Today we will be talking about dog poop. It may not be the most exciting topic to discuss regarding your adorable pets. Still, your dog’s poop and pooping cycle can provide an insight into its health.
More specifically, we will discuss whether diarrhea could affect your dog’s poop cycle after recovery.
Diarrhea is one of the common health conditions that canines go through. As a result, you may be left cleaning up stinky liquid-like poop on more than one occasion.
Diarrhea could result from several causes like your dog eating out from the garbage bin, food intolerance, allergies, infections, a quick change in diet, medication, and stress.
In mild cases, you can try home remedies like fasting and feeding light meals to the dog. In severe cases, it would be best to visit the vet.
According to vets, some dogs may take some time to recover from diarrhea. This means their bowel movements may be delayed, and with time, they may return to their original pooping schedule.
So, if you are faced with the dilemma of – your dog not pooping after diarrhea, the article will look at possible causes, solutions, and how you can help your pet have a healthy poop cycle.
Is It Normal for a Dog to Not Poop After Diarrhea?
Yes, it is ok for some dogs not to poop for a day or two after diarrhea. This is typically not a cause for concern. They should start pooping again in about 2 to 3 days. If your dog doesn’t poop, it would be best to get in touch with the vet.
Here are a few normal reasons your dog may not poop after diarrhea.
1. There is Nothing to Eliminate
Usually, a canine’s digestive system is stronger than a human’s. Because of their eating style, food travels faster through their esophagus and ends up in their stomach in chunks. Their stomach acids are stronger and able to break down these chunks of food.
The whole digestive process could take anywhere from 4 to 10 hours. At the end of digestion, the dog will produce well-formed poop.
But when the dog has diarrhea, food travels much quicker through its intestinal tract. The result is watery poop that you will have to clean up frequently from the floor.
The dog is not retaining any food; it is quickly processed by the system. As a result, the dog’s system is empty. It does not have anything to poop after diarrhea. So once the dog eats proper food, its pooping cycle should get on track in a couple of days.
2. The Digestive Tract has Slowed Down
The vet may prescribe medication to treat diarrhea in pets. For example, Imodium is a common medication used to treat diarrhea in canines.
The medication is effective as it primarily slows down the working of the intestines. Moreover, it may reduce intestinal secretions and improve mucosal absorption. This helps the intestinal walls to absorb electrolytes and water and prevents food from traveling too quickly.
Slowing down the system helps the dog digest the food better and produce well-formed poop at the end.
Once the dog is off the medication, its digestive system should return to normal in 1 or 2 days. And in the meantime, you may see less or no poop.
3. The Special Diet Produces Less Poop
Several home remedies may also work for diarrhea. For example, AKC’s list of kitchen cures for canine diarrhea includes the following:
- Plain white rice
- 100% pumpkin puree
- Plain cooked chicken with rice
- Boiled potatoes without skin
- Plain yogurt
These special diets are easy on the dog’s stomach and also produce less poop.
A study conducted by the University of Illinois, Department of Animal Sciences, found that dogs that consumed human-grade fresh whole food produced 66% less poop than dogs having kibble.
The study also found that pets that ate real whole food compared to processed fresh food brands produced up to 41% less poop.
The study demonstrates the logic that less waste goes into your pet’s diet, and less waste comes out.
Once you wean the dog off from its special diet and start reintroducing its usual food, the dog should get back on track for its pooping cycle.
Dog Not Pooping After Diarrhea – 3 Possible Reasons and Solutions
The reasons we explored above are typically not a cause for concern. Your dog should generally poop in 2 to 3 days.
It is uncommon for dogs to have constipation after diarrhea, but it could happen. If the dog does not poop even after three days, then the below causes could be responsible.
1. Home Remedies Could be the Issue
Home remedies may be effective in treating diarrhea. Different dogs may respond differently to kitchen cures. But you need to keep the recipes simple and not overdo the meals.
