🦴 Updated on July 14th, 2023
As pet owners, we’ve all had that sinking feeling when we notice something off about our furbaby’s behavior. Whether it shows up in their sleeping habits, eating habits, or even pooping habits, the least little thing can let us know something big may be wrong.
For dogs, digestion is a key component of their health, and their bowel movements can be big clues as to what’s going on in their body. Sometimes, diarrhea can be a sign of a serious issue, and sometimes, it can just signal a passing bug or a treat that didn’t sit well.
With small dogs and Yorkies in particular, one random instance of diarrhea can escalate into something far worse if you don’t know the signs to watch for. Let’s dive into everything you should know about Yorkie diarrhea to help keep your pet’s health on track.
Yorkies with Diarrhea: What Causes It?
Once you’ve noticed something off about your Yorkie’s number two, it’s important to stay vigilant. While diarrhea isn’t exactly a death sentence, it’s not something you want to forget about, either.
Diarrhea is a pretty common ailment for dogs and, unfortunately, can be a symptom of a wide variety of other things, both unalarming and pretty serious. The first time you notice that your pup is having diarrhea, it’s important not to catastrophize.
The canine digestive system works quite differently from humans, making it prone to occasional upset. The digestive acids in your Yorkie’s stomach are three times as strong as yours are.
What’s more, while humans send pretty well-chewed food into their stomachs for digestion, dogs’ food arrives at their digestive system in large chunks that necessitate more digesting time.
These are reasons why seemingly not-so-alarming issues can set off diarrhea in your Yorkshire Terrier. Some of the most common causes for diarrhea in dogs are eating too much at one time, getting into the garbage, eating too much grass, a newly introduced medication or change in diet, or even feeling stressed.
These particular causes of diarrhea are pretty straightforward and won’t necessitate much action on your part. With a little patience, your Yorkie will be feeling better and back to their old self soon.
My Yorkie Has Diarrhea Still. Now What?
However, if you continue to monitor the situation and find that your Yorshire Terrier is continuing to have intestinal issues, there are several other causes to consider as culprits for diarrhea.
More serious issues, such as food allergies or intolerances, parasites, the ingestion of something poisonous, a bacterial infection or underlying illness, a common virus, or even ingestion of a foreign body, can be to blame.
So if your Yorkshire Terrier still has diarrhea that doesn’t show signs of improvement, what should you do?
Yorkie Diarrhea Treatment
The best first move is to give them easily digestible food. After the first instance of diarrhea, replace their next meal with something soothing for their stomach. A common meal that’s easy for dogs to digest consists of cooked rice and chicken.
Vets Preferred Anti Diarrhea Liquid comes with pectin and kaolin to soothe your pup’s upset stomach while restoring gut health. Plus, the formula is gentle enough not to leave your dog dehydrated.
Even though it may seem bland, this meal without added spices or flavors can help to soothe an upset stomach and digestive system, which might help end diarrhea.
Another great food to feed your Yorkie at the first sign of these symptoms is pumpkin. While it’s also soothing for the stomach, it has the added benefit of being especially effective for both diarrhea and constipation for dogs.
Of course, choose an all-natural pureed pumpkin with no added ingredients. And if it’s made specifically for pets, then all the better.
If a change in diet doesn’t calm the issue, it’s important to continue to monitor your dog and look for context clues that something more serious is at fault.
You know your dog better than anyone, so when successful diarrhea treatments that normally help aren’t helping anymore, or you notice other strange symptoms or signs of discomfort, it may be time to call your vet.
Other Symptoms to Watch For Along With Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a sneaky symptom that can come from so many different kinds of issues. That’s why it’s so important to monitor your Yorkie closely, as clues from their behavior can help you narrow down the cause of diarrhea.
Passing, non-serious diarrhea can sometimes be accompanied by some tummy upset, but that’s often cleared up with a few soothing chicken and rice meals. If diarrhea persists, be on the watch for several accompanying symptoms.
If your Yorkshire Terrier exhibits abnormal lethargy, disinterest in food or water, vomiting, drooling, dehydration, or even blood in their diarrhea, these are sure signs that you should involve your veterinarian for a quick diagnosis.
However, if your pet’s behavior tells you that something is wrong, no matter how small or insignificant the symptom, it’s important not to ignore your intuition. It’s better to be safe than sorry when concerning something as vague and potentially dangerous as unremitting diarrhea.
How to Prevent Yorkie Diarrhea
If diarrhea is an issue that your Yorkie seems to have often without any identifiable underlying cause, then it may be time to change some lifestyle factors.
Adjusting the Diet
Diarrhea can be caused by things beyond physical illnesses or ingestion of toxic foods. It’s becoming more and more widespread for small dogs to suffer from food allergies and intolerances.
Along with diarrhea, skin issues like hair loss, itching, and rashes can be signs your Yorkie has a food allergy.
Yorkies in particular can be at high risk for food allergies. Common ones include certain types of proteins, such as beef or chicken, along with sensitivities to gluten or dairy products. Much like with humans, food allergies need tests to confirm.
Vets will usually suggest and oversee an elimination diet to help you figure out exactly what sensitivity is causing your Yorkie’s diarrhea. Once you cut this food source out of your pet’s permanent diet, diarrhea should cease.
Eliminating Stress
Another common issue among small dogs like Yorkies is adverse reactions to stress. Whether it’s isolated incidents of loud noises or a constant undercurrent of something in their environment, Yorkshire Terriers can respond to stress with intestinal upset.
While stress is a difficult factor to try and control, several habits can help your Yorkie better deal with their environment. Making sure they get consistent physical and mental stimulation through exercise and toys, security blankets and pressure-providing shirts, and even some holistic supplements can help cut down on stress.
Keep in mind that your dog will pick up on your moods as well, so if you can’t seem to get rid of your Yorkie’s stress, try to reduce yours, which will help keep your home environment calm and secure.
Final Thoughts
Dog diarrhea can be a drag, but beyond the mess and inconvenience, it’s nothing to play around with when it comes to your Yorkie’s health. Since you know your dog better than anyone, keep an eye out for signs that diarrhea may be a symptom of a more serious issue.
Start with a stomach-soothing meal and then reach out to your vet if the problem worsens. If it’s a chronic issue, you might want to change your Yorkie’s lifestyle to make sure he or she has the best quality of life possible.
