For the dog with simple diarrhea that is still eating and drinking and feeling fine, home management may be the only treatment needed. For 24-48 hours, feed boiled, skinless, boneless, chicken breast with cooked white rice. If possible, feed small meals every 2-4 hours. Bland food fed in frequent, small amounts gives the intestines time to calm down and readjust. Once diarrhea has resolved, gradually begin re-introducing the normal food. If the diarrhea does not resolve or comes back after reintroducing normal food, it is time to see the veterinarian for more treatment options.

Simple diarrhea in dogs is usually treated in several ways.

Antibiotics such as metronidazole are frequently used to treat cases of colitis and enteritis. They help to remove abnormal bacteria.

Medications such as Kaolin and Pectin can be used with metronidazole. They help firm the stool and stop diarrhea more quickly than it would stop on its own.

In some cases, Probiotics may be used in order to restore the balance of good bacteria in the intestines. There are several versions of which some are used to stop diarrhea and others are solely for prevention.

Another option is bland food. Giving your dog white rice and boiled chicken allows the intestines to calm down and readjust to a normal balance.

It is imperative that you do not try to cure your dog with over the counter human medications such as Kaopectate, Immodium or Pepto-Bismol without your veterinarians permission. In general, diarrhea will resolve itself in a few days. However, if it doesn't, a re-visit to the veterinarian is needed in order to perform new tests as well as explore other treatment options.
 

If your dog has bloody or tarry diarrhea, has other symptoms with the diarrhea, or does not seem to feel well, it is important that you make an appointment to see the veterinarian right away. Dogs with very severe diarrhea or other systemic illness causing diarrhea can get worse rapidly.

Prevention

Here are some easy things you can do to prevent many cases of diarrhea:

Make sure trash, human food and medications are out of reach.

Do not feed your dog human food or table scraps.

Supervise your dog when outside to make sure it does not eat something it should not.

In order to implement a change to your dogs regular diet, you must mix small amounts of the new food with the old, gradually working your way up to only serving the new food. This gradual introduction allows the intestines time to adjust. In most cases a period of about seven days is all that is needed, however some dogs may need longer.

If you must board your dog or have them stay with family or friends, always bring your own food.

Deworm your dog every month. Most heartworm preventives will also deworm a dog.

This article is meant to provide general information. It is in no way meant to replace a visit to a trained veterinarian.

An experienced veterinarian with great passion for writing, Heather Fox loves to share her knowledge about Dog Illness Diagnosis with fellow pet lovers. You can find more of her lessons including Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs on Clivir.com.

Debbie Foster is the owner of Pet Beds Unlimited and an avid animal lover. You’ll find a wide selection of quality pet beds, dog crates, dog carriers, dog pens, cat beds, cat carriers, small dog beds, large dog beds, pet strollers and more at http://petbedsunlimited.com.