For example, if you give only protein to your dog, even if it is plain cooked chicken, it is not a good idea for prolonged periods. Diets that contain too much protein and minimal to no fiber can lead to constipation.
Fiber helps absorb excess water and add bulk to the dog’s poop. In the absence of fiber, either your dog could continue to have diarrhea or it may be constipated.
Another reason could be using incorrect ingredients. For example, you feed your dog a meal of chicken and rice, but you use brown rice in the recipe. Brown rice, in general, is not bad for canines. They can be a good source of nutrients.
But brown rice can be hard on the dog’s stomach and difficult to digest. So overworking your dog’s digestive system when it already has diarrhea is not wise.
Solution
The above information is not to discourage you from using home remedies. But a reminder to use home remedies as recommended by the vet.
For example, you can give chicken and rice to your dog suffering from diarrhea. According to AKC, you can start with small portions of home-cooked food and gradually increase the portion sizes. Then, as the pet stabilizes, you can add small quantities of its regular food and gradually feed it as usual.
You may keep the dog on a specialized diet for 2 to 3 days. Do not change its diet significantly for a more extended period.
Please contact the vet if the kitchen cure does not seem effective in the same period. Likewise, if the dog shows additional signs like vomiting, lethargy, fever, or pale gums, do not wait to experiment with kitchen cures but give the vet a call at the earliest.
2. Overdosage of Medication
As explained above, medications prescribed for diarrhea work by slowing down the digestive system. When your dog has diarrhea, its stomach processes everything faster, resulting in watery poop. In such a scenario, the medication sounds like a good idea.
But long-term administration of such medication can be harmful to the dog. For example, your dog’s diarrhea may stop. Still, it may have other side effects like constipation, bloating, and sedation.
If you choose to give the dog Imodium, please stick to the recommended dosage. Over-medication can put your pet’s health at risk.
Solution
If your vet prescribes medication for your dog’s diarrhea, you must stick to the dosage and frequency.
It may happen that the medication does not work on your dog, or the pet is not getting better in the period suggested by the vet. This, though, does not mean you increase the dosage of the medication on your own.
You need to contact the vet again if the dog’s condition does not improve. The vet may check the dog’s condition, order additional tests, and change medications as required.
Let us consider an example. According to PetMD, a vet may typically recommend a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg of Imodium twice a day for diarrhea. So small dogs weighing around 10 pounds should be given around 0.4mg of Imodium, whereas bigger dogs weighing 50 pounds may be given 2 mg of the medication.
It would be best to stick to these dosages unless specified otherwise by the vet.
3. Your Dog Could be Dehydrated
When your dog’s body starts losing more fluids than it is consuming, it goes into a state of dehydration. Water is essential for your dog as it helps with digestion, regulates body temperature, and cushions internal organs.
Dehydration also results in the loss of electrolytes. These electrolytes are responsible for functions like the transportation of nutrients, facilitating muscle function, and balancing the body’s PH.
A severe bout of diarrhea can lead to dehydration in canines. As the body is running low on water and electrolytes, it can be challenging to keep the bowel moving.
The colon can absorb more fluid than usual as the waste passes through the intestines. This may result in dry and hard poop, which the dog may find difficult to pass.
A dehydrated dog can show other signs like:
- Loss of skin elasticity
- Loss of appetite
- Panting
- Weakness
- Sunken eyes
- Dry nose
Solution
When your dog has diarrhea, you can limit its food intake but ensure it has access to enough fresh water. Dogs suffering from diarrhea may refuse to have food as usual, so this automatically eliminates the water content they may have been receiving from food.
Thus encouraging your dog to drink fresh, cool water is important, so it does not reach a stage of dehydration.
According to AKC, you may give the dog unflavored Pedialyte to maintain electrolyte balance. However, please talk to the vet before giving the liquid to your pet.
If the dog is showing symptoms of dehydration, please take it to the vet. The vet may administer intravenous fluids to stabilize the pet.
How to Treat Diarrhea the Right Way?
