What to do if your dog has diarrhoea or starts vomiting: Veterinary experts share top six tips for dog owners

Regardless of whether your pooch has caught this virus or not, diarrhoea and/or vomiting in dogs is not uncommon.

You may occasionally walk downstairs in the morning and suddenly smell something shocking or find a puddle of something brown, green or even frothy covering your kitchen floor and feel an overwhelming sense of panic.

Don’t fret, as this can happen and it is fixable.

Experts from VioVet, a veterinary supplies retailer, have produced an easy-to-follow six-step guide for dog owners and what to do if your canine has diarrhoea and/or vomiting.

1. Signs that your dog may need checked over by your local vet

You must check for any symptoms that show your pet is seriously ill and contact your local vet if you see any of the following:

- Blood in the vomit or diarrhoea

- Severe lethargy (your dog doesn’t want to go for a walk, appears in pain, and isn’t easily roused)

- Any neurological/respiratory signs (eg. seizures, shaking, breathing problems etc)

- Your pet has eaten a known or possible toxin

2. When is it safe to monitor your dog at home?

If your dog is normally quite bright then it is probably safe to monitor them and treat them with over-the-counter products.

Most cases of vomiting and diarrhoea are related to a scavenging event (eg. a dog ate something rotten in the park the night before) or a virus that requires supportive care to treat. This is known as mild gastroenteritis.

3. A short period of withholding food can help them get back on their feet

There should be a brief period of starvation until there has been at least four hours since the last vomiting episode.

If there is no vomit, then head to the next step (step 4) straight away.

4. Feed your dog bland food to help speed up recovery

Ideally this should be specially formulated intestinal support diets as they can help speed up the recovery process and are naturally easy on the stomach/intestines, which are more likely mildly inflamed.

You should start by feeding a small amount, checking to make sure it stays down for a few hours, then feed your dog again. It is advised to cross-reference with your vet before feeding them a prescription diet. But if your pet is allergic to any feeds, then you must always stick to their normal diet.

You may also choose to make your own bland food that includes cooked chicken or white fish, cooked rice and a scrambled egg.

5. Boost their gut bacteria with a probiotic

In most cases, diarrhoea is caused by an imbalance in the normal gut flora. Probiotics help to restore the normal gut flora and therefore speed up recovery.

6. Worming your dog

Make sure your pet’s worming schedule is updated, as worms can cause or exacerbate a mild form of diarrhoea. You should seek advice from your vet regarding which wormers to use if you don’t know.

Generally a mild viral/scavenging related gastroenteritis will improve and recover over three to five days with the previously mentioned treatment. If your dog’s vomiting and diarrhoea continues for 24 to 48 hours with no signs of improvement, then you should contact your vet. There are rarer, more serious causes of this that would need to be ruled out.