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My puppy has consistent diarrhea after food changes. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Exotic | Unknown - Exotic | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 5 days old | 38 lbs

Invictus has consistent diahrrea. We thought at first maybe bc of different foods, bc he wouldn't eat the puppy chows we got until now so we gave him plain egg, boiled chicken, adult food, and what puppy chow he would eat. We found a puppy chow he liked so his diet has been constant puppy chow for abt. 3 days, and he still has (now grainy) diahrrea. He is energetic, does not have accidents, still goes on the pad, and every once in a while he has soft serve poops. How can we fix this?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 8th, 2018

He sounds like a happy chappy. His diarrhea could still be caused by the food change and if that is the cause indeed, it should resolve by itself. However, if he has not been wormed yet, he should get a puppy wormer now and then again in 3 weeks. Invictus is due for his first vaccinations, if he has not received them yet, so you can have him wormed at the vet when he receives his first or second round of shots, which ever applies. Do not abruptly change his food, try to stick with what he is eating now for as long as possible. When introducing new food, you need to do this slowly, ie replacing parts of the old food with the new over a few days until you arrive at 100% new food. If his diarrhea does not resolve within the next few days, and especially after worming, then he wil need to be seen by a veterinarian who will then do a fecal exam to check for other parasites not affected by a puppy wormer (giardia and coccidia being the most common ones).

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 15th, 2017

    If Jo is really only three months old, my first differential for any sort of diarrhea is always worms. Several different types of worms exist in dogs that can cause loose stool. Almost all of them can be seen on fecal analysis which your veterinarian should be able to do for you if you drop off a sample. Once they rule this in or out, you will be able to make a more educated and informed decision about how to approach the situation. If parasites end up being the problem, the vet will be able to tell you which dewormer will be required to get the problem under control. Most dewormers are available over the counter; you just need to know which one to get and how much / how often to give.

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 9th, 2018

    Diarrhea is a common problem with puppies and is usually self-limiting (will go away on its own). It may not be serious right now, but it's always possible that it could be the start of something serious. If Toffee has any of the following, then he should see a vet: 1) Blood in diarrhea 2) Very watery diarrhea 3) Starts acting very depressed 4) Stops eating or drinking for longer than 24 hours. 5) Diarrhea lasts longer than three days. You can help him get through this by feeding bland food (boneless chicken and rice is good). Feed small portions (1/2 cup or less) three times a day. You can also add probiotics to the food (can get this at the pet store), which has demonstrated some efficacy for improving diarrhea. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available. I hope this helps and Toffee gets better soon.

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    Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 11th, 2018

    The diarrhea could be from the diet change, parasites, or an infection. If he is otherwise acting normal then you could withhold food for the day. If the diarrhea resolves, feed him a small amount of a bland diet, like boiled chicken and white rice. Continue feeding for a few days and then slowly transition to the new food. You could also add a probiotic to his diet to see if that helps, too. If the diarrhea persists and/or he becomes lethargic or stops eating then he needs to be seen by a vet. Your vet can test a stool sample and prescribe medications to treat.

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