Let us look at some AKC-recommended ways of treating mild diarrhea in dogs.
Fasting your dog for 12 to 24 hours may give its digestive system a break and help it heal on its own. During the fast, ensure the dog has access to fresh water so it does not get dehydrated.
A word of caution regarding fasting, small breeds, senior dogs, and those with diabetes should not fast for long hours. Withholding food may further worsen your pet’s condition. If in doubt, it would be best to take advice from the vet.
As mentioned above, several kitchen cures may work for mild diarrhea. Instead of regular dog food, choose meals that go easy on the dog’s stomach.
Chicken and rice is a famous kitchen cure endorsed by pet parents. First, remove the skin of the chicken. Ensure there are no bones left behind. Next, cook the chicken plain, do not add any spices. Your dog’s palette is not refined enough to appreciate spices, and diarrhea is not the time to experiment with flavors.
You should continue to keep the dog on a special diet for 2 to 3 days only. These home remedies may go easy on the dog’s stomach, but they may fail to provide it with all the required nutrients. Thus as the dog gets better, start reintroducing small portions of its regular food.
Lastly, contact the vet if the dog shows additional signs like:
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Pale gums
- Has existing health issues
What Are Some Tips to Prevent Diarrhea in Dogs?
Now that we have understood the reasons behind dogs not pooping after diarrhea, let us look at some tips that may help prevent diarrhea in the first place.
- When changing your dog’s diet, slowly introduce the new food. Start with small quantities and gradually replace the old dog food over a week. This will give the dog’s stomach enough time to adjust to the brand or type of food.
- Anything that can cause a stomach upset in canines should be kept away from their reach. For example, if your dog eats out of the garbage, ensure the dog cannot access the area where the bin is stored. Also, keep the dog away from the pantry, or it could eat human food unsafe for canine consumption.
- If your dog is allergic to certain foods like dairy, soy, gluten, or meat protein sources, ensure it does not find a way into its routine. Read the ingredient list of the dry dog food you purchase, as many can contain chicken and wheat.
- If you are a gardening enthusiast, know what plants are safe for pets and which are not. Many common and seemingly innocent plants can be harmful to pets and result in issues like skin irritation, vomiting, and diarrhea. For example, Ivy, many varieties of Lilies, Jade, Elephant Ear, Sago Palm, Dumb Cane, and Asparagus Fern can be harmful to dogs.
- Ensure the dog’s environment is kept clean. Regular grooming and bathing routines can help keep infections away.
- Keep up with regular vet visits and ensure your pet is up-to-date with vaccines.
Diarrhea is a common health condition that you cannot always prevent. If your pet has a sensitive stomach or it suffers from kidney and liver diseases, then it may have diarrhea from time to time.
Summary
Is your dog not pooping after diarrhea? Do not panic. It is normal for a dog’s body to behave like that.
The reason for not pooping could be there is nothing in the dog’s stomach to eliminate. The medication has slowed down the digestive system, or the specialized diet is producing less poop. In such cases, the dog should return to pooping in about 2 to 3 days.
If the dog does not poop, the cause could be over-medication, feeding an incorrect diet, or dehydration.
When treating diarrhea, ensure you follow the dosage recommendations of prescribed medications. You can feed the light dog meals only for a few days and then reintroduce its normal food. You may withhold food for some time but ensure the dog has access to fresh drinking water to avoid dehydration.
Please get in touch with the vet if the dog shows additional signs like vomiting, fever, or weakness.
Heather Abraham is a professional blogger who owns two dogs, a cat, a parrot, and a leopard gecko. She has a connection with animals since she was a child. She shares her love for all pet breeds and provides information on pet food, toys, medications, beds, and everything else.
She is committed to learning about the internal workings of animals. Her work permits her to work closely with knowledgeable vets and obtain practical expertise in animal care. When she is not working, her love of animals continues in her writing. Her goal is to educate and uplift readers who also have a passion for animals through her writing.