Once upon a time Aimee wrote an article about her adventures with POOPAPALOOZA 2006. (Which is pretty darn amusing by the way. Gross, but amusing.)
At any rate, I was reminded of that article when Murph had major tummy troubles recently. Thankfully Murph did not follow Moose’s lead and leave any “Lake Poop-eriors” anywhere. He’s pretty good about pestering us mercilessly to let him out if we’re around to pester.
Which is good, because he was dealing with some pretty nasty, messy, runny poop. And a lot of it.
I ended up taking him to the vet because the things I normally try when he gets “ookie belly” weren’t working. (Like Pepto-Bismol, which isn’t recommended by the maker. However, some vets say it’s okay, and others aren’t so sure about it. Check with yours if you ever feel inclined to try this.)
However, upon reading Aimee’s article I was reminded of something else that helps with minor cases of diarrhea. (Minor meaning there is no blood in the stool, the dog is not also throwing up, and the diarrhea hasn’t lasted more than 48 hours.)
Anti-Diarrhea Foods
Aimee’s article reminded me that plain white rice is a good, bland food that helps a dog’s tummy stabilize. But after doing some research, I was surprised to learn cottage cheese is also a good food to feed a dog afflicted by diarrhea, as is plain oatmeal. (Oatmeal’s good for dogs who, like Murph, don’t much appreciate rice.)
Other foods that help a doggie’s tummy to recover from diarrhea include: boiled chicken or turkey, scrambled or boiled eggs, and boiled or baked potatoes.
The above foods should be served plain. No seasonings, butter, oil, or skins (for the chicken, turkey, and potatoes). Also, make sure to let any cooked foods cool before serving. We may appreciate a hot meal right off the stove, but your dog won’t.
If you have any plain yogurt on hand, you can add one to three tablespoons to the bland food, too. It will help soothe upset bellies.
Portions
Aim to feed your dog a mixture of 1/3 meat/protein and 2/3 bland grains (rice or oatmeal). Do this for a couple of days until the diarrhea lets up. Then you can gradually add back in the regular dog food.
Other Digestive Aids
I also ran across mentions of using probiotics. Doctors Foster and Smith sells several different kinds in their Digestive Aids section, such as Acidophilus+, Vetri-Probiotic BD Digestive Aid, and Bene-Bac Gel for Dogs.
They also sell Excel Gas Preventative for gas (Murph could have used this the other night!) and Soothables K.P.A.D. specifically geared towards easing “non-infectious” diarrhea. (Not sure what that means. Perhaps diarrhea not caused by parasites?)
When to Seek a Vet’s Help
If your dog is acting weak, very sick, has bloating or abdominal pain, is throwing up, dehydrated, or is passing blood, it’s time to get the pros involved.
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