Potential Reasons For German Shepherd Puppy Diarrhea
Weve already put together a guide on how you might clean up dog diarrhea.
However, the guide below is about the potential reasons for diarrhea in puppies and dogs.
If your German Shepherd Puppy has diarrhea, it can be an unpleasant experience for both owner and puppy.
Youll want to identify the cause/s as quickly as possible so that you can address these causes ASAP.
This is always best done with the advice of your vet especially if the diarrhea lasts for longer than 24 hours, or seems serious/severe in any way.
Younger dogs and puppies may have slightly different reasons for their diarrhea, so we thought wed outline some potential reasons here.
Lets take a look at them!
Symptoms Of Diarrhea In A German Shepherd
Diarrhea can appear on its own, but it can also have other accompanying symptoms.
The most common symptoms are bloody stool , a low-grade fever, lethargy, flatulence, loss of appetite, and vomiting .
In cases wherein these symptoms also appear alongside diarrhea, it is best to bring your dog to the vet immediately.
What Stools Say About Your Dogs Health
The consistency and color of diarrhea reveal a lot about the cause of the problem and what is happening in your dog. Take very careful note of the color, consistency, and anything else that might help when you describe the symptoms to a vet. In many cases, diarrhea will resolve after a few days of home treatment, but its a good idea to give your vet a call if it continues for a long period or has any one of several signs that may point to a serious problem.
This infographic from Purina gives you an idea of a perfect dog poop, which is chocolate brown, shaped like logs, compact, and easy to scoop. Experts say it should feel like cookie dough or Play-Doh when pressed. Large volumes, pudding-like or watery consistency, or signs of mucus , or blood streaks, are not normal.
Take Note of the Color of the Poop
Color can also indicate a lot about what is going on inside your dogs gut. Chocolate brown is normal, while colors like orange, green, or gray may signify issues with such organs as liver, gall bladder, or pancreas. Black tarry stool is very serious, and may point to internal bleeding. If you see this, contact your vet as soon as possible.
Purina has also provided a handy referencea color wheel of dog poop.
Color, shape, and consistency will all help you and your vet figure out what is wrong when your dog gets diarrhea. These factors will help your vet determine where the problem is originating along the dogs digestive tract.
Other Ways to Decipher Dog Poop
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Home Care For Dogs With Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea in dogs is a very common problem, and fortunately, often passes within 1-2 days.
If your dog has diarrhoea but is otherwise happy, well and behaving normally, you could try to settle them at home. Book an appointment with your vet if your dog isnt improving or if youre concerned at any point.
What To Watch For
Any abnormal symptom could be a sign of serious disease or it could just be a minor or temporary problem. The important thing is to be able to tell when to seek veterinary help and how urgently. Many diseases cause dogs to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your German Shepherd Dog needs help.
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Your German Shepherd Might Have A Viral Infection
Viral infections can be incredibly serious for dogs. If you suspect that you German Shepherd may be suffering from dog diarrhea due to a viral infection, it is important that you contact your vet immediately. Fortunately, viral infections usually show more signs than just diarrhea. Some other signs of a possible viral infection include
- A low-grade fever
- Mucus in your dogs poop
- Nausea and/or vomiting
While viral infections are definitely scary, they are treatable as long as you take your dog to the vet. As a dog owner, there are steps you can take to prevent the risk of a viral infection.
Commonly, viral infections are passed on through the poop of another dog. Therefore, although he might want to, dont let your Shepherd go around sniffing other dogs poop. Its not just a little gross, its dangerous. Of course, keeping your dog up-to-date on his vaccinations will also greatly reduce the risk of a viral infection.
Will Probiotics Help With My German Shepherds Diarrhea
According to Katherine Zeratsky, registered dietitian at the Mayo Clinic, probiotics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms intended to maintain or improve the good bacteria in the body.
These good bacteria can be found in yogurt and sauerkraut, for example. They also come in the form of pills and powders.
In humans, it has been shown that taking probiotics helps to prevent and treat diarrhea and improve gut health.
In canine nutrition, there is a growing body of research on the same positive effects of probiotics on a dogs gut health.
Veterinarians generally consider it safe to give your dog probiotics. However, they still recommend giving your dog a probiotic that is made specifically for dogs, since humans and dogs have different physiological makeup.
Purinas Fortiflora is the most popular probiotic brand for dogs experiencing digestive problems like diarrhea. It is frequently recommended by vets and is even safe for lactating females.
Fortiflora also contains different strains of probiotics that perform different functions. Bifidobacterium, for instance, is known to slow down diarrhea in dogs, while Lactobacillus contributes to overall optimal digestive health.
