# Giving water freely causing diarrhea?



## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

We picked up a new puppy yesterday, he is 9 weeks old. The breeder told us to restrict his water intake because if I don't he will drink too much and get runny poop. I have never heard that giving a puppy access to water at all times will cause diarrhea. I never restricted Sadie's water and she never had any problem. So I didn't restrict his water, I didn't even think he drank more than would be normal. I picked up the water at 7pm for the night. He had 4 episodes of explosive diarrhea from the evening on. His last one was around 3am and he has not gone since. Today I am restricting his water, but don't feel good about doing it. Has any one heard of this or had a simailar problem? Thanks!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

No, water won't give the puppy diarrhea. Diarrhea will be due to intestinal parasites, or sudden change in food from the breeder to you. 

That actually sounds like the breeder knew the puppy had diarrhea and didn't do anything about it. I would take him to the vet as soon as you can for a fecal test, I'm sure your vet will want to worm him and maybe give something for the diarrhea.

Don't restrict his water, if the diarrhea continues he could get dehydrated so he needs access to water.


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## HiTideGoldens (Dec 29, 2009)

Yeah, that makes no sense to me. Especially with the possibility of dehydration with diarrhea I would NOT restrict water. I would get the puppy to a vet (which I imagine you'll be doing anyway) and get a fecal test done to see why he has diarrhea.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

NONONONONONONONO.

First, it doesn't cause diarrhea. Second, if you restrict water intake to "cure" diarrhea, you might kill the puppy.

Puppies are very sensitive to dehydration, so when a pup has diarrhea, you have to make sure he has lots of access to water. If a puppy has diarrhea, there's something wrong in the system. With puppies, food-borne illness and parasites are your big potential culprits. Coccidia is my guess.

I'm a little scared about this breeder. If he or she is saying that water causes diarrhea, what other stuff might be off?


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Absolutely not. I think that this "breeder" did know the puppies had diarrhea and chose to say this, rather than treat the problem and hold onto the puppies until they were better. My guess is coccidia, and quite possibly worms as well.

Do not restrict the puppy's access to water and do get him to a vet, along with a fecal sample, as soon as you can.

I worry now about the other puppies in the litter


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Agreed, sounds like this breeder knew there was an issue and thinks restricting water is the way to fix it. NOT SAFE!!!

Take your pup to the vet asap and get him checked out to be sure, hoping it's nothing major. In the meantime give him boiled rice and water, plain water, low salt broth diluted, anything like that will help keep him hydrated. And let the breeder know what happens.

Lana


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

If you know anyone else who got a puppy from this breeder, you should warn them. poor babies.


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

OMG!! I can't believe a "breeder" told you something like that!!! Wow.

Restricting water to a puppy who has diarrhea could easily kill them. Time for a vet check for parasites/worms.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

ditto to all posts above!!!


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## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

Finally got in touch with the breeder. She told me all the puppies are currently sick with this diarrhea and have been on and off for weeks. My poor little guy is pooping water. I started off the day following her rules of restricted water intake, and abandoned that idea when I saw he was not improving. So, he is still running around, playing, eating and drinking, but has this explosive diarrhea. She told me I can bring him back tomorrow if I want, if he's not improving. I feel really bad about giving him back, but I'm going to. Off to bed for a long night of potty trips.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You're going to return him? This is treatable, and the breeder is a quack. Is she even going to take the puppies, including yours, to the vet?


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Don't give him back. Get your pup to the vet ASAP! This is common in puppies but needs to be dealt with VERY quickly.


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## MilosMommy (May 24, 2010)

How can you give him back? Aren't you attatched to him? And why would you want to give him back to someone who knew about this and didn't treat him?

I would take him to the vet. You should always take a puppy to the vet after you get them any way just to make sure they are healthy. My breeder (who wasn't the best) made me take Milo within 72 hours to get him checked out.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

You don't necessarily have to give the puppy back, although I can understand being upset and questioning the overall health of this puppy, and what you might be in for as far as future vet bills go. 

If it is coccidia, clostridium or worms, these are all very treatable and pretty common but should all have been checked for and treated as soon as a problem became apparent. I cannot believe that she did not have the pups checked by a vet as soon as they became ill. Deliberately selling a sick puppy is unconscionable. You might want to check the puppy lemon law in your state, if there is one.

