Dogs typically have diarrhea at the most inopportune times! It is usually on the weekend or in the middle of the night. If your dog is acting normal, not vomiting, eating and drinking and there is no blood in the stool, you can try some simple fixes.
Fix 1
Change the diet to cooked white rice (3 parts) and boiled chicken (1 part.) Make sure the chicken has skin and bones removed. If you do not have rice and chicken, you can use white peeled boiled potatoes and boiled turkey. This is highly digestible and the rice and potatoes are very binding.
Fix 2
Add in canned pumpkin, cooked pumpkin, or cooked squash. This adds a lot of fiber and helps stool bind quickly. As a general rule, add in 1 tablespoon per 10 pounds of body weight to each meal.
Fix 3
Mix water in with the food above to increase hydration. You want to make a “soup” of the rice and chicken so your pet gets enough water.
Fix 4
Add in probiotics. Probiotics help build good gut bacteria. Most over-the-counter probiotics for dogs have a lower content of colony forming units. Check with your veterinarian for stronger probiotics to keep at home for use when needed.
If the diarrhea doesn’t resolve within 24 hours, blood develops in the stool, your dog acts sick, starts vomiting, or seems depressed seek medical attention. Diarrhea can be a sign of intestinal parasites, an infection, or something more serious if it doesn’t resolve within 24 hours. Diarrhea that continues for more than 24 hours can cause severe dehydration especially if your dog is less than 15 pounds.