Dog Having Diarrhea After Grooming [Cause for Concern?]

Did you just come back home and discovered a not-so-pleasant surprise of your dog having diarrhea after grooming?

OMG! I’ve been there, and it’s not a fun experience for anyone involved!

There are a few different reasons why it might happen such as allergies or intolerances to grooming products, a highly stressful session, or it could be that your dog caught a bug at the groomer’s.

In this post, I’m going to dive into more of the potential causes of dog diarrhea after grooming and give you some tips on how to help your pup feel better.

Recommended reading: Understanding common dog grooming injuries

What Are the Main Causes of Dog Diarrhea?

Dietary indiscretion

Your dog encounters dietary indiscretion when he eats food not suitable for him, causing tummy aches which eventually lead to diarrhea.

If you’re feeding your doggy table scraps because he keeps coming back to the table while you eat, you’re contributing to his dietary indiscretion.

Dogs love sniffing around the trash can too. If your dog eats spoiled food from it, diarrhea will surely follow. 

Dietary indiscretion is very common among dogs since they’re curious animals who love tasting almost any food that catches their eye.

Allergies or intolerances

Dogs love eating, but it doesn’t mean they can eat anything.

As a dog parent, you probably already know that your dog has some food allergies or intolerances. And if you let him eat something his system can’t accept, diarrhea might ensue.

Protein is an example of something your dog is allergic to and intolerant of. 

Chicken eggs, wheat, dairy, and beef to name a few can cause allergic reactions that might cause diarrhea since they contain plenty of proteins.

A minimal amount of these foods may not cause any problems, but if your dog has a really sensitive tummy, then your dog will surely suffer from diarrhea.

Inflammatory bowel disease

Your dog might have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) if his intestinal tract is filled with inflammatory cells due to irritations.

When this happens, your dog won’t be able to digest the food he is eating leading to abnormal bowel movements or diarrhea.

If your dog is vomiting and having diarrhea with little to no appetite, he may be suffering from IBD.

If you’re confused as to how your dog got this disease, it’s most likely due to parasites as in worms in his stomach, or ingestion of proteins.

Stress or anxiety

When your dog experiences stress or anxiety, it’s not only his mood and behavior that get affected. Stress or anxiety might also occur.

If he has been newly adopted, he’ll be overwhelmed by the new surroundings which will lead to stress. He will then experience diarrhea.

Separation anxiety is also a painful cause of diarrhea.

Some dogs can be very clingy, and if you are constantly missing from your doggy’s side, he’ll think you’re leaving him.

If you’ve recently adopted a new dog and your older dog is now having diarrhea, he is probably stressed by this new addition to the family.

Stress or anxiety distracts your dog from effectively digesting his food, which causes gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea.

Changes in diet or routine

Abruptly changing your dog’s diet can cause digestive issues like diarrhea. 

Your dog’s tummy takes a while in adjusting to his new food so if you’re changing his diet, do it gradually over seven days.

Do the same gradual process when changing your dog’s routine as changes can be overwhelming to your dog.

Eating non-food items

No matter how well you are feeding your dog, there will be instances when he eats non-food items like rocks or sticks.

When your dog eats a non-food item, a gastrointestinal blockage might happen which will lead to diarrhea.

In a worst-case scenario, a dog might have developed Pica without your knowing.

Potential Reasons That Cause Dog Diarrhea After Grooming

Stress colitis

Stress colitis happens to your dog when too much stress or anxiety inflames his digestive system.

Grooming is a very stressful and anxious experience for your dog, especially if he isn’t well-socialized with unfamiliar people and places.

Having someone touch and groom him in a room that isn’t familiar to him can induce anxiety and stress which will lead to stress colitis, and eventually diarrhea.

The inflamed digestive system won’t be able to digest the food being eaten by your dog, so he’ll experience abnormal bowel movements like diarrhea.

Grooming products

Dogs vary from one another. One dog might take grooming products without a problem, while others may react differently.

Dogs who just came from groomers usually lick their bodies to familiarize their scents once more.

If your dog hasn’t been properly rinsed off from the grooming products that were used on him, he’ll be able to lick it off his body.

The remaining grooming product may irritate his digestive system, which might lead to diarrhea.

Infection or illness

If you’re taking your dog to a groomer that accommodates other doggies, your dog can be exposed to potential infection or illness that those doggies may bring.

The tools that are used in grooming have been used on other dogs before your dog, and who knows what infection remained in it despite numerous cleaning.

Thus, grooming is a potential bringer of infection or illness that may lead to diarrhea if you have a dog with a sensitive immune system.

What You Can Do to Help Your Dog if It Has Diarrhea After Grooming?

Relook into its diet

Relook into your dog’s diet if he is experiencing diarrhea after grooming.

Make sure that your dog is eating a balanced diet that meets his nutritional needs when it comes to his breed, age, and size. 

Ensure that your dog isn’t being overfed or underfed as this creates gastrointestinal issues.

Change to a new groomer

If your dog has always been experiencing diarrhea after grooming, you should already be concerned about whether or not his groomer is the perfect fit for him.

Perhaps he feels anxious or scared of his groomer which causes him stress colitis. If this is the case, change to a new groomer.

Consider probiotics

Probiotics significantly improve your dog’s diarrhea that was caused by anxiety or stress like grooming.

Probiotics help in lessening the number of diarrhea your dog has to suffer from, and they help regulate your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.

Purina Pro Plan and Nurtamax Proviable are just some of the best probiotics that can help your doggy with diarrhea.

Take preventative measures

Take preventative measures that will help your dog avoid diarrhea after grooming such as choosing reputable groomers and bringing your grooming tools.

Look up the best groomers in town, and choose the one with good reviews so you’re sure your doggy will be handled with care.

A good groomer will try to reduce the stress and anxiety your dog might feel during the grooming session, lessening the chances of diarrhea. 

Bringing your grooming tools also ensures that your dog won’t be exposed to tools that have been used on infected doggies in the past, thus protecting the health of your dog.

It’s also best to monitor your dog’s habits each time the grooming session has ended.

Is he stressed after being groomed? Is he anxious when he is brought to the groomer again?

This will help you decide whether you already need to change to a new groomer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In Conclusion: Dog Having Diarrhea After Grooming

Dealing with dog diarrhea after grooming can be a frustrating and messy experience, but when you understand the potential causes and take the right steps to alleviate your pup’s discomfort, you can help them feel better in no time.

If you found this article useful, consider reading these other ones too:

• Why is my dog shaking its head after grooming?
• Why does my dog keep licking its anus after grooming?
• Why does my groomer use vinegar on my dog?