Good breeders make sure both parents have all required health clearances-OFA or PennHip for hips, OFA for elbows, hearts checked by a veterinary cardiologist and eyes checked annually by a veterinary opthamologist-and also makes sure that the puppies they sell are healthy. Sick puppies should not go to their new homes until they get a clean bill of health.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

alijeanrn said:


> Finally got in touch with the breeder. She told me all the puppies are currently sick with this diarrhea and have been on and off for weeks. My poor little guy is pooping water. I started off the day following her rules of restricted water intake, and abandoned that idea when I saw he was not improving. So, he is still running around, playing, eating and drinking, but has this explosive diarrhea. She told me I can bring him back tomorrow if I want, if he's not improving. I feel really bad about giving him back, but I'm going to. Off to bed for a long night of potty trips.


Look, you're not going to get the best reaction for saying that, but you're right. If your breeder told you that water causes diarrhea, she's either an idiot or totally unethical.

What does that tell us about the breeding?

I would not take a puppy from this breeding, based on what the OP has said, and I would return a puppy if I could. That's not what's best for the puppy, but I would not want my money going to somebody like this, and I wouldn't necessarily be in the position to take a badly bred puppy on.

So that puts you in a bad position. No good way out. You'll feel guilt if you give the puppy back, and apparently you'll face approbation from GRF people for doing so too, but that's probably the smartest decision for you. You can start your puppy process from scratch and find somebody better.

Yes, that sucks for the innocent puppy. But giving your money to unethical breeders just funds more and more badly bred puppies.


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## Yeagerbum (Jul 24, 2010)

Why don't you take the puppy to the vet for treatment and then give the puppy back?


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## wyldeflower (Aug 11, 2010)

Some Bxxxxy awful breeders around i think she definately knew he had diarrohea what a thing to tell you though as puppys and dogs drink a lot .Hope all is well soon.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Since it's Sunday, I'd get puppy to a 24hr. clinic first thing this morning followed up with a call to your regular vet first thing Monday AM.

When Hank was home about 4 days we went through the same thing, Saturday night into Sunday morning. I took him to a 24hr. clinic and he was already dehydrated from just one night of diarrhea. Puppies can dehydrate very quickly. He was tested for parasites and parvo and given meds. I then took him into my regular vet a few days later.

I wouldn't give my puppy back, this is treatable.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I wouldn't give the puppy back because of diarrhea. Lots of puppies pick up something before they get taken home and need to be wormed or given an anti-parasitic. 

I would, however, make sure my money did not fund a breeder who was producing badly-bred, unhealthy dogs. I might "save" this one puppy by giving him a good home, but my $500 would go to producing dozens more unhealthy, suffering dogs. I'd make the hard decision over the single puppy in order to make sure I wasn't contributing to a long term problem.

I know nothing about the breeder other than what was quoted in the OP. But given what was said, I have deep concerns about the knowledge and ethics of the breeder, and unless everything else was OK with the litter (clearances, etc.), I'd give the puppy back and keep my money from funding more badly considered litters.


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## Lilliam (Apr 28, 2010)

Please consider taking the puppy to the vet instead of taking him back. While theoretically this breeder should not gain from his/her practices, this innocent creature should have every chance to live a healthy life, which is probably not goint to happen if he goes back to that breeder.

Was there a health guarantee? What were the terms? You could send her/him the bill for payment. You probably won't get it, but it's worth a try. And the puppy will be sure to get the care he needs, which will probably not happen if he goes back.


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## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

I did have him to the vet. His exam and fecal was clear. They suggested chicken and rice, and put him on immodium and flagyl. No improvement at all. He's not getting worse, but he's not getting better. I got him from a reputable breeder. All the dogs live in her house, she competes with her dogs, has all the clearances done, is active in her local chapter of the breed club (this dog is not a golden), and has even helped found a rescue in her area. I do not know why she recommended the water thing, and I don't know what is going on with the pups. My guess is she doesn't either. They were all at the vet right before I picked mine up and were declared healthy. My guess is this little guy has something more severe going on than an infection. Which is why I am choosing to return him to his breeder who I believe will continue to follow up with his care. And to answer some of the above posts, yes I am heartbroken about this. I have been waiting to bring him home since the pregnancy was confirmed. I've been crying all day.


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## MissinOurDaley (Aug 3, 2010)

I am so sorry you are having to go through this! I can't even imagine how torn up you feel! What a difficult decision! You are in my thoughts & prayers! *hugs*


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I can understand your pain and do agree with you that it is for the best. Since all the puppies are sick it is probably best that it get back to the breeders to be on the safe side. You would hate for your dog to contract this. You said this is an ethical breeder, is she going to treat all the dogs and then give them back to the people that purchased them or sell them after they are well? Are you going to take that puppy back or start your search over again? 
My heart goes out to for your pain in giving her back and I hope all the pups get well.


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## bioteach (Nov 13, 2010)

Hi,
We live in Phoenix so restricting water would dehydrate a dog very quickly. We have never restricted desert dogs' water intake. I think that if the digestive problems do not resolve quickly it's time for a vet check.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Giardia or coccidia can be hard to find in a fecal exam, so it could still just be an intestinal parasite.

