Senior dog has severe diarrhea but is eating and drinking. What to do?

Tilly needs to be seen by your vet. Staring into space can be a form of seizure activity. At her age many different things could be causing her symptoms. She needs an exam and likely some blood testing and/or x-rays. She cannot go on not eating. Please get her to a vet for an exam.

Poor Tilly! It sounds like she’s quite sick. There are many different things that can cause these symptoms, so it’s hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine her and do some testing. Some possibilities would include a GI problem like pancreatitis or an intestinal blockage, a systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, or ingestion of something toxic. This sounds quite serious, so I would recommend taking Tilly to an emergency vet today for an exam. The doctor there can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment right away.

Blood in the stool, even if it seems to "go away" and come back later, is never normal. The fact that it's accompanied by diarrhea suggests colitis, or inflammation of the colon, as opposed to some type of bleeding mass in the rectum or colon. Colitis can have a number of causes, including dietary indiscretion (eating something rotten or non-food), parasites, food allergies/food sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, or infection. Leah may improve with a diet change, perhaps a more digestible diet specifically for gastrointestinal problems. To assume it's a "tummy issue" could be to ignore causes that are treatable, and at this point she's not only having diarrhea but she also lost her appetite. It's been three days and she's not improving, so I recommend having her seen by her vet for labwork to include parasite testing, blood work, and urinalysis for starters. If all is normal consider a bland diet (as recommended above), and a probiotic supplement. Ultimately, she may need to have biopsies taken to diagnose the exact cause.

I am very sorry to hear that Sadie was given some milk by your 3 year old. I also have a 3 year old and a dog, it's a very interesting combination to be sure. The milk will most likely not cause anything more then some diarrhoea. Since you have only noticed a few episodes I would continue to monitor Sadie at home. Provide a bland diet of boiled boneless chicken breast and white rice and plenty of fresh water. Cooked skinless sweet potato can also be helpful for diarrhoea. If the episodes continue, if Sadie becomes depressed, passes large amounts of blood, vomits, or seems very uncomfortable take Sadie to see his vet. Because milk can have a high fat content, one potential complication of Sadie ingesting it, would be pancreatitis. If you notice the above signs it's possible Sadie has pancreatitis. I hope this answer was helpful and more importantly that Sadie feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

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!

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.

There are many reasons why dogs develop diarrhea. Some of these reasons are that they are something they shouldn't like trash, fatty foods, or possibly ate something that isn't food at all, such as a piece of a toy, stick, or stone. A dog may also develop diarrhea from parasites, ingesting a toxin, or some sort of infectious disease, among many other possibilities. My general cutoff if a dog is eating and drinking well and acting normally is 36 hours without the diarrhea resolving likely warrants a trip to the veterinarian. Your vet will examine Natty Boh and may recommend abdominal radiographs and possibly some bloodwork. The vet may prescribe an antidiarrhea medication and because diarrhea can lead to dehydration, they may offer to give her some fluids either under her skin (subcutaneously or in an IV). Until you can get Natty Boh to the veterinarian I would recommend making sure she is drinking well. You can also try a bland diet of plain boiled boneless skinless chicken breast and white rice to help settle her GI tract until she can be examined by her vet. I hope this was helpful!