Can a sudden switch to wet dog food cause diarrhea or stomach upset?

Switching foods too quickly can cause digestive upset such as vomiting and diarrhea. It would be best to return to Oli's original food until his stomach settles and then start a gradual change to the new food over a period of 7-9 days, slowly adding in more of the new food over time. This can help minimize stomach upset from the new food as he adjusts.

Hello! It sounds as if you are dealing with some [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/diarrhea-in-dogs) in your dog! The not-so-simple answer to your question is…maybe. While the dog food itself may not be a direct cause of diarrhea, if the particular food is on recall (which you can look up on the [FDA website](https://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/recallswithdrawals/)), then it could be suspect. Other things, such as[ food allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies/), changes in food brand, or a sensitive stomach, are more likely to cause diarrhea in relation to a particular food. If you just started a new food, diarrhea can develop by [switching the food](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-transition-your-dog-or-cat-to-a-new-food/) too fast. Dogs are sensitive to changes in diet since they eat the same thing every day. A new food or new ingredient given suddenly can bring on bouts of diarrhea. Try mixing the old food in with the new f

If diarrhea is related to something they ate, it should start within a day of eating the food. The diarrhea could be due to many conditions including eating something he shouldn’t have, bacterial over growth, parasites or even organ disease. If the diarrhea has continued beyond 24 hours, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian. With continued diarrhea, there are often bacterial shifts in the gut that will make matters worse regardless of the initial cause. Make sure to bring in a sample of fresh stool. The doctor will check him for parasites and bacterial over growth. Many times a bland diet can help and then a slow, gradual introduction to the normal food can be done. A bland diet can consist of 25% boiled white meat chicken and 75% boiled white rice. This should all be plain. A good diet in general is Royal Canin. It is low residue and highly digestible. I hope your pup starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

A sudden diet change can cause digestive upset, especially if the switch was sudden. In most cases, a gradual switch is needed to help the body adjust to the new food. It would be best to pick up any food for a few hours, and then offer a bland meal of boiled chicken and rice to help settle Jack's stomach, then return to his old food. Once his tummy has settled down, you can then start transitioning to the new food over a period of 7-9 days (I would recommend only adding in one new food at a time, instead of both a new wet and dry food, to minimize upset). You can add in 25% new food to the mix every 2-3 days as long as he seems to handle eating the mix. If he continues vomiting, worsens, or switching back to the old diet doesn't improve his symptoms, then it is best to seek veterinary care to rule out any other underlying issues or illnesses that may be the cause of his vomiting.

Yes that would be counted as a change in diet. Any sudden change in diet could precipitate diarrhea. I recommend returning to his normal diet and then gradually over a week transition to any new diet including wet food. If his diarrhea becomes bloody, increases in amount or he becomes weak or lethargic he needs to be checked out by your veterinarian.

Hello! Dogs are creatures of habit when it comes to their diets and gastrointestinal distress when being fed a novel food is common. Since Toby is normally fed kibble, being fed anything outside of that will be upsetting to his GI tract. I would recommend feeding him a dry kibble that he does well on and not feeding him anything outside that diet. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Boop by Petco!

A sudden change in diet including switching brands can be enough to cause diarrhea in a dog. I can give you a home remedy to try for Chiquitin, and I would switch back to his normal brand of dog food. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, he starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps!

At her age it may be the food, a virus or even stress. Go back to the food you know she did well on without problems. If it continues then get her checked by your vet. Monitor for any vomiting or no appetite as this may be an indication there is something else going on.

Hello and thank you for contacting Boop by Petco. Chronic diarrhoea may be a very frustrating problem to diagnose. We usually start with stool test for parasites, coccidia and some bacteria, that can cause chronic diarrhoea. We usually run a blood test at the same time to make sure everything is ok with the dog. If everything comes back negative, we start to worry about food intolerance. This is time to change food to a new one, ideally containing a novel protein for the dog. The dog should be kept on one strict diet for 4-6 weeks. If the food change does not make any difference after trying 2-3 different types of food, it is time to start thinking about endoscopy and taking samples of the bowel for pathology. Please, discuss investigation and treatment plan with your local vets. Best of luck !

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ranger. If the diarrhea started after adding the canned food to his diet, then this is likely the cause. If the diarrhea has been intermittent or present prior to the diet change, then I worry that there is a different cause. In this case, he should see his veterinarian for fecal testing. Otherwise, you can try to add a probiotic such as Fortiflora. This can help with stool quality. A different brand of canned food or a smaller amount may help as well. Purina ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach is a good formula for mild GI upset. I hope this information helps!