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Puppy Diarrhea and Vomiting - Causes and How to Treat it



There is a lengthy list of things to keep track of when raising a puppy. This journey can be nerve-wracking, but it doesn't have to be. It would be best if you kept up with your puppy's vaccine schedules, and do your best to keep foreign items from its mouth.


It is completely normal for a puppy to have bouts of diarrhea and vomiting occasionally. This may be nothing to stress about in your dog's life. At times, the foods you introduce to them might disagree with the puppy's system and upsets their stomachs. In this case, just have the Resolve ready!


Your close observation to your puppy's behavior toward the resolutions below will determine if a vet visit is required. Mild attacks that are not progressively rapid are reasonable to offer home remedies. Otherwise, if puppy vomiting and diarrhea don't gradually improve for the next 24 hours, call the veterinarian.


Causes of Puppy Diarrhea


A puppy can have diarrhea without vomiting and vice versa. Keep in mind that it is easy to notice a sick puppy. If you have a schedule or diary of its healthy lifestyle, you will be aware of the reason for its runny stools.


Diarrhea is a frustrating symptom as the puppy might have any disease, from a lethal virus to simple indigestion. Though don't fret! There are various causes of diarrhea you should know:


  • Food intolerance or diet change

  • Viral infection

  • Ingestion of toxins, garbage, or foreign bodies

  • Parasites

  • Stress

  • Bacterial infection

For bloody diarrhea or black and tarry stool, this can be a severe illness. Therefore, do not hesitate to call your veterinarian.


Causes of Puppy Vomit


Most puppy vomiting cases result from overeating in a short period, spoiled food, or gastric irritation. Many cases of dog vomiting result from gastric irritation triggered by inedible foods. Puppies can vomit out of motion sickness after car rides, swallowing foreign objects, or poisoning.


How to Treat Dog Diarrhea and Vomiting


Induce vomiting

Puppies are playful and can swallow any foreign objects that are in their way. In cases where they ingest things that can be toxic to them, it's okay to induce vomiting to get rid of poisoning your beloved puppy. On the other hand, instances such as swallowing a sharp object, losing consciousness, or ingest a caustic item like a drain cleaner should not induce the puppy.


Introduce a bland diet

Diarrhea treatment depends on the extent of the condition. For mild diarrhea, it can be a result of diet transition or puppy stress. You can clear this up with a bland diet of boiled chicken breast and white rice. Although you should reach out to a vet to rule out any foods that can make the case more serious. Ensure you give the puppy fresh water to avoid dehydrating.


Slow Down Eating

Eating a lot of food in a short period can lead to vomiting. This can be common if there are multiple pets in a home, especially multiple puppies. You can try feeding your puppies from different rooms to get rid of any competition, use a slow feeder like this one on Amazon to slow down its eating habit, or provide it in small portions in a day.



Hospitalization

If the vomiting or diarrhea gets severe, a trip to the vet is the solution. If the puppy is diagnosed with a viral or bacterial infection, it might be hospitalized while the puppy recovers.


The vet prescribes antibiotics for primary and secondary infections. On top of this, the vet might give the sick puppy intravenous fluids for hydration as it recovers.


Withhold food for a while

It's advisable to stop giving your puppy food for some time (3-4 hours after last episode) to monitor the progress of diarrhea and vomiting episodes. However, this doesn't mean water. Your puppy should have clean water at all times to avoid dehydration.


Gradually, you can reintroduce its regular food but in small amounts. A gastric rest is essential since it offers the gastrointestinal system some time to recover. Therefore, withholding treats is a home remedy for bouts of vomiting.


Unless you have puppy diarrhea only. In this case, do not withhold water or food. It would be best if you switched to the bland diet for 1-2 days. For instance, give your puppy boiled boneless chicken served with boiled rice but for a short period since the meal is not a balanced diet. Note that this temporary option doesn't meet your puppy's nutritional requirements, so it is not advisable more than 2 days after the first signs of puppy diarrhea.


The moment your puppy's stool is back to normal, slowly feed them with their regular and balanced diet.


Anti-diarrhea medications

This highly effective medicine (found on Amazon) is highly reviewed as an anti-diarrhea solution with a money-back guarantee. It contains pectin and kaolin that absorb any fluids in excess within an intestinal tract and lower intestinal motion. Also, there are Probiotic supplements that normalize the bacterial populations in the puppy's intestinal tract.


For diagnosis of prolonged vomiting or diarrhea (episodes that last more than 5+ hours), a thorough physical exam will need to be performed by a vet. In these cases, blood work is required for testing, a urinalysis, exploratory surgery, X-rays, fecal examinations, special lab tests, abdominal ultrasounds, or an endoscopy, including tissue biopsies.



Puppies with Diarrhea and Vomiting should only see a Vet if:


  • They are lethargic; this is when the puppy is not playful or is acting unusual

  • The abdomen looks extremely bloated

  • Your puppy is losing a lot of fluids through diarrhea or vomiting and no desire to drink

  • A blood spot is seen in diarrhea or vomiting

  • The sick puppy doesn't respond to the bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice

  • Multiple vomiting / diarrhea episodes over multiple hours (5+ hours)

  • They haven't received the full course of vaccinations

  • They are on medication for another reason

Conclusion


Any long-term health changes from a puppy should concern an owner; otherwise, it could get severe with time. Getting to know and understand your puppy's behavior is vital so you can know when something could be wrong.



If diarrhea and vomiting fail to stop even after home remedies, it's time to meet the vet to address the puppy diarrhea and vomiting. Also, a pet nutritionist could be involved so they can offer an alternative feeding approach.


After diagnosis, the puppy might eventually start eating its regular food altogether; a well-balanced over-the-counter meal, or continue with the vet's therapeutic diet for the illness management plan.


You should always consult the vet before giving any medication to your pet. However, if the veterinarian gives the go-ahead, you can offer home remedies.


As always, we highly recommend getting pet health insurance for your dog. It could save you a fortune in the event your pup needs serious health care. It can also cut down the costs on average vet visits. See our article here on the highest rated pet health insurance companies we could find.



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