Dog with diarrhea: causes & golden tips

Every dog experiences diarrhea at some point. It’s not the most pleasant topic to discuss, but since many dogs suffer from it occasionally, it’s definitely an important subject: Let’s Talk Poop!
A dog’s stool should be brown in color, compact, shaped like an elongated cylinder, and easy to pick up. When the stool is thin or watery, we call it diarrhea. What can cause a dog to have diarrhea? What can I do if my dog has diarrhea? Read our golden tips for a dog with diarrhea.

A dog can suffer from acute diarrhea. In this case, the dog only has diarrhea for one to a few days. When it lasts longer, we call it chronic diarrhea.

Causes of diarrhea in a dog

There are various causes that can make a dog have diarrhea. We obviously can’t discuss them all, but below you’ll find the most common causes:

1. Your dog has diarrhea due to new food. A dog’s digestive system needs to ‘get used to’ new food. The gut flora, bacteria in the intestines, must adjust to optimally digest it. During this period, a dog may have looser stools.
   For this reason, it is advised to gradually switch a dog to new food (depending on the food your loyal companion is currently eating) to reduce the chance of diarrhea. In our article – Switching to different dog food, how do you do that? – we provide our switching advice.
   
   
2. Your dog ate something wrong. We all know it. During a walk, you suddenly hear or see your dog chewing extensively or hastily swallowing something. This could be trash found on the street or spoiled food, for example. Both can result in diarrhea symptoms. Dogs that often eat things off the street may have diarrhea more frequently than dogs that don’t.
   
   
3. A parasitic infection. This can include worms, such as tapeworms or roundworms. Note: if your dog has worms, you can also become infected if you come into contact with your dog’s stool!
   
   
4. A viral infection. A viral infection spreads from dog to dog through saliva or stool. When a dog has a viral infection, it often suffers from diarrhea. However, the dog will also have other symptoms, such as a fever, lethargy, or vomiting. An example of a viral infection is IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
   
   
5. Your dog has Giardia. Giardia is a parasitic infection common in puppies or older, weaker animals. In puppies, the immune system is not yet fully developed, so they have a higher chance of getting Giardia than adult dogs with a well-functioning immune system. When a puppy has Giardia, its stool is slimy and may contain blood. The puppy may also be nauseous and vomit. If you suspect your puppy has Giardia, contact your veterinarian immediately! Be aware: Giardia is also contagious to humans.