Why is my new 5-month-old puppy having diarrhea and accidents?

Diarrhea is a common problem in puppies, and can range from a short duration mild episode to a severe of a serious underlying condition. There are a number of causes of diarrhea in very young dogs, the most common ones include: stress induced, change in diet, Ingestion of a foreign object, parasites and viral infections. If your puppy is having diarrhea, there's no reason to panic as long as the puppy still eating drinking and playful or the diarrhea is very severe. It’s always important to keep a close eye on a puppy with diarrhea, as puppies can get much sicker much faster. If the problem doesn't resolve within a few potty sessions, or the puppy start to show other systemic signs such as vomiting, lethargy, reduced appetite you should make an appointment with your veterinarian or local emergency clinic. Bear in mind young puppies can become dangerously dehydrated in 24 hours or less.

It is very common for puppies to have diarrhea. This can happen with intestinal parasites, infectious diseases such as parvo virus, change in diet or even stress from the change in homes. It's possible that he also picked up and ate something off the grass that upset his system. If he's normal otherwise (no vomiting, good appetite, normal activity level) you could start by giving him plain boiled chicken breast and plain white rice in a 1 to 1 ratio. You can also add a small amount of pumpkin puree as the fiber can help firm up the stools. If the diarrhea continues or he becomes ill, starts vomiting, acting lethargic, or doesn't want to eat, I would strongly recommend taking him to a veterinarian right away. They will most likely want to do a fecal exam to check for parasites, a parvo test to check for this very serious illness and may even do blood work and x-rays to look for evidence of a stomach or intestinal blockage. This is very common in puppies since they like to chew on and swallow things they shouldn't.

It's possible the change in food could be causing digestive upset. The best way to start transitioning to solids is to make a slurry of their regular milk replacer that they've already been on combined with a little bit of the puppy food. This helps make it easier to digest without being too big of a change and may help settle their stomachs. Checking for any parasites with a fecal exam and deworming may also help, however if the vomiting or diarrhea continues, a vet checkup to rule out anything more serious is best.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ludo. He will need to see his veterinarian regarding the diarrhea. Being a young puppy, intestinal parasites are common. He could also be experiencing a bacterial imbalance secondary to the diet change and the stress of coming to a new home. His veterinarian will likely perform fecal tests and prescribe a medication and possibly a probiotic. In the meantime, encourage him to drink plenty of water so that he does not become dehydrated from the diarrhea. I hope this information helps!

Baylee is adorable! The most common reason that we will see diarrhea in a puppy is some type of intestinal parasite. You didn't mention if your vet has checked a stool sample, but puppies can commonly have intestinal parasites. Some are microscopic, so the only way to know that they have them is for your vet to look under the microscope. And even if a puppy has been dewormed, it is common for them to have other intestinal parasites since there are no many different types of parasites and they each require a specific type of deworming. So, my first recommendation is to have your veterinarian do a fecal check on Baylee, then decide on any other treatment. You didn't mention if she had normal stool (or any stool) on the chicken and rice diet. Generally, I recommend continuing chicken and rice until they have been passing normal stool for 48 hours, then start a gradual transition back to the normal diet. If Baylee is sensitive to food changes, you may only be able to change 10% of her food each day, so it may take 10 days to completely transition her food to prevent GI upset. Diarrhea that continues for more than a few days, or is associated with blood in the stool, vomiting, lethargy or a poor appetite is a reason for a visit to your veterinarian. There are anti-diarrheal medications that your veterinarian can prescribe. Sometimes puppies need a probiotic for their intestinal tract depending on their age and diet history, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian about that as well. I have attached a couple of links below with more information for you. Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.co/article/most-common-causes-of-diarrhea-in-dogs/ Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Dogs will frequently develop diarrhea from a diet change which is why it is recommended to slowly transition your pet from one food to another. Since worms have been ruled out, it is likely that this is your pup's issue, although there may be many reasons for diarrhea including infection, allergies and other disorders. If the diarrhea does not resolve in another day or two, you should take her back to your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of the diarrhea.

I would recommend bringing Dakota to a veterinarian. Typically, I would recommend boiled chicken and white rice but due to her age I would recommend having a veterinarian make sure there are no intestinal parasites and that the diarrhea is just from the stress and diet change. Your veterinarian can also prescribe medication to help the diarrhea resolve. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.