Article: Usually, diarrhea is not a medical emergency. Your pet may have eaten something that did not sit right with it. Monitor your pet's behavior. If it seems normal otherwise, you can proceed to treat the diarrhea at home.  If your dog or cat has normal energy and appetite, and is not vomiting, you can probably watch and wait. You should also examine the stool. If the diarrhea does not contain any foreign objects or blood, it's probably safe to treat at home for the time being. If you're worried and unsure about whether or not your pet needs veterinary care, contact your vet. You do not want a sick pet to overexert itself. Try to get your dog or cat to rest as symptoms persist. Avoid excessive exercise, like walking or running, while your pet is sick. If your pet tends to like lying on the couch with you, try to spend a night on the couch. This may encourage your pet to lie down and rest instead of running and playing. You may want to put down a cover, however, in case of an accident. It may help to offer bland foods to your pet as symptoms persist. Boiled chicken breasts mixed with white rice can be a good alternative dinner option. There's a slim chance your pet's regular food upset its stomach, so trying something different can help.  Make sure not to season chicken or rice. Cats may not eat rice. In this case, just offer them chicken. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, so make sure water is present for the duration of your pet's illness. Make sure your pet has access to a bowl of water at all times. Some pets may not want to drink water if they're not feeling well. Try adding a bit of chicken broth to the water to entice them to drink it. Things like Pepto-Bismol can be potentially harmful or toxic to a cat or a dog. Not only that, they may do more harm than good depending on the cause of the diarrhea. Diarrhea cased by a toxin in the gut, for example, clears an animal's stomach of harmful bacteria. You do not want to give your pet something that prevents this process from occurring.

What is a summary?
Treat diarrhea at home only if your pet appears normal otherwise. Encourage rest. Offer bland foods. Provide your pet with water. Do not give your pet over-the-counter medication for humans.