[Marcimac]

I need some advice on what to do with my 4 1/2 month old labradoodle. Throughout the night on Friday my puppy had diarrhea- the kind that just spews out of him. We didn't give him any food on Saturday, but tried to get him to drink lots of water and gave him some gatorade too. We began giving him some pepto bismol every 6 hours on Saturday evening.

He only had to go out once during the night on Saturday and then Sunday morning we gave him some rice and chicken broth which went down fine and there was no bowel movement all day Sunday. Today when he first went out he had a bm but it was mostly pudding like and then just now when I took him out it was green colored pudding. We gave him half of what he would normally have for breakfast and lunch today.

We think he may have gotten into something outside and he also ate a big chunk of rawhide the other day so we're thinking it's a combo of things. Is this a normal way to come back from diarrhea for a dog? Should I take him to the vet? It seems to be improving in the fact that it was pure water before and now it's becoming pudding like. Help?

[labman]

Diarrhea in a dog that has been eating rawhide is a bad sign. They can tear off big chunks and swallow them. As they pass through, they swell blocking the intestine. The dog's body often tries to force it out either end. A vet will need to see him if it doesn't settle down soon. Often a slightly thicker pudding is one step back to normal.

I would cut out the rawhide. If you didn't read my discussion on toys in the 11 week old puppy thread, go back and read it. Some dogs do fine with rubber squeakers and stuffed toys, but I really wouldn't trust rawhide with any dog.