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My dog had diarrhea, now soft poop & straining on bland diet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My 8 year old puggle had pretty bad diarrhea a few days ago. I switched her to a bland diet on Wednesday evening (rice and ground beef) and she is no longer having to go as frequently and the poop is way more solid. However it is still not as hard as it usually is and this evening she strained while trying to go and was only able to get out a little bit. Is this normal?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Ann Dion, DVM 121

Veterinarian

Published on September 2nd, 2017

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Diarrhea resolving can take a few days, so it is normal that it isn't as solid as normal. The straining however isn't normal. I would recommend checking to make sure around her anus looks ok (no bleeding or wounds), and if you can feel under her anus at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions, does it feel like hard marbles are under the skin. If this is the case she could have full anal glands which can be making her uncomfortable in her back end. This would require a vet visit to empty them before they burst. Otherwise, as long as she is eating/playing, I would just monitor her to see if the behaviour continues. If she is still straining tomorrow I would take Riley to the vet to make sure she isn't constipated, but it might just be a one-off episode. If her next poop is normal without straining then I wouldn't worry about it. Best of luck with Riley!

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My dog had diarrhea, now soft poop & straining on bland diet?

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