Diarrhea

Some pets seem to have diarrhea on a regular basis, but we are here to tell you that it is never a normal thing. Healthy dogs and cats do not have diarrhea, so we would like to see your pet if he or she is having soft stools.

If your pet is up to date on their wellness exam and vaccinations, the first step for a pet with diarrhea is to check a fecal sample. You can bring one in anytime and we will send it off to the lab to check for internal parasites like roundworms or hookworms.

The bonus effect of monthly hearworm medications like Interceptor Plus (or, even better, Nexgard Plus, which protects against fleas and ticks as well!) is that they also kill these worms, so be sure to keep your pet on it year-round!

Hookworm (Ancylostoma spp.) seen by cytology

Sometimes an internal parasite can be the cause of diarrhea, other times it can be something they ate or even stress. If the fecal exam is negative, it is important that we get you and your pet in for an exam and discussion to get to the root cause of the issue and to ensure that they aren’t dehydrated or having concurrent issues.

Treatment for diarrhea depends on the underlying cause.

We will prescribe a de-wormer in the case of a positive fecal exam, and, no matter the cause, will often recommend giving fluids under their skin to help replenish the water loss.

If the cause of the diarrhea is determined to be a dietary indiscretion (they ate something naughty), treatment may be as simple as fasting your pet for awhile, and then feeding small amounts of an easily-digestible diet for at least a few days to help settle & reset the digestive system. We have prescription foods for exactly this purpose, or you can boil some plain chicken or hamburger and mix it with rice. While this should help settle the stomach, be aware that it’s not a nutritionally complete diet for long-term use.

Call us early if your pet is having issues so we can start supportive care, advise appropriate diagnostic tests and help you manage this sometimes frustrating condition!

-- Allison Stephen, LVT

Team Liaison