Diarrhea and vomiting in dogs are relatively common processes and can sometimes worry us, especially if they do not subside, bleeding appears in the vomit or feces or the clinical picture worsens with other symptoms such as anorexia, listlessness, or fever.
In this article on our site we are going to explain why a dog vomits and has diarrhea We will see the most likely causes, as they are very numerous and can range from a simple indigestion without major complications to a serious viral disease, such as parvovirus, through diseases of other systems, such as the kidney, which can affect the digestive system.
Diarrhea and vomiting in dogs
To explain why a dog vomits and has diarrhea, it is usual to focus on its digestive system, since the most common causes of this disorder have their origin in a dysfunction gastrointestinal which, therefore, may affect the stomach, small or large intestine, which will produce some variations in the appearance of vomiting or diarrhea.
You have to distinguish between vomiting and regurgitation, because the first one, the one that concerns us, is the one produced with effort, for what we will see abdominal movements and sounds, while in regurgitation the food or liquid comes out by itself. You also have to know that we will understand by diarrhea the frequent and liquid stools. In addition, we can distinguish the presence of blood. In feces, fresh blood is called hematochezia, while digested blood, which appears dark in color, is called melena.
We must pay attention to all these data to, if necessary, transmit all the information to our veterinarian to arrive at the diagnosis and, consequently, the treatment. That our dog vomits from time to time or even has diarrhea without presenting more symptoms and keeping his spirits intact is not worrying, but if these episodes repeat in a short period of timeor occur recurrently for weeks or months, it is reason for veterinary consultation, the same as if our dog also shows other symptoms.
My dog is vomiting and has diarrhea: main causes
Observing our dog we will have the information we have mentioned to communicate it to our veterinarian. With all this, the examination of our dog and the tests that he considers pertinent, our veterinarian will discriminate between the very diverse causes that explain why a dog vomits and has diarrhea. The most common are the following:
- Infections: those caused by bacteria, viruses or protozoa, cause vomiting and diarrhea and should be treated by a veterinarian.
- Indigestion: Dogs have a tendency to overeat, including questionable products such as human leftovers or garbage, and although their stomach If you are prepared for some of these "edibles", it is not surprising that they end up causing diarrhea and vomiting that usually subside spontaneously.
- Food intolerances or allergies: in these cases we will see chronic vomiting and diarrhea, in addition to other more frequent symptoms such as itching. Requires veterinary follow-up, allergy testing for dogs, and implementation of a hypoallergenic diet.
- Medications: Some drugs produce digestive disorders that result in diarrhea and vomiting. We must inform our veterinarian if our dog is taking medication, as well as provide the name of the medication and its dosage. Treatment will need to be stopped or changed.
- Underlying diseases: sometimes there are disorders, such as kidney disease, which among the consequences they cause in the body include vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. They are usually detected in a blood test and this symptom will subside depending on how we can control the underlying disease.
- Obstrucciones: Due to the gluttonous nature of dogs, it is not uncommon for them to ingest objects such as bones or toys that produce an obstruction in somewhere in the digestive system. In those occasions in which the object can cause damage and it is not feasible for it to come out on its own, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
- Poisoning: the ingestion of some products can cause poisoning, the symptoms of which include vomiting and diarrhoea. They are usually veterinary emergencies with danger to the dog's life.
- Parasites: in very serious cases of parasitosis or when it occurs in particularly vulnerable animals, vomiting may be observed and, above all, diarrhea. The veterinarian, examining the feces, will be able to determine what type of parasite we are dealing with and administer the appropriate antiparasitic. At this point it is important to highlight the relevance of establishing an adequate deworming schedule.
- Stress: in cases of very severe stress or when it lasts for a long time, the dog may vomit and have diarrhea and go to need the help of a professional.
Given the number of possible causes for vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, we are going to focus, in the following sections, on several specific situations as an example.
My dog is vomiting and has bloody diarrhea
We have seen how blood can appear in the stool in fresh form (hematochezia) or digested (melena). This aspect helps us to locate the place of origin of it, which will make it easier to explain why a dog vomits and has diarrhea, in this case, with blood.
Fresh we will see it in affections of the lower section of the digestive system (large intestine, rectum and anus), while if it appears digested, will come from the stomach, small intestine and even the respiratory tract that ends up in the digestive system by swallowing.
The presence of vomiting also guides us in diagnosing a gastrointestinal disorder In addition, we should check if our dog has other symptoms or On the contrary, it keeps your spirits up. It will be our veterinarian who has to determine the exact cause among all the possible ones in order to start the appropriate treatment.
My dog vomits, has diarrhea and won't eat
Vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia, that is, lack of appetite, describe the typical picture of gastrointestinal disorders It is easy to understand that, with "tummy ache" our dog does not want to eat. As we have seen, it can be a one-off situation that is not serious, caused by, for example, a binge.
These mild cases remit spontaneously in a few hours and only if the dog gets worse or the condition does not stop should we go to our veterinarian to investigate why our dog vomits and has diarrhea. During these episodes we should not offer him water or food, because if he is vomiting and eats or drinks, he will vomit everything we give him
After a few hours we can offer him a little (little!) of water so that he can take just a couple of drinks. If after half an hour he has not vomited, it means that he tolerates it and we can give him a little more. In these mild cases the dog does not usually become dehydrated. In a couple of hours without vomiting or diarrhea we will be able to offer him food. If the episode has been very mild, the food we give him can be the usual but in a small quantity, like a handful, to see if his body accepts it well.
