample of the diarrhea in a bag or container and bringing it to a veterinarian for testing. They will be able to determine if there is a specific medication that is needed to fix the problem. Puppies this age don't have a lot of reserves, and can become dehydrated quickly. I'm happy that Fenris seems to be otherwise feeling okay so far, but I would feel better getting the diarrhea under control before it becomes a more serious problem. I hope Fenris is back to normal soon.

If Rumble has been eating mulch, this could cause an obstruction as well as an upset stomach. That may be why he isn't eating a lot lately. I'd take him into a vet as soon as possible to get checked out. Best of luck.

It is very possible, and I would be worried if he's now having vomiting and diarrhea, as that may indicate a partial blockage (where some but not all stool is able to properly pass). If his symptoms continue, or none of the pee pad is passing, I would schedule a vet visit immediately to check for foreign body.

Hi Deja! It is common that puppies eat things outside such as branches and mulch, but it is strongly recommended to keep them from doing that. Branches can cause trauma to the GI tract, and some types of mulch can be toxic to dogs if they contain cocoa beans. Puppies may eat this stuff due to intestinal worms, which would also cause her to poop in her crate. I would make sure Daisy is up to date on her deworming treatments, giving her one if she is not. I recommend Panacur, which is a three day course of treatment. She will need another course of treatment two weeks after the first to kill all the worms, and then she should be dewormed every three months. Pick up any branches outside, and keep her away from the mulch to keep her from eating it.