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Vomiting and Diarrhea
Dogs have a very efficient vomiting mechanism. Vomiting may be a sign of a
very minor problem or a very serious one. Vomiting may or may not be associated
with diarrhea. Causes of vomiting include:
 | Sudden changes in diet |
| Intestinal parasites (worms) |
| Bacterial or viral infections |
| Motion sickness |
| Foreign body ingestion |
| Poisoning |
| Kidney failure or other metabolic disorders |
| Special types of stomach or intestinal disorders |
| Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas gland) |
When vomiting occurs only once or twice and is not associated with other
problems:
| Withhold all food for 24 hours. |
| Offer small amounts of water frequently or let the animal lick an ice
cube. |
| If no vomiting occurs during that 24 hours period of time, begin
feeding boiled chicken, turkey, or hamburger with boiled white rice as small,
frequent meals, then gradually switch back to its regular food over several
days. |
| Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate may be given at a rate of 1/2 to 1 tsp. per
5 pounds of body weight to help settle the stomach. Pepto-Bismol contains
aspirin which may be toxic to cats. Your veterinarian can advise you whether
or not it should be necessary. |
Signs of serious vomiting include:
| Symptoms lasting more than 24 hours |
| Vomiting is accompanied by diarrhea |
| Blood is observed in the vomitus or stool |
| Fever |
| Evidence of pain |
| Weakness or collapse |
| Signs of dehydration are observed (poor gum color, dull, sunken eyes,
or decreased elasticity of the skin) |
| Any vomiting or diarrhea in a puppy should be considered potentially
serious. |
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