Puppies can have bouts with diarrhea and vomiting for a number of reasons. The number one cause of diarrhea and vomiting in puppies is what’s commonly known as dietary indiscretion or “garbagitis.” This occurs when puppies eat things, edible or not, that are not part of their normal diet. Other causes include viral infections (such as parvo or coronavirus), bacterial infections and intestinal blockages. The treatment protocol for puppies experiencing vomiting and diarrhea without blood in the stool or abdominal pain is pretty straightforward.
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Karo syrup or glucose supplement
- Bland diet (rice, cottage cheese or egg)
- Regular dog food
Instructions
Remove all food from the puppy. The first step in treating vomiting and diarrhea in puppies is to rest the gut. This means that you must remove all food items for up to 12 hours. Allow the puppy plenty of access to clean water to prevent dehydration. Extreme care should be taken to observe the puppy for signs of dehydration, such as sticky mucus membranes, skin tenting and sunken eyes, because this is an emergency situation and medical intervention is necessary. Such substances as Karo syrup or glucose supplements may be smeared onto the puppy’s gums to keep his blood sugar up during this time. This is especially important in small-breed dogs that need regular feedings to maintain appropriate blood sugar levels.
Introduce water with electrolytes. After the puppy has rested his gut for 12 hours, offer a few tablespoons of water with unflavored electrolyte solution in it to see whether he can keep it down. If he vomits, take him to the veterinarian immediately. If he keeps it down, offer a few more tablespoons of electrolyte solution every hour for the next 12 hours. If this is successful, you can begin keeping the solution readily available for the puppy so that he can begin the process of rehydration. Continue smearing the gums of the puppy with Karo syrup or glucose supplements to keep his blood sugar up.
Introduce a soft, bland diet. If you are successful in getting the puppy to keep water down for 24 hours, offer her a few bites of plain rice, cottage cheese or soft boiled egg. Offer small feedings every hour, similarly to the reintroduction of water, until the dog has been voluntarily eating and has not had a bout of vomiting for at least 12 hours. During this period, you can scale back the gum-smearing technique.
Introduce the dog’s regular diet. After 24 hours of eating the bland diet, you can begin to reintroduce the puppy’s regular fare, a few kibbles at a time every hour for about 12 hours, after which you can begin feeding him on his regular schedule.