When your dog or cat suddenly develops diarrhea, you want fast, safe solutions you can start at home. This quick guide helps you tell when diarrhea is an emergency and what you can do right away to calm your pet’s stomach using simple, natural remedies.

Quickly Stop Dog Diarrhea or Cat Diarrhea

Before trying any home remedy, take 10 seconds to assess your pet’s stool. This quick check determines whether diarrhea can be safely managed at home or requires immediate veterinary attention. Some cases resolve with simple care; others are potentially life-threatening.

Step 1: Check for Red-Flag Signs

Ask yourself:

Is there fresh blood or mucus?

• A small streak of fresh blood or a bit of mucus can happen with irritation.
• A large amount of blood or persistent mucus → contact your veterinarian.

Is the stool black, tarry, or like coffee grounds?

This appearance indicates digested blood, a possible sign of internal bleeding.
➡ Stop home treatments and go directly to an emergency vet.
(See: Merck Veterinary Manual – Gastrointestinal Bleeding)

Is your pet vomiting repeatedly, lethargic, or refusing water?

These signs point to dehydration or systemic illness.
➡ Vet visit recommended.

If none of these red-flag signs apply and your dog or cat is otherwise acting normal, home care may help.

Step 2: Identify What Type of Diarrhea You’re Dealing With

Mild Pet Diarrhea (Home Treatment OK)

Your pet’s poop is:

• Soft, loose, or watery
• Possibly with a small amount of fresh red blood or mucus
• Your dog or cat is eating, drinking, and behaving normally

Common causes we see in-store include:

• Food indiscretion (ate something odd)
• Sudden diet change
• Mild viral or bacterial imbalance
• Stress from boarding, grooming, visitors, or excitement
• Food intolerance
• Giardia exposure (common in puppies; linked with contaminated water)

If this matches your situation, you may proceed with the home remedies section below.

Serious Pet Diarrhea (Stop Reading & Go to Emergency Vet NOW)

Go immediately if your pet has:

• Black/tarry stool (digested blood)
• Large quantities of fresh red blood
• Vomiting + diarrhea together
• Severe lethargy, weakness, or dehydration
• Known or suspected toxin ingestion: rat poison, pesticides, chocolate, xylitol, human medications

If any apply → This is an emergency. Do not use home remedies.

Proven Methods to Stop Your Dog’s Diarrhea Naturally

If your pet is otherwise acting normal, these home remedies can often stop dog or cat diarrhea within 6–24 hours. These natural, fast-acting remedies are safe for most healthy adult dogs and cats.

Step 1: Give the the Digestive Tract a Short Rest

Skip the next meal or withhold regular food for 4–12 hours. Always provide water. A short fast allows inflammation to calm down and and often stops mild diarrhea quickly.

Step 2: Feed a Bland, Easy-to-Digest Gut-Soothing Food

A bland diet without fat can ensure that your pet’s diarrhea does not get worse. The options below are better than using rice and ground beef/ turkey/ chicken combo. This is because the rice can ferment in the gut, causing gas and a farty dog.

The best home upset stomach remedies for dogs include:

• Bone Broth – Hydrating, gentle and has amino acids.
• Unsweetened Kefir – Rich in probiotics to restore gut flora.
• Pureed Whole Pumpkin (with skin & seeds) – Great for both diarrhea and constipation. fiber to bulk up stool. Pumpkin is especially effective when diarrhea is caused by dietary indiscretion.

Step 3: Slowly Reintroduce Normal Pet Food + Combine with Slippery Elm/ Pet Probiotics for Fast Relief

• Slippery Elm Bark Powder – Slippery elm is a gentle herb that forms a gel coating in the GI tract and helps firm up stools
  • Dose: ¼ tsp per 10 lbs. Mix into water or bland food. Repeat 1–2× daily
  • The Honest Kitchen Perfect Form blend is a ready-to-use option which also includes pumpkin.
• Pet probiotics – are a great way to restore gut flora and calm GI irritations.
• Combine any of the above with about half your pet’s normal meal portions and monitor.
  • Most cases improve within 24–48 hours with bland diet + GI support.
  • Once stool is forming and more solid, transition back over 1–2 meals.

If diarrhea lasts more than 72 hours → see your vet.

Quick-Glance Home Remedy to Stop Dog Diarrhea Chart

Symptom	Likely Cause	Best Remedy	Vet Needed?
Soft stool, acting normal	Ate something off	Pumpkin + 6hr fast	No
Liquid diarrhea	Gut irritation	Slippery elm + kefir	Maybe
Blood & mucus	Colitis or giardia	Perfect Form + bland diet	If severe
Black stool	Internal bleeding	None	YES—Emergency

When to Seek Immediate Vet Care

Home treatment is NOT recommended if your dog/ cat has:

• Diarrhea + repeated vomiting
• No interest in water
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days
• Signs of parasites (worms, eggs, oily stool)
• Recent garbage ingestion
• Puppy diarrhea (higher dehydration risk)
• Senior pets with sudden diarrhea
• Known chronic conditions (IBD, pancreatitis, kidney disease)

For our complete diarrhea guide, check out Dog Troubleshitting: Ultimate Dog Diarrhea Guide (for cats too).

How to Fix a Constipated Dog or Cat

This depends Constipation may happen if your pet’s diet is:

• Too low in fiber
• Too high in bone content (common in some raw diets)
• Low moisture

Safe home remedies for constipation:

• Add pumpkin or fresh veggies for fiber
• Slippery elm can also help soften stool
• Add moisture — broth, water, or goat milk
• Small amount of oil (coconut or fish oil) may help “grease the tubes”

Never use human laxatives — many are toxic to pets.

Home Remedies to Stop Dog Diarrhea FAQs