Animal Welfare Professionals

Hi! My labradoodle puppy is 22 weeks old- almost 5 months- old. For the last few weeks, she has been having on again, off again vomiting and diarrhea. Two weeks ago, she was having pure liquid diarrhea. I left her for a couple hours in her crate and when I came home she was covered in diarrhea, and she has never, ever had an accident in her crate before. It continued like that for almost a day so we took her to the Pet's ER. They said she didn't have any blockages, but her X-rays showed a lot of gas. They wanted to keep her overnight, just in case. She seemed to get a lot better, and was her stool was normal for a few days. We were also giving her medicine from the vet. A few days ago, she started acting lethargic again and throwing up. That lasted for about a day, and then again, she seemed to get better for a day or two. Now today, her liquid diarrhea is starting up again. We have been feeding her only sensitive stomach kibble and water, and she doesn't get any bully sticks or bones of any kind anymore. Her behavior is mostly normal; she has never seemed to be in any pain. We just don't know what to do-- any ideas?? Thanks so much! 

I imagine the ER told you to put her on boiled chicken and rice for a while. That usually helps. When she stabilizes, gradually introduce a new brand of kibble or soft food. Talk to your vet about high quality brands.

Is it possible that she gobbles or swallows her food fast? If so that can cause gas. Pet stores sell dishes especially for fast eaters that will slow down her eating.

Alternatively, she might be sensitive to a specific ingredient. Try a limited ingredient food. Try grain free.

Make sure any new dog food is introduced slowly.

Finally, could your dog be feeling stress or anxiety over something? Separation? Boredom? Noises? New changes to situation or environment? Try dog pheromone sprays/plug ins. Use soft music. 

But diarrhea and vomiting can really dehydrate your dog. It is serious. Vets can prescribe appropriate meds but she also needs to drink. Mix water with her food. Change her water. Clean bowls. Try different bowls. Try filtered water. See if she likes to eat ice cubes. I feed my dog that when he is panting a lot.

Also make sure your dog food wasn’t on a recall list. Do some research online.
And hope your baby gets well!

Severe vomiting and diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration and malnutrition quickly.

We had a dog who had vomited one time on a Saturday.  It was a little worse on Sunday.  Monday morning I took her to the vet when they opened.  I was concerned about her being dehydrated.  The vet examined her and said she wasn't dehydrated.  He gave her some meds for her tummy.

The next morning she was dramatically worse, and looked as though she had aged 10 years overnight.  I rushed her to the vet and our sweet girl did not survive.  We never knew for sure what happened.  It is possible a neighbor's guest poisoned her but we'll never know.

The vet said she went from not being dehydrated when he saw her on Monday morning to being malnourished on Tuesday morning.

Some vets are able to examine the food for toxins.  Maybe your vet can do this.

I wish your sweet dog quick healing.

In addition to the chicken and rice diet, I find that a probiotic is sometimes necessary to get their gut back to normal.  I use plain greek-style yogurt, as well.  DO NOT use anything sugar-free, as they usually replace sugar with xylitol (bad for dogs).  Forti-flora is a good probiotic, and you can sprinkle it on their food.

Has a fecal been checked?  Liquid diarrhea could be a sign of Giardia.  We've been having increasing problems with giardia in our cat colonies & it can spread to any mammals.  Sometimes it takes multiple fecal checks to turn it up, but it's worth mentioning to your vet.

Hi there, I'm so sorry you and your pup are going through this. ❤️ Vomiting and diarrhea on and off like that can be stressful, especially when it comes and goes with no clear cause.

It's great you already had her checked for blockages. Since her X-rays only showed gas but no obstruction, and her symptoms keep returning, I would definitely follow up with your regular vet to discuss possible food intolerances, infections, or even parasites that might not show up on X-ray. Sometimes Giardia, bacterial imbalances, or sensitivities to certain proteins or grains can cause these cycles of diarrhea and vomiting. Your vet might recommend a prescription gastrointestinal food for a few weeks or run fecal panels to rule these out.

Also, keeping her hydrated is super important when diarrhea is severe. If she starts acting lethargic again, continues vomiting, or refuses to eat or drink, I would bring her back in as soon as possible.

Learn how to track all your pets food orders with a Chewy account.

Wishing your labradoodle a quick recovery and sending hugs to you both. 🐾💕

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enzo Dirienzo
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Enzo Dirienzo
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