An upset stomach is one of the most common reasons dogs see the vet, and one of the most common things to happen at home. Most cases are short-lived and manageable. But knowing when to ride it out versus when to call your vet is important.
Common causes:
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Eating something they shouldn't have, garbage, rich food, a new treat, something from the yard
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A sudden change in diet
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Stress, boarding, travel, a new home, a change in routine
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Intestinal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, Giardia)
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Bacterial or viral infection
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Food sensitivity or allergy
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Medications, especially antibiotics
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More serious underlying conditions, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, organ disease, parvovirus
Managing mild diarrhea at home:
If your dog is acting normally otherwise, alert, eating, drinking, no blood in stool, you can try managing at home:
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Withhold food for 12 hours (not water) to give the GI tract a rest
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Offer a bland diet: boiled boneless chicken breast and plain white rice (roughly 1:3 ratio of chicken to rice), fed in small amounts several times a day
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Gradually transition back to regular food over 2–3 days once stools firm up
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Plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling, plain 100% pumpkin) is a safe, effective fiber source that can help firm stools, 1–4 tablespoons depending on size
Call your vet if:
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Diarrhea lasts more than 48–72 hours
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Your dog is a puppy, senior, or already has health conditions
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There is blood in the stool, bright red or black/tarry (black tarry stool suggests bleeding higher in the GI tract and is an emergency)
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Vomiting is happening alongside diarrhea
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Your dog seems lethargic, painful, or won't eat or drink
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You know or suspect your dog ate something toxic
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Your dog's abdomen looks distended
Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (AHDS), A particularly alarming syndrome where dogs develop sudden, profuse, bloody diarrhea (often described as raspberry jam in appearance). Despite looking severe, many dogs recover fully with prompt IV fluids. It requires emergency veterinary care, do not wait.
Never give your dog Imodium (loperamide) or Pepto-Bismol without calling your vet first. Imodium is dangerous in certain breeds (herding breeds) and can mask serious conditions. Pepto-Bismol contains bismuth salicylate, which can be toxic to dogs.