My puppy has diarrhea. Could she be allergic to her bland chicken?

Hello, sorry to hear about Snowball. Certain food proteins can definitely cause inflammation of the bowel and thus diarrhea. There are 3 main categories that we consider when we talk about diarrhea that has been going on for a long time. Food Responsive diarrhea is one which responds to a different type of protein or more fiber or gluten free food. A diet trial should be performed for a period of 6-8 weeks with each food change Snowball sees as it takes that long to have a response. Antibiotic Responsive diarrhea is that which responds to long term use of antibiotics such as metronidazole or tylosin powder. Steroid responsive diarrhea is that which is typically caused by an inflammatory process such as autoimmune disease and thus the steroids work by suppressing the immune system. Managing these problems can definitely be stressful for the owner, pet, and veterinarian but with some patience you will hopefully get to the bottom of it. Best of luck and hope this helps.

It is certainly possible that the food is the problem. I couldn't say what it is about that brand that is problematic, but some dogs simply do better with certain brands than others. If she has a chicken allergy, I would make sure that whatever brand of food you choose you check extremely carefully for ingredients, and may go as far as calling up the company. Sometimes they can sneak something like "poultry by product" in at the very end of the ingredient list and it is very easy to miss. There are also prescription diets available that are very low ingredient and generally safer for pets with dietary issues. Other issues that can cause gastrointestinal issues in dogs would include inflammatory or infectious diseases, immune-mediated diseases (such as IBD), certain cancers, liver disease, and a few other less common possibilities. If she hasn't already, it might be a good idea to obtain some blood work just to see if everything is checking out OK. Ultrasound and abdominal radiographs are also possibilities if you want to explore the problem in more detail.

From what your are describing it sounds like Snowball has a potential food allergy. it will not be confirmed until she has been on the hypoallergenic food for at least 6 weeks. But solid feces with only a small amount of mucus sounds like she is improving. Make sure not to give her any treats or table scraps while she is on her food trial as this will confuse the results.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. This could be a sensitivity to the food that she is currently eating. You can start by changing her diet to a sensitive stomach type diet to see if she improves. If no improvement is noted, I recommend that you have Stella evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

I'm sorry to hear of your concerns with Snowball. Inflammatory bowel disease can be a frustrating problem to deal with. The only way to definitively diagnose it is via intestinal biopsies. Food trials with hypoallergenic diets can be helpful in cases of inflammatory bowel disease, but do not always solve the overall problem. Sometimes a course of steroids, supplementation a certain vitamins and even antibiotics are needed to get things back on track. Given that it sounds like Snowball has a sensitive stomach, I would not recommend feeding lettuce as it is difficult to digest. Oftentimes feeding a low-fat, easily digested diet can be helpful. If the diarrhea continues I would recommend having Snowball seen by your veterinarian. There are certain blood tests that can be beneficial to determine if any additional vitamins are needed and they can help you to develop a plan for further diagnostics or management of symptoms in a long term.

Some dogs are very sensitive to dietary changes without having true IBS or food allergies. If she does well on a bland kibble then I would recommend just being strict about no other treats. If she continues to have diarrhea the hypoallergenic diet trials would be something to consider. Also even considering biopsy of the intestinal tract at the time of spay may be something to consider in the future if this continues. I hope this is helpful!

It should run its course and stop eventually. If she is behaving normally otherwise, you can try a 24 hour fast. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet, in small, frequent amounts. Begin with 1 tablespoon of food and gradually increase the amount. Feed bland until the stool is normal, then transition slowly to her regular diet. Since she has an allergy to chicken, you can use cooked/drained ground beef and equal parts plain white rice (cooked). You will need to see your veterinarian if the diarrhea persists or if Darby develops lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite or abdominal pain.