Just like babies who are getting new teeth, puppies who have lost their milk teeth and are getting permanent teeth can experience discomfort and pain. Most puppies begin to teethe around four months, the teething process continues off an on for a few months. Appetite loss and diarrhoea, along with evidence that your puppy is trying to chew everything, may also occur. And while the latter is common, the former is not. Treating the diarrhoea is a manageable task, and it's important to know when to bring your veterinarian into the picture.
The teething diarrhoea connection
Puppies that are teething tend to have more drool and saliva in their mouths than they would otherwise. Swallowing this mucous can lead to digestive upset, which can lead to diarrhoea.
- Just like babies who are getting new teeth, puppies who have lost their milk teeth and are getting permanent teeth can experience discomfort and pain.
- Puppies that are teething tend to have more drool and saliva in their mouths than they would otherwise.
Dietary indiscretion and diarrhoea
During teething, puppies want to work out their discomfort by chewing on items in an attempt to soothe the discomfort. Many puppies will inadvertently wind up chewing on items that can lead to "dietary indiscretion," where particles or remnants of anything else they happen to get into their mouths get ingested and do not sit well with their immature digestive tracks. These actions can lead to diarrhoea.
Treating diarrhoea in puppies
If the diarrhoea has just begun, your puppy is less than 8 months old and shows no signs of dehydration, substitute dog food for rice and chicken and a bit of water every 12 hours for 24 hours. This should help give your puppy's tummy a break and resolve the diarrhoea.
When to call the Veterinarian
If your puppy is less than 7 weeks old and has diarrhoea, contact your veterinarian immediately young puppies can quickly become dehydrated. There could be a more serious problem than teething. If your puppy's diarrhoea does not resolve itself within 24 to 48 hours, notify your veterinarian.
- During teething, puppies want to work out their discomfort by chewing on items in an attempt to soothe the discomfort.
- If your puppy is less than 7 weeks old and has diarrhoea, contact your veterinarian immediately young puppies can quickly become dehydrated.
Treating teething
Provide your puppy with an ample supply of chew toys during the teething period. When your puppy seems particularly uncomfortable, you can freeze a toy or freeze a wet washcloth and let them gnaw on it, as cold is soothing for sore gums.
Keep all items that you do not want chewed out of the puppy's path, and consider crating the dog during times when you are out of the house.