mr. o' sullivan
sullivan vomited several times last night and had diarrhea all day today. he will only drink water after a walk. his temperature is normal, but i want to know if i should seek medical attention.
One Response to “vomiting and diarrhea”:
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Master Advisor Matthew says:
November 18th, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Hi there, It is most likely Sullivan has an episode of gastroenteritis, caused by ingestion of pathogenic bacteria (i.e. food poisoning). Many of these cases will resolve naturally if you starve the dog for 24 hours, then feed only bland food such as boiled rice and cooked chicken in small portions for about 3 days while the inflamed stomach recovers. My suggestion would be to starve 24hrs (water must be available freely to prevent dehydration), if the vomiting and diarrhea stops then proceed with the bland diet. If it doesn't stop and/or your dog seems listless and lethargic, you must take him to a clinic as he needs a course of antibiotics to get over the likely infection. Of course there are other causes of vomiting and diarrhea which Sullivan could have, such as ingestion of a foreign body (stick, bone, toy etc), ingestion of a toxic chemical, high worm burden, part of the intestine telescoping inside another part, cancer, metabolic disease etc. However, gastroenteritis is by far the most likely cause.
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