Why does my dog have a runny tummy? Is it serious and needs a vet?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Zeus! Since he is so young and has been vomiting all morning I would make an appointment for today. WE do not like babies getting dehydrated and if they can't eat they can get low blood sugar. Causes of vomiting in puppies are: intestinal parasites, viral (especially parvo) and bacterial infections, ate something gross, foreign body causing a blockage, toxin ingestion, reaction to new food/treat/table food, food allergy or intolerance. I wish Zeus a speedy recovery!

I'm sorry to hear Zeus isn't feeling well. Not eating for a day and not drinking does concern me, and I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian. He could be having GI upset, but with large breed dogs there is a concern for a "bloat" situation, when the stomach actually twists in the abdomen and requires emergency surgery, as it is life threatening. In order to ensure it isn't something serious, or if he needs any treatment to get him feeling better, I would have him seen. Good luck!

An isolated night of some vomiting and diarrhea, while stress for you and your, may not be extremely significant. I would consider switching Gizmo to something very bland like boiled chicken and rice to see if he can keep this down. You may even consider completely fasting him for 24 hours (continue to allow water). If the vomiting and diarrhea continues to persist for a total of 24 hours or if Gizmo is unable to keep down anything, you definitely need to get him into the vet for a diagnostic work up. I would describe the symptoms in detail over the phone, as it is possible your vet may want Gizmo to stay in the car until the Parvovirus can be effectively ruled out. This is an extremely contagious condition that often presents with vomiting and smelly diarrhea in young, unvaccinated puppies. Hope this helps and that Gizmo turns out fine!

Poor Hershel! It's common for dogs to develop diarrhea if they eat something they are not accustomed to. It's also possible that he could have parasites (such as worms). Aside from being messy, diarrhea can lead to dehydration over time, especially if it is accompanied by vomiting. The bland diet is a great idea, and you can add boiled low-fat chicken breast for additional protein. It would be ideal to have him seen by a vet as soon as possible, especially if he becomes lethargic, continues to vomit, or develops other symptoms. I hope he feels better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Zack. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. There are numerous causes of vomiting such as diet, an infection, intestinal inflammation or diseases outside of the gastrointestinal tract. If he cannot keep food or water down at all, then you need to seek emergency care tonight. Depending on his exam findings, he may need fecal testing, blood work or x-rays of his belly. I hope this information helps!

It sounds as Zeek is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking him to the vet the first chance you get, he will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection he will need an anti vomiting injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better.

Puppies do tend to sleep a lot more than adult dogs, so this is probably normal. The soft stools could be caused by food intolerance, food allergies, intestinal parasites, dietary indiscretion, bacterial or viral infection, stress colitis, among others. I would recommend that you have Zeus dewormed in case this is caused by intestinal parasites. A common cause for vomiting in puppies is overeating or eating too fast. You may need to divide up Zeus's daily feeding amount into 4 meals that he eats every 6 hours. The bag of food will have feeding guidelines on the back or side that will tell you how much he should eat each day based on either his current weight or his expected adult weight. If you do this and Zeus is still vomiting, or if he is not interested in food, I recommend that Zeus be checked out by a vet ASAP.