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My puppy has soft poop with mucus but seems fine. Vet visit needed?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Goldendoodle | Male | neutered | 3 months and 6 days old | 65 lbs

My puppy's BMs are normal in frequency, but the last three (over 24 hrs) have had a batter-like consistency with some mucus. Eating, drinking and other behaviour normal. Do I need to take him into the vet, or is this a monitor-and-see situation?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA

Veterinarian

Published on May 5th, 2017

Diarrhea in a small puppy are concerning because of dehydration concerns as well as the risk of possible infectious diseases. The diarrhea could be due to parasites, bacterial or viral infections or even dieatery indiscretion. I would recommend you take your puppy to the vet as soon as possible for testing and treatment. If you notice any vomiting, you should seek emergency veterinary care for Henry.

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I'm glad to hear that Henry is eating, drinking and otherwise acting normally, despite his soft stool. Common causes of diarrhea in young puppies include parasites, viruses (include parvovirus since he is not fully vaccinated), stomach upset from eating different foods, among others. Since everything else is normal, you can try a home remedy first. Start by withholding food for 6-8 hours, then offer a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice for the next few days. If Henry's stool quality improves, you can begin mixing his normal puppy food with the chicken and rice for another 5-7 days. However, if Henry's diarrhea persists or worsens, if he becomes lethargic, stops eating, or starts vomiting, he will need to be examined by a vet immediately. I hope that he is feeling better soon!

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I'd forgotten to mention that a rough rule of thumb is to feed 1 cup of a 50/50 chicken and rice mixture for every 10 pounds of body weight. Since Henry is a growing puppy, I recommend feeding him about 1 & 3/4 cup of this bland diet, but divide it into 3-4 smaller meals throughout the day.

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