Taking care of a nursing dog can be a rewarding yet challenging experience. During this time, your dog's body is working overtime to provide for her puppies, and it's not unusual to notice changes in her behavior, energy levels, or even digestion.
One common issue that nursing dogs face is loose stools (diarrhea), which can be concerning if you're unsure about its causes and what you should do about it. In this article, we'll discuss why your nursing dog might have diarrhea, and the best ways to treat and prevent it.
Causes of Diarrhea in Nursing Dogs
Diarrhea in nursing dogs can be caused by a few different things — like dietary changes or sometimes infections. It’s important to understand the difference between a mild case of diarrhea and one that might be a sign of a more severe health problem.
When a nursing dog experiences diarrhea, it can affect not only her but also her puppies. Since she’s their main source of nutrition, any issues with her health can directly impact their growth and development. Let’s talk about some of the most common causes of diarrhea in nursing dogs below:
Dietary Changes
Nursing requires extra calories, and some pet parents may decide to change their dog's diet to accommodate these needs. A sudden change in food, even to a higher-calorie or richer diet, can upset your dog’s stomach and lead to diarrhea.
Stress
Pregnancy, birth, and nursing can be stressful on a dog’s body. Taking care of babies is never easy, after all! This stress can cause temporary digestive problems like diarrhea. Thankfully, stress-induced diarrhea is fairly easy to treat.
Infections
Bacterial or viral infections (such as salmonella or parvovirus) can cause serious diarrhea in nursing dogs. These infections can also be dangerous for the puppies, so it’s important to monitor the situation closely.
Parasites
Worms like roundworms, hookworms, or parasites like Giardia can cause digestive upset in nursing dogs, too. If your nursing dog has worms, you’ll need to take her to the vet (who will likely prescribe medication).
Food Sensitivities
Just like people, some dogs can develop sensitivities or allergies to certain ingredients in their food. If your dog recently started a new type of food, this could be the cause of her diarrhea.
Toxins or Foreign Objects
If your dog ingested something she shouldn’t have (like garbage, toxic plants, or spoiled food), it could cause gastrointestinal upset as well. Make sure to keep a close eye on your nursing dog when you let her outside to go potty, or when taking her for walks. Puppies like to eat things they shouldn’t, too, so keep a close eye on them as well!
The Best Solutions for Nursing Dog Diarrhea
If your nursing dog is experiencing diarrhea, it’s important that you address the issue quickly (so that she doesn’t get dehydrated or experience worse health issues). Here are the best products for nursing dog diarrhea from Under the Weather:
Chicken & Rice Bland Diet for Dogs
One of the simplest and most effective treatments for diarrhea in nursing dogs is feeding them a bland diet. We’d highly recommend the chicken and rice bland diet from Under the Weather. This diet is easy on the stomach, low in fat, and provides essential nutrients without overloading your dog's digestive system.
- Pros: Gentle on the stomach and easily digestible.
- Cons: It’s not a complete, long-term diet and should only be used temporarily until your dog is feeling better.
Anti-Diarrhea Liquid for Dogs
For more serious cases of diarrhea, you might want to administer an anti-diarrhea liquid to your nursing dog. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Under the Weather’s Anti-Diarrhea Liquid for Dogs below:
- Pros: Fast-acting relief, easy to administer, and safe for short-term use.
- Cons: It doesn’t address underlying causes of diarrhea (like infections or parasites), so you should take your dog to the vet if her symptoms persist.
Probiotic Soft Chews
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help regulate the gut. Nursing dogs, especially those with digestive issues, can benefit from a daily probiotic supplement. Again, let’s take a look at the pros and cons:
- Pros: Supports long-term digestive health, promotes good bacteria, and can prevent future digestive upset.
- Cons: Probiotics take time to work, so you might not want to use them as a “quick fix” for immediate diarrhea.
