All CVL puppies are regularly tested for parasites. The reality is that they are very common in puppies. We stool sample weekly and if we see a parasite we treat. We also treat preventatively for coccidia with a protocol that are awesome vets have designed for our program. We do the very best we can to prevent loose stools but POO happens. We are always hopeful for poo that looks like little Hershey tootsie rolls (sorry Tootsie).
What should you do if your puppy has clear stool sample tests and still has loose stools or even liquid diarrhea? First, ask your vet their recommendation and share with them our protocol, too, we are not vets. This is what we do only if the stool sample is clear:
Day 1
- Only feed cooked white rice with a handful of kibble sprinkled on top.
- Sprinkle a handful of Firm UP! (may be purchased from Amazon or Chewy.com). Firm Up! Is dried pureed pumpkin and I think of it as nature’s miracle. It can firm up stool or loosen stool, what ever their little bodies need.
- I put 1/3 of their water in Pedialyte and Gatorade to help hydrate them and keep their electrolytes up.
- I give them a squirt of a probiotic called Benebac. We buy it from Amazon and it is in a tube but you can find it in powdered form, too.
Do not switch dog foods. Do not give any dog treats other than a small handful of Cheerios.
If this continues beyond 3 days, do let your vet know in case you need to administer an antibiotic. Your puppy does not have food allergies. This is 100% normal. They have immature guts and as they mature, their tummies will, too. The best thing for us to do is not to panic as your puppy is a mirror to us as they are intuitive and if we are overly anxious, they will be, too.