Re: Diarrhea

In Reply to: Diarrhea
Category:   Medical
Posted by:  Toni Thorburn
Posted on:  October 31, 2002 at 11:16:50

: Hi! I've researched your message board regarding owners having problems with their JRT's having diarrhea. Our Murphy had a small bout with diarrhea this moring (first time). He will be 12 weeks old next week. Here is what we experienced this morning: No behavior change (playful, did his morning routine business #1 & #2 normally); however, he didn't want to eat his kibble. That's not all particularly unusual. Sometimes he wants to play for a while before he eats. However, all of a sudden he began #2 on our bed (never happened before). We snatched him up and took him outside and he eliminated. It was diarrhea, yellow-colored. I didn't see any solid objects in the stool. In fact, he didn't seem sick at all. He was fine after we took him inside. I know he got ahold of my kitty's "treats" last night, but they aren't yellow-colored. He also enjoys eating kitty's kibble whenever he can get to it. We usually keep kitty's food blocked off from him when he is in the kitchen area, but we do forget sometimes and he's tough to catch! I'm going to watch him closely today and see if he has more diarrhea. Is it possible that the kitty treats would cause this? I don't want to overreact, but I also don't want to be lax either. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Response:

Hi Toni,

Kitty food is not good for dogs, it's formulated for cats and they require different nutrients than dogs do. Please keep this food away from your puppy.

Diarrhea is usually from eating something that a dog is not used to, or a sudden change in diet, but it also can be a symptom of something more serious especially if accompanied by vomitting, abdominal pain, fever and excessive thirst.

Normally it's advised to hold off feeding for 24 hours after the diarrhea starts. This gives the dog's intestines time to settle down, however, with a small puppy I would certainly discuss this with your vet. Dehydration (which is easily caused with diarrhea) can be dangerous for an adult dog and more so for a small puppy.

If your pup is still experiencing diarrhea by tomorrow morning I strongly suggest to contact your vet. Don't panic though chances are he will just suggest a bland diet and some Pedialyte for Murphy, but it's always better to err on the side of caution especially with a puppy.