Diarrhea can occur in dogs just as it can occur in people. The symptoms are the same, only your dog has little control over when and where he needs to go!

Diarrhea, which is characterized by loose, runny or watery stools, can be a minor problem that can be treated at home, or it can be the sign of a more serious problem. If this problem emerges, make sure and deep a watchful eye on your dog so that you know when a vet's services might be needed.

If your dog is behaving abnormally, you should schedule a visit to your vet right away. Abnormal behavior includes a refusal to drink water or lethargy or other different behavior. Also, if your dog feels warmer than usual or his gums and mouth are dry or sticky to the touch you should be visiting your vet.

In general if a dog has diarrhea but otherwise continues to behave normally, you may be able to treat your dog on your own (unless, of course, your dog takes a turn for the worse). Your dog should still be interested in food (but caution--keep reading below!) and drinking water, and he should have the same basic energy level as before. If you're pretty certain that this is the situation, you may want to move your dog to a bland diet until your dog shoes signs of improvement.

A bland diet includes rice and a low or no fat protein. As fat can irritate an already upset stomache, try chicken breast or boiled hamburger (the boiling removes most of the fat) as the protein source. Feed your dog a mixture of cooked white rice and a small portion of boiled chicken breast or hamburger. As plain as this sounds, the bland diet will help cleanse and reset your dog's digestive system. At first, feed a small portion and watch to see how your dog tolerates the food. It is better to feed several small portions throughout the day than to feed a large portion one or two times during the day.

You can also try giving your dog something like Pepto Bismol to help alleviate the symptoms. A small 12-14 pound dog would take roughly 1/3 of a teaspoon of Pepto Bismol, but you should call in and check with your vet beforehand to get the proper doseage.

Your dog should start showing some improvement within 24 hours and if the symptoms appear to be getting worse, you should definitely get your dog in right away to a vet. Once your dog is showing improvement, you can slowly decrease the amount of the bland diet you are feeding and begin adding back a small but growing proportion of his regular dog food over the next several meals.

Always make sure your dog has a fresh bowl of water available at all times, as dehydration is potential problem with diarrhea.