People that own dogs usually know how diarrhea in dogs works, since it’s quite common. The real reasons of diarrhea, the causes and the different varieties are known by fewer people.

A diet change is one of the things that causes diarrhea. If you give your Scottish Terrier food that is especially made for him, and then you change his diet and you give him table scraps, he will probably get diarrhea as a result. Another possible cause for diarrhea is changing the type of water your Scottie  gets, especially if you’re traveling.

Dietary changes are especially problematic for scottish terrier puppies, since they have sensitive intestinal tracts. If the puppy was bought from a breeder, he probably told you that he should be fed similarly to what he got in the past. You should find out what the Scottie ate before, if you were not told when you bought him, especially if you got him from a friend or from a newspaper ad. Either way, you should talk with a vet about the diet of the Scottie, so you’re sure that the puppy gets the proper food for his breed and age.

If your Scottie puppy received a diet of raw meet in the past, and you are going to give him food that is commercially available, you need to make a gradual transition, from the old food to the new one. For starters, you can put some commercial food in the raw meat, mixing it up a bit. Each day, increase the amount of food you put in the meat, while reducing the old type of food. Gradually changing the diet in your Scottish terrier will prevent diarrhea in him.

Underfeeding and overfeeding are two other possible causes for diarrhea. Scotties that get too much or not enough food can be susceptible to illnesses. A Scottish Terrier that doesn’t eat enough, will stuff himself when he finally finds food. Chances are that Scottish terriers are less susceptible to diarrhea if they get fed twice each day, instead of getting all the food in a single meal. Both veterinarians and breeders will recommend that you use self-feeding, which means that Scotties get a dish full of food, which he chooses when to eat. You do this with dry food usually, so the diarrhea is quite rare.

Drinking too much water is another possible reason for diarrhea in Scotties. If it happens when it’s not warm outside, over drinking of water can point to another issue, so visit a vet to find out what the problem is.

Diarrhea in small puppies can also be a sign of a parasite problem with Coccidia or Giardia.

See our page here about parasite problems in puppies.  Click here.