For starters, if your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, you shouldn’t worry too much. This condition is very common in puppies and may even go away quickly on its own or with some at-home remedies.
There are several ways to treat a puppy with diarrhea, but the majority of pet owners advise feeding your dog bland food for a few days. This will give their intestinal tract a little rest while still providing them with the calories and nutrients they require.
But if it lasts for more than a few days, gets worse, or affects your dog’s behavior, energy level, or eating habits, this may indicate the presence of an underlying disease in your dog. In this case, it’s best to see your veterinarian.
If that makes you alarmed, perhaps it’s time for you to look at some of the most typical responses to the query, “Why does my dog have diarrhea but is still acting fine?”
Why Does My Puppy Have Diarrhea But Is Still Playful?
Diarrhea does not always make a puppy feel sick. Each pup will respond differently to digestive discomfort. This will vary depending on the reason for diarrhea, your puppy’s age, and even its size.
For instance, a large Golden Retriever puppy can endure diarrhea better than a Chihuahua. This is due to their greater water-holding capacity, which prevents them from being dehydrated quickly.
Although it doesn’t make the puppy’s diarrhea any less serious, it can result in some pups continuing to be playful while experiencing a period of diarrhea.
While not all puppies with diarrhea will eventually become lethargic or weak, this does not imply you should disregard it. Diarrhea in your dog can also be an indication of underlying problems.
Puppy Has Diarrhea But Still Playful: Should You Be Worried?
Typically, a single episode of diarrhea is not a cause for alarm. It’s even pretty common to see puppies having it.
Their stomachs get irritated because they frequently swallow objects or go food hunting in your backyard.
However, diarrhea in your puppy should end fairly fast if it was caused by anything it should not have eaten. Typically, this case only lasts for around 24 to 48 hours.
But if it persists, your dog may start exhibiting more symptoms indicating that something is wrong.
If your dog seems fine but still experiences repeated bouts of diarrhea, take a fecal sample and talk to a vet about it. The sample taken will be used to determine whether the problem is bacterial or viral.
Additionally, you should visit the veterinarian right away if your dog is passing blood in the stool, if the feces is yellow or green, or if you observe weakness or lethargy along with diarrhea.
What to Do If Your Puppy Has Diarrhea But Is Still Playful?
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, you may be wondering how you can best help them. While it’s ideal to speak with your veterinarian, there are some things you may do before you schedule an appointment.
You can help a puppy with diarrhea by doing the following things:
1. Keep an eye on your dog’s gestures
If you’re wondering why your dog has diarrhea but is acting fine, you should pay special attention to its general behavior.
Monitor its appetite, look for abnormalities in its usual behavior, and closely check its potty routines.
This might assist you in keeping track of any deterioration in your dog’s health and recognizing when things are beginning to turn around.
2. Consider a bland diet
When an elderly dog has diarrhea episodes, veterinarians frequently advise skipping meals. But for growing puppies, fasting is typically not advised.
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, give it bland, tummy-soothing foods, such as chicken and rice. This will help your pooch temporarily manage its symptoms and keep food in its stomach.
But before adding new food to your puppy’s diet, always remember to speak with your veterinarian.
Check out this video to see how to prepare homemade dog food for your pooch with diarrhea:
Homemade Dog Food for Diarrhea Recipe (Helps to Firm Up Stools)<a href="https://youtu.be/as2R5YFmBDs" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.bubblypet.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fas2R5YFmBDs%2F0.jpg" alt="Homemade Dog Food for Diarrhea Recipe (Helps to Firm Up Stools)" width="1280" height="700" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
3. Take a sample
Although collecting stool samples isn’t anyone’s favorite aspect of puppy care, it might be the quickest way for your veterinarian to determine the reason why diarrhea is occurring.
Testing your dog’s feces can assist in determining the underlying reason why your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful.
In addition, at the very least, it might help rule out probable causes and help create a treatment strategy.
4. Speak with your vet
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, it is always wiser to stay on the side of caution. Taking the riskier approach can increase your dog’s chance of early death or incapacity.
Visit your veterinarian to find the most effective course of action for your dog’s diarrhea.
Some vet clinics may advise you to go with companies providing pet insurance. In that case, take advantage of it since they would only recommend the best deal for you and your dog.
5. Give your dog rest
Just like in humans, rest is important. Even though your pup is still active and acting normally, you must put your dog’s health first. Give your dog a peaceful, cozy place to rest so they may heal.
