What to do when my puppy has diarrhoea or is vomiting?

What are the possible causes of diarrhoea in a puppy?

There are several possible reasons for your puppy’s diarrhoea. A few examples are:

• Stress diarrhoea: your puppy has just arrived in its new home, which is pretty exciting. Try to slowly introduce your puppy to new things. Make sure your puppy isn’t exposed to too many impressions at once.
• Changes in diet: your puppy’s intestines aren’t fully developed yet and changes in diet may cause side effects. Don’t swich your puppy to a new food suddenly. Gradually introduce the new food into your puppy’s diet over a period of seven days by increasing the new food and decreasing the old food.
• Eating something wrong: puppies discover the world by using their mouths. It is possible your puppy has eaten something it probably shouldn’t have. Try to prevent your puppy from eating everything, whether edible or inedible.
• Worms or other parasites: puppies are highly susceptible to worms and parasites, like giardia. Regularly deworm your puppy (read our blog post “How often should you deworm your dog?”) and try to avoid busy dog fields for the time being.
• Viral gastroenteritis: puppies are highly susceptible to various viruses that can cause diarrhoea. These viruses may not cause any symptoms in adult dogs. However, because the immune system of a puppy is less developed, they can become pretty ill from these viruses.

What do I do when my puppy has diarrhoea?

When your puppy has diarrhoea, you should keep a close eye on him. They can become very ill very fast. They may be lively and playful in the morning, but deathly ill by evening. They are also susceptible to dehydration. Don’t wait too long with going to your veterinarian. When in doubt, always visit or call your veterinarian for advice.

Is your puppy not deathly ill, but still lively and eating and drinking well? In this case it is still smart to support him a little extra.

How can I support my puppy with diarrhoea?

You can support a puppy with diarrhoea with a special diet, such as Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal Puppy Dog. Wet food can provide a little extra help in preventing dehydration. This food is easy to digest, but does contain enough protein and calories to support the growth and recovery of your puppy.

Supplements can also provide some extra help. With prebiotics you can support your puppy’s gut microbiota. Many products also contain additional ingredients that support the intestinal cells and promote recovery. Examples are the Prokolin Advanced or the Canikur Pro.

What do I do when my puppy is vomiting as well?

When your puppy is vomiting, you need to spring into action more quickly. With diarrhoea you can wait a little while and try to support it yourself. When your puppy is vomiting, the risk of dehydration is higher. Vomiting can also be a sign of something more serious, like an obstruction in the stomach or intestines. A vomiting puppy should always see a veterinarian!

Can I prevent diarrhoea in my puppy?

You can lessen the risk of diarrhoea in your puppy by doing the following things:

• Limit the amount of impressions your puppy is exposed to in a short period of time.
• Avoid busy dog fields and contact with too many different people and animals.
• Don’t switch diets too often or too quickly.
• Regularly deworm your puppy.
• Try to prevent your puppy from eating weird things or the faeces of other animals.

Do you have any questions? Contact us at veterinarian@vetsend.co.uk.