Whether it's caused by socks, food items or other unusual objects, our vets are used to seeing them all! We often help dogs with vomiting and diarrhoea. As a dog owner, there may be ways in which you can help your dog at home. Read our tips and advice about how to prevent, assess and treat your dog's problems.

Vomiting and diarrhoea are common in dogs and are often caused by infection or irritation of the stomach or intestines. Repeated vomiting can quickly lead to dehydration. Even a mild episode of vomiting can lead to life-threatening conditions. Common causes of vomiting or diarrhoea include viruses or eating inappropriate food items. However, they can also occur due to diseases affecting other organs, such as the liver, kidneys or uterus. It is often difficult to decide whether your dog has a mild illness or whether the cause is more serious. Although the cause may be simple to start with, for example, making changes to their diet too fast, the consequences can be significant if not corrected quickly.

Common causes of vomiting or diarrhoea

✔ Eating something inappropriate

✔ Poisoning

✔ Drug reaction

✔ Infection

✔ Feed change

✔ Problems with another organ

What can you do to help your dog?

FirstVet's vets can help you assess your dog's vomiting and general condition. They will discuss with you how and if you can treat your pet at home and when it's time to visit your physical vet. If the dog needs veterinary care, we can help you to determine how urgent it is, where to go and how to treat your dog until you see your vet.

IMPORTANT: if your dog is very dull or lethargic, has obvious stomach pain or is trying to vomit without bringing anything up, you should contact your vet urgently.

Get advice from a vet

We help you determine whether your pet can be treated from the comfort of your home or if you need to see a physical vet. The appointment is via a video call and is sometimes included in your pet insurance.

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Prevention and treatment of vomiting and diarrhoea

To try and prevent your dog from getting vomiting or diarrhoea we recommend avoiding feeding salty, spicy or fatty foods. Make any necessary dietary changes slowly to allow the healthy intestinal bacteria time to adjust. If your dog is sensitive, use a prescription diet specially formulated for sensitive stomachs or you can add supplements containing good bacteria to their diet. These can also be helpful when your dog is receiving prescribed medication or during periods of stress. Keep a close eye on dogs that like to chew or eat unsuitable things so that they are less likely to swallow them.

Once your dog has started to vomit or have diarrhoea, treatment often depends on how the dog is generally feeling and what the cause of the vomiting or diarrhoea is.

Related articles to vomiting and diarrhoea

Vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs

Vomiting and or diarrhoea is one of the most common reasons for a dog owner to seek veterinary advice. Dogs have a habit of eating all sorts of things that they shouldn’t, which can lead to a stomach upset. Whether the symptoms self-resolve or whether your dog needs to see a veterinarian will depend on how he or she is in themselves and what the vomit or diarrhoea looks like.

Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas are poisonous to dogs

The mechanism of poisoning has not yet been discovered but grapes, raisins or similar fruit, can cause kidney failure and death. Dried fruit in baked items, such as fruit cake, mince pies and hot cross buns are still toxic and should never be fed to your dog. Different dogs have a different tolerance to the amount that they can eat before toxicity occurs. Certain breeds also seem to be affected more severely than others but no breed is safe.