When there has been vomiting for a few hours, it is better to resume feeding with a special diet, more digestive, such as those that are found in veterinary clinics. We can also give him a little rice, ham or cooked chicken, without s alt or sauces, or natural yogurt without sugar.
Diarrhea and yellow vomit in dogs
This is a serious situation that requires veterinary attention. When a dog has diarrhea and yellow vomit it means that it has vomited before, so that the contents of the stomach are empty and therefore resort to liquid bile. In this way, yellow vomit in dogs is nothing more than bile. The causes that cause this situation are diverse and can be from an infectious disease to a serious stress situation or a food allergy. In any case, the animal is most likely dehydrated and needs to be seen at a clinic.
When yellow vomiting is accompanied by diarrhoea, the most common causes are usually a intoxication or a acute infectious enteritis The latter usually occurs in unvaccinated puppies. As for the former, it can affect dogs of all ages and usually manifests itself in such a way that the dog vomits white or yellowish foam and makes liquid stools.
My puppy is vomiting and has diarrhea
Finally, in this section we deal with the particular situation of puppies, due to their special vulnerability. The causes that cause gastrointestinal disorders in them are going to be fundamentally the same as those that explain why an adult dog vomits and has diarrhea. The peculiarity is that puppies, especially the youngest ones, can dehydrate easily and, furthermore, due to the immaturity of their immune system, they are more prone to diseases and parasites cause more serious damage than they can do to an adult dog.
Therefore, it is necessary to be scrupulous in complying with the deworming and vaccination schedule, security measures and, in this case, when vomiting and diarrhea occur, we mustcontact our veterinarian , especially when these fluids appear bloody, as they may indicate the presence of parvovirus in dogs, a potentially fatal viral disease characterized by vomiting and profuse diarrhea with a bloody appearance. Although there is no cure for canine parvovirus , there are treatments to relieve symptoms and help the animal fight the virus. For this reason, it is essential to visit a specialist.
My dog is vomiting and has diarrhoea, what do I do?
If our dog has diarrhea and vomiting due to minor causes, such as having eaten spoiled food, having eaten more than usual or the food has made him feel bad, we will have to Withdraw food and water for approximately 3-4 hours. After this time, we can offer the animal a little water and observe if it vomits it during the following hour. If all goes well, we will let him drink normally but we will maintain the food fast until he reaches 24 hours. Then we will give him some food to see how he accepts it. It is always preferable to offer easily digestible foods, such as chicken cooked with rice, but depending on the cause, this may not be necessary.
When the problem that has caused diarrhea and vomiting in the dog is a food allergy, it is important to try to find the food to which he is allergic to remove it from his menu forever. To do this, the most effective is to perform an elimination diet or allergy tests. On the other hand, if the cause is stress, it is important to find the stressor to treat and avoid it.
Once the episode is resolved, prevention is fundamental for cases of diarrhea and vomiting in dogs that we can avoid, such as those produced by eating too much or unsuitable food. We can follow the following recommendations:
- Avoid our dog's access to potentially toxic substances such as detergents or insecticides, but also human food, as some foods are not suitable for dogs to consume, or to garbage. Likewise, we must prevent them from playing with potentially dangerous objects that could be swallowed. Also discover 10 common household things that can kill your dog.
- Get him used to his food and that it be of quality, in the dose recommended by the manufacturer.
- Follow the vaccination and deworming schedule recommended by our veterinarian, as this will prevent some serious infections caused by viruses and also the negative effect of intestinal parasites.
- Never medicate our dog without a veterinary prescription. Even the most common drugs in human medicine can be deadly for a dog, since they are not metabolized in the same way as the human body.
- Offer suitable lifestyle habits that avoid stress.
- Go to the vet when vomiting and/or diarrhea contain blood and do not subside or the dog shows more symptoms. In addition, from approximately 7 years of age, it is recommended that our dog undergo an annual veterinary check-up in which at least one blood test is performed. In it, it is possible to detect diseases in early stages, which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
My dog vomits and has diarrhea: home remedies
In some cases, and always after receiving the approval of the veterinarian, we can choose to offer the animal home remedies that complement the medical treatment. In addition to the fast mentioned in the previous section, we can give the dog mint tea due to its digestive and diuretic properties. Likewise, ginger tea is another excellent remedy for vomiting and diarrhoea. You will find all the details in the following articles:
- Home remedies for dogs with vomiting
- Home remedies for diarrhea in dogs
When should I go to the vet if my dog vomits and has diarrhoea?
It is essential to go to the vet in the following situations:
- When the dog vomits and has bloody diarrhea.
- When the dog shows other symptoms, such as listlessness, tremors, apathy, loss of appetite, weight loss, itching, etc.
- When the dog continues to vomit and have diarrhea after 24 hours of fasting.
- When the dog has a fever.
- When the cause of diarrhea and vomiting is suspected to be possible poisoning or severe intoxication.
