My senior dog has terrible diarrhea and won't eat. Are her meds causing it?

It sounds like she needs to be examined and treated by a vet right away. She may be getting dehydrated and need some fluids, either subcutaneously or intravenously. Your vet can also run some blood work and other tests to help determine the cause and evaluated the function of all her organs. It is very concerning that she is not eating and is very weak. I don't think this is something that should be treated at home with OTC medications. If she has a gum infection then she may need an antibiotic to treat the infection. Call your vet or take her to an emergency clinic for treatment. Hope she feels better soon!

Continue the treatment and feed him boiled chicken and rice for a few days, this should resolve the problem. if it doesn't you will need to take him back to the vet in order to get it checked and treated.

Since he’s a senior dog and this has been going on now for several days I recommend a veterinary exam and treatment to control the diarrhea. They may give fluids to prevent dehydration which can become very serious. Once the diarrhea is controlled and he’s not dehydrated then I expect he’ll feel better and start eating again. He must have a sensitive stomach so stay with the food you know he does well with. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Harley.

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!

Poor Skittles! It sounds like she's quite sick. Bloody diarrhea and not eating are always symptoms that warrant a vet visit, so I would recommend taking her in for an exam as soon as possible. She may have a systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, a serious GI issue like pancreatitis or HGE (hemorrhagic gastroenteritis), or may have ingested something toxic. Your veterinarian can do blood work or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm so sorry to hear that Marble is unwell. This is a situation that definitely warrants a trip to the vet. Given her advanced age, cancer is a possibility. Other possible causes include severe gastroenteritis (gut infection), pancreatitis, toxin ingestion, or parasites. The vet will start by performing a thorough physical exam, looking for any bumps or sources of bleeding. They may recommend blood work or x-rays to further pinpoint the problem. At minimum, they can offer supportive treatments such as fluid therapy to combat dehydration from the diarrhea, stomach protectants and pain medications. The sooner that she can see the vet, the better. In the meantime, I would offer her small, frequent meals of a bland diet such as boiled chicken and plain white rice, which should be easy to digest. I hope this helps, and that Marble feels better soon.

These signs could be compatible with a colitis, which is an inflammation of the last part of the colon, usually related to dietary indiscretion. As a first approach, I would suggest to start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!