I'm sorry you are having to make this decision, but if all the puppies are this sick I understand. Will the breeder refund your money or give you the puppy back when he is well?


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

If these pups were German Shepherds, or one of the Belgian breeds, I might suspect a very virulent form of a congenital problem that one of my Belgian Tervurens had. It is very common in German Shepherds, and is an inability to digest fats.

Coccidia can be very difficult to diagnose, so can clostridium, which is an overgrowth of bacteria that can happen after being on antibiotics.

If the diarrhea didn't start until after the vet visit, perhaps they picked up something at the vet. If they were having constant diarrhea before the vet visit, I cannot imagine he would have declared them healthy if he knew about the diarrhea.

I do agree with your decision to take the puppy back-this could be a relatively minor issue like coccidia or it could be something much more serious. It's a heartbreaking decision to have to make.


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## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

Oh my! I took him back to the "breeder" tonight. She was a completely different person. I was hoping she would be concerned and want to know what was going on with him in detail...but, instead she came at me yelling there is nothing wrong with him. She denied telling me that he was ever sick in the first place. Then in the next breath she was saying it's normal for puppies to have diarrhea. I'm a registered nurse, I can't believe she would think I'm stupid enough to believe her when I tell her his poop is pure water. That's never ever normal...in any species! She also called me a whacko and said she is going to report me so no one ever sells me a puppy again! I feel terrible that this sick little angel of a puppy has to go back with her. As bad as I feel for him, I am happy I did it so she will maybe think twice about pulling a fast one on someone else. I hope she gets him the care he needs. I do not want this little guy's suffering to go unknown to others. Can I report her to her breed association for this? I have all the paperwork from the vet, and even have it in the breeder's writing that I should restrict his water intake.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Absolutely! If this 'reputable breeder' is knowingly selling and/or keeping sick puppies and denying them the medical attention they need - she needs to be stopped. For those poor puppies she has now and those not yet born.. do what you can for them.


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## julliams (Oct 27, 2010)

I am so sorry that this has happened to the pup and to you. I think you did the right thing. What an awful experience for everyone. I hope that you are able to find the right pup for you and that this little guy does receive the care he needs. Hugs to you from Australia.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

That's terrible. If the breeder is a GRCA member you can report her to them, I don't know what if anything they would do, but at least you could make the effort.

Poor puppy.


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

It really stinks you have to go thru this. Perhaps someone here can help you find a reputable breeder near you?


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## The Trio (Apr 24, 2010)

Ok I'll ask who is the breeder. Word of mouth travels faster. And Yes call the GRCA and report her as well as contact her vet and ask about the puppies. Tell the vet what she told you and find out what they say. Her reaction tells me she is trying to make you feel bad and she knew.


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## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

I'm sorry that I have only just seen this. I will say that from the first few posts about this woman after she offered to take him back, my warning flag went WAY up.

A short while ago, my best friend bought a pug puppy from a "reputable breeder". When he was sold to her, she was told he had a slight case of kennel cough, which was treatable. This breeder ALSO gave the puppies their own shots, which I personally thought was completely dangerous as the woman was NOT a vet. She offered to take "Jeter" back and have him cleared in a few weeks, which my friend was allowing. Now, my friend had dealt with this breeder before, and didn't have a problem, I on the otherhand, was skeptical. 

So a few weeks pass, and the woman is making excuses about why the puppy can't come back. She's avoiding my friends calls, when they speak it was short, and didn't seem as friendly, until finally the woman tells her he's too sick and won't be going back to my friend. My friend, as you can imagine was absolutely devastated. She no longer heard from the woman and I urged her to report it, but she refused. She never heard what happened to Jeter, and apparently the other puppies that were sold were sold sick as well.

I only wish I had seen this when you posted, alijeanrn. the situation is almost similiar that it's frightening there is more "reputable breeders" like this out there. Might I suggest that if you do decide to start over with your puppy search, see if you can obtain references. Thankfully, Ori and Jasmine's breeders have excellent references from the Australian Guide Dogs Accociation so I know I can trust them. The GDA here is extremely strict on the health and well-being of their puppies they take in, and they have been so happy with every litter born, that some of the trainers have even adopted some for their own.

I'm so very sorry this has happened to you.  I can only imagine the hurt you must be feeling.


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## lovemydoggiesx2 (Sep 5, 2010)

Wow....is what I am thinking. I believe that the breeder will seek medical care and the pups will be ok. After all she is not going to want to keep all of them!! Sorry you have had to go through this I would be heartbroken...but personally I would have kept him and fought...


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