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Managing Diarrhea in Pets with Natural Remedies

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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White Rice
Posted by Mike (Ft Myers, Fla) on 12/18/2009
 ★★★★★

the very best thing that we have found is just plain white rice, our 9 year old mixed lab eats only dry dogfood all his life but sometimes gets a treat from the table. we have learned over the years that some things just make him have diarrhea an when i see his stool is changing at one of his trips outside we fix some plain white rice. one of my customers told me about this years ago when my dog was really going all over the house and within hours he stopped and it has worked ever since.

Squash and Garlic
Posted by Bonnie (Lynn, MA) on 06/24/2009
 ★★★★★

Hi,

I have three kittens between three and four months old with an ongoing problem of diarhea. They still had good appetites...four meals a day...and behaved normally, so instead of taking them immediatelly to the vet.... I thought I'd try one of these remedies. I used two teaspoons of squash (the store didn't have pumpkin) and three thin slices of garlic (minced)....(I wasn't sure how much I should give them so thus the small amount) .... mixed in one can of cat food for three days (four meals a day) and they all have normal to soft ...formed ...bms! I gave them garlic with the squash since I wasn't sure what was causing the diarhea and figured the garlic would take care of parasites/worms if that was the problem. I'm not sure how long I should do this so I'm going to give it a couple more days and see if it is truly gone. I'll let you know. Thanks for your website.

Bonnie

P.S. I have given them cooked chicken and organic rice baby cereal and that didn't work. I'd love to be able to give them meat on a daily basis but I have many cats (all rescues) and just can't afford to do it. I'm not keeping these kittens, but want them to go to their new homes healthy. Thank you again

Squash and Garlic
Posted by Hayley (Pahoa, HI) on 07/25/2009

Fresh Garlic can be harmful to cats and kittens.

Squash and Garlic
Posted by Bob (Belleville, Nj) on 04/03/2010

Garlic works for people but can be toxic to cats.

Rice, Cayenne, Pumpkin, Yogurt
Posted by Jackie (Rocky Mount, NC) on 02/16/2009
 ★★★★★

I have a German Shepherd puppy 4 months old and she developed severe diarrhea and I found this site and put her on one probiotic yogurt in the mornings and a combo of rice/cayenne/pumpkin three times a day and by the second day she was better and on the third she was cured! Thank you sooooo much for this site and for all the members who wrote about their experiences!
Since the third day I have added a little protein to her combos and she is doing fine!

Rice, Cayenne, Pumpkin, Yogurt
Posted by Camille (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 07/02/2011
 ★★★★★

I have a Golden Retriever who has IBD (inflamotoy bowel desease ) . When he gets his flare ups with Dirreah I give him Pumpkin & rice mixed in his food along with some frozen yogurt cubes for a treat. They all work wonders for him. My vet told me Pumpkin can be given to him daily. Although IBD cannot be cured, the ingredients above keep it all under control. Who would have ever thought Pumpkin would be so helpful for him.

Rice, Cayenne, Pumpkin, Yogurt
Posted by Kj (Scottsdale, Az) on 11/08/2011

Pumpkin is awesome and veterinarian recommended.... However the dose is specific to the dog's size. 1 tablespoon probably too much for a daily dose. Reason is pumpkin contains many vitamins and minerals some of which can be dangerous in high doses.

Pumpkin also may not be good for pets with certain underlying medical conditions.... diabetes for example.

Be very careful and ask your vet please.

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato
Posted by Sarah (Phoenix, AZ) on 01/27/2009

My dog did the same thing, but not to the extreme of your dog. She would bite the fur off of her back and was missing fur. She also had really bad dry, flakey skin. I found out that she was allergic to corn and wheat. She also has a negative reaction to chicken and beef. I did this by experimentation and research since the vet was going to charge me an arm a leg for steriods amongst other things! I now have her on a venison dog food with no corn or wheat. I found the food at the local pet store. You can just ask someone who works there and they will know which brands have what in them. She will occasionally chew on her feet, but now it is a force of habit. I just try to give her something else to chew on. That works immediately! She stops chewing. She no longer has the severe problems she had before. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato
Posted by Sue (Melbourne, Australia) on 01/28/2009

Hi Teri,

My dog has similar food intolerances to Sarah's dog. My guy can't eat chicken or pork and he can't eat grains or starches such as rice, pasta, white potatoes, corn etc.