How to Treat Your Nursing Dog's Diarrhea
When it comes to selecting a treatment for your dog’s diarrhea, you’ll need to consider the severity of the situation and what might be causing it in the first place. If your dog’s diarrhea is mild and caused by stress or a minor dietary issue, a bland diet or probiotic supplement might be all you need.
However, if your dog’s diarrhea is severe, lasts more than a day or two, or is accompanied by other symptoms like vomiting, lethargy, or fever, you should talk to your veterinarian immediately.
Always make sure that whatever treatment you choose is specifically formulated for dogs, since some human medications and supplements can be toxic to pets.
The Benefits of Treating Diarrhea Quickly
It’s never fun to deal with diarrhea, but dealing with it quickly is obviously ideal. The faster you’re able to help your nursing dog feel better, the faster she’ll be able to continue providing her puppies with the nutrients they need. The main benefits of treating diarrhea quickly include:
Preventing Dehydration
Diarrhea can cause rapid loss of fluids and electrolytes, both of which are super important for your dog’s body to function properly. Severe dehydration can be life-threatening.
Maintaining Milk Supply
If your dog is feeling ill or dehydrated, her milk production could decrease, which may affect the health and growth of her puppies (e.g. they won't get adequate calcium).
Preventing Other Health Issues
Chronic diarrhea in dogs can lead to more serious problems like kidney or liver damage, especially in nursing dogs who are already under a lot of physical stress.
Ingredients to Look for in Diarrhea Treatments for Dogs
Picking out the right treatment method for your nursing dog’s diarrhea can be a bit tricky, since there are so many options out there. We’d recommend looking for products that contain the following ingredients:
Kaolin & Pectin
These ingredients are commonly found in anti-diarrhea medications (and supplements) and work by absorbing toxins and soothing the digestive tract.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes help to replenish lost fluids and minerals. They’re especially important if your dog is dehydrated (which can happen if they’re nursing and not drinking enough water).
Probiotics
Probiotics support a healthy gut microbiome and can help prevent future episodes of diarrhea. By giving your dog a daily probiotic supplement, you might be able to prevent her from having frequent bouts of diarrhea. Just make sure to ask your vet first.
Ginger & Chamomile
These natural ingredients are found in some calming supplements and can help ease your dog’s anxiety-related diarrhea by soothing her digestive system.
How to Give Diarrhea Treatments to Your Nursing Dog
Sometimes, dogs with diarrhea don’t want to eat and may experience weight loss. Nursing dogs with diarrhea in particular might be too exhausted to eat. This can make treating your nursing dog’s diarrhea more complicated, but there are a few things you can do to encourage her to eat, so don’t worry. Here are some tips for administering anti-diarrhea treatments:
Mix with Food
This is probably the most obvious solution, but it’s worth giving it a try. If possible, mix any anti-diarrhea powders or liquids with your dog’s food to make it easier for her to take the supplement.
Use a Syringe
For liquid medications, a syringe (without the needle, of course) can be a great way to administer the correct dose of anti-diarrhea liquid directly into your dog’s mouth. She might not like the taste of it, but doing this may be necessary if she turns her nose up at her food.
Pill Pockets
For pills or supplements, we’d recommend using a pill pocket. You can also hide the pill in a small amount of food (like a piece of meat or cheese) to make it more palatable. That said, if your dog is having extreme diarrhea, you should avoid giving them human food.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, diarrhea in nursing dogs is pretty common. Nursing dogs can experience diarrhea for a number of reasons, including stress, bacterial infections, and parasites. Even small dietary changes can trigger diarrhea in nursing dogs.
Now that you have a better understanding of the causes of diarrhea in nursing dogs (and some effective methods for treating it), you should be able to help your dog feel better. Make sure to always monitor your nursing dog and her puppies carefully, especially if they’re having diarrhea.
If the solutions we discussed above don’t work, you should definitely take your nursing dog to the vet. They’ll be able to figure out what’s really causing your dog’s diarrhea and might prescribe some medication to help her feel better. To learn more about how to help your dog with diarrhea, feel free to visit our website.
