A stool that starts off firm but is followed by soft or very loose second half of the bowel movement, can indicate a variety of causes including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, maldigestion, malabsorption, food intolerances, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, dysbiosis (an imbalance in the types of gut bacteria) ...
Paradoxical diarrhea is caused by fecal impaction, a hard stool that is "stuck" in the colon. Constipation that lasts for a long time may lead to fecal impaction. Sometimes, watery stool can leak around the impaction. Long-term use of stimulant laxatives or stool softeners can contribute to this problem.
One of the most common causes of irregular and inconsistent bowel movements in dogs is poor nutrition. Most likely, your dog is not absorbing enough nutrients from the food you feed. Nor is he getting enough fiber to ensure that his digested food goes through his colon efficiently and at the right speed.
After your puppy is born, they cannot form solid bowel movements until weaned off of his or her mother's milk at around four weeks.
1) Overfeeding – Many owners are unaware that overfeeding can cause loose stools. This is due to an 'overload' of the digestive system, meaning it is unable to absorb what it needs and instead expelling it. This is more common in young puppies with sensitive stomachs but can happen at any age.
Switching your dog's food abruptly can cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhea, and a decreased appetite. Any time you decide to change your dog's food, you should transition to the new diet gradually in order to give your dog's system time to adjust to the change.
If you can't feel their ribcage there's a good chance they are overweight. Other signs of overfeeding include loss of energy, or a change in bowel movements. If their stool is normal in the morning but softer by the evening you may need to recalculate their portion sizes.
To firm up your dog's stool, try switching to a high-quality, low-fat dog food that lists meat as the main ingredient. Also, if your dog currently eats wet food, gradually replace the wet food with dry food until your dog is only eating dry food, which can help make its stools firmer.
If your puppy has loose stools or liquid “squirts” but otherwise seems happy and is behaving normally, you can wait a day or so to see whether the diarrhea will resolve on its own. But don't wait longer than 48 hours. By that point, even if diarrhea is your puppy's only symptom, you should seek veterinary care.
If your dog has a single bout of diarrhea and is otherwise acting normally, there is no need to be concerned. Keep an eye on your dog's bowel movements to see if things improve. More than two episodes of diarrhea may indicate a problem, so contact your veterinarian if your dog has two or more bouts of diarrhea.
Shades that may be problematic include orange/yellow (possibly caused by biliary or liver problem), green (possibly caused by a gall bladder issue or eating grass), or gray or greasy (possibly caused by a pancreas or biliary problem).
Changes in bowel habits can be caused by a temporary infection, taking certain medications, or by a long-term (chronic) condition. Some chronic conditions that commonly cause changes in bowel habits include: Celiac disease. Constipation. Crohn's disease.
Pseudodiarrhea, also known as hyperdefecation or excess stool, is defined as increased stool frequency (more than three times daily) with a normal daily stool weight of less than 300 g.
Potatoes (Either Plain/White or Sweet) Potatoes – in whichever form they come – contain easily digestible starches which make them a suitable food choice for dogs with diarrhoea, as well as containing good levels of dietary fibre, which can help improve the solidity of your dog's stools.
Some of the signs of parvovirus include lethargy; loss of appetite; abdominal pain and bloating; fever or low body temperature (hypothermia); vomiting; and severe, often bloody, diarrhea. Persistent vomiting and diarrhea can cause rapid dehydration, and damage to the intestines and immune system can cause septic shock.
Loose stools can mean your dog's food isn't being absorbed in his GI tract, which could point to a food allergy or intolerance, says Huggins. Diarrhea can also indicate that your dog has a serious infection (like a parasite, a bacterial infection, or inflammatory bowel disease).
From when you bring your puppy home at eight weeks until they are four months old, it's best to feed them four meals a day. At four months, reduce this to three meals a day and when they turn six months, reduce to two meals. Continue a morning and evening meal for your pup's life.
While it might seem like your puppy's always hungry, he's still growing, so he needs a lot of food. Just be sure to feed him the right amount for his size and age and get him a healthy puppy food.
Soft stool can be normal in healthy puppies, but if a puppy that normally has firmer stool starts having soft stool monitor the change for 24 hours. If the soft stool continues for more than 24 hours or becomes diarrhea contact your advisor or area coordinator and start fasting the pup.
It can make the problem worse:
More often than not, I have pet parents report their pet didn't improve on chicken and rice and is continuing to have diarrhea, which is where you would suspect a food sensitivity.
1. Change in Kibble. A sudden change in diet can upset your dog's stomach and intestinal tract, leading to diarrhea.