A spoonful of adorability, a sprinkle of a fantastic personality, and a pinch of fur give you the Goldendoodle breed. The fine qualities of this breed are too numerous to count, and the fact that you are still reading this is a testament to the fact that you are smitten by Goldendoodles (…or your wife very “politely” asked for this adorable pup.)
Whatever the case, your pup might be suffering from diarrhea and many questions are racing through your head. How long does dog diarrhea last? Does this breed have certain food allergies? What pet medical advice is out there for pet owners with dogs excreting a loose stool?
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Are Goldendoodles Prone to Diarrhea?
Goldendoodles have an absolutely robust and curious personality makeup. As such, you can expect these furry four-legged friends to get in sticky situations every now and then. Their inquisitiveness might drive them to eat and chew on anything that they can find. It is no surprise that Goldendoodles are a bit more prone to diarrhea in comparison to other dog breeds.
This dog’s digestive system also doesn’t help the cause since Goldendoodles are more prone to food allergies affecting the digestive tract. On the other hand, Goldendoodles are also prone to gastrointestinal tract complications that might present themselves as either diarrhea, vomiting, or bloating up.
Just like any other pup, this breed requires some care to be healthy and fit as a fiddle.
Common Diarrhea Causes for Goldendoodles
Having an understanding of the potential causes of dog diarrhea helps dog owners understand what to do when their dog’s poop just ain’t right. With that being said, what are some of the most common diarrhea causes for Goldendoodles?
Parasitic infections
The adventurous spirit of these adorable cute puppies puts them at risk of contracting a wide range of parasitic infections. Here are just a few of the most common parasitic infections that could affect your Goldendoodle:
Giardiasis
One of the most common parasitic infections that cause diarrhea is called Giardiasis.
The leading cause of this intestinal infection is contaminated food and water. Another common cause of Giardiasis is exposure to dirt that was contaminated by feces. Giardiasis presents symptoms that include chronic intermittent diarrhea, weight loss, and greasy soft to watery stools.
Coccidia
Coccidia is also an intestinal parasite that causes severe cases of diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, and lethargy. Similarly to Giardisis, this infection is mostly contracted from dirt contaminated by feces.
Tapeworms
Although moderate amounts of certain human food types are not harmful and may be good for Goldendoodles, feeding this breed raw food, especially meats could be a recipe for disaster. Some raw food contains tapeworms or other types of infections that cause diarrhea. Your dog’s body could be the perfect host for such parasites.
Food intolerance
In some cases, your pup could be suffering from digestive disorders that are triggered by certain ingredients in their dog food. This issue is more common than you might think and could either be minor or quite severe. In essence, food intolerance simply means that your pup is not properly digesting a certain ingredient.
The symptoms of food allergies include diarrhea, flatulence, vomiting, and even skin irritations such as skin lesions. The latter symptoms tend to present themselves on the face, ears, and feet. This diarrhea cause is triggered by a sensitive stomach and can usually be cleared at home with either over-the-counter meds or home remedies.
Intestinal obstruction
When the gastrointestinal food passage is blocked, this could cause severe complications that might present diarrhea as one of the symptoms. A blocked digestive tract is no benign matter as it doesn’t only threaten the livelihood of your pup but its very own life.
If an intestinal obstruction is not cleared within 3-7 days, it could be lethal if the gastrointestinal food tract is completely blocked and no food or water is passing through. In addition to diarrhea, you might notice weakness and a loss of appetite in your Goldendoodle puppy.
Sadly, intestinal obstruction might be challenging to differentiate from an upset stomach which could lead to an ineffective medical treatment plan. This is why diarrhea that lasts for more than a couple of days after a home remedy could constitute pet medical advice from a professional.
How to Treat Dog Diarrhea
Depending on the cause and severity of your dog’s diarrhea, you can treat your dog at home. What are some of the best home remedies and medications to use on your Goldendoodle suffering from diarrhea?
Dietary adjustments
Since some cases of dog diarrhea are triggered by food allergies, it only makes sense that dietary adjustments correct the issue. However, this means more than switching from certain foods and expecting instantaneous results.
Instead, dietary adjustments could mean instituting a bland food diet for some time and then gradually crossing over to dog food made for sensitive stomachs. A bland diet includes boneless and skinless chicken breast, boiled potatoes, and white rice. From then, you can cross over to high-quality dog food meant for sensitive puppies.
If you are wondering what dog food is best for pups like Goldendoodles, barksinthepark has wealth of information, also regarding adequate healthcare for your puppy.
