My 8-week-old puppy has soft stool with blood but is playful. Is it normal?

This is usually dietary related and if no other signs are present at this stage, the problem could be managed by start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. If that is the case antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This type of diarrhea could be due to G.I. parasites, which is not uncommon at all in puppies. This could also be related to the stress of a new home environment or diet change if it's occurred in the past week or so. There are over-the-counter deworming medication. However you may want to contact your veterinarian and see if they want you to bring in a fecal sample so they can tell you for sure if she has G.I. parasites. Generally speaking deworming medication it's fairly safe and would not be harmful if your puppy did not have parasites. However there are some G.I. parasites that require prescription strength deworming medication. But your veterinarian could do the fecal test and tell you if that is the case.

The most common reason that we will see soft stool (with or without blood or mucous in it) in a puppy is some type of intestinal parasite. You didn't mention how old Ivy is or 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 Ivy, then decide on an other treatment. 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. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am very sorry to hear that Theodore is experiencing these problems, I am sure it is very unsettling for you both. There are a number of potential causes of such clinical signs, including dietary indiscretion, pancreatitis, parasite infestation, infection, and ingestion of a toxin or poison. In young puppies eating something they shouldn’t have and gastrointestinal worms are very common. If you haven’t done a de-worming treatment with Theodore yet it would be a good idea to. Broad spectrum puppy safe dewormers are available at most pet stores and at your local veterinarian. Because you have only noticed these signs over the course of a few hours I would continue to monitor Theordore at home. Here is what you can do for him; Rest his gastrointestinal tract by holding back food for a few hours. Then you can continue with a bland and easily digested food of the boiled chicken breast and white rice diet and provide plenty of fresh water. I also find that boiled, mashed skinless sweet potato is helpful for diarrhoea. If Theodore does not improve, has profuse vomiting or diarrhoea, you notice more fresh blood, He seems lethargic, in pain or depressed I would advise a trip to the veterinarian immediately. Here are some links to helpful resources for you; https://www.petcoach.co/article/most-common-causes-of-diarrhea-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea/ I hope that answer was helpful and more importantly that Theodore feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sandy. I would recommend that she sees her veterinarian today due to the blood in the stool. Bright red blood in the stool is typically due to inflammation in the colon. This can be due to parasites, but there are other causes as well. This bleeding allows intestinal bacteria access to the bloodstream. This can have serious consequences. For this reason, she may require an antibiotic in addition to deworming treatment based on results of fecal testing. I hope this information helps!

This is very concerning as it appears to contain blood, mucus and possibly bowel lining. I recommend an oral worm medication, a specialist intestinal or hydrolyzed diet for 6 weeks and a probiotic/fiber supplement such as fortiflora to rebalance the bowel and rule out any parasitic causes. A full health check, blood tests and possibly ultrasound/xray if not responding or any weight loss, vomiting or weakness is noted

If he's eating and acting fine give him a day or two to settle into his new environment. The soft stool with blood may be due to stress. If it continues please take another sample in to check again for parasites as they can come back even if he's already been treated. If Teddy is acting sick do take him in sooner for an exam. He could have an intestinal infection or fever that would need medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Teddy.