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If you have any questions
If you have any questions at all, please contact the foster department directly. Other KHS phone numbers, emails, or departments are unable to help with any foster concerns.
Contacting other departments will delay you getting answers and delay your animal getting care.
Our contact info can be found at the bottom of every page on this site and in our signature in every email you receive.
Thank you so much for your cooperation with this important policy.
The Importance of Treating Diarrhea
The Importance of Treating Diarrhea
Diarrhea in puppies should not be taken lightly or ignored. Some bouts of diarrhea will resolve with time and supportive care, but it is vital to report diarrhea in puppies to us right away. Young puppies are at risk of contracting parvovirus, a life-threatening viral infection. It is treatable, but needs to be caught, and have treatment started, quickly. Although the below is written with puppies in mind, the guidelines apply to adult dogs as well.
Identifying Severity
Normal
A fecal score of 3 or 4 is the ideal, but puppies can have fecal scores of 5, which will appear soft-formed and pasty, particularly at the beginning of fostering as they transition to a different diet and their gastrointestinal systems continue to develop
Diarrhea
Fecal scores of 6-7 on the Fecal Scoring System are considered diarrhea
Acute diarrhea
Diarrhea that lasts less than 10-14 days
Chronic diarrhea
Diarrhea that lasts more than 14 days
Causes
Causes
Parasites
Diet change
Stress
Overfeeding (puppies should be fed several small meals a day, rather than 1 or 2 large meals)
Under-developed GI system
Antibiotic therapy
Recent surgery
Infectious or inflammatory diseases, including viral and bacterial infections
Some common illnesses associated with diarrhea could be giardia, coccidia, or worms.
Clinical Signs
Clinical Signs
Increased frequency or volume of defecation, straining to defecate
Soft to liquid stool, with or without the presence of blood or mucus
Pasty, light colored stool
Loss of control of defecation, leaking feces
Initial Care
Initial Care
Assess general health
Assess general health
Check weight trends (is foster still gaining weight?)
Ensure preventative deworming & vaccinations schedule are up to date.
Ensure you are not overfeeding and potential contribution of stress
Overfeeding puppies can cause diarrhea. Ensure fosters are feeding small amounts of appropriate food multiple times a day instead of large amounts once or twice daily.
Ensure animals are being fed separately to prevent food-related stress; ensure foster is not scolding puppies for housetraining or other mistakes as this can add stress and contribute to stool problems.
Continue to monitor at home
Continue to monitor at home
Mild cases include patients with loose stool (fecal score of 5) but are bright and responsive, are continuing to gain weight, are eating well, and are hydrated.
If patient remains healthy but the fecal score does not improve within 48 hours, contact the foster medical team
When to Contact the Foster Team
When to Contact the Foster Team
Diarrhea with little to no appetite, lethargy, or vomiting
Call emergency line if after hours
Severe diarrhea (FS 7)
Bloody diarrhea
Diarrhea (FS 6) that persists for 24 hours
Diarrhea (FS 5 or 6) with mild decrease in appetite or energy
Puppy appears not to be gaining weight or starts losing weight
Puppy is overtly dehydrated (sunken eyes, prolonged skin tent, pale gums)
Treatment and Follow Up
Treatment and Follow Up
We will have you bring in a stool sample (and likely the puppy as well) for us to check. Our vet staff will prescribe meds to treat the diarrhea.
Give medication exactly as directly
If symptoms get worse, let us know immediately
If diarrhea persists after treatment
Reassess health
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