What can I feed my dog to stop diarrhea

Walking into your living room to find liquid stool pooling on your apartment’s hardwood floor is a visceral panic moment. Diarrhea usually means inflamed intestines, often from scavenged trash, stress, or sudden diet switches. Forget human meds – Pepto-Bismol’s salicylates can poison dogs. Instead, try this vet-tested approach.

Start with a 12-hour food fast (water only!). This lets angry guts rest. Offer ice cubes if your pup gulps water too fast – excess hydration ironically worsens diarrhea. After fasting, cook up a bland rescue meal: boiled white rice mixed with skinless chicken breast or 96% lean ground beef. Follow the "Portland ratio" – one cup rice to one cup protein per 20 lbs body weight, served as four small meals. For allergy-prone breeds like Frenchies, swap chicken for low-fat cottage cheese.

Hydration is your secret weapon. Freeze unflavored Pedialyte into cubes for electrolyte boosts. Stir a tablespoon of 100% pumpkin puree (not pie filling!) into each meal – its soluble fiber absorbs colon moisture like a sponge. When a Labrador in Seattle got diarrhea after stealing salmon off a counter, pumpkin + rice fixed it within two days.

If stools stay runny after 48 hours, visit your vet. Bloody diarrhea or vomiting could mean parasites from dog parks or pancreatitis. Prescription foods like Royal Canin GI or probiotics may be needed. Remember: Rabies vaccines remain legally required even during illness – check your state’s schedule.

Cleanup requires strategy. Use double-bagged biodegradable waste bags – fines hit $500 in cities like Boston for uncollected diarrhea. In apartments, layer washable pee pads under food bowls and sanitize floors with enzyme cleaners. Walk sick dogs at dawn with a 6-foot leash; avoid communal grass where hookworms lurk.

Never scold accidents. Your anxious voice stresses their gut more – I’ve seen Chicago dogs relapse after owner yelling. Instead, throw a "potty party" with treats when they go outdoors. For indoor messes, clean silently with zero eye contact. In multi-dog homes, feed separately to avoid food-guarding stress.

Prevent future flare-ups: Transition foods over 7 days (25% new kibble daily), skip fatty treats like bacon, and use probiotics before boarding. Chronic diarrhea? Your vet might test for chicken or grain allergies.