Dog Vomiting and Diarrhoea: When to Worry and What to Do

When to worry: signs it could be an emergency

Many of you will have had an upset stomach yourself or children who have experienced vomiting and diarrhoea. Many times, you don’t need medical attention, and it all settles down on its own. However, there are times that very prompt veterinary attention is needed. Always call your vet if:

• Your dog is very young or very old, as they can become dehydrated and debilitated very quickly.
• You see blood in vomit or diarrhoea, or black, tarry-looking material is being passed. This can be a sign of serious bleeding in the gut.
• Your dog vomits regularly for more than 8 hours.
• Your dog seems lethargic, withdrawn or in pain. They may stand hunched up or adopt the play bow position for no reason, as well as cry.
• Your dog stops eating.
• Your dog is dehydrated. The skin tent test is a good way to check. Gently lift the skin on the back of the neck and then let go. If your dog is fine, the skin will snap straight back into position. If it’s slow to return, your dog is dehydrated, and if it stays up, your dog is in serious need of intravenous fluids.
• Your dog’s tummy starts to swell, or the dog starts to groan or tries to be sick but nothing comes up. Swelling can be a sign of a serious, life-threatening problem – call your vet immediately if you spot this.
• Your dog has an existing health condition, such as diabetes.
• Your dog is already on daily medication. Ask for advice about whether it can or should be stopped while your pet is being sick.

Remember to call your vet before bringing in your sick dog. They may ask you to wait in a different waiting area if they suspect your dog could be infectious to other patients.

What to do at home if your dog has vomiting and diarrhoea

As we said, lots of these bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea will resolve in a day or two. Often the diarrhoea takes longer to stop than the vomiting as it all works through your dog’s system. Here are some useful things to do if you don’t think it’s an emergency just yet.

• Keep multiple bowls of fresh water around the house so that if your dog is feeling poorly, they never have to go far for a drink. Keeping them hydrated is very important.
• Don’t make your dog fast unless they are actively vomiting. Food is very important for gut healing. Ask your vet if you can pick up a recovery food that is highly digestible. If your vet is closed, some boiled chicken breast (no skin) and rice will tide your dog over until the vet reopens. Adding water to food or feeding your dog wet food also helps with hydration.
• Try not to leave your dog unattended in case they suddenly take a turn for the worse.
• Do not give your dog human medications or over-the counter pet shop remedies without consulting your vet.

How to prevent digestive upsets in dogs

Unfortunately, vomiting and diarrhoea are almost inevitable in life, but there are things you can do to help prevent digestive upsets.

• Always keep your dog’s vaccinations up to date.
• Always follow your vet’s advice about how often to treat your dog for parasites.
• Don’t feed your dog human scraps, and always make sure they can’t scavenge things from the worktops or the bin. Many human foods are toxic to dogs. Make sure children know not to feed the dog, too.
• Feed a high quality, premium, complete and balanced dog food and avoid sudden changes in food.

Although digestive upsets are a fact of life, following the tips above will hopefully keep them to an absolute minimum for your dog. 

Frequently Asked Questions about dog sickness and diarrhoea

What causes vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs? 

The most common causes are dietary indiscretion (e.g. raiding the bin), infections, parasites, adverse food reactions and sudden changes in diet.

When is dog diarrhoea an emergency? 

Contact your vet if:

• Your dog is very young or very old, as they can become dehydrated and debilitated very quickly.
• You see blood in vomit or diarrhoea, or if black, tarry-looking material is being passed. 
• Your dog vomits regularly for more than 8 hours.
• Your dog seems lethargic, withdrawn or in pain.
• Your dog stops eating.
• Your dog is dehydrated. 
• Your dog’s tummy starts to swell, or the dog starts to groan or tries to be sick but nothing comes up.

Can I treat dog vomiting and diarrhoea at home? 

If you think it’s a mild upset stomach and none of the above applies, yes. Ask your vet for a highly digestible recovery food, keep your dog hydrated by offering plenty of fresh water or adding water to their food, don’t give them any medications without your vet’s say-so, and don’t leave your dog unattended in case they get suddenly worse.

What should I feed my dog after vomiting or diarrhoea? 

Ask your vet for some recovery food or, if your vet is closed, boil some chicken breast (no skin) and plain rice until the vet office reopens.

How can I prevent my dog from getting an upset stomach?

Keep their vaccines and parasite control up to date, don’t change their food suddenly, don’t give them human scraps, and keep household chemicals out of reach.

Reviewed by Becky Mullis, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition) and Emma Milne BVSc FRCVS.