Loose Stool from an English Bulldog? Here’s What to Do

Diarrhea is one of the most common canine ailments. It varies in intensity, frequency, and duration and can be triggered by a plethora of factors. In most cases, canine diarrhea is mild can be treated at home. However, there are times that more severe symptoms accompany diarrhea, and a veterinarian needs to be contacted.

So, what should you do when you notice loose stool from an English dog? If the diarrhea is not accompanied by symptoms like fever, vomiting, lethargy, or worms present in the stool, you can:

Use Pedialyte for hydration
Administer Pepto Bismol to soothe their stomach
Keep the dog on a bland diet
Feed them vegetable broth to firm their stool
Try a 12- 24 hour fast
Try yogurt

In this article, you’ll learn about some of the causes of loose stool in English bulldogs, how to prevent them, how to remedy the situation at home, and when to seek medical attention.

Loose Stool from an English Bulldog – What Causes It?

Before you try any treatment to stop your bulldog’s diarrhea, it’s essential to determine what caused it in the first place. In most cases, the primary cause is the food your dog has been eating because diarrhea is a digestive problem.

Some of the common causes of canine diarrhea include:

Excessive treats: It’s not wrong to reward good behavior with treats. However, you need to control the number of treats you give your dogs and be watchful of their ingredients, especially when it comes to bulldogs because they have allergic reactions to different types of food.
Too much food: Bulldogs have very sensitive digestive systems and should only be fed their recommended amount of food. When they overeat, they tend to have loose stools that appear incredibly soft as if blended. If you notice this, you may have to reduce their food intake.
Sudden diet change: Since bulldogs have digestive systems that are susceptible to illness, you need to be careful when you’re introducing new things to their diet. Instead of changing everything at once, try adding one food at a time to see how they react to it. Otherwise, they may not take the changes well, thereby causing diarrhea.
Rotten food: Just like humans, bulldogs’ stomachs are sensitive to spoiled food. If your dog has the habit of eating out of the garbage, this is bound to happen because you can’t be sure of what they’re taking out of the trash. Try to keep your trashcan covered with a lid and take the trash out regularly to prevent your bulldog from grabbing rotten food out of it.

According to Bulldog Guide, some other causes of bulldog diarrhea include:

Stress
Pancreatic disease
Parasites
Auto-immune disease
Addison’s disease
Liver or kidney problems
GI tract obstruction
Poisoning
Viral infection
Bacterial infection
Eating very fast

Symptoms of Bulldog Diarrhea

Loose stool is one of the things you should look for if you suspect your bulldog is experiencing canine diarrhea. However, this is not the only symptom of bulldog diarrhea. In most cases, the dog will also have any of the following symptoms:

Decreased appetite
Difficulty pooping
Stomach pain
Watery stool
Reduced energy and lack of interest in doing things they enjoy

If your dog is showing any of the above symptoms without signs of any severe symptoms, you can remedy the situation at home by administering hydration medication and adjusting their diet.

However, according to Any Bulldog, if your dog is showing any of the following symptoms, it may be more severe and you should contact your vet as soon as possible:

Depression
Vomiting
Lethargy
Fatigue
No food intake or the dog refuses to eat
The dog refuses to drink water
Fever
Enlarged tummy
Worms present in the poop
Rotten smell to the poop

Home Remedies for Bulldog Diarrhea

If you’ve analyzed the symptoms and you’re confident your bulldog’s diarrhea is not anything serious, you can try a few home remedies to see if their stool goes back to normal.

Note: If you try any of these remedies and the situation doesn’t get better or gets worse, take your dog to the vet as soon as possible.

Use Pedialyte for Hydration

Canine diarrhea can cause dehydration because of frequent bowel movements. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is to hydrate your dog. Pedialyte is one of the most recommended liquids for canine dehydration. However, before you give your dog Pedialyte, you should consult your vet.

Administer Pepto Bismol to Soothe their Stomach

Most bulldog owners have found that Pepto Bismol works well for soothing a dog’s stomach when they’re having loose stools. Before you administer this medication, make sure you consult your vet to get information on the right dosage and whether or not it’s the best option for your dog.

Keep the Dog on a Bland Diet

When your bulldog is having loose stools, you shouldn’t feed them the same diet they’re used to because it may make the situation worse. You need to give their stomach some time to adjust. One way to do this is to feed them a bland diet.

Feed them Vegetable Broth to Firm Their Stool

Vegetable broth with pumpkin is excellent for a bulldog with loose stool because it not only firms their stool but also soothes their stomach, making it easier for them to handle other types of food.

Try a 12 -24 Hour Fast

Putting your bulldog on a 12 to 24 hour fast allows their digestive system to heal on its own and eliminate all the components that may be causing diarrhea. When you introduce food before the digestive cleansing process is complete, it may interfere with the process and only make the condition worse.

During the fasting period, ensure your dog stays hydrated, giving them plenty of water because diarrhea causes dehydration.

Try Yogurt

Yogurt is also an excellent food to feed your bulldog as they recover from diarrhea. It contains probiotics that help the bulldog’s digestive system normalize. However, don’t go for just any type of yogurt. You need to feed them natural yogurt that doesn’t have artificial sweeteners, added sugars, or flavors.

Before you give your dog yogurt, consult your vet. Some bulldogs are allergic to yogurt, and feeding it to them can only cause more problems in their digestive system.

How to Prevent Bulldog Diarrhea

Helping prevent your bulldog from developing diarrhea is much easier than helping them recover from it. Below are some of the things you can do to ensure your dog’s digestive system doesn’t become compromised:

Watch what they eat: If your dog is outdoors, make sure they don’t eat anything from the floor or garbage. Always ensure you’re feeding them their recommended diet.
Check their treats and food ingredients: Because bulldogs have sensitive digestive systems, it’s crucial to ensure the ingredients in their foods and treats won’t cause an adverse reaction.
Avoid overfeeding: Only feed them their recommended serving sizes when they are supposed to eat. Prevent them from getting extra food from your garbage and pick up their food bowls when they are done eating.
Change their diet gradually: Introduce one new food at a time so that their stomachs can adjust slowly.

Wrapping Up

It’s important to know what to do when your bulldog starts having loose stools because excessive dehydration can be a serious problem. However, before administering any medication, make sure you consult your vet about dosage and whether or not the medicine is suitable for your type of dog.

If you’ve tried all the home remedies, and the situation only gets worse, or your dog starts showing severe symptoms, see a vet as soon as possible to get to the root of the problem.