Why does my dog have diarrhea?

Diarrhea is a sign of imbalance in the gut. For whatever reason, the intestinal tract is lacking is healthy flora, probiotics are the answer to stopping diarrhea and firming up your dog's stools for good.

What is Diarrhea and Loose Stool?

Diarrhea and Loose StoolLikely you know what this is, but we'll still explain it... Diarrhea is watery stool. Loose stool is actually a form of diarrhea, just a more mild version of it.

Loose Stool and Diarrhea: These are common problems with dogs and their owners. Loose stool is considered soft or mushy poops or “patty-like” stools.

What Causes It

Other than antibiotics, there are usually are some foundational health issues that cause loose stool and diarrhea. Addressing diet, looking for potential parasites, or overall gut function can increase your success rate with combating loose stool in dogs.

Usually, it can be related to diet, or a food intolerance.

Top Healthy Raw Dehydrated Dog Foods

When your dog’s intestinal microbiota is in a state of dysbiosis, harmful bacteria have overrun the gut. These pathogenic bacteria cause loose stool and diarrhea and the situation is very difficult for your dog to fight on his own.

How to stop loose stool and diarrhea with probiotics

Loose stool and diarrhea can be most easily addressed through nutrition. In the short term, some have found that by adding canned pumpkin to the diet the issue is somewhat abated. But, to address the problem at the foundation, the answer is probiotics.

Probiotics, tiny microorganisms, populate the gut to create a more favorable intestinal microbiota and guard against dysbiosis. Give your dog a serving or five of probiotics every day to keep his belly happy.

How probiotics stop diarrhea and firm up stools

When delivered at proper doses, probiotics can crowd out the pathogenic bacterial that causes loose stool and diarrhea. The result is a balanced and effective immune and digestive system, and regular bowels.

How quickly will probiotics stop diarrhea or loose stool?

While every dog is different, we've seen consistent positive results with Probiotic Miracle® when addressing loose stool and diarrhea. While some have reported positive results in as little as two days, we recommend waiting 3-5 weeks before noticing lasting results.

How long should my dog be on a probiotic after diarrhea?

After the bouts of loose stool and diarrhea have passed, it is a smart choice to continue probiotic therapy as a wellness regimen. By giving probiotics daily, you support the gut, your dog’s primary immune system organ. Probiotics can help fight of recurring diarrhea issues.

“Wow… I had to write to you to tell you the amazing results we had with Probiotic Miracle on our 8 year old labrador. We tried everything to get the CONSTANT loose stool to go away. Pumpkin helped a little, but nothing did the trick completely. It seemed to go away and come back. Then we were advised by my vet to try probiotics. We started with Probiotic Miracle and got immediate results. We tried switching to another brand that I found in the store, but, wouldn’t you know it! Diarrhea! We put him back on Probiotic Miracle, and yes, immediate results. We will never switch again! :) Just thank you for making such a great product for our precious family member.” —Carla G.

Top Sellers in Dog Probiotics

Why Probiotics for Dogs?

Most dogs are deficient in healthy flora. Here's why:

  • Dogs on antibiotics will be deficient in healthy gut bacteria since antibiotics strip the gut of ALL bacteria.
  • Senior dogs will naturally have a lower volume of healthy bacteria.
  • Dogs fed processed dry kibble are susceptible to low healthy microflora.
  • Drinking municpal water treated with chemicals
  • Stress contributes to an imbalance in the microbiome (dog's gut).
  • Puppies are born with probiotic deficiency as their guts sterile. Supplementing your puppy with probiotics early on may give them a "leg up" on fighting illness later on.

Benefits

  • Better skin and coat appearance
  • Improved breath and body smell
  • Less gas (flatulence)
  • Fewer allergy symptoms
  • Reduction in yeast issues
  • Regular bowel functions

Signs of Deficiency

  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Itching and allergies
  • Poor immune function
  • Skin irriations
probiotic deficiency

7 Signs Your Dog Needs Probiotics

If your dog is showing some of these symptoms, chances are he needs probiotics and digestive support.

probiotics safe for puppies

Are Probiotics Safe for Puppies?

Probiotics are highly recommended for puppies and young dogs, here's why...

Cites and References

  1. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2012 Apr 15;146(2):185-9. doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2012.02.013. Epub 2012 Mar 1.  Early exposure to probiotics in a canine model of atopic dermatitis has long-term clinical and immunological effects. R, Santoro D, Ahrens K.
  2. Vet Ther. 2009 Fall;10(3):121-30 Clinical benefits of probiotic canine-derived Bifidobacterium animalis strain AHC7 in dogs with acute idiopathic diarrhea.
  3. Björkstén B, Sepp E, Julge K, Voor T, Mikelsaar M (October 2001). Allergy development and the intestinal microflora during the first year of life. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 108 (4): 516–20. doi:10.1067/mai.2001.118130
  4. Portrait of a canine probiotic Bifidobacterium–from gut to gut. O’Mahony D, Murphy KB, MacSharry J, Boileau T, Sunvold G, Reinhart G, Kiely B, Shanahan F, O’Mahony L.?Vet Microbiol. 2009 Oct 20;139(1-2):106-12. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2009.05.002. Epub 2009 May 19.
  5. Evaluation of efficacy of probiotics in prevention of candida colonization in a PICU-a randomized controlled trial. Kumar S, Bansal A, Chakrabarti A, Singhi S. Source Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatric Centre, Chandigarh, India.
  6. Anim Health Res Rev. 2012 Jun;13(1):78-88. doi: 10.1017/S1466252312000059. Epub 2012 May 30. Current state of knowledge: the canine gastrointestinal microbiome. Hooda S, Minamoto Y, Suchodolski JS, Swanson KS.
  7. Eksp Klin Gastroenterol. 2013;(2):54-64. Perspective applications of multi species probiotics in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
  8. Can J Microbiol. 2013 May;59(5):347-52. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2012-0472. Epub 2013 Mar 19.
    Synbiotic administration of canine-derived strain Lactobacillus fermentum CCM 7421 and inulin to healthy dogs. Strompfová V, Lauková A, Cilik D.
  9. American Psychological Association. 2012 September, Vol 43, No. 8. That Gut Feeling. With a sophisticated neural network transmitting messages from trillions of bacteria, the brain in your gut exerts a powerful influence over the one in your head, new research suggests
  10. Weese JS, Arroyo L. Bacteriological evaluation of dog and cat diets that claim to contain probioticsCan Vet J. 2003;44(3):212‐216.

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