My 11-year-old dog has grey diarrhea. When should I see a vet?

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Given Boomer's older age and the acute onset of the vomiting/diarrhea, I would have him seen sooner rather than later by a veterinarian. Boomer could just have an upset stomach, but he also could have a foreign body, an infection or even a tumor causing these signs. Your vet will perform a full physical exam and determine if any additional diagnostic testing is needed (bloodwork, xrays ) and what treatments he made need. Good luck!

Typically after dogs have diarrhea they will not defecate for a few days. If he is straining to go or he still has diarrhea I would recommend a veterinarian. It is never a bad idea to take Moko in to have the veterinarian perform a rectal and make sure there is no cause for concern but it is fine to wait another day. Your veterinarian can check his stool sample for intestinal parasites, dispense a prescription bland diet and even medication to help with his diarrhea. I hope Moko feels better and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the diarrhea has been going on more than 24 hours and Lj hasn't improved with bland food, probiotics, and Immodium, then it's time to see a vet. There are many possible causes of diarrhea: stress, dietary indiscretion, infection, parasites, and more serious issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, Addisons disease or cancerous changes. You've done a great job trying the simple initial interventions that can help - but if that didn't do the trick, then it's time to have Lj checked out. Hopefully it's still a simple cause that will respond to a course of medication, but sometimes further diagnostics or long-term therapy are necessary. Your vet will likely recommend starting with a fecal sample check to look for microscopic parasite eggs. Depending on exam findings, they may also recommend some initial screening bloodwork to evaluate general body function and help screen for some of the conditions that can be associated with diarrhea. Or, they may recommend an initial course of medication to see how Lj responds and go from there. Hope this helps!

Yes it would be best to have her seen. Decreased appetite and lethargy are very common symptoms of many diseases, many of which may be treatable. The best way to know what is going on (diagnosis), how serious it is, and how to help her feel better is to have her seen. Most likely your vet will recommend some senior bloodwork and xrays to start. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This site is for pet owners to ask questions and have veterinarians answer them. We cannot make appointments. You will have to call your local office to do so. Good luck and kisses to Cookie!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by many conditions primarily gastrointestinal in nature such gastroenteritis and gastrointestinal foreign body ingestion and obstruction or other conditions such as pancreatitis or kidney disease. I recommend that you have your pup evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include abdominal imaging and general bloodwork. You could try a bland diet composed mainly of boiled chicken and white rice which is easily digestible and can help with an upset stomach. Good luck and have a great day!

At his age Diarrhea can be a sign of a serious condition rather than a simple gastrointestinal upset, i would strongly advice taking him to the vet for a full checkup including blood test to get a full health assessment.