Why Would a Dog Vomit & Have Diarrhea?

Your dog cannot tell you if he feels sick, so as a pet owner you must watch him for physical symptoms that signal something is wrong. If he limps, for example, he might be injured or arthritic. If your dog vomits and has diarrhea, possible causes of his symptoms include several serious conditions.

  1. The Facts

    • While vomiting is a common health problem in dogs, diarrhea is not. When a dog both vomits and has diarrhea, he has a health issue that needs to be addressed right away. If vomiting and diarrhea continues for too long, a dog can become dehydrated and weak. A dog that is vomiting and has diarrhea could have an infection, a blockage in the intestines or a disease.

    Parasites

    • Vomiting and diarrhea in a dog can be symptoms of infection by an intestinal parasite. Young dogs especially will vomit and have diarrhea when they are infected with roundworms. These worms can often be seen in an infected dog's vomit and stool. Giardia is a microscopic parasite that also causes an infected dog to vomit and have diarrhea. A veterinarian can diagnose infection by both these parasites and prescribe a course of treatment for your dog.

    Blockage

    • A blockage in the intestinal tract can cause a dog to vomit and have diarrhea. If a dog swallows a bone, a stick or a dog toy made of yarn, the object might pass through the stomach but end up lodged in the intestines. If this happens your dog will experience vomiting and diarrhea. If the object manages to pass through the intestines it can still damage the tissue of the tract, which can also trigger diarrhea and sometimes vomiting.

    Disease

    • Pancreatitis can be triggered by a large fatty meal, diabetes and some drugs. Found most often in older, usually overweight dogs, it causes both vomiting and diarrhea. Distemper, parvovirus and coronavirus also cause dogs to vomit and have diarrhea. These diseases usually occur in dogs that have not been properly vaccinated.

    Other

    • Other causes of vomiting and diarrhea in a dog include bacterial infections such as campylobactor and salmonella. A fungal infection such as histoplasmosis can make your dog sick at both ends, as can food allergies. Cancer in the intestinal tract can cause the growth of a single large tumor or several small ones, and both kinds can make your dog vomit and have diarrhea, as can cancer of some organs.