Ask Dr Fiona

My puppy is 14 weeks old and had 3 bowel motions overnight, the first normal the last runny with mucous. What should I do?

It sounds like your puppy may have a gastrointestinal upset and needs to be closely monitored.

Puppies have a small reserve and can become dehydrated very quickly when they are suffering from diarrhoea (and/or vomiting).

Possible causes include a dietary indiscretion (change in diet/eating something he shouldn’t), parasitic infection or a bacterial or viral infection.

Runny diarrhoea can be concerning so rather than wait and see if it gets worse, it is best to arrange a check- up with a veterinarian. This will allow a veterinarian to examine your puppy for other symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, vomiting and lethargy.

Your puppy may require medication, a special prescription diet and even fluid therapy if dehydration is a concern.

If the diarrhoea persists or your puppy becomes unwell, additional blood tests, microscopic faecal examination and abdominal imaging including x-rays and/or ultrasound may be necessary.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can get a vet within minutes on a live video call or start a text chat to discuss in more detail.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,
Dr Fi