Animals develop diarrhoea from stress and excitement as well as from eating things that they shouldn’t. As long as your pet is feeling reasonably well (active, interested in food, no vomiting, small amounts or no blood in the stool) it is safe and reasonable to treat symptomatically.

Mucus on the stools is a normal protective response of the intestinal tract to inflammation and irritation. Sometimes there will be a wee bit of blood on the stools because many dogs strain when they have diarrhoea. Large amounts of blood can be more serious, and will require examination of the pooch. Uncomplicated diarrhoea from stress or dietary indiscretion (garbage-itis) responds well to symptomatic homeopathic treatment. Choose homeopathic medicines from the list below, as described in point 5.

Many animals with digestive upsets benefit from the addition of digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and probiotics to the food. Digestive enzymes improve the total digestibility of the food.

When food is not digested adequately, there is excessive gas production by the bacteria in the large intestine, which can lead to flatus (gas), abdominal cramping, and borborygmus (rumbling in the abdomen). Lack of the enzymes that digest fats (lipases) can lead to diarrhoea. Prebiotics are substances that nourish the natural intestinal bacteria. Probiotics are natural intestinal bacteria.

When dogs are prone to digestive upsets, they often do not have normal bacteria, so it is wise to provide a supplemental source. Your holistic or homeopathic vet will have suggestions for products. If the dog is medium to large (over 10 kg) and there is a large quantity of diarrhoea, it is best to start with a day of fast.

During this day, you can give fluids, including oral rehydration solutions for children or animals and broth, but no solid food. This gives the intestinal chance a rest, and allows the lining to regenerate. If there is little or no diarrhoea during the fast, and the dog feels good, you can resume feeding as indicated below. Small dogs and cats will need to have fluids with energy, as they don’t have sufficient body stores.

1. Feed frequent small meals of bland, easily digested food. Plain cooked lean meat is slightly easier to digest than raw. Some people want to add grains, if so, I would suggest cooked oatmeal. The digestibility of different grains varies widely. Rice is more digestible than wheat, which is more digestible than corn. Another study showed that oats were more digestible than rice. A study of faecal quality showed that rice produced looser stools than barley or sorghum. Pumpkin is a good source of fibre to add.
2. Offer plenty of water, ice, and other clear fluids (such as low sodium chicken broth) to ensure that the pet remains hydrated.
3. Provide prebiotics and probiotics to replenish the natural bacteria that are being flushed out of the tract by the diarrhoea. Probiotics are safe for all animals. Some people give them daily at a low dose; during times of digestive upset double the daily dose. There are many probiotic sources, and they vary widely in quality and number of live active bacteria.
4. Ensure that parasites are not a major complicating factor by having a stool checked.
5. Use homeopathic remedies appropriate to the individual’s signs. Give a dose of the chosen remedy in a 30C potency after each diarrhoeic stool. There should be significant improvement within a few hours, if not, the remedy is probably not correct, and the case should be re-evaluated.
6. If the diarrhoea persists, or if at any time the patient’s condition deteriorates, consult your local holistic vet.

Argentum nitricum

These patients develop diarrhoea when they are excited, such as dogs on holiday or in competition. Arsenicum albumThis is the remedy most often used for gastrointestinal signs from eating unusual foods or garbage. Animals are usually restless, and may have vomiting as well.

Nux vomica

These patients have frequent urging to stool, with no result. They may be uncomfortable before and during passage of stool, and seek warmth.

Phosphorus

These patients have sudden onset of watery stool with blood. They are usually thirsty, and may vomit right after eating.

Podophyllum

These patients have explosive diarrhoea, often with a lot of gas. They often seem uncomfortable before diarrhoea, and are better afterwards.

Pulsatilla

This is a changeable diarrhoea, often resulting from dietary indiscretion or overeating fatty foods. These dogs want to be out in the open air.SulphurThese animals have early morning diarrhoea which is quite foul smelling.

There are many more remedies, which can help with diarrhoea. The book by Lockie “The Family Guide to Homeopathy”, is an excellent resource.

As long as an animal is bright and alert, and the quantity of vomit is small, it is safe to treat this symptomatically.

Many dogs will vomit when their stomach is empty. It is not normal, but it is common; there is even a conventional name for it, idiopathic bilious vomiting. The simplest way to prevent it is to give more frequent small meals, and to be sure to give a snack at bedtime. This symptom resolves completely, or becomes much less frequent, in dogs who receive appropriate constitutional homeopathic treatment.

Some vets give famotidine (Pepcid) to dogs with bilious vomiting. Famotidine works by decreasing production of stomach acid. This may help temporarily, but dogs tend to have rebound increased stomach acid when the Pepcid wears off, so they get an upset stomach again. In addition, for proper digestion of raw meat, dogs need an acidic stomach.

In most cases, an animal with an upset stomach is treated much the same as one with diarrhoea. Cats are an exception. Vomiting in older cats is more likely to be a sign of early hyperthyroidism, so cats with recurrent vomiting need to be examined.

If the dog is medium to large (over 10 kg), it is best to start with a day of fast. During this day, you can give frequent small servings of fluids, including rehydration fluids and broth, but no solid food. This gives the intestinal chance a rest, and allows the lining to regenerate. If there is little or no vomiting during the fast, and the animal feels good, you can resume feeding as indicated below.

Small dogs and cats should not have a complete fast. They must have rehydration fluids with some energy in them. If vomiting continues when the animal is only taking in liquids, they need to visit your vet. 

For dogs that just have a small amount of bilious vomit, divide the food for the day into at least four portions to be spread throughout the day. Make sure that the last portion is fairly late in the evening; this could be a large snack. If vomiting continues, then the dog must be seen.

1. Feed frequent small meals of bland, easily digested food. Plain cooked lean meat is slightly easier to digest than raw. Some people want to add grains, if so, I would suggest cooked oatmeal. Pumpkin is a good source of fibre to add.
2. Offer plenty of water, ice, and other clear fluids (such as low sodium chicken broth) to ensure that the pet remains hydrated.
3. Provide probiotics and digestive enzymes as discussed above, to replenish the natural bacteria and enzymes that are being flushed out of the tract by the diarrhoea and vomit. These are safe for all animals. Some people give them daily at a low dose; during times of digestive upset double the daily dose.
4. Give homeopathic medicines as appropriate when the animal appears nauseated.

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