Vomiting and Diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea can occur separately or together as part of the same syndrome. There are many causes of these symptoms, some of which are obvious whereas others require testing to diagnose.

Vomiting (only)

• Take away both food and water for 12-18 hours – If no vomiting offer a small amount of water and bland food – if able to keep that down for an hour offer a bit more – if no vomiting in 36 hours then gradually reinstitute regular diet and feeding schedule.
• avoid treats or people food until problem has resolved completely
  in vomiting persists see your veterinarian immediately as this could indicate a serious problem such as a foreign body or a metabolic disorder.

Diarrhea (only)

• do not offer food for 24 hours
• provide plenty of fresh water
• collect a fecal sample and have it analyzed by your veterinarian
• feed small, frequent meals of a bland diet (homemade or prescription) when re-instituting food – continue for 3-
• 4 days with a gradual transition back to the regular brand of food.

Vomiting and Diarrhea
Companion animals are small and therefore can lose a significant amount of fluid through vomiting or diarrhea and quickly become dehydrated. These symptoms can indicate a serious underlying problem such as an intestinal obstruction or viral infection. When vomiting and diarrhea are present together the treatment should be swift and aggressive leaving little room for conservative therapy. However should you choose to pursue conservative treatment in such a case the steps for vomiting should be followed but the animal must be monitored closely and reassessed with a veterinarian within 24 hours.

**You can make a bland diet at home using boiled (extra lean) hamburger; white rice and cottage cheese – this is not a balanced maintenance diet and should only be used for a couple of days while problems are resolving