In your situation, I would put Willow onto a food elimination diet to identify possible food intolerances, especially given the recent bowel problems. You can start two ways - either by feeding 100% home cooked or 100% high quality kibble with only one protein/meat source and no grains or fillers. California Natural make two good kibbles - a fish and sweet potato or venison and sweet potato.

Allergies will be caused by either something in the environment or something in the diet. Diet is probably the easiest place to start.

Good luck. Hopefully you will find it is something as simple as eliminating grains!

Pumpkin
Posted by Kelly (Nashville, TN) on 11/21/2008

Canned pumpkin (100% pure pumpkin) is a great cure for dog who must have their anal glands expressed due to impactions. Also, my two dogs take enzymes and herbs daily. The herbs smell (and most likely taste) really bad. I mix them in a few teaspoons of pumpkin and add a couple of drops of omega 3 and vitamin E and a drop or so of Agave nectar. No problem getting them to eat this.

Cayenne
Posted by Kate (Vancouver, Bc) on 12/07/2011

I have a 3 yr old Brussels griffon with major diarrhea past 2 days. She has also had problems with her anal glands $$$$$ so am concerned one will lead to another.

Willing to try pureed pumpkin and cayenne pepper. Will any cayenne pepper work? Like grocery store bulk? And how much of both would I give to a 12 lb dog? Thnx!! :-)

Cayenne
Posted by Teresa (Edmonton, Canada) on 12/09/2011

Hope dog is better, sometimes reading all this help gets overwhelming when you're desperate, double check your info on pumpkin, I read that pumpkin is for help with constipation, even for humans, (I've read everything on this site as I'm dealing with dog cancer) I never came across the pumpkin for anything but that and cayenne? Could be an irritant to diarrhea. I've heard to use rice as food filler, rice starch water, stops it.

Pumpkin
Posted by Kris (Benton City, Washington) on 01/09/2008
 ★★★★★

I have used Pumpkin for constipation for my dog who suffers from chronic problems daily. Contrary to others beliefs. I give him a tablespoon every day. It works great! I also have another dog that has problems with diarrhea I also give him the same amount as it has fiber and works for both problems. This is a marvelous cure all. I am thirlled that I found this information on this site.

Pumpkin
Posted by Renee (Tacoma, Wa) on 03/30/2011
 ★★★★★

It works! When My puppy came home from having surgery he was constipated... I gave him pumpkin and withing a few hours his "stuff" was normal and he wasn't straining himself outside. (It was so sad watching him try his hardest with no result) A couple of days later he got diahrea from his medication, and again, I gave Him a spoonfull of pumpkin and added the same amount of greek yogurt with each meal. While he was on the medication I had to keep this up... If I stopped the additions to his normal food, he would have the "runs" again. Now he's off the meds and the problem is gone... though he likes the yogurt so much I keep giving it to him.

Probiotics
Posted by Karen (Fraser, MI) on 10/12/2006
 ★★★★★

This is an additional comment to what I wrote previously: We discontinued giving them (one dog with the problem but the other dog ate it too) the probiotics and they continue well. My guess is that the probiotics re-plenished the intestinal flora of the dogs, none of them have had any antibiotics since then, I believe that if they do need an antibiotic in future I would give them some probiotics again. NOT expensive at all to use probiotics, I gave them one with food each day. Sometimes I split the capsule in the 3 different bowls. Can't get any more frugal!

