My dog is vomiting or has diarrhoea: what to do, when to call the vet
A one-off vomit or bout of diarrhoea in a healthy adult dog is usually harmless and clears in a day or two: don't force him to eat, leave water freely available, and don't give any human medicine. But blood, marked lethargy or a swelling belly: vet, without waiting.
Where it usually comes from
Most of the time, he has eaten something he shouldn't have: a raided bin, a fatty scrap from the table, a food change made too quickly, or a meal wolfed down too fast. The body clears it out, and in the vast majority of cases everything settles within a day or two, with no particular treatment. A very fatty meal can also trigger pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that shows up as a painful belly and vomiting that won't stop, a good reason to call the vet if it drags on. Yellow vomit in the morning, for its part, often comes from a stomach left empty for too long. The aim isn't to guess the cause: it's to spot the rare signs that turn watching at home into a call to the vet.
Is he vomiting, or does he have diarrhoea?
He's vomiting
- Don't force him to eat, but leave him water. If he can't keep it down, offer very small amounts, often.
- Yellow vomit in the morning often comes from a stomach left empty for too long. Shifting his evening meal later is sometimes enough.
- Retching that brings nothing up, with a belly that swells and goes tight: leave straight away, this is an emergency.
He has diarrhoea
- With every stool, he loses water. Dehydration is what to watch for, more than the number of trips to the garden.
- Look at the colour. Black, tar-like stools mean bleeding higher up the digestive tract, and that means calling the vet.
- Sudden, profuse, very bloody diarrhoea in an unvaccinated puppy points to parvovirus: emergency.
The right reflexes
For a healthy adult dog with no warning signs (see below), ideally after a phone call to the vet confirming there's no emergency.
Watch and take notes
What it looks like (food, yellow bile, blood), how often, since when, and anything he might have swallowed or picked up. These details are gold for the vet.
Don't force him to eat, but leave him water
If he isn't hungry for the first few hours, that's fine: don't push him. Give him fresh water freely, in small frequent amounts if he's struggling to keep it down.
Reintroduce food gently
On your vet's advice, then offer small portions of a very digestible food (plain rice and chicken, for example), before going back to his usual ration.
Keep an eye on energy and hydration
Energy, appetite, thirst and hydration: nice moist gums, and the skin over his back springing straight back when you pinch it gently. Anything getting worse: vet.
With a puppy, an older dog or a very small one, the rule flips: never make him fast, and call the vet sooner. They have far fewer reserves: low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and dehydration can set in within hours.
When to call the vet
Three levels to help you place things. If in doubt, a call to the vet costs nothing.
You can watch at home
- A one-off vomit in a dog who is eating, drinking, playing and in good spirits
- A passing bout of soft stools, with no blood, in a lively, well-hydrated adult
- A little yellow bile brought up now and then, in the morning on an empty stomach
Call the vet
- A little bright red blood, one-off, in the stools or the vomit, in a dog who is otherwise fine
- Repeated episodes, or a dog who can't even keep water down
- Lethargy, refusing food, a fever, or a belly that hurts when you touch it
- Signs of dehydration: tacky gums, sunken eyes, a pinch of skin that stays tented
- Symptoms lasting beyond 24 to 48 hours, or a fragile dog: a puppy, a senior, a small breed
Emergency, go now
- Retching that brings nothing up, with a belly that swells and goes tight
- Sudden, profuse, very bloody diarrhoea, especially in an unvaccinated puppy
- Blood in the vomit, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, or black, tar-like stools
- A very lethargic dog who refuses to drink while still vomiting or having diarrhoea
- A dog who is collapsed, no longer getting up or responding
- Any suspicion that he has swallowed something toxic or a foreign object
A swelling belly with retching that produces nothing points to a twisted stomach, more common in large, deep-chested dogs who eat very fast (a raised bowl also increases that risk, contrary to popular belief, according to a veterinary study from 2000). In a puppy, sudden and very bloody diarrhoea suggests parvovirus instead. In both cases these are life-threatening emergencies, decided in minutes.
Do this right now
- Call the vet or the emergency clinic immediately
- Say what he might have swallowed and how long ago
- Give nothing to drink or eat while you wait
- Travel without delay, letting the clinic know you're on your way
The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.
- Glickman et al. — Risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), JAVMA (2000)
Going further
Frequently asked questions
What can you give a dog with diarrhoea?
First, fresh water freely available, in small frequent amounts, to make up for the losses. For food, wait for the vet's green light, then offer small portions of a very digestible food (plain rice and chicken, for example). Give no human medicine and no over-the-counter product (Smecta, Ultra-Levure) without their advice.
Why is my dog vomiting yellow?
That yellow is bile, on a stomach left empty for too long: it's the classic empty-stomach morning vomit, usually harmless if the dog bounces back. If it happens often, mention it to your vet: splitting his meals into several small ones across the day is sometimes enough.
Why is my dog vomiting?
When your dog vomits, it's often a simple protective reflex: the body clears out what isn't going down. The number one cause is what he has eaten and shouldn't have: a raided bin, a fatty scrap, grass he has swallowed, or a meal wolfed down too fast. A one-off vomit in a dog who is eating and playing is no disaster. Repeated episodes, blood or marked lethargy, on the other hand, call for the vet.
Why does my dog have diarrhoea?
Most often, he has eaten something he shouldn't have, or you have changed his food too quickly: the gut reacts and everything settles within a day or two. What should alert you is blood, lethargy, signs of dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than 24 to 48 hours.
My dog is vomiting and has diarrhoea at the same time, is it serious?
It's often a passing gastroenteritis (an ordinary inflammation of the stomach and intestines), but the two together make him lose water fast: keep a close eye on hydration and energy. With a puppy, a senior or a small breed, get advice sooner: they dehydrate within hours.
How long before you should worry about diarrhoea?
Beyond 24 to 48 hours with no clear improvement, call the vet. And well before that if a warning sign appears: blood, lethargy, refusing to drink, dehydration, or a fragile dog (a puppy, an older dog, a small dog).
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