My dog ate ribs and has diarrhea. When should I take him to the vet?

Poor Devious! Many dogs will have an upset stomach after eating something like this. The biggest concern is that the rib bones can have sharp edges and may cause an intestinal perforation, or they could become stuck and cause a blockage in her intestines. Signs of these problems would include repeated episodes of vomiting, acting lethargic, and not wanting to eat - if she develops any of these symptoms, she needs to see a vet immediately as she may need emergency surgery to remove the bones. If she is acting normal right now apart from some runny stool, you can try feeding her a bland diet of plain boiled chicken and rice for the next 2-3 days to help settle her stomach and get things back to normal. If this doesn't help, or if she develops any other symptoms such as the ones I listed above, you will need to take her to the vet right away for an exam and treatment.

There is nothing else I'd recommend for treating diarrhea at home. If the diarrhea continues for more than 3 days, if you see blood, if Sunni seems to be straining when defecating without producing much stool, or if she vomits or has a decrease in appetite I'd recommend seeing a veterinarian. Rib bones often cause constipation, but sometimes a dog can pass small amounts of watery stool while constipated so watch closely for straining.

This is very serious and he needs immediate veterinary attention. The bones are probably still in his stomach and intestinal tract and the diarrhea can quickly result in dehydration. Many dogs also get pancreatitis from eating rich, fatty foods. He will need fluids, an X-ray to determine where the bones are, and possibly surgery. My dog ate rib bones and he needed to be hospitalized and the bones surgically removed. Again this can become life threatening quickly so please take him in for treat soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Nino.

Keep an eye on Dobby. As long as he's keeping his food down, keep feeding him and offering him plenty of water. Give him half a slice of whole wheat bread with each meal. This may form a ball of ingesta around the bones, and cushion them as they pass through the GI tract. If he continues vomiting, there is blood in his vomit or feces, he becomes lethargic, and/or he stops eating, he needs to see a vet immediately. In that case, find an ER vet or a vet on call. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Bones and raw food of any kind are a huge danger to any dog as they can cause serious infections, can perforate (poke a hole in) the intestines, cause gastritis, pancreatitis, and other issues. I would be very worried about a septic abdomen with Rowdy. If he is still not acting normally I would have him rechecked with your vet ASAP to do x-rays, a possible abdominal ultrasound to make sure there is no free fluid in his abdomen. If these are normal then your vet will likely treat for a gastritis/pancreatitis. If he can't stand and is having diarrhea, he could be very dehydrated and need IV fluids as well. I would strongly suggest pursing these other tests, especially if Rowdy is still acting the way you have described, with diarrhea and unable to stand. Best of luck with Rowdy.

If there is no blood in the diarrhea and as long as Fate is eating and drinking normally with no vomiting it is probably okay to monitor her. Ham bones can cause bloody diarrhea, constipation or intestinal obstruction so if you see her straining to defecate or you see the signs above you should see a vet right away. If she doesn’t have any dietary restrictions you could try feeding a bland diet of 25% boiled chicken and 75% plain white rice for the next couple of days to help with the diarrhea.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bear. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. If your veterinarian does not have appointments, then he will need to go to an emergency hospital. I worry that the rib bones will cause a blockage in his stomach or intestines. This requires a emergency surgery if this happens. He also could develop a condition known as pancreatitis. This is an inflammation of the pancreas that can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. The veterinarian will examine him and likely recommend testing such as x-rays of his belly and blood work. Based on these results, a treatment plan can be formulated to help him better. I hope this information helps!