My small dog has recently eaten raw ground beef and is now having bloody loose stools. Whats going on?

Most dogs can tolerate a raw meal. The amount may have caused GI upset. Bad meat or fatty meat can also be the cause. Withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet (1:1 ratio of plain boiled boneless chicken and plain white rice). Feed in small, frequent amounts waiting at least one hour between feedings. Continue feeding until the stool is normal. Transition slowly to the regular diet. If the diarrhea doesn’t stop or your dog becomes lethargic or exhibits symptoms of abdominal pain, see your veterinarian.

If the diarrhea has just started, you can try a tablespoon of canned pumpkin with each meal to add fiber into the diet. You can also feed boiled chicken breast and cooked white rice for a few days to let the GI tract calm down. However, if the diarrhea lasts more than 48 hours, or if Bravery starts vomiting, has a poor appetite, and becomes lethargic, he should get checked out by a vet as soon as possible. Common causes of diarrhea in dogs includes food intolerance, food allergies, intestinal parasites, dietary indiscretion, bacterial or viral infection, stress colitis, among others.

If Ruby is indeed behaving normally, withhold all food for 24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts. Begin with one tablespoon of food every hour and gradually increase the amount. Feed blandly until the stool is normal then transition slowly to her regular diet. A bland diet can be plain white rice mixed with one of the following: cottage cheese, boiled boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cooked/drained ground beef or cooked/drained ground turkey. Mix in a 1:1 ratio and serve warm, if necessary, to stimulate eating. Symptoms that would require a visit to the veterinarian are: vomiting, continuing or worsening diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite or abdominal pain.