My GSD puppy has loose stools after coccidia. Is this normal?

Chronic diarrhea can be a frustrating issue! In a young German Shepherd, my main concerns for Charlie are that he may have intestinal parasites, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or inflammatory bowel disease. If he has not recently had a stool sample checked for parasites, this is a good starting point. If no parasites are seen, consider discussing blood work (CBC, chemistry, B12, TLI, folate) and an abdominal ultrasound to try to get to the bottom of this situation. Probiotics (Fortiflora and Proviable are two brands) may be beneficial. I hope that all goes well!

She may have eaten something she shouldn't have, it could be infection or possibly intestinal parasites. You can submit a stool sample to your vet to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. In the meantime, withhold food for 12 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until the stool is normal before transitioning slowly to Jedda's regular diet. See your vet if Jedda becomes lethargic, begins vomiting, loses her appetite or exhibits signs of abdominal pain. A bland diet can be plain white rice mixed with one of the following: cottage cheese, boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked/drained ground turkey or cooked/drained ground beef.

It would be worth rechecking a stool sample to be sure the giardia is cleared and also to check for signs of poor digestion. German shepherds are prone to very sensitive digestion and in some cases are unable to digest regular food due to an enzyme deficiency from the pancreas. In these cases, diet change to a hydrolyzed food and enzyme supplementation can be very helpful to restore body weight

I can certainly understand being concerned about Apollo! Given that he is up to date on his vaccines and deworming treatment, it could be that the diarrhea is caused by a GI illness, eating something rotten, or a foreign body. Keep in mind, however, that at 10 weeks of age he isn't old enough to be fully vaccinated, so there is always a chance it could be something more serious like parvovirus or distemper causing the diarrhea. I would keep a close eye on him, and if you see blood in his diarrhea, he starts vomiting, he becomes lethargic, he starts having diarrhea more frequently, he develops a high fever, he becomes very lethargic, he has reddened eyes, and/or he develops a nasal and eye discharge, have him seen by a vet immediately. Having diarrhea three times over a nine hour time period with no other signs isn't excessive enough to warrant a trip to the animal ER, so I will give you a home remedy to see if that helps. Withhold food for 6-8 hours, 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. As I said above, monitor him closely for the signs I mentioned earlier in my answer, and rush him into a vet right away if you see any of them. Good luck, I hope this helps and thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your concerns!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your question. I would recommend switching to a different food altogether like Science Diet or switch to a different puppy formula of Royal Canin that has less fiber. You can also try adding in a probiotic such as Purina Fortiflora to see if this helps normalize his bowel movements. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!

Finding the cause of the diarrhea is the most important thing right now as the treatment will depend on the cause. If you haven't already, having a fecal exam done as well as possible bloodwork or X-rays is best. This can help rule out common issues such as parasites, infections, etc that can cause diarrhea. German Shepherds are also prone to some issues that can cause malabsorption, which can lead to diarrhea, discolored stool, weight loss, etc. Bloodwork can help to rule these out, and in most cases the issue is resolved with a daily medication. If no major issues can be found, then a food trial may be helpful for finding any food allergies causing the GI upset.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cesar. This is not a normal consistency of feces. The stool should be formed and solid. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian for fecal testing. An infection should be ruled out. A diet change can help to improve stool quality if those tests are negative. Finally, there is a condition known as Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) that is common in his breed. I recommend discussing these possibilities with his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!