Diarrhea & Soft Stool in Dogs: Diet Fixes You Can Apply Today

It’s not uncommon for dogs to occasionally struggle with soft stool or diarrhea, but if the problem persists for a longer period of time, it can be a cause for concern. Dog diarrhea can be caused by a lot of things: from poor-quality processed food to stress, infections, or even parasites. 

Of course, in the case of diarrhea that doesn’t clear up even after a few days, it’s crucial to seek veterinary help. But in any case, it all starts from the stomach, and that’s why we’ll discuss a few easy diet fixes you can apply today to relieve your doggo of such digestive problems in the future.

Main Reasons Behind Soft Stool & Diarrhea

Before we share a few tips on what to feed a dog with diarrhea, let’s go through the main reasons why this symptom appears in the first place. Here are some common culprits:

• Dietary discrepancies

• Food intolerances 

• Poor-quality food

• Intestinal parasites 

• Bacterial infections

• Stress 

Of course, the reason might vary depending on the type of food you feed your pet, as well as a few other contributing factors.

For instance, if you’ve got a puppy, the chance of it having intestinal parasites might be much higher when compared to a fully grown dog. There’s also a possibility that some chronic conditions, like Addison’s disease, pancreatitis, or kidney problems, might have led to diarrhea. 

Still, you should start with a visit to the vet to determine the cause. Once you get proper treatment, you should consider switching your pet to a fresh-food diet, just to reduce the chance of such problems happening again further down the line.

Fresh-Food Diet Fixes You Can Apply Now

Now that you’re familiar with the possible reasons behind dog diarrhea, it’s time to discuss potential solutions. As mentioned, there’s one common fix here, and it’s switching to a fresh-food diet. 

In most cases (digestive issues in particular), it should be enough to greatly reduce the chance of your pet struggling with diarrhea. You see, fresh food is much easier to digest when compared to canned and processed food like dry kibble.

It contains high water content and fresh, slow-cooked ingredients that are easier to break down, and they are more gentle on your doggo’s stomach lining. It’s also widely known that a high amino acid content in fresh foods has a positive effect on reducing the chance of soft stool. 

At Pawy, our experts source fresh ingredients from local farms and only use the quality of food you’d trust yourself with. With a tailored fresh-food diet plan, your dog will have a much easier time with digestion, and we’ll give you some starter tips to help you with the transition.

Tip #1: Only Go With High-Quality Ingredients

Our fresh-food plans are based on human-grade ingredients, which include lean meats, fresh veggies, and whole grains. When properly used, they provide a well-balanced source of vitamins and minerals, without any digestion-blocking elements.

Whether you’re using a Pawy plan or setting out to learn how to cook for your dog yourself, you should focus on healthy protein sources like skinless and boneless boiled chicken, turkey, or fish. 

Also, fresh carbohydrates like white rice are especially helpful when dealing with digestive issues like diarrhea. Brown rice and sweet potatoes also help with digestion and provide the much-needed fibre and antioxidants. Finally, fresh veggies like carrots and pumpkin help regulate digestion.

Tip #2: Make a Smooth Transition

Another crucial piece of advice would be to ensure a smooth transition from processed food and kibble to a fresh-food diet. Some dogs simply need more time for their digestive system to adapt to such changes.

So, you should start by slowly introducing fresh food one day at a time. Especially when your dog is struggling with diarrhea, we advise you only add around 20% to 25% of fresh food to their regular diet. 

Within two to three weeks, slowly start increasing that ratio to 50%, then 75%, and finally 100%. If you notice the stool is getting even looser, slow down the process a bit and take a few more days until you fully implement a fresh-food diet.

Tip #3: Control Portions, and Don’t Overfeed

Let’s face it, we all know how tough it is to say no when your doggo watches you with those puppy eyes as you munch on something. However, it’s crucial to stay disciplined when trying to heal them and make their tummies feel better after soft stool struggles.

That’s why food rationing is so important, even when you’re giving them fresh food. You should have a nutritionist come up with a daily feeding plan for dogs recovering from diarrhea and strictly follow it.

Our expert veterinarians and nutritionists at Pawy are always at your disposal, and we’ll help you come up with a detailed, fresh-food diet plan with daily meal packages delivered just in time. It’s a perfect way of staying on top of the diet schedule and avoiding overfeeding.

Tip #4: Balance Your Dog’s Meals

The best dog food for sensitive stomach and diarrhea is fresh food, but only as long as it’s balanced. You should feed your pet all the essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. 

Stick to the daily meal plan recommended by a veterinarian and try to avoid mixing in treats that bring no nutritional value in between meals. Also, it’s recommended to introduce some probiotics to preserve gut health, control the bacteria, and encourage proper intestinal function.

Tip #5: Avoid Allergens 

Last but not least, one of the main dog diarrhea causes is including common allergens in their diet plans. While you can stick with the AAFCO statements on food packaging, you never know the full list of potential allergens in packaged dog food.

Luckily, you won’t have to think about that as much with a fresh-food diet. With a Pawy plan, you can count on items like corn, wheat, soy, dairy products, and other allergens to be fully eliminated. We’ll also work with you to ensure your dog only gets fresh food without any allergy triggers.