My puppy is very sick: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargic. What's wrong?

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like Joplin is very very sick. She might have a condition called "Parvovirus" which is a very serious virus that affects puppies, and is more likely if Joplin is unvaccinated. The other possible causes in a puppy include an obstruction in her gut (a blockage from a foreign object (ex. ball) that she ate, or an intussusception (the intestines telescoping in on each other). Also, depending on her age, pyometra is possible along with many other conditions. With what you are describing, I am very concerned that she could die without aggressive care. I strongly recommend you get Joplin to a vet right away, and if your vet is closed go to your closest emergency clinic. They will recommend a test of her poop, as well as possible bloodwork and x-rays, and will likely want to keep her in hospital on IV fluids and medications. Best of luck with Joplin, I hope she feels better soon!

I'm sorry to hear that Gizmo is so sick! Unfortunately, these symptoms are very worrying. Lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea are often caused by a serious illness such as parvo, and can be life-threatening in a puppy this age. I know that costs are a concern for you, but Gizmo really needs to see a vet right away - I would be worried that she may not survive without veterinary care. This doesn't necessarily need to be an expensive visit; if you let the vet know that you have financial constraints, they can often come up with a fairly inexpensive plan for supportive care (including IV fluids and injectable meds for you to give at home) that will give her a fighting chance even with a serious illness like this. You could also see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help, or apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com If going to the vet is not possible at all, then I would just try to keep her warm and comfortable and do the best you can to keep her hydrated. You can continue giving Pedialyte if she's able to keep it down, and you might also try offering her some warmed low-sodium chicken or beef broth to help encourage her to drink. Plain boiled chicken or chicken-flavored baby food can also be offered if she's interested in eating at all, as these are very bland and should not upset her stomach further.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Gus is not feeling well. Vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy are quite concerning in any dog, especially puppies because of the diseases they can get such as parvovirus. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. They would be able to check for this disease as well as checking for other possibilities such as intestinal worms or other infections. The sooner these diseases are diagnosed the better the outcome tends to be. At the very least, Gus can be started on anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medications and his hydration status can be checked. Good luck! I am really keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well with your boy. Best of luck!

Hello and thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear Texas is not feeling very well. Vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, and decreased appetite are very concerning signs and have many causes behind them. Infectious causes, internal organ dysfunction, or a foreign body or GI obstruction could be at play. Texas is really better off in the care of a veterinarian today as a veterinary hospital will be able to diagnose and treat Texas effectively and give him the proper care he needs. If a vet isn't an option, there are not a lot of home treatments for these symptoms. Try and keep Texas hydrated to offering water to him frequently and offering him unflavored pedialyte in his water may help as well as feeding him a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice. Keeping him warm and comfortable will also help. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Texas feels better soon.

Hello. I am sorry to hear that Sugar is feeling so sick. When a puppy is lying around, not eating or drinking they are usually very ill. This may be either an infection (like Parvo), a problem she was born with (a congenital problem), or possibly something she ate or got into. I understand you are short on finances. Please offer Sugar some baby food directly into her mouth. If she will not take baby food from you and has not eaten all day her blood sugar may get dangerously low. You should see if she can lick up a small amount of karo syrup to try and increase her blood sugar level. If at all possible I would get her to an emergency veterinarian tonight to have her assessed. At least an exam can give you a lot of information about her vitals and they can lead you in the right direction to try and get her better. I hope the best for her.

I'm sorry to hear that Polly isn't feeling well. Vomiting, lethargy, not drinking and a loss of appetite are quite concerning signs, particularly in a puppy since younger animals are more susceptible to the affects of dehydration than adult dogs. Polly may have a significant gastrointestinal virus, a foreign body intestinal obstruction, parvovirus (unlikely if she was fully vaccinated), among others. At this point, the best thing you can do is take Polly to her vet for an exam and diagnostic testing to get to the bottom of the situation. Polly may need to be hospitalized for IV fluids, or even require surgery if she has a foreign body intestinal obstruction. I hope that all goes well!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kisses! My biggest concern is how young and small Kisses is. With severe watery diarrhea she is at an increased risk for dehydration and low blood sugar. Causes of diarrhea in puppies are: intestinal parasites, viral (parvo or distemper) or bacterial infections, dietary indiscretion, food allergy/intolerance, reaction to a new food/treat/table food. Sometime we never know the exact cause. Since she is so young and small I would take her to the Vet today. If you can get a stool sample bring it with you. If she isn't up to date on vaccines they may test her for parvo virus. The Vet can send her home with medications to make her better faster. I hope this helps and I wish Kisses a speedy recovery!