When a dog is vomiting and has diarrhea, it usually means they have a dog stomach upset. This is a very common problem for dog owners to deal with. The causes for dog vomiting and diarrhea causes range from simple dietary mistakes to more serious medical issues. If your dog is sick, the first thing to do is call your vet for advice.
Recognizing Signs of Sickness in Dogs
It is key to watch your dog closely when they show signs of illness. Vomiting (throwing up) and diarrhea (loose, watery poop) often happen together. These signs point to a problem in the digestive system. For puppies, these symptoms can become serious very fast, making puppy sickness symptoms especially worrying.
What Vomiting Looks Like
Vomiting is when the stomach contents forcefully come out. It is different from regurgitation, which is when undigested food flows back up without much effort.
What Diarrhea Looks Like
Diarrhea is loose, watery stool. You might see mucus or even blood in the stool. The frequency of bowel movements often increases a lot.
Common Reasons for Acute Digestive Upset
Most cases of sudden vomiting and diarrhea are short-lived. These issues often clear up on their own with rest and bland food. This sudden sickness is often called acute gastroenteritis in dogs.
Dietary Indiscretion: Eating Something Bad
This is perhaps the number one cause. Dogs love to eat things they shouldn’t. This is often called “dietary indiscretion.”
- Garbage Gut: Eating spoiled food or trash upsets the stomach lining quickly.
- Table Scraps: Rich, fatty, or spicy human foods are hard for dogs to digest. This can trigger dog food intolerance vomiting.
- Foreign Objects: Swallowing toys, bones, or fabric can cause blockages, leading to severe vomiting.
Sudden Food Changes
Dogs thrive on routine. Suddenly switching their brand or type of food can shock their system. Their gut bacteria need time to adjust. This change often leads to temporary canine digestive issues.
Stress and Anxiety
Severe stress can actually make a dog physically sick. Travel, moving to a new home, or loud noises can cause temporary vomiting and diarrhea.
Infections Causing Digestive Problems
Infectious agents are serious causes of vomiting and diarrhea. They often cause severe, prolonged illness.
Bacterial Infections
Several bacteria can invade the gut lining. These cause inflammation and fluid loss.
- Salmonella and Campylobacter are common examples.
- Symptoms usually include severe diarrhea, often with blood.
- This is a major part of dog intestinal infection concerns.
Viral Infections
Viruses attack the cells lining the intestines. These are highly contagious.
- Parvovirus: This is a deadly virus, especially in puppies. It causes bloody, foul-smelling diarrhea and repeated vomiting. Puppy sickness symptoms involving bloody stool require immediate emergency care.
- Coronavirus: A milder virus that causes short-term digestive upset.
Parasites
Tiny organisms living in the dog’s intestines steal nutrients and irritate the gut wall.
- Giardia and Coccidia: These protozoa cause chronic, watery diarrhea. They are often passed through contaminated water or soil.
- Worms: Roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms can irritate the intestines, leading to causes of dog throwing up and loose stools.
Toxin and Poison Ingestion
If a dog eats something toxic, the body tries to get rid of it fast, often through vomiting and diarrhea.
Household Poisons
Many common household items are dangerous if swallowed.
- Cleaning supplies.
- Antifreeze (very sweet tasting, highly toxic).
- Human medications (like ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
Toxic Foods
Certain foods are dangerous for dogs. Ingestion leads to severe dog diarrhea and vomiting.
- Chocolate.
- Grapes and raisins.
- Xylitol (a sugar substitute found in gum and baked goods).
Deeper Medical Conditions
When vomiting and diarrhea are persistent or very severe, a deeper medical issue might be present. These conditions require specific veterinary treatment.
Pancreatitis
The pancreas helps digest food. If it becomes inflamed, it causes intense pain and digestive failure. This is known as dog pancreatitis symptoms.
Key signs of pancreatitis include:
- Vomiting that won’t stop.
- Painful abdomen (dog may hunch over).
- Lethargy and refusal to eat.
- Diarrhea often follows the vomiting.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD is a chronic condition where the digestive tract is constantly inflamed. It is often a long-term diagnosis. Symptoms wax and wane over months or years.
Obstruction or Blockage
When a dog swallows a non-digestible item (like a large toy piece or a sock), it can get stuck. This blocks the path of food.
- Vomiting often occurs after every attempt to eat or drink.
- The dog may strain to poop or pass no stool at all.
- This is a surgical emergency.
Kidney or Liver Disease
Severe organ failure can cause a build-up of toxins in the blood. This toxicity often results in nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite, which can lead to diarrhea.
Food Sensitivities and Allergies
Sometimes, the body reacts poorly to ingredients in the food, not just because the food is bad quality. This differs from acute dog food intolerance vomiting, as it is an immune response.
Food Intolerance vs. Allergy
- Intolerance: The body cannot properly break down a specific ingredient (like lactose or a grain). Symptoms are usually limited to gas, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Allergy: The immune system overreacts to a protein (like chicken or beef). This can cause skin issues (itching) along with digestive signs.
Assessing Severity: When to See the Vet Immediately
While mild stomach upset is common, certain signs mean you need immediate veterinary care. Knowing when to act fast is crucial for your dog’s health.
Red Flag Symptoms Requiring Emergency Care
| Symptom | Severity Level | Why It’s Serious |
|---|---|---|
| Bloody Vomit or Diarrhea | High | Indicates severe irritation, ulcers, or major infection. |
| Repeated, Non-Stop Vomiting | High | Risk of severe dehydration very quickly. |
| Lethargy/Collapse | High | Sign of severe illness, pain, or low blood pressure. |
| Known Toxin Ingestion | Critical | Requires immediate treatment to neutralize the poison. |
| Abdominal Bloating/Distension | Critical | Possible sign of bloat (GDV), a life-threatening emergency. |
| Vomiting for more than 12 hours | Medium to High | Dehydration risk increases significantly. |
Puppy sickness symptoms involving vomiting and diarrhea must always be treated seriously. Puppies dehydrate much faster than adult dogs due to their small size and high metabolism.