Instead of putting it in its bed, it is preferable to situate it near a door that leads outdoors and has an easy-to-clean floor. This way, you will avoid those unfortunate poop accidents.
What Are the Common Causes of Diarrhea in Puppies?
Like in humans, there are several possible causes of diarrhea in our canine friends. Unfortunately, pups are a little more at risk because they are unaware of what they are consuming.
To prevent your dog from getting diarrhea, as a dog owner, you must be aware of the potential causes.
If you want to know why your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, here are the most typical causes of puppy diarrhea:
1. Dietary change
No matter how old your dog is, abrupt meal changes might result in diarrhea. Your dog’s intestinal tract needs time to adapt to new ingredients. If you wish to change your dog’s diet, do it gradually over a few days.
Begin by blending a small amount of the new food with the old, then gradually increase the proportion of the new food.
2. Dietary indiscretion
Dietary indiscretion is a frequent diagnosis in veterinary medicine, and it simply implies that your puppy ate something it shouldn’t have.
Most dogs are not usually the pickiest eaters. Therefore, they may experience diarrhea if they consume too much food, waste, or rotten meat, such as flesh, from a carcass they find.
3. Parasites
Another reason why your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful is intestinal parasites.
Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, coccidia, and giardia can all survive there for years without showing any signs of disease. When they do, symptoms including bloat, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain may occur.
These parasites are typically acquired through living in or traveling to a place where parasites are common. Inadequate food and water sanitation and poor hygiene can also make dogs more prone to parasitic infections.
4. Toxicities
A lot of everyday foods, plants, and household items are poisonous to pets. When dogs consume food sources tainted with aflatoxins, food poisoning can happen.
These toxins are created by fungi and can result in a number of symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea, and tiredness.
5. Foreign objects
Dogs such as Golden Retrievers love to bring random things using their mouth. As a result, there is a great likelihood that they will unintentionally swallow objects that fits their mouth.
In the event that they ingest a foreign object, like a sock, toy, or rock, their intestines could become obstructed, which can cause diarrhea.
6. Bacterial infections
Puppies are more vulnerable to bacterial infections than adult dogs because they have more sensitive immune systems. Salmonella, Clostridium difficile, and Clostridium perfringens can all lead to puppy diarrhea.
These infections are dangerous and frequently come with additional symptoms like vomiting, fever, bloody diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
7. Medication
Some antibiotics can promote excessive bacterial growth, which can cause severe, bloody, and frequent watery diarrhea.
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, provide it with more water or dog-friendly beverages containing electrolytes to counter the fluid loss caused by diarrhea.
8. Stress
One of the simplest reasons why your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful may be because of stress.
Your puppy is constantly making new friends and discovering new things. Getting used to its new environment might occasionally be stressful enough to cause diarrhea.
Puppies love sticking to a routine, so do your best to keep your pup on a schedule and gradually introduce any changes that must take place.
Recognizing the cause of why your puppy has diarrhea but still remains playful may be necessary to help you decide the best course of action in the event your dog starts feeling under the weather.
Besides, it’s not always easy to detect illness in your dog. So, you’ll need to keep an eye out for a variety of subtle indicators that could point to a potential issue.
Don’t rely on your own judgment for a diagnosis if you do detect something unusual. Make a quick phone call to your veterinarian!
When to See Your Vet
If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful and eating regularly, you can hold off on taking any more action until you see what the next bowel movement looks like.
However, if your dog exhibits further symptoms in addition to diarrhea, it should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Make an appointment with your veterinarian if your dog exhibits any of the following diarrhea symptoms:
Fever
Blood in stool
Vomiting
Unusual drooling
Lack of Appetite
Pale gums
Mood swings
You should also not let diarrhea last longer than two episodes in puppies, senior dogs, or those that have a history of health issues.
These dogs are highly vulnerable to dehydration, so you should contact your vet immediately.
Ultimately, call your veterinarian right away if you have any questions or concerns concerning your beloved friend’s diarrhea.
Give your veterinarian all the information they require about your dog’s condition so that they can determine whether the problem is urgent and provide the best advice on how to care for your dog’s health.
How to Prevent Diarrhea in Puppies
While you can’t always prevent dog diarrhea, you can lower your pet’s risk by taking preventive measures.
1. Don’t give table leftovers to your dog
Giving pets table scraps, despite the best intentions, might result in them ingesting harmful substances.
Also, the excessive fat content of table scraps may give your dog diarrhea. The best approach to ensure that your dog’s gastrointestinal tract is not harmed is to provide them with a regular, healthy diet.
