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Why Does My Corgi Have Diarrhea? (Why & What To Do)

If your Corgi has diarrhea you’ll want to know why and how you can help them quickly.

This article lists the common causes of diarrhea and how to best help your corgi going forward. I’ll also explain when a trip to the vet is necessary.

corgi-diarrhea

Reasons Why Your Corgi Might Have Diarrhea

Knowing the cause early on will allow you to try an appropriate solution. However, diarrhea is a very common symptom of many health issues, so this makes it a little harder to narrow down.

The first list will highlight causes that you would likely know about, and the second list will highlight causes that may go under your radar.

Common reasons why your Corgi has diarrhea

  • Allergies
  • Sudden changes of food, or new treats
  • Food intolerances
  • Ingestion of rotten/spoiled food
  • Dehydration / Heatstroke
  • Stress
  • Medication
  • Ingestion of toxic/poisonous items (foods, plants, animals, insects)

Other causes of diarrhea:

If you can’t pinpoint the cause of diarrhea to any of the above, and diarrhea doesn’t improve after 1 day, you should contact your veterinarian and they will be able to check for the following:

  • Parasites
  • Bacterial infections
  • Kidney or liver issues
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis
  • Other underlying health concerns

The first list highlights the causes that you might be aware of, or have spotted. For example, if you’ve seen your corgi go through your garbage, then shortly experience diarrhea, there’s a strong chance that’s related, and you can act appropriately.

So whenever your corgi has diarrhea, have a good think about any recent events which may explain it. If diarrhea doesn’t improve after 24 hours, you should visit your local veterinarian for further checks.

How To Help Your Corgi With Diarrhea

There are a few different courses of action you can take when your corgi has diarrhea. In some instances, depending on the cause, your corgi may need specific veterinarian treatment. I’ll explain when each method is or isn’t appropriate below.

1. Fasting

Fasting for one day is a time-proven method to overcome diarrhea in dogs and this may be appropriate for your corgi. Diarrhea puts a lot of stress on the digestive system and sometimes the best way to recover and regain strength is by allowing it to rest.

One thing that’s crucial, however, is hydration. A lot of water is consumed through eating food, so if fasting is something you try with your corgi, it’s essential that he drinks more than usual to remain hydrated.

When fasting should not be tried:
Fasting should not be done for corgi puppies or seniors. Puppies and seniors rely on daily nutrition and would not cope well without food. This may come as a shock to their bodies and make matters even worse. Fasting will not work when diarrhea is caused by stress, a reaction to a medication, or other underlying health concerns.

When fasting should be tried:
Fasting works best in response to diarrhea that has been caused by food intolerances, consuming spoiled or rotten foods, switching kibbles too fast, or allergies.

2. Temporary Bland-Food Diet

If you are able to try the one-day fast, it’s recommended to do that first. A fast will immediately help the digestive system a lot. Then switch to a bland-food diet until his diarrhea improves.

A bland-food diet consists of eating small portions of foods that are easy for your corgi to digest and process. Such foods won’t irritate his digestive system and will allow him to receive nutrients without triggering further diarrhea.

Typical bland foods are white rice, plain boiled chicken breast, dairy-free yogurt, plain-cooked macaroni, pumpkin, and cottage cheese. You can give your corgi a small amount of some of these foods together (not all) two times per day. Avoid all other food, scraps, and treats while on this diet.

When to start a bland food diet:
Bland food diets are very safe (be sure your corgi doesn’t have an intolerance to one of the bland food ingredients as well!) and it’s usually the recommended course of action for most dogs with diarrhea. If your corgi is able to fast first, try that, then follow this diet immediately until diarrhea improves.

Please keep in mind:
Bland food diets usually solve most diarrhea problems, as it allows the digestive system to recover while still providing your corgi with nutrients. But what it won’t do is solve underlying health issues. Remember that diarrhea could be a sign your corgi has underlying issues, so please consult your veterinarian to be on the safe side.

3. Try Using Pro-Pectalin

What’s Pro-Pectalin?

Pro-Pectalin contains koalin, pectin, and Enterococcus faecium, a beneficial bacteria to help resolve diarrhea caused by stress, antibiotic administration, change in diet, or other simple, non-life threatening forms of diarrhea. Its unique combination of ingredients helps safely stop diarrhea, soothe irritated intestines, and restore the normal balance of intestinal bacteria.

