Natural Cure for Diarrhea in a Dog

When food travels too quickly through your dog's digestive tract, the result can be diarrhea. You dog's body is ridding itself of irritants, bad food, indigestible material and bacteria. Acute diarrhea is an uncomfortable but effective healing process but it can rob your dog of vital nutrients and cause dehydration. If your dog's symptoms last more than week, consider a natural approach to controlling the symptoms.

  1. Fasting

    • A 24-hour fast allows the gastrointestinal tract to rest. During the fast, combat dehydration by offering salt-free broths, rice or barley water. To make these waters, add 1 quart of boiling water to 1 cup of raw grain. Steep, strain and cool.
      After the fast, feed a bland diet for 2 or 3 days. Mix 2 parts cooked white rice with 1 part boiled, ground chicken or beef. Feed a quantity equal to half your dog's daily rations, divided into 4 to 6 servings. Fresh celery or carrot juice can be added for extra fluid and nutrition.

    Herbal Treatments

    • Slippery elm, a tree native to North America, contains a substance known as mucilage. When mixed with water, mucilage becomes a thick and slippery substance that coats the throat, stomach and intestines. It is this property makes slippery elm a diarrhea remedy.
      Slippery elm powder is made from the inner bark of the tree and is available in health food stores. To make a slippery elm diarrhea treatment for your dog, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tsp. of slippery elm powder. Stir and steep for 2 to 3 minutes.
      Dosage depends on your dog's size. For small dogs, administer 1 tsp. 3 to 4 times per day. For medium-sized dogs, use 1 tsp. and for large dogs, 2 to 4 tbsp.
      Plantain, a common roadside weed, also contains mucilage. The leaves can be dried and made into a tea. Plantain is also highly astringent and is used as an external poultice for bee stings and wounds.

    Probiotics

    • Probiotics are the "good bacteria" that live in your dog's gastrointestinal tract. These microorganisms improve digestion, increase the absorption of nutrients from food, and may protect against e. Coli and salmonella. When purchasing probiotics for your dog, look for products that contain live cultures of the lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei and bifido bacterium.