When administering probiotics to your GSD, always follow the instructions indicated on the label.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Acute Diarrhea
Eating Or Swallowing Something They Arent Suppose To
Eating, swallowing, ingesting or simply tasting anything outside of a puppys normal diet might cause your puppy to get diarrhea, or in worse cases, get seriously sick.
This is why its important to supervise puppies until they are properly house trained and learn what they can and cant play with and touch.
Keeping the inside and outside of your house puppy friendly is also helpful.
Human food, rotten food, meaty bones with harmful bacteria, grass/organic matter and other foods and objects can cause diarrhea or sickness in a puppy.
Its also wise to keep a close eye on your puppy when you go for walks or to the dog park as anything can be laying around in public areas.
If you suspect your puppy has ingested something harmful or toxic get them straight to the vet.
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What Kind Of Cheese To Give Your Dog
If your German Shepherd isnt among the type of dogs that shouldnt have any cheese, theyre in luck! They can enjoy cheese as a very exciting treat.
While they can have almost any kind of cheese, its best to stick with those that are low in fat and salt. That might include cottage cheese, mozzarella, and soft goat cheese.
When choosing cheeses for your dog, its critical that you avoid blue-veined cheeses like Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Danish Blue because they contain a substance that is generally unsafe for dogs. Dogs that consume these types of cheeses may experience diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and seizures.
Additionally, try to avoid heavily processed cheeses because they often contain a variety of artificial and chemical ingredients. You should also favor plain cheese over seasoned ones to avoid optional ingredients like chives and onions.
Healthy Diet And Nutrition Tips From Dr Sarah Nold
Ensuring your dog has a good wholesome diet not only keeps them healthy, but can also help prevent bouts of diarrhea. Heavily processed foods containing high levels of preservatives and chemicals can play havoc with your dogs digestion, and certain human foods can even be poisonous to your dog.
Trupanion veterinarian, Sarah Nold, DVM, offers her healthy diet and nutrition tips, including common foods to avoid and advice on food allergies.
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What Does Different Dog Poop Tell You
The color and consistency of your dogs stool can tell you a lot about their health. The poop of healthy dogs is compact, shaped like logs, and chocolate brown in color. Larger volumes of poop, watery stool, as well as those containing blood or mucus, are out of the ordinary.
The color can say a lot about what is going on in your pups body. Gray, green, orange colored stools might signal issues with certain organs like the pancreas, liver, or gallbladder. Black stools might be an indication of internal bleeding and should be taken quite seriously, whereas blue diarrhea could mean that your doggy has eaten a toy or rat poison . If you see this, contact your vet right away, and bring a stool sample if possible.
Besides color, you should also pay attention to the frequency and consistency of dog poop:
- Healthy dogs have one or two bowel movements per day.
- A normal stool has a consistency similar to cookie dough.
- Chalky and crumbly stools are also normal if your dog is on a raw diet with plenty of bone.
- If you notice solid objects in your dogs poop, you might be able to tell if they have eaten something they couldnt digest.
- The presence of rice-like shapes can be a sign of tapeworm infestation.
Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat
You should always avoid feeding your dog human food and scraps. However, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, chocolate, alcohol, coffee and foods containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol can all be harmful to your dog, so keep these foods out of reach and never feed them to your dog.
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Why Your German Shepherd Eats Grass
If your German Shepherd has a habit of eating grass then its probably quite concerning. Youll probably also want to know why and what to do about it. This post will show you a number of reasons why your German Shepherd might be doing it and will show you some things that you can do as well.
So, why does your German Shepherd eat grass? Eating grass is common amongst all dog breeds and isnt something to be concerned with by itself. Possible causes include boredom, forcing itself to be sick so that it can relieve an upset stomach, to improve digestion, being an inherited trait and simply liking how it tastes.
And how can you stop it? The only way to completely get it to stop would be to stop it from having access to grass but this isnt advised. Instead, you can reduce its interest in eating grass by feeding it more fiber , giving it lots of exercise, giving it other things to chew on and training it to come to you when you call it.
Why dogs might eat grass is something that gets debated but there are a number of proposed reasons why your German Shepherd might be doing it.
Raw Egg Can Gsd Eat Raw Egg
Yes, it is also possible. But there are concerns by some that egg contains salmonella virus which can cause vomitting and diarrhea in German Shepherds.
The diet BARF or ACBA is a way to feed dogs. It is about preparing dishes with ingredients suitable for dogs , and these are served raw.
The recipes raw feeding use raw egg for dogs as one of its ingredients .