Kaopectate
Posted by Sharon (Vancouver, BC) on 09/17/2006
 ★★★★★

Kaopectate: I have been using this for years and it has never failed yet.. give an adult dose.. i work at a kennel and have used it there twice in the last two weeks on dogs that get stressed out and get loose to runny stools.

Boiled Chicken and Pumpkin Puree
Posted by Mandy (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA) on 01/13/2009

With the rice, will any white rice do? I'm not much of a cook, so I have minute rice. Also, if the dog gets too much pumpkin will it have the reverse effect? Will she keep having the runs?

Boiled Chicken and Pumpkin Puree
Posted by Sandy (Warwick, Ri) on 09/09/2011

I have a 16 year old cat with multiple problems, one of which is pancreatitis. He is on a special diet of Hills Prescription Diet W/D can and dry food. I recently took him into the vet to be examined for worms etc. They feel he has IBS and gave me some medication that didn't work! I would like to try giving him this diet and I know the rice and Chicken are safe but what about the pumpkin or squash? Does anyone know?

Boiled Chicken and Pumpkin Puree
Posted by Suzanne (North Plainfield, Nj) on 11/01/2011
 ★★★★★

To Sandy about feline safety with pumpkin and squash. I regularly give my kitties pumpkin or zucchini mixed in with their organic raw food diet. They are very safe for cats. In fact, if a cat won't eat you can often get them to eat some canned pumpkin.

Boiled Chicken and Pumpkin Puree
Posted by Meeasm (S. Ontario, Canada) on 10/25/2013

To all cat owners (incl. 'Dedutch from Johnson City, Texas': I know this reply is long past your 2011 post and am very sorry 'bout that as this may no longer be relevant for you, however, in the event you may still have a cat, or for anyone else with a cat, be advised that according to many sources in books and online as well as a professional of my acquaintance who is a Veterinary Homeopath, veterinary homeopathy course-writer & turor and who chose to specialize in her homeopathy practise primarily with felines highly recommends pumpkin for cats so long as it's 100% PURE, plain, canned cooked pumpkin with absolutely NO spices nor preservatives. Her research into the medical literature revealed that cats actually have a greater dietary requirement for betacarotene than do dogs, something which pumpkin provides a good source of along with a species-appropriate source of fibre too:-)

Boiled Chicken and Pumpkin Puree
Posted by Meeasm (S. Ontario, Canada) on 10/25/2013

Further to my post with regards cats and pumpkin...

The following is excerpted and can be read in its entirety at the following URL....

http://www.felineconstipation.org/prevention.html

"Pumpkin or Other Winter Squash – A traditional vet recommendation and a good one, plain unspiced canned pumpkin can help relieve either constipation or diarrhea as it normalizes the situation. The beneficial gut bacteria, when properly fed, are good at normalizing the bowel environment. Some cats report that Libby's plain canned pumpkin is the preferred brand but canned pumpkin does not agree with all cats. Baked winter squash can be fed and your cat may have preferences as to type of squash, or baby food winter squash can be used. Use small amounts mixed into several of the daily meals, a small amount being 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. Then monitor the results...."

Probiotics
Posted by Karen (Fraser, MI) on 07/09/2006
 ★★★★★

My 16 year old dog (a Silky Terrier) had diarrhea, it looked like clear yellow goo. The vet over a several month time period tried an antibiotic liquid, then a powder to sprinkle on food every day. It worked as long as I used it, but dosage was very tricky, and cure was not achieved. I asked if I could sprinkle some probiotics on his food instead, vet said shouldn't be harmful. I put 1/2 of a capsule of probiotics on each of our dog's food, the sick dog was the 12 # dog, the well dog was 22#. This remedy worked immediately, and dog continues well, I no longer give it to him every day. It has worked for the past 5 months. There have been no effects that I can see on the other dog who had normal bowel movements, and continues to do so. I told the vet, and he was pleased and happy to know this as well.