The Veterinary Visit: Diagnosis and Testing
If home care doesn’t help in 24 hours, or if the symptoms are severe, your vet will need to run tests to determine the exact cause of the dog diarrhea and vomiting.
Physical Examination
The vet will check hydration levels, feel the abdomen for pain or masses, and check the gums for color.
Fecal Testing
This is standard for ruling out parasites. Samples are checked under a microscope for eggs or cysts from worms or protozoa.
Blood Work
Blood tests help assess organ function (liver, kidneys) and check for signs of infection or inflammation. High white blood cell counts or changes in enzyme levels can point toward issues like dog pancreatitis symptoms.
Imaging (X-rays or Ultrasound)
If a foreign object or mass is suspected, X-rays can show blockages. An ultrasound provides a detailed look at the texture and thickness of the intestinal walls, which is helpful for diagnosing IBD.
Home Management for Mild Dog Stomach Upset
If your dog is otherwise acting normal (alert, responsive) and has only had one or two episodes of vomiting or soft stool, you can try supportive care at home. This is aimed at resting the gut.
Fasting the Stomach
Do not offer food for 12 to 24 hours. This allows the inflamed stomach lining to calm down. Water should still be offered in small, frequent amounts to prevent dehydration.
Reintroducing Food Slowly
After the fasting period, start feeding a bland diet. This diet should be very easy to digest.
Bland Diet Options:
- Plain, boiled, skinless, boneless chicken breast mixed with plain white rice.
- Low-fat cottage cheese mixed with boiled sweet potato.
Feeding Schedule:
- Offer a tiny portion (a tablespoon or two) every few hours.
- If the dog keeps that down for 12 hours, slowly increase the portion size.
- Gradually mix the bland food with their normal food over several days to transition back.
Hydration is Key
Dehydration is the biggest danger with vomiting and diarrhea. If your dog refuses to drink, or if they vomit immediately after drinking water, contact your vet. They might need subcutaneous (under the skin) fluids.
Medication Considerations
Never give your dog human medication without explicit veterinary instruction. Many human drugs are toxic to dogs.
When Vets Prescribe Treatment
Depending on the cause, your vet might prescribe:
- Anti-nausea medication: To stop excessive vomiting.
- Antibiotics: Only if a bacterial dog intestinal infection is confirmed. Antibiotics are not used for viruses.
- Probiotics: To restore healthy gut flora, especially after antibiotic use or severe canine digestive issues.
- Anti-diarrheal agents: Used cautiously, as sometimes the body needs to expel the irritant.
Preventing Future Episodes
Preventing dog stomach upset often comes down to good management and preventative care.
Strict Diet Management
- No Table Scraps: Keep human food entirely separate from your dog’s diet.
- Slow Transitions: When changing dog food brands, do it over 7 to 10 days, mixing the old and new food gradually.
- Quality Food: Feed a complete and balanced diet appropriate for your dog’s age and activity level.
Environmental Control
- Secure Trash Cans: Use heavy lids or store bins where the dog cannot access them.
- Supervision: Keep puppies and dogs supervised when outside or playing with toys that could be swallowed. Prevent access to puddles or stagnant water where parasites might thrive.
- Regular Deworming: Keep up-to-date on preventative parasite control, as recommended by your veterinarian. This reduces the risk of causes of dog throwing up and loose stools related to worms.
Fathoming Chronic Digestive Issues
If vomiting and diarrhea persist for weeks, it moves beyond acute sickness into chronic canine digestive issues. This requires a more in-depth investigation.
Chronic Vomiting
If vomiting happens daily or several times a week for more than a month, common causes include:
- Chronic inflammation (IBD).
- Parasites that are hard to kill.
- Underlying organ disease (kidney/liver).
- Continuous exposure to a food allergen causing dog food intolerance vomiting.
Chronic Diarrhea
Long-term soft stool often points to:
- Malabsorption problems.
- Chronic low-grade infections.
- Dietary sensitivity that hasn’t been identified.
A vet may recommend a prescription hydrolyzed protein diet or a novel protein diet to test for allergies if standard food changes fail.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it dangerous if my dog vomits once and then seems fine?
Usually, one isolated episode of vomiting is not an emergency, especially if the dog eats and acts normally afterward. However, monitor them closely. If they vomit again or develop diarrhea, treat it as a mild dog stomach upset and rest their gut. If they are lethargic, call the vet.
How long should I wait before taking my dog to the vet for diarrhea?
If the diarrhea is mild (soft pudding-like stool, but not watery) and your dog is otherwise normal, wait 24 hours while feeding a bland diet. If the diarrhea is profuse, watery, causes straining, or contains blood, seek veterinary advice immediately, especially if you suspect puppy sickness symptoms or severe dog diarrhea and vomiting.
Can stress cause both vomiting and diarrhea?
Yes. Stress, anxiety, or major changes in routine can trigger a significant physical reaction in the digestive tract, leading to sudden canine digestive issues, including vomiting and loose stools.
What is the difference between vomiting and regurgitation?
Vomiting is forceful; you often hear retching sounds, and the contents are partially digested (stomach acids present). Regurgitation is passive; food comes up without effort, often immediately after eating, and it usually looks like an intact tube of food that was never fully swallowed.
Are probiotics helpful for dog diarrhea and vomiting?
Yes, probiotics can be very helpful. They introduce beneficial bacteria to the gut, helping to rebalance the normal flora that is often depleted during illness or when dealing with acute gastroenteritis in dogs. They are often recommended alongside bland diets.