The short answer: Loose stools when a dog changes food are usually because the change went too fast. Mix in the new food gradually over about seven days. If the stomach gets loose, go back one step and stay there for a couple of days. Call the vet if the dog is not better within one to two days, or straight away if the stool is bloody or the dog is lethargic.
Why the stomach reacts
The gut and its bacteria are adjusted to the food the dog eats every day. A new food has different raw materials and a different composition, and the stomach needs time to adapt. That is why vets advise letting the transition take around seven days from the first day with the new food until the dog eats only that.1
The schedule day by day
This is a common plan for a seven-day transition. Split the day's amount over the dog's usual meals.
| Day | Old food | New food |
|---|---|---|
| 1 and 2 | Three quarters | One quarter |
| 3 and 4 | Half | Half |
| 5 and 6 | One quarter | Three quarters |
| 7 | None | All |
If the dog already has a sensitive stomach you can take it considerably slower. Granngården describes the same steps but with a week at each level.2 Both approaches are reasonable. What decides is how your dog reacts.
If the stomach gets loose: go back to the previous level, stay there two days, and then move forward again.
If the stomach still gets loose
- Go back one step in the schedule. That is the most important measure and the one that is usually enough.
- Make sure the dog drinks. Fresh water should always be available.
- Skip treats and chews until the stomach is stable, so that you know what is affecting it.
- Give smaller portions more often instead of two large meals.
- Keep an eye on the clock. See the next section.
When to call the vet
AniCura advises dog owners to contact a vet if the dog is not better within one to two days, or if it gets worse.3 Call straight away if any of these apply:
- The stool is bloody, more than the odd drop on the outside.
- The dog vomits repeatedly or cannot keep water down.
- The dog is lethargic, has a fever or seems to be in pain.
- It is a puppy, a very old dog or a dog with another illness.
Loose stools in connection with a food change are mostly harmless. Diarrhoea can also have causes that have nothing to do with the food, and that is why the time limit exists.
Herbal course or probiotics: what is the difference?
Many people looking for help with a food change end up among probiotics, and it is easy to think that everything for the stomach is the same thing. It is not.
| Probiotics | DIARANNU | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Live bacteria, often together with fibre | Tablets with five herbs: pomegranate, bael, guduchi, nut grass and catechu |
| How it is given | Often daily over a longer period | As a seven-day course, twice a day |
| Contains bacteria | Yes | No |
DIARANNU is a complementary feed that supports normal digestion during a short period of imbalance. It contains no probiotics and is not a medicine against diarrhoea. If you want to use it during a food change, the seven-day course fits the schedule above: start the course on the same day you start mixing in the new food.
If the stomach is not in balance when the course is over, do not add another course on top. Then it is time to talk to the vet.
What a course costs
| Dog | Dose | Tablets per course | Cost per course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small puppy | Half a tablet twice a day | 7 | 46.55 kr |
| Small dog | One tablet twice a day | 14 | 93.10 kr |
| Large dog | Two tablets twice a day | 28 | 186.20 kr |
A jar contains 60 tablets and costs 399 kr. It is enough for four courses for a small dog and two for a large one.
Frequently asked questions
How long is it normal for a dog to have loose stools after a food change?
Softer stools for a few days are common. If it has not turned around within one to two days after you went back in the schedule, or if the dog gets worse, contact a vet.
Should I go back to the old food completely?
Usually it is enough to go back one step in the schedule. If the dog does not tolerate the new food despite a slow transition, that is a reason to talk to the vet about which food suits it.
Can I give DIARANNU together with probiotics?
That is common. Give them a few hours apart.
Does the same schedule apply to cats?
The principle is the same, but cats are often fussier and need more time. Never stop feeding a cat that refuses the new food. A cat that does not eat for a day should see a vet.
Read on
That was the short answer. If you have a question about your own dog, email info@herbiovet.se. We reply within one working day.
Sources
- FirstVet, answer from a licensed vet on loose stools (in Swedish).
- Granngården, Changing a dog's food (in Swedish).
- AniCura, Diarrhoea in dogs (in Swedish).