my dog's stool has been very watery. the color ranges sometimes from yellow to red, i dunno, im color blind. can an expert actually answer me cos ive searched the web and i cant really do anything based on what it says

Hi there. I'm sorry that Hachi is having this problem. There are quite a few different things that can cause watery diarrhea like this in puppies, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine him and run some tests. Some common possibilities would include intestinal parasites, an intestinal infection of some kind, parvo (if he isn't fully vaccinated), or ingestion of something toxic.

If Hachi is eating and drinking normally and still active and playful, you could try deworming him with a broad-spectrum dewormer such as Panacur or Strongid, and feeding a bland diet of plain boiled chicken and rice for the next few days to see if his stool returns to normal.

If there is no improvement in the next 2-3 days, or if he has any other symptoms such as vomiting, acting lethargic, or not wanting to eat, then he needs to see a vet right away as these are generally signs of a more serious problem.

Hi there and thank you for using PetCoach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures, it appears that there is a small amount of red blood mixed in with the watery diarrhea. If Hachi is lethargic and not feeling well, I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Otherwise, if Hachi is acting normal otherwise, I would recommend initiating a bland diet. If the diarrhea does not improve within 48 hours of being on the bland diet, I would recommend having a veterinarian look at him. I would also bring a stool sample in to the vet to have it checked for intestinal parasites to make sure this is not the cause of the watery diarrhea. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

GENERAL INFORMATION A bland diet is a diet that is soft and highly digestible. It is low in fiber, fat and protein and is high in carbohydrates. Bland diets are generally composed of a single carbohydrate source and a single lean protein source. The most common bland diet is boiled rice and boiled lean chicken breast, without skin and bones. Since bland diets are low in fiber, stool production slows and defecation is less frequent. Bland diets are fed to rest the gastric system and to help promote normal stool formation. Animals that are physically sick should not be fed bland diets as a method of treatment.

PRIOR TO FEEDING A BLAND DIET Pets should be fasted for 12 to 24 hours. Young animals should not be fasted for more than 12 hours. Fasting will allow the intestinal system to relax and minimize acid secretions that may irritate and inflame the intestinal lining. During the fast small amounts of water or ice chips may be provided. Never fast a sick animal, it may cause disease progression and death.

BASIC BOILED RICE AND CHICKEN BLAND DIET RECIPE CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE: Boiled white rice LEAN PROTEIN SOURCE: Chicken breast, no skin and bones BOILED RICE: 1 part white rice with 3 parts water boiled for 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is easily crushed. BOILED CHICKEN: De-fat chicken breast and boil in water for 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken meat is easily pulled apart and cooked all way through.

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Finely chop the lean protein and mix 2 cups carbohydrate source and ½ cup lean protein source.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Bland diets can be premade and stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 48 hours. The bland diet can be cooked in a batch and frozen in feeding sized portions to minimize preparation time. Thaw and warm the frozen diet prior to feeding.

PERMITTED LEAN PROTEIN SUBSTITUTIONS Pork loin, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese. 7% low fat hamburger, plain low fat yogurt.

PERMITTED CARBOHYDRATE SUBSTITUTIONS Boiled potatoes, boiled spaghetti, Minute rice.

PERMITTED COMMERCIAL BLAND DIETS Science Prescription Diet I/D, Eukanuba Veterinary Diet Low Residue, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Intestinal HE.

FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS Estimate 25% of your animal’s diet and feed that amount of the bland diet every 6 – 8 hours. Smaller animals will require less and larger animals will require more adhering to the same carbohydrate to lean protein source ratio. The bland diet should be fed for 4 -5 days with no treats or other food sources until stools are firm.

TRANSITION BACK TO A NORMAL DIET Never transition back to a regular diet rapidly. Transition back to the regular diet over a 1 week period. Start by adding 25% of the regular diet to 75% of the bland diet and feed that combination for 2 days. If stools continue to be firm then continue substituting the regular diet in 25% increments and feeding the combination in 2 day time intervals until the diet is 100% regular diet. Minimize treats for 1 week after moving the diet back to 100% regular diet.