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Any
type of soft stool in a chin is considered diarrhea. If the chins can step on
and squish their stool, it is too soft.
The good news is, soft stools don’t always mean illness.
Soft stools can happen for many reasons: stress, dietary
change, too many treats, drastic temperature change, parasites or illness. Soft
stools are not automatically cause for alarm, but you do need to act quickly to
ensure that it does not continue. Diarrhea in an animal so small can be fatal.
The first thing to do when a chin gets soft stools is
remove their pellets and only give fresh hay and water for two days, NO TREATS
during this time. This will usually clear things right up. Then introduce
pellets back slowly.
If stools continue to be soft, you can give them a couple of bite sized, sugar free
shredded wheat a day, or some burnt (and I do mean black) toast to help clear up
the soft stools more quickly. Some chins prefer the shredded wheat, some the
toast. If giving toast, cut it into squares and only give a few a day. This
usually does the trick within two days.
If soft stools continue after being off pellets and on
good hay and fresh water for two days, its time to take a fecal sample to the
vet and have it checked for parasites.
If stools are runny and not just soft, give Kaolin Pectin. This can be
found in most feed stores and a version of it for dogs can be purchased at
Petsmart. The ingredients should be ONLY Kaolin and Pectin. You
should see a difference in stools after just one dose.
If the chin’s stools get better while off pellets, then
get soft again when returned to pellets, you need to check the expiration or
mill date on your pellets. The pellets may be bad and need to be thrown out.
If you get new pellets and the trend of soft stools
continues, you need to see a vet.
If you are in the middle of switching to a new feed and
your chin gets soft stools, chances are, you are switching too quickly and need
to slow down and reduce the mix of new to old diet.
Remember, feeding quality hay,
quality pellets and having clean, fresh water available at all times is really
the only diet a chin needs. Straying from this, and offering treats daily, can
lead to intestinal problems and soft stools.
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