My 5-month-old puppy is vomiting and has diarrhea. When to worry?

Vomiting in such a young puppy is usually something to worry about, as he could get dehydrated in a matter of hours, it's probably an infection, i would strongly recommend taking him to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated.

With hold food for six to twelve hours to have his intestinal tract calm down. If he becomes lethargic or the diarrhea becomes bloody or with a lot of mucus then take him in right away. Give small amounts of water every hour, if he drinks too much at one time that may make the vomiting continue. Keep him quiet and let him rest also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Blitz.

Poor Dexter! The vomiting and diarrhea could be due to many conditions including eating something he shouldn’t have, bacterial over growth, parasites or even an intestinal blockage. If the diarrhea has continued beyond 24 hours, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian. If he has not eaten well for the past 24 hours, I recommend to have him examined by the veterinarian. With continued diarrhea, there are often bacterial shifts in the gut that will make matters worse regardless of the initial cause. Make sure to bring in a sample of fresh stool. The doctor will check him for parasites and bacterial over growth. Puppies generally have a big appetite so when they aren't eating well, it's concerning for a more serious cause of illness. Some times a bland diet can help and then a slow, gradual introduction to the normal food can be done. A bland diet can consist of 25% boiled white meat chicken and 75% boiled white rice. This should all be plain. Have Dexter examined if needed. I hope he starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Puppies commonly get gastrointestinal infections from parasites and bacteria that can cause this to happen. We always worry about Parvo virus in puppies, but it causes bloody stool, so hopefully this won't be the case for Stella. If he is still active and eating/drinking, then this is likely not an emergency, but he should be seen by a vet within the next 24 hours. They will be able to better determine the cause of this and prescribe the necessary treatment. I hope that helps and Stella gets better soon. If you have further questions or need further clarification, then you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet.

Unfortunately, this is not normal behavior for a young puppy and is pretty concerning. At less than two months old, your puppy needs to eat regularly or he risks having low blood sugar, which can cause serious health problems. Vomiting is not typically caused by stress and all these signs make me worry about a more serious illness. Please have him seen by a veterinarian right away because his lack of appetite and vomiting are very serious.

Oh my. Poor guy. If he has a fever this can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection (i.e. Parvovirus if he isn't fully vaccinated). I would have him tested for parvovirus first and if that comes up negative he needs full panel bloodwork and a urinalysis. to fully evaluate him. He should be on antibiotics and fluid therapy to help bring down his fever. He also needs anti-vomit medication to prevent him from becoming dehydrated due to excessive vomiting. If his condition has not improved within 24-48 hrs, then you should consider having him hospitalized so that he can get around the clock care and treatment. Poor guy. I do hope that your pup Shadow is able to make a full and speedy recovery from his illness. For tonight you can try feeding him some slghly warmed up cans of baby food (meat and vegetables or squash) to try to entice him to eat. Only a small amount at a time to hopefully not induce his vomiting. Best wishes and take care.

It's possible the change in food could be causing digestive upset. The best way to start transitioning to solids is to make a slurry of their regular milk replacer that they've already been on combined with a little bit of the puppy food. This helps make it easier to digest without being too big of a change and may help settle their stomachs. Checking for any parasites with a fecal exam and deworming may also help, however if the vomiting or diarrhea continues, a vet checkup to rule out anything more serious is best.