Why Do Dogs Get Diarrhea at Night? Common Causes and Simple Fixes!

Okay, so last week, my dog, Buster, started having, um, bathroom issues at night. It was messy, and honestly, I was freaking out a bit. Why only at night? I had to figure this out.

What I Did First

First thing I did? I looked back at what he'd eaten that day. Did he get into something he shouldn't have? Any new treats? I reviewed our walks – did he eat anything weird off the ground? (He's a sniffer, that one.) Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Digging Deeper

Okay, so food didn't seem to be the obvious culprit. Next, I started thinking about his routine. Was he getting enough water during the day? Maybe he was drinking a ton before bed, and that was causing problems? I made a note to make sure his water bowl was always full, but not overflowing right before bedtime.

• Checked food: Nope, nothing new.
• Considered water intake: Maybe? Made adjustments.
• Thought about stress: Hmmm...

The Stress Factor

Then it hit me. My neighbor's cat had been hanging around our yard a lot lately, and Buster hates that cat. He spends a lot of time barking at the window in the evenings. Could the stress of seeing that cat be upsetting his stomach?

I decided to try and keep Buster away from the windows in the evening. We played more games inside, and I gave him extra cuddles to keep him calm.

The Results

It's been a few nights now, and... things are better! He still has a little bit, and a bit softer stool than normal, but no more middle-of-the-night messes. I think the combination of managing his water intake and reducing his stress levels are helping.

It's a work in progress, I think my dog stress caused his Diarrhea.I'll keep monitoring him, and if it gets worse again, I'll definitely call the vet. But for now, I'm feeling a lot better, and Buster seems more comfortable, too!