My 12-week-old puppy has diarrhea, won't eat. Is it giardia?

Hi there! Sorry to hear that she is not feeling well. The clinical signs you describe are concerning when they occur in a puppy as they can be seen with serious gastrointestinal infections such as Parvovirus. Other possibilities include intestinal worms and dietary indiscretion, among other possibilities. The sooner these conditions are treated the better the outcome tends to be. For this reason, I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian to check for these possibilities and to start therapy based on findings. At the very least they can address dehydration if present and start her on anti-diarrhea medications. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for your girl!

There aren’t any vitamin supplements that I’m aware of that would improve appetite after giardia. You could try offering canned dog food or plain boiled chicken breast with white rice as long as Luna doesn’t have any food sensitivities. If Luna has vomited or is her appetite doesn’t return in the next 24 hours it would be a good idea to recheck with your vet to make sure there is nothing else going on.

Poor pup! Diarrhea with no obvious cause can definitely be frustrating. If no parasites were seen on her fecal exam and she's acting normal otherwise, then it may be a food allergy or intolerance issue - I have seen this a number of times in puppies with diarrhea who tested negative for all the usual suspects, but did very well with a diet change. You can try feeding her plain boiled chicken and white rice for the next 3-5 days to see if the diarrhea resolves - if so, then she may need to stay on a special, easily digestible diet such as Hills i/d or Royal Canin GI diet.

Your pups are so cute! Diarrhea and reduced appetite could be caused by parasites, change in diet, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. Parvovirus is also a possibility, particularly in a dog as young as Rocky, as you mentioned he is too young to have had all his boosters yet. Please make an appointment to have Rocky seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as diarrhea can easily lead to dehydration in such a young pup, and can be very dangerous if left untreated. In the mean time, if he is not eating well, you can try boiling boneless skinless chicken in water, shredding the chicken, and feeding her small amounts of the resulting chicken broth and cooked chicken with boiled plain white rice once it has cooled. I recommend taking in a fecal sample from Rocky to your vet as well, as that may aid them in making a diagnosis. Good luck, and I hope he feels better soon!

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. I recommend that you have Gremlin 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. The decreased appetite is also concerning and could be caused by what is driving the diarrhea. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Poor Bailey. The diarrhea could be present for many reasons and it could be related to a vaccine reaction. Parasites, bacteria overgrowth, a change in diet or something more sinister like parvo are also possible. I recommend to play it safe and have Bailey examined today by the veterinarian. Taking a sample of feces for testing. Best of luck.

Poor girl. I would highly recommend taking Kuybi to your local vet right away. The fact that she is not eating means she is in critical condition and needs further testing to determine what the underlying problem is so that we know how best to treat her moving forward. Just about any disease can cause inappetance in a puppy and green colored stool, including: a severe intestinal parasites infection, parvovirus, or a severe bacterial infection. Until you can get Kuybi seen by your vet, you can try offering some baby food (meat/vegetables) and non-flavored Pedialyte diluted with water to help provide some kind of nutritional support. I hope that your furry friend Kuybi feels better soon! Best wishes and take care