My dog gets diarrhea mixing wet and dry food. What's the right ratio?

Hello! Dogs are creatures of habit when it comes to their diets and gastrointestinal distress when being fed a novel food is common. Since Toby is normally fed kibble, being fed anything outside of that will be upsetting to his GI tract. I would recommend feeding him a dry kibble that he does well on and not feeding him anything outside that diet. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello! It sounds as if you are dealing with some [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/diarrhea-in-dogs) in your dog! The not-so-simple answer to your question is…maybe. While the dog food itself may not be a direct cause of diarrhea, if the particular food is on recall (which you can look up on the [FDA website](https://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/recallswithdrawals/)), then it could be suspect. Other things, such as[ food allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies/), changes in food brand, or a sensitive stomach, are more likely to cause diarrhea in relation to a particular food. If you just started a new food, diarrhea can develop by [switching the food](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-transition-your-dog-or-cat-to-a-new-food/) too fast. Dogs are sensitive to changes in diet since they eat the same thing every day. A new food or new ingredient given suddenly can bring on bouts of diarrhea. Try mixing the old food in with the new food and slowly increasing the amount of new food you give while reducing the amount of the old food over the course of 7-9 days to help protect against bouts of diarrhea. [Food allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-allergies-vs-environmental-allergies-whats-the-difference) are a little more difficult to nail down, as it tend to occur due to a sensitivity to a particular ingredient in the food (like if your dog is allergic to chicken). If the diarrhea continues, this can be something to discuss with your vet, as it often takes a lot of diet changes and [food trials](https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-trials-for-allergies-in-pets-what-to-expect) to narrow down the problematic ingredient. Aside from the food, other causes such as [intestinal parasites](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-worms), toxins, or almost any disease can cause a dog to develop diarrhea. It is always worthwhile to get a stool sample checked by your vet to see if there is something else aside from the food that might be causing your dog's issue. Mild diarrhea can sometimes be [managed at home](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-treat-your-dogs-upset-stomach) by fasting then offering a bland diet of plain boiled chicken breast mixed with plain cooked white rice for 2-3 days or until symptoms resolve. Gradually switch back to the normal diet afterwards. If the diarrhea continues or gets worse over that period, if you see blood in the stool, or if any other signs develop (such as vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite), then it is time to have your pet evaluated by a veterinarian. Dehydration is a real concern when pets have profuse diarrhea. Good luck, and I hope your dog starts to feel better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ranger. If the diarrhea started after adding the canned food to his diet, then this is likely the cause. If the diarrhea has been intermittent or present prior to the diet change, then I worry that there is a different cause. In this case, he should see his veterinarian for fecal testing. Otherwise, you can try to add a probiotic such as Fortiflora. This can help with stool quality. A different brand of canned food or a smaller amount may help as well. Purina ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach is a good formula for mild GI upset. I hope this information helps!

It may take another two to three days. If it is severe and she’s lethargic then please take her in for treatment. Many dogs have sensitive stomachs and the canned food is too rich for them. There are special bland diets to help resolve the diarrhea, or you can feed boiled chicken and rice which should help also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

Yes, it could give Johny diarrhea if it's a sudden change in food, which cause GI upset in dogs. If you want to give him wet food, you can mix it in with his dry food, which should help avoid GI upset.

Yes this is fine to do. Slowly replace some of the dry food with wet food, starting with just a teaspoon and working up to however much Duncan needs over 3-5 days. Make sure you're not increasing Duncan's total calories overall when you make the switch. Thanks for using Pet Coach. Let me know if this was helpful information.

The brand doesn't matter but is always a good practice to change food gradually. Abrupt changes to Leo's diet could result in gastrointestinal disturbances that lead to vomiting and/or diarrhea. Take a look at this website that will give you some tips to how to gradually switch to the new food: https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/nutrition-feeding/effects-of-changing-new-dogs-food