Probiotics are the live flora found in live yogurt. I used the same probiotic that we take, and I have used 2 different formulas for us and the dogs, not on purpose, just that I had 2 different bottles of these on hand. I hope you can pass this along, we love our "fur children

Pumpkin
Posted by Michelle (Tennessee ) on 05/03/2017
 ★☆☆☆☆

The pet store recommended a can of pumpkin that they sold. I gave it to my cat with diarrhea for one week at least once a day with her dry cat food until the can was gone. It did absolutely nothing. I agree that how is a laxative type product supposed to mend diarrhea?

Pumpkin
Posted by Adriana (Omaha, Ne) on 06/24/2015

Could you tell me how much pumpkin you use? My dog had had diarrhea for over a month and I had tried everything, pumpkin too, but maybe I am not giving her enough.

Pumpkin
Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 06/24/2015

Hey Adriana!

Do you know why your dog has been experiencing loose stools? What I mean is, I often know when I walk my dogs in a certain swampy area they get loose stools from picking up a giardia bug; I then treat with the appropriate home remedy. What often works for me is 2 tbsp grated raw carrot, 1 tsp C&H brown sugar and 2 tsp raw shelled sunflower. If that doesn't bring instant results I boost that with 1 capsule echinacea and 1 tablet of vitamin C. This combo usually does the trick and I feed it 5-7 days am and pm with their food.

But loose stools for a month from an unknown reason would have me considering a vet visit. Are the stools grayish/bluish-green? Very often that indicates a serious problem in the GI tract such as colon cancer or a liver disorder.

Pumpkin
Posted by Germaine Clemente (Bonita Springs Fl) on 05/17/2013

Hi after reading many posts I noticed everyone used a chicken and rice diet. I was told boiled beef and white rice. Am I missing something
Thanks

Pasta and Salmon
Posted by Karin (Cape Coral, Florida) on 05/06/2012
 ★★★★★

After trying all the usual stuff, I finally found something to cure diarrhea in my foster greyhound. Feed about 1-2 cups pasta (cooked until mushy) with about 2 tablespoons of salmon (cheap canned is fine) and add in 1, 000 mg of L-Glutamine 2x a day. Do not feed anything else until a few days after it completely resolves and then just add in a little of other food until you eventually transition to regular food. It worked in less than 24 hrs. Recipe was in an issue of Celebrating Greys magazine. Good luck

Pumpkin, White Rice
Posted by Jan (Waterville, Maine, Usa) on 02/21/2012
 ★★★★★

Thanks you everybody who suggested pumpkin and rice for diarrhea. My dogs and cats vomited and had diarrhea every time I fed them, and we've been through many foods over the past few months. I fed them home-cooked rice, chicken, and vegetables plus pumpkin and the symptoms were gone within 2 days. My life is so much better now, and so is theirs. thanks. I add flax seed oil or olive oil, too, and oatmeal, fruit, or whatever I have. I make sure I give them the recommended amount of protein:carbs. Life is good.

Pumpkin, White Rice
Posted by Gregsartin (Naperville, Il, United States) on 08/07/2011
 ★★★★★

I have a 80 lbs Goldendoodle who had diarrhea for about 4 days. He would go 4 to 5 times a day and I wasn't home all the time so you can imagine the mess I came home to. After reading some tips on this site I gave my dog a 1/2 cup of white rice and 2 tablespoons of pumkin for dinner then breakfast the next morning. After the dinner meal he pooped a little bit and it was mushy but not liquid runny. The next morning I took him out about 4 hours after he ate and it was 98% solid. I will continue to give him this for another meal and add white rice and pumkin to his food a couple times a week.