Is it better to give my dog cooked egg or raw egg ? Strictly speaking, the raw egg is better. Why? Because it preserves much better its nutrients. When cooking the egg, components such as certain vitamins sensitive to heat are destroyed, and also the proteins change state.
But, if you are not familiar with the BARF diet or do not feel confident about giving your dog raw egg, do not. Nothing is mandatory here, and you have to do what you find optimal and comfortable. In that case, it is enough to give our dogs cooked eggs .
Why is it said that the raw egg is bad for dogs ? For fear that they get sick of salmonellosis, as sometimes happens with humans. However, many experts who advocate the BARF diet assure that cases of salmonellosis in dogs are extremely rare , and that dogs in the wild ate whole and raw eggs , so their body and their immune system are prepared for it.
In some cases is the raw egg for German Shepherds unadvisable ? In certain cases it is better to cook the egg . When?:
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Diarrhea In Dogs: Causes Treatments Prevention
Diarrhea is a pretty common occurrence in dogs. The condition varies in intensity, frequency, and duration from case to case. It often passes quickly on its own, but ongoing diarrhea in dogs can be a sign of a more serious health condition.
In this post, were discussing the many different causes of diarrhea in dogs, signs that indicate a cause for concern, and when it’s time to see the vet. We’ll also cover home remedies for dog diarrhea to help get your pet feeling back on track as soon as possible.
Pro Tip: In cases of severe diarrhea, don’t delay a vet consultation. If you’re enrolled in a pet insurance plan, you can stress less about the cost of a vet visit and focus more on ensuring your loved one has access to gold-standard care.
Acute And Chronic Diarrhea
Depending on the underlying cause, diarrhea in your GSD can be acute or chronic .
Sudden acute diarrhea can appear if your GSD ingests something that does not get along well with her intestines.
GSDs have a higher prey drive than most breeds, making them susceptible to chasing rodents and squirrels when left to their own devices.
If your dog ingests the meat of these animals, the bacteria in the meat can upset her stomach.
On the other hand, chronic diarrhea can appear out of seemingly nowhere, as in the case of inflammatory bowel disease , or the inflammation of a dogs gastrointestinal tract.
German Shepherds and larger breeds in general are more predisposed to this chronic disease than smaller dogs, especially during middle age.
Oftentimes, veterinarians prescribe medication to manage the symptoms, as this is an incurable condition.
If you suspect that your GSD has IBD, please have her checked by your veterinarian.
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What Is The Healthiest Diet For A Dog
It is entirely acceptable to feed your dog a pure kibble diet. Or you can mix their diet up with some cooked or raw meat, fish, vegetables and rice. Many owners like to feed a raw meat diet to their dogs, and while this can suit some dogs very well, there are some important considerations you need to be aware of.
Promoting Gastrointestinal Health In A Sensitive German Shepherd
Some German Shepherds have a sensitive stomach that can be easily aggravated. These pups often require special care when it comes to their diet, and often benefit from extra support from probiotics and other dietary supplements.
So how can you promote digestive health in your German Shepherd? Here are a few of our favorite tips!
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Upset Stomach In German Shepherd Puppies
If you have a German Shepherd puppy in your life, there are always a few extra factors to consider when they are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea.
While every case of GI upset should be taken seriously, its always a bit more concerning when puppies are the one in question.
So what can an upset stomach in German Shepherd puppies mean?
If your puppy companion has an upset stomach, its important to speak with your veterinarian about the possibility of Parvovirus and intestinal parasites.
While puppies can still experience GI upset from other causes, these factors are serious possibilities in our younger canine friends. If your German Shepherd puppy is not fully vaccinated or has not been fully dewormed, these possibilities are on the table.
Your veterinarian can rule out Parvovirus or intestinal parasites with a few simple diagnostics in their clinic laboratory. Once they have an accurate diagnosis in place, they can determine the best method of treatment for your Shepherd friend.
Diarrhea From A Medical Point Of View
From a medical point of view, the diagnosis of diarrhea in dogs is actually complicated. It is classified under several headings each with their own list of causes or causative agents. However, one things for certain, DIARRHEA IS THE MOST CONSISTENT MANIFESTATION OF INTESTINAL DISEASE. You can take that to the bank. The teller would really be surprised.
To simplify it all a bit we will classify diarrhea as WHAT YOU SEE and WHAT YOU COULD DO and what your vet might figure out to help your dog with diarrhea.
First though a definition, as if you need one. Here it is anyway.
Diarrhea is a change in one or more of the characteristics of the bowel movement: increased FREQUENCY, increased FLUIDITY or increased VOLUME.
It also might be interesting to note that the amount of water in poop may not change significantly from being relatively solid to the liquid stool we commonly call diarrhea. .
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