One of the most common problems seen in dogs is diarrhea. In most cases, the diarrhea can be traced to bad eating habits – foraging through a garbage can or eating spoiled food or non food items. When this happens, the dog diarrhea is usually resolved in a day or two and poses no long-term problems. When is dog diarrhea a problem? If the diarrhea persists more than 24 hours or is accompanied by vomiting or contains blood, your dog should see her veterinarian.

But what are the common causes of diarrhea?

Intestinal parasites — these are common in puppies and can be ruled out in most cases by a stool examination. Worms are the most common parasite but Giardia and other protozoan parasites can be difficult to diagnose and may need special tests. These can cause chronic issues especially in puppies. Early deworming can help eliminate these parasites

Antibiotics–these can cause diarrhea in dogs especially in puppies. Penicillin type antibiotics are particularly notorious for this. If probiotics are given along with the antibiotics then diarrhea is reduced

Bacteria, viruses or spoiled food–Dogs who surf the garbage cans or pick up strange things in the yard can get a bacterial diarrhea. These can be dangerous. Viral diarrhea such as parvo can be a killer particularly in puppies. This is prevented by vaccination.

Diet changes or allergies to certain foods can cause diarrhea. If your dog has chronic diarrhea, then food allergy or inflammatory bowel disease can be the cause. A holistic veterinarian can help you with this.

Holistic treatments of diarrhea can include a 24 hour fast to allow the digestive tract to rest, digestive enzymes, probiotics, and herbal supplements. Digestive enzymes help break down the food and give the GI tract a rest. Probiotics are good bacteria that repopulate the gut and help it to heal and digest food.Herbal supplements such as Slippery Elm. Boswellia, and L glutamine help the gut to function and heal. One such herbal supplement is Plantaeris from Pet Wellbeing. It has natural ingredients to help with GI inflammation and healing.