Dog ate bad steak, now has diarrhea & vomiting. Is it food poisoning?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor guy! Pancreatitis can cause vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia and belly pain. It is a cause of vomiting and diarrhea but it isn't the only cause. Other causes are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, toxin ingestion, IBD, food allergy/intolerance or reaction to eating something outside or a new treat/food/people food. Since he has been low grade vomiting now for 2 days it is best to have him seen soon if it continues. It is encouraging that he is eating. I would be sure you fasted him for 12-24 hours then resume feeding with a very bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Make the meals very small. Only offer small amounts of water. If he is lethargic, won't eat and the vomiting continues even on a low grade scale he should be seen before the weekend. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

He may have ate something that caused some gastrointestinal upset since he seems to be doing better. Continue feeding the beef and rice for a few days and then transition back to his regular food. If the vomiting and diarrhea persists then he needs to be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can take an x-ray to make sure he doesn't have an obstruction since there is a chance he ate some socks.

He could be suffering from pancreatitis which is a serious medical problem. It is common in small dogs after eating a meal high in fat. I recommend a veterinary exam and treatment with fluids, and medication to control the diarrhea and nausea. If left untreated this can become life threatening and can damage the pancreas which increases the incidence of diabetes in the future. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Prince David.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that he is not feeling well. The symptoms you are describing could be due to multiple possibilities. If you have recently switched his food or added in a new treat it could be dietary indiscretion causing this. If this were the case, I would withhold food for 12 hours and introduce a bland diet as outlined below. If, however, there has been no recent switch to his food and he has been on the same thing his whole life this is likely something else. My recommendation would be to have a veterinarian take a look at him and run some testing such as blood work to see if there are any concerning changes that need to be addressed. If you are concerned about money, then you can start the bland diet as outlined below but if the vomiting and lethargy persist for more than 24 hours I would strongly recommend he be seen by a vet. CareCredit is a good option to look into. This option will allow you to put Veterinary expenses on a line of credit specifically for that purpose and you will pay Care Credit on a monthly basis. I would call and check to see if the vet clinic accepts Care Credit First. If he is one that choose toys and things that he shouldn't, then there is a chance this could also be a intestinal foreign body obstruction. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other concerns. GENERAL INFORMATION A bland diet is a diet that is soft and highly digestible. It is low in fiber, fat and protein and is high in carbohydrates. Bland diets are generally composed of a single carbohydrate source and a single lean protein source. The most common bland diet is boiled rice and boiled lean chicken breast, without skin and bones. Since bland diets are low in fiber, stool production slows and defecation is less frequent. Bland diets are fed to rest the gastric system and to help promote normal stool formation. Animals that are physically sick should not be fed bland diets as a method of treatment. PRIOR TO FEEDING A BLAND DIET Pets should be fasted for 12 to 24 hours. Young animals should not be fasted for more than 12 hours. Fasting will allow the intestinal system to relax and minimize acid secretions that may irritate and inflame the intestinal lining. During the fast small amounts of water or ice chips may be provided. Never fast a sick animal, it may cause disease progression and death. BASIC BOILED RICE AND CHICKEN BLAND DIET RECIPE CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE: Boiled white rice LEAN PROTEIN SOURCE: Chicken breast, no skin and bones BOILED RICE: 1 part white rice with 3 parts water boiled for 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is easily crushed. BOILED CHICKEN: De-fat chicken breast and boil in water for 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken meat is easily pulled apart and cooked all way through. MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Finely chop the lean protein and mix 2 cups carbohydrate source and ½ cup lean protein source. STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Bland diets can be premade and stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 48 hours. The bland diet can be cooked in a batch and frozen in feeding sized portions to minimize preparation time. Thaw and warm the frozen diet prior to feeding. PERMITTED LEAN PROTEIN SUBSTITUTIONS Pork loin, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese. 7% low fat hamburger, plain low fat yogurt. PERMITTED CARBOHYDRATE SUBSTITUTIONS Boiled potatoes, boiled spaghetti, Minute rice. PERMITTED COMMERCIAL BLAND DIETS Science Prescription Diet I/D, Eukanuba Veterinary Diet Low Residue, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Intestinal HE. FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS Estimate 25% of your animal’s diet and feed that amount of the bland diet every 6 – 8 hours. Smaller animals will require less and larger animals will require more adhering to the same carbohydrate to lean protein source ratio. The bland diet should be fed for 4 -5 days with no treats or other food sources until stools are firm.

Rockie is adorable and I'm sorry to hear that he isn't feeling well. After eating a heavy, greasy meal, he may have developed gastroenteritis (inflammation in his stomach and intestines) or pancreatitis. Aside from assuring that he is drinking water and offering a bit of a bland diet (boiled white meat chicken and rice) as you have done, there isn't anything more that can be done at home. Young puppies are more susceptible to the effects of dehydration than adult dogs and need to be treated a bit more urgently. At this point, Rockie needs to take a trip to the vet for an exam, diagnostic testing and supportive care (IV fluids and medications). I hope that he is feeling better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rex. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today. Pancreatitis is common in his breed, especially after human food ingestion. Pancreatitis results in severe vomiting and diarrhea which will lead to dehydration. I also worry about the bones blocking or puncturing his intestines. The veterinarian will examine him and likely recommend blood work and x-rays of his belly. Based in these results, treatment can be started. I hope this information helps!

Poor pup! It sounds like he's quite sick. If he's vomiting, having diarrhea, and acting lethargic, this may be a more serious issue than a simple upset stomach - so I would recommend taking him to the vet today to be seen. Your veterinarian may recommend some basic lab work to see how serious the problem is, and can get him started on supportive care such as fluids and medication to control the vomiting and diarrhea.