My new 9-week-old puppy has diarrhea. How can I treat it at home?
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.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025