Pumpkin
Posted by Pinkshoe (Hibbing, Mn, Usa) on 09/25/2011

I gave my 4 month old chihuahua 1/4 tsp. of pureed pumpkin. He has had diarrhea for the past 3 weeks. He has tested positive to round worms. He is taking a medication called Metronidazole twice per day. With the 1/4 tsp. his diarrhea started to stiffen up but then I gave him 1/2 tsp with his next feeding and back with the watery diarrhea. Should I give him more pumpkin? It did seem to be working. I am not sure what to do at this point. Should I fast him for awhile? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Pumpkin
Posted by Sami (Irvine, Ca, Usa) on 10/01/2011

Hi.
May I encourage you to have pup dewormed promptly. Round worm can terrorize a dog's intestines and get into lungs. You may have to deworm again. Also, I found that several vets prescribed too low of a dose of metrodiazinol. The best result for a 7 lb, chihuahua is 100 mg at 1 1/2 ml once to twice daily, depending on how bad the diarrhea is. Add probiotics to food--a half capsule twice daily to encourage good bacteria in intestines. A boiled chicken and rice diet, 60-40 ratio, 60% rice or more. Allow dog to adjust to diet and probiotics recipe with medication until resolved. As pup heals and resolves worms, keep doing what you are doing. You can then slowly add kibble back into his diet.

Note: some vets say that dosage is toxic. I was fortunate to have found two vets who finally put my chi on the proper dosage. Also, you might try getting him hydrated at vet to help him recover his strength. Probiotics build the immune system as well, for the allergy sufferers. Metrodiazonal should cease diarrhea immediately. Round worms can kill a dog. So take care of that first. If vet insists on fecal, insist you saw the worm. Many vets wrongly say fecal exam must show infection. Simply not true. God bless. Oh, be certain all dogs are walked to ease the stress of illness and gas.

Pumpkin
Posted by Leslie (Clearlake, California) on 10/10/2011

Try prebiotic, probotics for dogs. I just went thru the same thing. I used nutramax proviable paste, and capsules, fda approved for canines. Its a 10 day program. I also changed food brands to a no grain limited ingredient. Things are almost back to normal. I will continue to supplement probioctics because my dogs digestive system was completely torn up and will take a long time to heal. Prebiotics in this product are specifically designed to make it thru the stomach acids and get to the problem areas in the small or large intestine. good luck.

Pumpkin
Posted by Cane (Contra Costa County) on 08/28/2017

My cat had e-coli, I don't know if she still has it. The vet did a urine culture and it said she was cleared up. She also had a UTI, She"s had diarrhea for a year. She also has begining kidney disease. I've given her 4 different kinds probiotics. The best was ben-a-bac, or ben-u-bac. She still has diarrhea. I'll trythe pumkin, I'll probably have to forch feed unless she will eat it on her own, but I doubt it, she'picky. I have haer on I/D dry food. The K/D makes her worse. I think clearing up the diarrhea is the first priority, then gradually give her a little K/D mixed wjth the I/D. Has anybody had sucess with probiotics. And what brand and name?

Pumpkin
Posted by Pamperingpaws (Orlando, Fl) on 01/24/2011
 ★☆☆☆☆

Where is this coming from? Pumpkin is HIGH in fiber and water. It works well for constipation BUT NOT DIARRHEA! Would you take metamucil for your diarrhea? the easiest and safest way to stop diarrhea is to stop feeding for 12-24 hours, then start slowly feeding small meals (break up a regular meal into 2-3 feedings afew hours apart) or start with small amounts of pain rice with or without plain boiled chicken then transfer back on to regular food over a few days. Adding pumpkin dose no good and may make a bad situation worse. If you INSIST on using pumpkin for diarrhea PLEASE check with your vet for advise, a phone call cost you nothing.

Pumpkin
Posted by Jenna (Rochester, Minnesota) on 09/07/2011

I just gave my 9 month old Lab/Golden Retriever Mix a teaspoon of Organic Pumpkin to help with her diahrrea that's been going on for 48 hours now. We'll see if it works...

Pumpkin
Posted by Tucson_arizona (Tucson, Arizona, U.s.a.) on 12/27/2010
 ★☆☆☆☆

I bought Libby's 100% canned pumpkin, mixed with rice, and did not help my dog's diarrhea, gave it to him a week, 2 tablespoons every time he ate.