Over-the-counter diarrhea medication
There are several over-the-counter diarrhea medication options to choose from. From laxatives to stool-hardening medication, as a dog owner, you have enough variety to choose what’s best for your pup.
Vets Preferred has some of the best supplements that help boost overall pet health and even minimize the risk of prolonged routine illnesses such as reactions to allergies and so forth.
Fasting
Initiating a 12 to 24-hour fast has also proven to be effective in some cases of diarrhea. Providing only water for the duration of the fast helps settle the gastrointestinal tract and dulls down any adverse reactions from allergens or other triggers. This could be your first line of defense after your pup starts to exhibit symptoms of an upset stomach.
When to Seek Medical Advice?
Health is wealth, and that is absolutely true for doggos as well. Ensuring dogs have optimum health improves their overall well-being and happiness. In turn, that ensures your happiness as well. To ensure that your pup’s diarrhea doesn’t develop into something more severe or even fatal, touching base with pet medical professionals is crucial. When should you reach out to pet medical professionals?
Chronic diarrhea
After trying out home remedies or over-the-counter medication but your pup is not showing signs of improvement it might be a sign that you need to reach out to a veterinarian. If the diarrhea is becoming chronic, even though your pup shows signs of high energy levels, medical intervention is required.
This is even more important when the pup is manifesting other symptoms as well. The bottom line is, when diarrhea has continued for more than a few days and its duration is alarming, it could be a sign that something is wrong and a veterinarian needs to take a look inside your puppy’s stomach.
Accompanying symptoms
Diarrhea tends to have accompanying symptoms and this could indicate that there is more to it than what meets the eye. If the other symptoms are not minor or concerning, seeking medical attention is the best course. Some of the most alarming symptoms are lethargy, vomiting, blood or mucus in the dog’s stools, and bloating.
Is a Goldendoodle breathing fast also a cause for concern? It depends, if the breathing is triggered by physical activity, you shouldn’t panic that much but if your dog has been sedentary and experiencing rapid breathing patterns when suffering from diarrhea, medical attention is warranted and should be sought as soon as possible.
Severe diarrhea
Severe cases of diarrhea require medical attention right away. As the owner of your pup, you know best when things aren’t just going right. In such cases, schedule a virtual vet appointment to ascertain whether it could be something worse. Some of the common symptoms of severe causes of diarrhea include blood and mucus in the excrement.
If your dog is not eating or drinking some water, this could also be a symptom of a more significant underlying problem. In addition, after attempting home remedies and over-the-counter medication with no improvement, seek medical advice since that might not be a typical case of diarrhea caused by a parasitic infection or allergies.
Preventing Diarrhea In Goldendoodles
As the old adage goes “prevention is better than cure,” as a Goldendoodle parent you ought to ensure your pup has a sanitary environment at all times. Since this breed loves chewing and biting, arranging clean toys free of contaminants could prevent parasitic infections.
Cleaning up after your pup and ensuring that the playing grounds aren’t contaminated by feces will also reduce the probability of this cute little pup contracting parasitic infections leading to diarrhea. On the other hand, watching your pup’s diet and refraining from feeding it raw meats should significantly minimize the risk of tapeworms and related health issues.
Regular deworming (typically every three months) can also aid in preventing parasitic infections if your pup likes to eat everything it finds!
Also, ensure that there are no foreign objects that could be ingested easily by this pup in its close proximity to avoid intestinal blockages.
What Dog Food Could Worsen Goldendoodle Diarrhea?
Some dog foods are not best for an ongoing diarrhea case. Dog foods that are spicy or fatty could exacerbate diarrhea. That is why a bland diet is always best to minimize the symptoms of dog diarrhea.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I give my dog to harden his stool?
For a harder stool consistency, consider switching up your dog’s diet to more meat-based dog foods instead of wetter and fattier options. Canned pumpkin or pumpkin powder can also help abate loose stools when served moderately.
How long does dog diarrhea last?
Typically dog diarrhea lasts for anywhere between 24 to 48 hours. If your pup receives a home remedy, over-the-counter medication, or medical attention swiftly, diarrhea should clear out within this timeframe. If it takes longer, this could mean the condition is more severe and requires further medical attention.
Conclusion
Although Goldendoodles are cute little puppies, they are not immune to common health problems such as diarrhea. As this pet’s owner, you are responsible for providing the best care possible even though that might include making pricier dietary adjustments.
Always remember that dog diarrhea differs on a case-by-case basis, therefore seeking medical attention to double-check the cause and best treatment course is always best. Endeavor to prevent conditions like these by maintaining a sanitary environment for your doggo and feeding it only the best dog food.