My puppy got diarrhea

[Anthony Leong]

I was feeding my puppy TOTW salmon and on 3/7 I started feeding her Orijen Puppy food.  I guess maybe I didn't transition the food long enough, but for the 1 week her stool was fine, but 3 days ago she started to have diarrhea.  I need some help.  I'm planning on taking my puppy to the Vet tomorrow.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Giardia is only an issue when there are a lot of dogs and puppies using the same area for a toilet, and you are not cleaning up after them. Standing water in the area is an issue, too, as is puppies running around loose outside unsupervised. When you confine puppies to one dry, enclosed outdoor area, supervise, and clean up after them, it doesn't happen. Of course, that takes a lot of work, but how hard do you work at your job to earn your income? 

[Julie and Charlie]

I would also argue that if your puppies have it, your adult dogs probably do too. Everyone is going to need treatment, and the whole house and yard need a thorough cleaning. And then they need to review their practices.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Exactly, although the adult dogs are often not as easily affected by it as puppies are. But for $2500 a puppy, these babies should not be going home with parasites.  

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

It's very disappointing. Also, I now wonder if my puppy has had undiagnosed giardia for the last year! I think another fecal test couldn't hurt since Oliver has always a sensitive stomach.

[Anthony Leong]

I keep in touch with a lady who got a puppy from the same litter.  The 1st time her test came back negative for giardia, but mine came back positive.  I mentioned to her about my test coming back positive and she went back to her vet and got another giardia test and it came back positive.

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

I think tomorrow sounds like the perfect day to get another test! If it comes back positive I will just feel awful. I really hope your little girl feels better, a scoop of pure pumpkin puree is always our food of choice for tummy trouble.

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

Definitely get the fecal test done. Will she drink water?

Thankfully Oliver didn't come home with giardia, however, he has always had a sensitive stomach. I know our puppies share the same dad, perhaps your puppy is the same way. We've been to the vet a few times because Oliver had loose stools or because he wouldn't eat and was nauseous. We've had fecal tests done and even x-rays, they never find anything and he always gets better within a few days.

Also, because Oliver is picky and has a sensitive stomach Orijen was just too high in protein and fat for him to eat for every meal. We've had much better success with Acana limited ingredient duck and pear and a little Orijen Regional Red in his puzzle toys. I hope she gets better quick! :)

[Seamus & Haidee]

Seamus had diarrhea a couple of times in the last 6 months. I would give him white rice and boiled chicken. Also boiled sweet potato. He is currently on a mix of Acana and orijen puppy. Hope your pup feels better soon.

[Anthony Leong]

Giving my puppy white rice is a big mess.

[Julie and Charlie]

You can get the same effect with sweet potato. Charlie does get rice all over the floor and his beard, but sometimes I feel it was necessary during his Giardia bout. I fed chicken breasts, white rice, and sweet potato for about a week. It required beard combing each time, and a floor clean up. But that was a time of constant flooring cleaning anyway.

Frankly, diarrhea is a worse mess because it's hard to clean up. Especially when it might contain Giardia cysts....

[Anthony Leong]

Cleaning the floor is not a problem for me. since I use a Professional steam cleaner with the temperature going to 324 degree.  But it's true, rice will go over the floor and on her feet, face, beard etc.  Very hard to clean the rice off my puppy body.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

If she has giardia, no kind of food is going to help anyway, she needs meds. 

I prefer mashed sweet potatoes to rice when you feed a bland diet anyway. It doesn't make sense to me to have a dog on a grain-free diet and then give them grains when they're sick.