2. Keep garbage cans closed
Dogs may even lose their lives after consuming something from the trash that they weren’t allowed to. Foods and items like gum, rodenticides, and metals that your dog can encounter in the trash can be extremely harmful.
Keeping all of your trash in well-sealed containers will stop your dog from dumpster diving and eating rubbish.
3. Don’t suddenly switch your dog’s food
A sudden change in your dog’s diet may result in gastrointestinal distress, including nausea, diarrhea, and a loss of appetite.
So if you want to change your dog’s diet, do it gradually over a period of one to two weeks to give their digestive system time to adapt.
4. Know what goes in your pet’s meals
Food labels are an important source of information for dog owners. It informs them of the calories and the nutritional value of the foods their pup eats.
Always read the label on any item you serve your pet to verify the ingredients and determine whether it’s good for your pup or not.
5. Give your dog routine healthcare
For your dog to remain healthy for the whole of its life, general care is required in addition to feeding and exercising it.
Bringing your dog to the vet clinic for a wellness checkup at least once every year can help you look for underlying issues that may cause diarrhea.
6. Keep your dog’s vaccines up to date
Dog vaccines assist in preparing the immune system of dogs to protect themselves from any invasion of disease-causing organisms. It contains antigens that imitate disease-causing organisms in a dog’s immune system.
In this manner, if a dog is exposed to the actual illness, its immune system will detect it and will be ready to either fight it off or, at the very least, lessen its effects.
7. Give year-round parasite protection
Your pets’ ability to absorb nutrients may be reduced due to the presence of parasites in their bodies. This may result in vomiting, diarrhea, or even gut damage.
Year-round parasitic protection guarantees that your cherished pet won’t endure the anguish of flea bites, flea allergies, or diseases spread by fleas and ticks.
8. Keep updated with news
Recalls on dog and puppy food occur more frequently than you might imagine. Contamination, extraneous objects, nutritional imbalances, and packaging issues are common causes of pet food recalls.
Pet owners may make sure the food they are currently feeding their animals is not subject to any recalls or advisories by often checking for updates on Food and Drug Administration notifications.
9. Trust your veterinarian
By collaborating closely with your veterinarian, you can minimize the number of risk factors for puppy diarrhea. You may consult with them before making any significant dietary adjustments for your dog.
You may also seek advice if there are any extra safety measures you can take indoors and outside to help keep your dog healthy.
Even with all of this, your furry friend may still get diarrhea. These measures merely reduce the likelihood that your dog may experience this condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Puppy Diarrhea Go Away on Its Own?
In many cases, acute diarrhea goes away on its own or through some simple home remedies within one to two days.
Wait for some symptoms to appear before taking further action if your dog has diarrhea but is still playful and eating normally.
However, if unsure or worried about your pet’s diarrhea, make a quick call to your veterinarian. They will assess your dog’s condition and determine whether their case is urgent.
How Long Is It Okay for My Puppy to Have Diarrhea?
It’s fairly normal for dogs to experience diarrhea. It can start off abruptly and linger for a day or two all the way up to a few weeks or months.
If your dog experiences diarrhea for more than a day, dehydration may be a cause of concern. Moreover, persistent diarrhea may be a sign that your dog has a serious health problem.
Should I Still Feed My Puppy If He Has Diarrhea?
Yes. If your puppy has diarrhea but is still playful, bland, stomach-soothing foods such as boiled chicken, rice, and mashed pumpkin can temporarily control its symptoms while keeping something in its stomach.
Meanwhile, for older dogs, veterinarians often suggest withholding food and providing them with water in small amounts.
By doing so, the cause of the upset may be resolved, and the digestive system may be able to calm down.
What Should I Do If My Puppy Has Diarrhea With Blood?
Before taking any action, you must first determine whether there is blood or another red substance mixed with the stool. Bloody stools might be bright red and come with mucus, or they can be dark and tarry.
As soon as you confirm the blood in your dog’s stool, bring your dog to the veterinarian. This condition is an emergency that, if left untreated, could potentially be fatal.
Final Thoughts
Knowing that diarrhea is a common thing to most dogs may make it less frightening when your pup has it. Even so, this could also be a sign of a serious illness.
You should still keep an eye out for any changes in his behavior and feeding habits, although it’s typically something far less serious that can be remedied at home.
Having the right knowledge may also be the best thing you could do to help your furry friend withstand any ailments it may encounter. If you have doubts, always seek immediate veterinary help.
When was the last time your puppy had diarrhea but was still playful? We would love to hear your experiences in the comments!
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