Common causes of loose stools in puppies, from a change of food to worms, giardia and coccidia, which signs are urgent, and how to work with your vet.
Soft stools are common around weaning and after the move to a new home, when stress and new food come at the same time. Other common causes are overeating, eating things outdoors, roundworms and the parasites giardia and coccidia, as well as bacterial and viral infections. Parvovirus can start with vomiting and foul, bloody diarrhoea in unvaccinated puppies and is life-threatening. In a kennel several causes often occur together, so a single test rarely gives the whole answer, and a puppy that seems to recover can relapse when it is stressed.
Contact a vet the same day if a puppy has bloody or watery diarrhoea, vomits, stops eating, seems lethargic or feels cold, or if several puppies fall ill at once. Small puppies can become dehydrated within hours. Weigh the puppies every day: one that stops gaining or loses weight needs attention even if the stool only looks a little soft. Check hydration by gently lifting the skin over the shoulders. It should spring back at once, and dry, sticky gums are a warning sign. Keep a sick puppy warm and offer water or an electrolyte solution in small amounts, but never withhold fluids.
Bring fresh stool samples, ideally collected over three days, since many parasites are shed on and off. The vet can test for worms, giardia and coccidia and run a PCR panel that also covers parvovirus. Treatment depends on the cause: fenbendazole for giardia and worms, toltrazuril for coccidia, and intensive care with fluids for parvovirus. Avoid antibiotics without a diagnosis, since they rarely help and disturb the gut flora. A bland, easily digested diet in small, frequent meals, plus probiotics, supports recovery, and a puppy should keep eating rather than fast.
Giardia cysts and coccidia survive for a long time and reinfect puppies from the floor, the run and their own paws. Pick up stools at once, wash and dry the whelping area and the runs thoroughly, and wash bedding often. Bathing the hindquarters at the end of a giardia treatment removes cysts from the coat. Change food gradually over a week, and send the new family home with a bag of the food the puppy is used to. Deworm according to your vet's plan, keep unvaccinated puppies away from public ground, and note stool quality and weight in the litter log so you spot changes early.
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