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My dog has diarrhea, vomiting, sulfur smell. Could it be parvo?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Pit Bull Terrier | Female | unspayed | 5 years and 8 months old | 50 lbs

My dogs sick diarehha vomiting sulfur smell but no loss of appetite. Could it be parvo?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on February 26th, 2017

Poor Bella! Parvo is very uncommon in adult dogs, but it's possible that this could be the problem if she was not fully vaccinated as a puppy. It's also possible that she could have some other serious GI illness such as pancreatitis, a systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, or she may have ingested something toxic.

If this has been going on for more than 24 hours, or if she is acting weak or lethargic, I would recommend taking Bella to an emergency vet today for an exam - he/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help determine the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Amber Da Silva, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on October 26th, 2017
I'm so sorry that Bella is not feeling well. With the signs that you are describing and the fact that she recently had a bout of diarrhea, I would suspect a problem with the anal glands. It is common for them to not express normally and get very full when a dog has diarrhea. If they are infected, the smell will probably be different than the normal fishy smell of anal glands. It is good that you are taking her to your veterinarian so they can examine her and express the anal glands to see if that is the problem. If they do look infected, your vet will most likely prescribe antibiotics and pain medication.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Lauren Jones VMD
Veterinarian
Published on June 8th, 2020
I'm sorry to hear that Bella isn't feeling well or eating much today. I can see a good bit of blood and mucus in her stool. As Dr. Melanie mentioned, this could be due to parvovirus or hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, as well as parasites or chronic intestinal diseases (such as inflammatory bowel disease or exocrine pancreatic insufficiency). It's always concerning to me when very small puppies aren't eating well because they are more susceptible to the effects of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) than older and larger dogs. It would be best to have Bella examined by a vet pretty urgently because she might need to be hospitalized for IV fluids and monitoring. I'm glad to hear that you've saved a stool sample because your vet will likely need to perform a fecal flotation test to microscopically check for parasite eggs. I hope that Bella feels better soon!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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