An upset stomach is one of the most common reasons dogs see the vet — and one of the most common things to happen at home. Most cases are short-lived and manageable. But knowing when to ride it out versus when to call your vet is important.

Common causes:

• Eating something they shouldn't have — garbage, rich food, a new treat, something from the yard

• A sudden change in diet

• Stress — boarding, travel, a new home, a change in routine

• Intestinal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, Giardia)

• Bacterial or viral infection

• Food sensitivity or allergy

• Medications — especially antibiotics

• More serious underlying conditions — inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, organ disease, parvovirus

Managing mild diarrhea at home:

If your dog is acting normally otherwise — alert, eating, drinking, no blood in stool — you can try managing at home:

• Withhold food for 12 hours (not water) to give the GI tract a rest

• Offer a bland diet: boiled boneless chicken breast and plain white rice (roughly 1:3 ratio of chicken to rice), fed in small amounts several times a day

• Gradually transition back to regular food over 2–3 days once stools firm up

• Plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling — plain 100% pumpkin) is a safe, effective fiber source that can help firm stools — 1–4 tablespoons depending on size