Dog vomiting and diarrhoea: what to do and when to see a vet
A one-off bout of vomiting or diarrhoea in a healthy adult dog is most often mild and clears up in a day or two: rest the stomach for a few hours, keep water available, and give no human medicine. But blood, marked lethargy or a swelling belly: see the vet without delay.
Where it usually comes from
In the vast majority of cases, it is a bout of dietary indiscretion: 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 everything settles in a day or two (WSAVA Global GI Guidelines). Yellow morning vomit, for its part, often comes from a stomach left empty for too long. The point is not to guess the cause, but to spot the rare signs that change everything.
The right moves, straight away
For a healthy adult dog with no warning signs (see below), ideally after a phone call to the vet confirming there is no emergency.
Observe and note
The look of it (food, yellow bile, blood), how often, since when, and anything he might have swallowed or scavenged. These details are worth their weight in gold to the vet.
Rest the digestive system
Don't force him to eat for a few hours, but keep fresh water available, in small, frequent amounts.
Reintroduce food gently
On the vet's advice, then offer small portions of a very digestible food (plain rice and chicken, for example), before returning to his usual ration.
Keep an eye on his general state
Energy, appetite, thirst and hydration: nice moist gums, and the skin over the back that, gently pinched, springs straight back. Any worsening: see the vet.
For a puppy, an elderly dog or a very small breed, the rule is reversed: you never let them fast, and you see the vet sooner. Their reserves are slim, so the risk of low blood sugar and dehydration comes within hours.
When to call the vet
Three levels to place your response. When in doubt, a call to the vet costs nothing.
You can keep an eye on things at home
- A one-off bout of vomiting in a dog who is eating, drinking, playing and staying in good spirits
- Passing loose stools, with no blood, in a lively, well-hydrated adult
- The occasional bringing up of a little yellow bile in the morning on an empty stomach
Call the vet
- Blood: red in the stools or vomit, « coffee-ground » vomit, or stools black like tar
- Repeated episodes, or a dog who can no longer even keep water down
- Lethargy, refusing to eat, fever, or pain when you touch the belly
- Signs of dehydration: tacky gums, sunken eyes, a skin fold that stays tented
- Symptoms lasting beyond 24 to 48 hours, or a vulnerable dog: puppy, senior, small breed
Emergency, go now
- Straining to vomit without bringing anything up, with a belly that swells and tightens
- Sudden, heavy and very bloody diarrhoea, especially in an unvaccinated puppy
- A dog who is collapsed, can no longer stand or no longer responds
- A suspected swallowing of something toxic or a foreign body
A swelling belly with unproductive retching points to a suspected twisted stomach; sudden, fulminant bloody diarrhoea in a puppy suggests parvovirus. These are life-threatening emergencies that play out in minutes.
Do this right now
- Call the vet or the emergency clinic immediately
- Say what may have been swallowed and since when
- Give nothing to drink or eat while you wait
- Get there without delay, letting the clinic know you are coming
The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.
- Global Gastrointestinal Guidelines, WSAVA
- Recommandations sur la prise en charge de la diarrhée aiguë du chien, ENOVAT / WSAVA
- Veterinary Manual : corps étranger digestif et pancréatite, MSD / Merck
- Glickman et al. — Facteurs de risque de la dilatation-torsion d'estomac (GDV), JAVMA (2000)
To go further
Frequently asked questions
What should you give a dog with diarrhoea?
First, fresh water as much as he wants, in small, frequent amounts, to make up for the losses. For food, wait for the vet's go-ahead, then offer small portions of a very digestible food (plain rice and chicken, for example). Give no human medicine or over-the-counter remedy (kaolin, probiotic yeasts) without their advice.
Why is my dog vomiting yellow?
That yellow is bile, on a stomach left empty for too long: it is the classic morning vomit on an empty stomach, most often mild if the dog bounces back in good form. If it keeps coming back, mention it to the vet rather than shrugging it off: splitting meals into smaller portions is sometimes enough.
Why is my dog vomiting?
Vomiting is a common protective reflex. The number one cause is dietary indiscretion: the bin, a fatty scrap, swallowed grass or a meal gulped down too fast. A one-off bout of vomiting in a dog who is eating and playing is no disaster; repeated episodes, blood or marked lethargy call for the vet.
Why does my dog have diarrhoea?
Most often it is a bout of dietary indiscretion or a food change made too quickly: the gut reacts and everything settles in a day or two. What should alert you is blood, lethargy, signs of dehydration, or symptoms that go beyond 24 to 48 hours.
My dog is vomiting and has diarrhoea at the same time, is it serious?
It is often a passing bout of gastroenteritis, but the pair makes for fast fluid loss: keep a close eye on hydration and energy. In a puppy, a senior or a small breed, see the vet sooner, because they become dehydrated within hours.
How long before worrying 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 vulnerable dog (puppy, elderly dog, small dog).
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