Healthy Pets USA – https://www.healthypets.com/pectalin250.html

Pro-Pectalin is a common, over-the-counter medication that’s used to stop and resolve diarrhea in dogs, and so it will likely work well with your corgi.

Although this is considered a very safe anti-diarrhea medication, it’s still advised to speak to your veterinarian first about it. But after that, it’s something worth keeping at home at all times.

Recommended options on Amazon

4. Stay Hydrated

Diarrhea will dehydrate your corgi quicker than you can say corgi! What’s so bad about this is that dehydration can be both the cause and the symptom of diarrhea, so it’s a complete no-no.

The key to a quick recovery, and even prevention in the first place, is being properly hydrated. When your corgi is sufficiently hydrated, his body functions A LOT better and he’ll be frequently flushing out toxins and nasty things in order to remain healthy.

Getting your corgi to drink more:
You can use a small amount of low-sodium (or sodium-free) meat broth. Just a small amount added to his water will encourage him to drink a lot more of it!

You could also try adding Pedialyte to his water. This is an electrolyte drink actually made for children, however, it’s frequently given to dogs too in order to rehydrate and recover from sickness/diarrhea.

Other Popular Corgi Articles:
Why Your Corgi Isn’t Eating: 6 Main Reasons
Hiking Tips For Corgis: What Every Owner Should Know

When You Should Seek Veterinary Help

Of course, there will be times when you should contact your local veterinarian immediately, without wasting time trying to solve the issue at home.

As soon as you notice your corgi has diarrhea, think about recent events that would explain it…

Consider: Have you switched foods? has he gone through the garbage? are you trying new treats? did he recently eat table scraps?

If you cannot think of a legitimate reason as to why your corgi has diarrhea, it’s best to call your veterinarian if the diarrhea doesn’t improve within 24 hours.

It’s never the wrong decision to call your veterinarian, and if it does turn out to be a more serious problem, then it’s a good job you called sooner rather than later.

Preventing Diarrhea In The First Place

You won’t be able to prevent all instances of diarrhea, but there are a few healthy habits to follow in order to prevent most instances of sickness/diarrhea.

After all, the no.1 reason why corgis experience diarrhea is from eating something they disagree with. Which is something that we have control over.

Tips to prevent your corgi from having diarrhea:

  • Keep garbage and trash out of reach from your corgi
  • Avoid feeding your corgi table scraps
  • Always introduce new kibbles and treats slowly
  • Stay aware of what your corgi does when out on walks in public
  • Keep refreshing the water in your corgi’s bowl
  • Start using a limited ingredient kibble from a reputable brand
  • Avoid common allergens that can irritate stomachs – Ceaser’s Way
  • Keep up to date with jabs and vaccines
  • Keep your corgi’s immediate environment clean and dust-free

Top Bland Foods That Help Corgis Through Diarrhea

If you need to follow a bland food diet, here’s a complete list of food that can be given to your corgi without irritating his stomach.

Sweet potato
● White potato
● Banana
● Apple sauce
● Oatmeal
● Watermelon (no seeds or pips)
● Boiled egg
● Cooked carrots (mashed)
● Boiled chicken breast
● Dairy-free yogurt
● Pumpkin
● Cottage cheese
● Cooked macaroni
● White rice

Choose a few of these foods and use them for your corgi’s bland food diet. Once you pick 2 or 3, stick to them and don’t keep changing, as this may further irritate his stomach.

Quick note: It’s always worth checking out the banned-food list or (toxic foods list) for dogs. As new research comes out, veterinarians and researchers find out new things about how ingredients are reacting with our furry friends. Some ingredients we think are fine today, may not actually be fine after all. Here is a website that keeps up to date with that.

Other Popular Corgi Articles:
Can Corgis Have Blue Eyes? Full Corgi Eye Color Chart
Why Your Corgis Barks So Much And How To Prevent It


Thank you for reading! I hope this has helped, and remember, if you are unsure please consult your veterinarian as soon as possible. All the best, Harry.

View more Corgi articles >>



Disclaimer

Before making any decisions that could affect the health and/or safety of your dog, you should always consult a trained veterinarian in your local area. Even though this content may have been written/reviewed by a trained veterinarian, our advice to you is to always consult your own local veterinarian in person. Please read our full dislcaimer if you have any questions.