My 10-year-old dog won't eat and has black vomit. What should I do?

The cause of Bobby's sudden discomfort is pretty hard to determine without diagnostics or a physical exam. If going to the vet at the moment isn't an option, just make sure that his temperature is normal (rectal temp between 99.5 - 102.5), that his gums are pink / moist, and that his skin has relatively appropriate elasticity. This will give you a good idea of general stability. In terms of at home remedies, depending on the extent and nature of the vomit you might be somewhat limited. Obviously giving oral medications to an animal that is going to vomit them up is not very useful. If you feel that he can keep anything down, medications like pepsid and prilosec are good at treating upset tummies. The use of this plus a 24 hour fast might be the best thing to do for now. However, if matters continue to go in a downward trend, I would encourage you to find means to get Bobby in for an exam at the very least. Hope this makes sense.

Poor guy! From your description, it definitely sounds like something is wrong. Vomiting dark black material and dark tarry stools are often signs of bleeding in the stomach or intestines, which can be extremely serious. Not eating and not wanting to walk down the stairs are vague signs that indicate he is in pain or not feeling well. I would strongly recommend taking your dog to the vet today for an exam, since this sounds like quite a serious problem. He/she can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate treatment.

Hello from far away! I am sorry to hear Brunp is having some issues. Black stool is a sign of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A gastric ulcer could be at play here and may explain his inappetence as well but you will wan to take him back into your veterinarian to confirm and rule out other causes as well as Rx the appropriate medication. I would try and feed him a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice. Plain unflavored yogurt can also help soothe the stomach. Please take Brunp in to see his veterinarian as soon as possible. Good luck!

I am sorry to hear Blackie isn't feeling well. I would be very concerned about a GI foreign body. I recommend taking her to a vet ASAP for an exam and radiographs. Even if she is drinking water, she is not drinking enough to combat the vomiting and is probably dehydrated. Please do not give any more medications as you may be making things worse. Please take her to a vet right away! Good luck and kisses to Blackie!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Blacky. I recommend seeking veterinary care for him as soon as possible. Several weeks is way too long for a puppy to go without proper nutrition. Based on his exam findings, fecal testing will be recommended to look for any intestinal parasites or other intestinal infections. Based on these results, either treatment can be recommended or further testing if necessary. He may require deworming medication, antibiotics and fluids to rehydrate him. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I noticed in one of those pictures that his stool is really diarrhea and is black (which usually means a sign of bleeding). Vomiting and diarrhea can occur secondary to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, dietary indiscretion, parasites, among other possibilities. In addition, black stools can be indicative of bleeding into the small intestine or stomach which can happen secondary to an ulcer for instance. Bloody urine can be the result of an infection, stones, tumors, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. At the very least they can start him on medications to make him feel better and check his hydration status. In the meantime, keep water available at all times to try to prevent dehydration. Good luck and have a good day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and vomiting can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Layka evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. You can offer a bland diet which may help. This diet could be composed of rice, boiled chicken, ham, turkey, lean hamburgers or low fat cottage cheese. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!