My senior dog has vomiting, diarrhea, and dental disease. What to do?

Some medications might help. Antibiotics and pain killers (anti-inflammatories) can definitively improve his condition clearing up mouth infection. Symptomatic treatment for vomiting might help as well. I would recommend to have him on a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice. 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.

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. While the dental disease may be related to her not eating well, I do not expect that to be related to the vomiting. I recommend that you have Cowlee evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. 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 good night! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

I'm so sorry that Bernard is having these problems. It sounds like he needs more diagnostics and treatment than a Petco wellness center can provide. The wellness centers are just for vaccinations and basic wellness testing. Bernard should have more testing than that to determine what is going on the best way to treat it. Older dogs can become sick more quickly than younger dogs, so I would try to have Bernard seen as soon as possible. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Bernard feels better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. With your description and seeing that Heidi is geriatric, I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having her blood tested to see if she has any abnormal values that may be leading to these symptoms. I would also consider abdominal x-rays to see if there are any abnormalities. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In my opinion your next step is the absolute best option (appointment for bloodwork, radiographs). It is certainly a positive that Nilo is improving, but it is necessary to rule-out any underlying diseases that can have waxing/waning clinical signs. If he has been having diarrhea I typically recommend my patients to also bring a fecal sample so that it can be tested for parasites or other infectious causes of gastrointestinal upset.

If you are sure it is her teeth, have her examined by your veterinarian. Periodontal disease can lead to systemic disease, bad breath or tooth loss if left untreated. If she has any degree of periodontal disease, she will require anesthesia for a dental cleaning and any periodontal treatment. Your vet should perform a complete exam and blood work to confirm your dog is a good anesthetic candidate. Periodontal disease typically does not present as you describe so a visit to your vet is highly recommended. The GI upset can be managed by withholding food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet (1:1 ratio of plain boiled boneless chicken and plain white rice). Feed in small, frequent amounts waiting at least one hour between feedings. If the vomiting stops, transition slowly to the regular diet. If not, see your veterinarian.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by many conditions primarily gastrointestinal in nature such gastroenteritis and gastrointestinal foreign body ingestion and obstruction or other conditions such as pancreatitis or kidney disease. I recommend that you have your pup evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include abdominal imaging and general bloodwork. You could try a bland diet composed mainly of boiled chicken and white rice which is easily digestible and can help with an upset stomach. Good luck and have a great day!