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My dog has diarrhea 5 days after new food bag, but acts normal. Vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

My dog has had diarrhea for 5 days. He is drinking, eating and playing like normal. I got a new bag of dog food 6 days ago (same brand and kind they always eat, just a new bag). Could that be it, or should I take him to see a vet?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on September 5th, 2017

Hi and thank you for posting your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry your dog is having diarrhea. That is no fun! Changing to a new food rapidly without a slow transition from old food to new food and can certainly cause a few days of diarrhea especially if he appears normal otherwise and you have just changed his food less than a week ago. You may try added plain canned pumpkin (not the pie filling), green beans, and carrots to his food to help firm up his stool. It that does not help in a day or two, then it is possible he has something more concerning going on (like a bacterial infection or a food allergy) that will need to be addressed and diagnosed with your veterinarian. I hope this has helped and I wish you and your dog the best!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Ana M, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 11th, 2018

    Thank you for submitting your question regarding Luke. Both of the diet changes he experienced this week are likely contributing to his diarrhea. Assuming he is otherwise acting normal, I recommend that he sees his veterinarian tomorrow. The diarrhea has lasted long enough that it will likely need a medication to resolve it. Diet changes can produce a bacterial imbalance in the gut. If he is acting ill, vomiting or having blood in the stool, he will need to see an emergency veterinarian today. He could have a disease known as pancreatitis. In the meantime, offer him plenty of water so that he does not become dehydrated. It is generally safe to withhold food on an otherwise healthy dog for 18 hours to rest his GI tract. This can help to slow the diarrhea down. I hope this information helps!

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