If you are a new parent to a Labrador puppy, one question you have may involve Labrador puppy diarrhea.
We understand that taking care of a Labrador puppy can be a difficult job, especially in the beginning.
There are a lot of things to consider, and you have to pay close attention to your Lab puppy to make sure that they are doing just fine.
So, when something out of the ordinary, like diarrhea, happens, most new pet owners will get nervous and not know what to do.
This is true regardless of whether it affects your six-month-old Lab or if your four-month-old puppy has diarrhea.
Hopefully, this article will give you a little more insight to help you with your puppy parent journey.
Labrador puppy diarrhea
Diarrhea is a symptom of many illnesses and disorders that affect dogs, so it can be difficult to tell exactly what the problem is with your Labrador.
Diarrhea is a bit of a double-edged blade. On one hand, it could be a symptom of a minor thing.
On the other, it could mean something potentially serious, especially when it’s a combination of Labrador diarrhea and vomit or when it involves puppy chronic diarrhea.
Most of the time, however, you don’t have to panic. With a little care and attention, your Labrador Retriever puppy’s diarrhea should go away in a day or two.
It is only when it stays for more than that period that it may be time to get your Lab checked.
The usual pattern of pooping in dogs is once or twice a day with firm stool. So, you will know that your puppy has diarrhea if their pooping patterns seem to go out of balance.
Labrador puppy diarrhea is characterized by frequent bowel movements with watery stool. Sometimes, the stool may have blood or organisms.
When this happens, a trip to the vet is in order.
When to consult a vet for Labrador puppy diarrhea
Since it can get difficult to tell when you need to go to the vet, here are some signs that you definitely need to go ask your veterinarian about your 6-month-old Labrador puppy’s diarrhea.
1. Smelly stool
The smell of a healthy Lab’s stool should be regular. It should not smell rotten or incredibly foul.
Although Labrador puppy loose stool never smells great, there is a clear line between regular healthy stool and stool from diarrhea.
2. Bloody stool
If your Labrador puppy’s poop looks bloody, then it may be time to get them checked.
Don’t panic, though. It’s important to remain clear-headed and call your vet to set an appointment.
3. Persistent vomiting
When diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting that does not abate, this is another sign for you to go to your vet for a check-up for your young Labrador puppy’s diarrhea.
4. Lethargic
One thing to look out for is when your puppy becomes lethargic and does not seem to want to do anything.
This lack of energy is usually a sign that something more serious is going on.
5. Black stool
You should be able to tell if your Labrador puppy poop looks like an unusual color.
If they are having black stool, it is best that you consult your vet for answers.
6. More than a day
If your Lab’s diarrhea does not seem to get better in a day, you should seriously consider getting them checked for 6-month-old Labrador diarrhea.
7. Organisms in their stool
Other signs that your dog may have something serious going on include seeing worms in their stool.
If you see organisms or unusual things in their poop, you should see a vet immediately.
This is especially true when your Labrador puppy has a history of eating random things that they are not supposed to eat.
As a pet owner, you should not panic whenever there is something odd going on with your Labrador puppy.
Just take proper action and try to educate yourself as much as possible, especially about things like Labrador puppy diarrhea.
Speaking of getting educated, it is also important to understand the reasons why your Lab may have gotten sick so you can avoid it next time (if possible).
Reasons for Labrador puppy diarrhea
1. Food
Before anything else, ask yourself if your Lab puppy has eaten something new lately.
Have they had a change in food or diet? If the answer is yes, then food could be the possible reason for your Labrador Retriever puppy’s diarrhea.
Food can trigger different reactions in your puppy’s digestive system. So, it is important to also keep that in mind when you set out to buy dog food for them.
If you’re planning to change your Labrador’s food, may it be brand or type, it’s best to slowly ease your dog into a new type of dog food rather than change it all of a sudden.
To illustrate, researchers in this study found inflammation caused by dietary reasons to be the most common cause of diarrhea in dogs.
Eating certain toxic food could also be a reason behind your Labrador puppy diarrhea. As you may already know, there are some kinds of food that dogs should not eat in large amounts, if at all.
Think about whether you have any food in your house that is toxic to dogs.
Also, check if your Labrador Retriever puppy has eaten anything from the garbage or anything that is inedible for them.
Some puppies are naturally curious and may have accidentally upset their tummies with stuff that’s lying around.
2. Parasites
Another possible cause of Labrador puppy diarrhea is parasites.
If your Lab puppy interacts with others, they may have picked up some form of parasite. These could be hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, and more.
Your Labrador Retriever pup could have picked up a parasite from the environment or through their interactions with others.
3. Viruses
Viruses are a scary cause of diarrhea in puppies. Parvovirus, for example, is a potentially life-threatening ailment in dogs.
If your dog has not been vaccinated for certain virus strains or is missing certain vaccinations, you should contact your vet immediately to address the problem.
4. Bacteria
Bacterial infections are another reason why your dog can contract diarrhea.
They are on the more serious side of the diarrhea spectrum and will require medical attention.
Most symptoms of bacterial infection will present as serious ones, such as a bloody stool and being lethargic.
We recommend that you watch out for these symptoms well so that you will know if the cause needs immediate medical attention or if home care will suffice.
Puppies do not have the strong immune systems that adult Labs have, so it’s best to err on the side of caution with this one.
Treating Labrador puppy diarrhea
Mild cases of Labrador puppy diarrhea can be treated at home and will require one to two days of care.
However, treatment for diarrhea will depend mostly on what caused it. For the more serious cases, your vet might even recommend hospitalization for some time.
If you suspect that it is just a mild case, you can still consult your vet on what to do at home.
Until then, you can apply these steps for the treatment of Labrador puppy diarrhea:
1. Fasting
Now, you may be asking yourself what to feed a puppy with diarrhea, given what we have said above.
Don’t worry, though. You can opt to not feed your puppy with solid food for the next twelve hours or so and see how they do.
If they seem to be doing well within that time frame, you can start feeding them a bland diet for a couple of days, then slowly ease them into their regular food regimen again.
This way, you can be sure that they will grow to become their normal size.
2. Provide your Labrador puppy with water for their diarrhea.
When dogs have diarrhea, much like humans, they also expel fluids and may get dehydrated.
You need to provide them with enough fresh water to replenish what they lost.
3. Pay attention.
Paying attention to your dog’s current state is very important in assessing whether or not they will need additional medical care.
Diarrhea is something that should resolve within a day, so if it goes on for more than that, a trip to the vet is advised.
Preventing Labrador puppy diarrhea
Puppy diarrhea is something that you can prevent, given proper care and attention.
You can make sure that your Labrador puppy is up-to-date with all the required vaccines and that they are kept in clean environments in order to reduce the risks of infection.
Conclusion
You can talk to your vet about the possible ways that you can prevent puppy diarrhea in order to supplement your care.
Remember that diarrhea is not a disease in itself but only a symptom. You can prevent many of the causes by keeping the environment clean and by taking care of your puppy.