White Rice
Posted by Kelly (Franksville, Wi) on 07/02/2011

can anyone tell me how to stop vomiting in 5mo silver lab pup he eats everything and still poops and pees and is very playful.

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato
Posted by Teri (Erie, Pa. USA) on 01/10/2009
 ★★★★★

Hi Everyone,

First, thank you for your wonderful web site. Last week I was up all night with my sick 90lb german shepard. First she was vomiting, then got slammed with really severe diarrhea. After I read your messages about the use of pumpkins I decided to give it a try. I'm on disability and these $150 vet visits are killing me. Well as luck would have it I also didn't have any pumplin but remembered I had some unbaked sweet potatos left over from Thanksgiving that were still good so I baked them till they were nice and soft and mixed it in her food. Her diarrhea was gone in a day and a half. It gets better. I was speaking with my brother who lives with a ankle bitter that eat a five pound box of Christmas cookies and got so bound up he couldn't walk. Their vet recommended pumpkin to relieve his problem and it also work great. It appears that pumpkin, sweet potato or any high fiber foods will work for both problems. Thanks again for your web site and the information you publish. It was a blessing.

I would also appreciating hearing from anyone who has a remedy for allergies and itching and chewing. Almost $1000 dollars into treatment we are no closer to finding out what makes Willow (my puppy) go crazy. She chews her feet, stratches her nose, and get chews the fur off her legs and digs in her ears. The only thing the vet does is put her on antibotics and steroids and as soon as she quits taking them it starts all over again. Hoping someone can help. I breaks my heart to see her suffer. Thanks again.

Teri

EC: Re: the allergies -- please tell us brand of dog food you are feeding her, also what ingredients are listed on the packaging!

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato
Posted by Lesley (Kagel Canyon, CA) on 01/31/2009

My chihuahua had the same symptoms... chewing feet, losing hair, scratching and digging in his ears... I put him on a holistic organic dog food, and gave him Skineze by Allergicpet.com and it really seemed to help... also, Nzymes supplements have helped other dogs with this issue... mixing ACV and water and spraying his skin might help with the itching... good luck

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato
Posted by Darryl (Easton, Pa) on 03/09/2016
 ★★★★★

Thanks for the wonderful information. Found the site through a search engine when our American Eskimo/ Husky mix puppy Willow decided she should chew up her blanket and then got diarrhea. Used the chicken, rice and pumpkin recipe and it seems to be helping get her back on track.

Tripe
Posted by Kevin (Beloit, Wi) on 10/27/2010

Cow tummy, Tripe, contains the bacteria(S) that make 1)Buttermilk, 2) yogurt, & 3) Sour Cream, all of which tend to be "cleansing" on the digestive tract. So I wonder if a bit of buttermilk might do the same thing ?

I do know that rice cooked in chicken broth ( for flavor) and PURE pumpkin helps with my Lab's runny stool, when that occurs. Thanks EVERYONE for all the input, I find it greatly helpful.

Tripe
Posted by Dtm354 (Hoboken, Usa) on 09/18/2011

My dog has had diarrhea on and off for 3 months. I've been to the vet twice (both over $500 visits), with no resolution other than keep him on a bland diet of chicken and rice with anti-diarrhea medicine. When his diarrhea acted up again, after reading all of the wonderful comments about how pumpkin can help, I decided to give it a try versus incurring another $500 vet bill with again, no resolution. After giving my dog 1/2 teaspoon 3 times a day with his meals (science diet dog food for sensitive stomachs and a little rice) for one day his diarrhea was gone, and he was back to his happy, playful self. Thank you for the comments, and hopefully this will help someone else as well!

Kaopectate
Posted by Anita (Allentown, Pennsylvania) on 06/23/2008

How much do you give a 15 pound Boston Terrier?


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