My small dog has diarrhea for days. Should I use OTC or see a vet?

I recommend giving Chico a bland diet, boiled chicken and white rice. If he becomes lethargic, there is blood or he isn't eating then I recommend taking Chico to a veterinarian. Also if the diarrhea isn't resolving after another day I would consider taking him to a veterinarian. They can make sure he is not dehydrated and run a stool sample to make sure he doesn't have intestinal parasites. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Morticia! The diarrhea could be due to many conditions including eating something she shouldn’t have, bacterial over growth, parasites or even organ disease. If the diarrhea has continued beyond 24 hours, I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian. With continued diarrhea, there are often bacterial shifts in the gut that will make matters worse regardless of the initial cause. Make sure to bring in a sample of fresh stool. The doctor will check her for parasites and bacterial over growth. Many times a bland diet can help and then a slow, gradual introduction to the normal food can be done. A bland diet can consist of 25% boiled white meat chicken and 75% boiled white rice. This should all be plain. I hope Morticia starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

These signs could be compatible with a colitis, which is an inflammation of the last part of the intestine, the colon, usually related to dietary indiscretion. As a first approach, I would suggest to 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. A probiotic like pro-kolin can be added to the diet. I would definitely recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. 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!

Since he is going every 3-4 hours it might be a good idea to take him to the vet to prescribe medications to help resolve the diarrhea, especially since he is going in the house at night. If you wanted to try some treatment at home, you could withhold food for 12 hours and then try a small amount of a bland diet, like boiled chicken and white rice. If the diarrhea has improved then continue the bland diet for a few days and slowly transition back to his normal food. You could also add a dog probiotic to his diet. Proviable Forte Kit has a probiotic capsule and paste for diarrhea. If the diarrhea continues then he should definitely been seen by your vet.

The solution depends on what the underlying cause of the diarrhea is, how long it's been going on, the consistency of the diarrhea, if there are any other symptoms, if it is adult or puppy, etc. There are too many variables for me to give you a concrete answer because...... it depends. If the diarrhea has been going on for more than 3 days you should take Lexi to your vet for an exam and fecal test. If this is a new problem, and she is otherwise acting normally you can try some probiotics or an anti-diarrheal medication like what is linked below. DO NOT give Pepto Bismol or Immodium unless directed by your vet. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-supplement-fortiflora-canine-probiotic-powder-for-dogs-count-of-30-3348854 ) ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-dog-anti-diarrhea-liquid-8-fl-oz-3499302 ) If you use probiotics and the anti-diarrheal medication and there is no improvement in 2-3 days she will need to see a vet.

If the diarrhea has been going on more than 24 hours and Lj hasn't improved with bland food, probiotics, and Immodium, then it's time to see a vet. There are many possible causes of diarrhea: stress, dietary indiscretion, infection, parasites, and more serious issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, Addisons disease or cancerous changes. You've done a great job trying the simple initial interventions that can help - but if that didn't do the trick, then it's time to have Lj checked out. Hopefully it's still a simple cause that will respond to a course of medication, but sometimes further diagnostics or long-term therapy are necessary. Your vet will likely recommend starting with a fecal sample check to look for microscopic parasite eggs. Depending on exam findings, they may also recommend some initial screening bloodwork to evaluate general body function and help screen for some of the conditions that can be associated with diarrhea. Or, they may recommend an initial course of medication to see how Lj responds and go from there. Hope this helps!

Hi. Poor GiGi. Unfortunately there is nothing safe over the counter for diarrhea. First you will want to have an examination by your veterinarian and make sure that everything else is okay. I am sure it is most likely the food, but we don't know that for sure. There are a lot of potential causes for diarrhea. It's important to get an examination and to check her hydration and abdominal palpation to make sure that there isn't a cause for concern as for another cause of diarrhea. I hope she feels better soon contact your veterinarian in the morning or your nearest ER. Good luck