Dog diarrhoea. Causes and treatment

Dog diarrhoea. Causes and treatment

If your dog develops diarrhoea it is a sign of intestinal or digestive problems just as dog flatulence is. On this page we’ll take a general look at diarrhoea including causes and treatment.

Dog diarrhoea can be caused by many things. In a not dissimilar way to dog flatulence, your dog my develop diarrhoea from a diet of poor quality pet food or overeating particularly if fed just once a day. If you dog does get a spot of diarrhoea try feeding him two or three times a day in smaller quantities.

Stress may also be a contributing factor for example of the dog suffers from separation anxiety if left alone. He may begin to nibble on or eat anything he can get his teeth in I to around the house in an attempt to relive his stress at being alone. If he eats anything which doesn’t agree with him then diarrhoea may result.

Intestinal parasites (such as worms) won’t do you dog any favours and may also trigger diarrhoea and other unpleasant side effects. Viral infections such as parvovirus and bacterial infections such as campylobacter are quite common causes of dog diarrhoea.


Seek treatment from your vet as soon as possible as parvovirus in particular is a dangerous condition. Your dog will suffer much diarrhoea, be depressed and become dehydrated from fluid loss.

If you become concerned about your dog’s diarrhoea then seek professional help from your vet. If possible take a stool sample with you as this may assist the vet with diagnosis and treatment.






Dog vomiting. Causes and treatment

If you dog vomits this is another condition related to digestion or intestinal issues similar to causes of dog flatulence. Dogs can vomit for all sorts of reasons.

The vomiting could be because the dog has simply eaten something it disagrees with and has caused an obstruction. Not just food – swallowing a toy or a bone for example. Changing the type of food you feed your dog can cause vomiting or other related problems such as dog flatulence particularly if you have decided to feed your best pal on lower quality food than he is used to.

Always feed him the best quality food you can afford. Yes, I know it’s hard to resist when you dog begs for food or treats but do try to say no and mean it. Feeding your dog scraps of food that you like but he doesn’t may mean it quickly comes back up again as your dog vomits. It may come back up just as fast as he wolfed it down.

Think about the types of treats you do allow your dog. Feeding him some of that left over Chinese meal might seem like a good idea at the time but the consequences may be unpleasant for you and your dog. Parasites such as roundworms may induce vomiting. You can worm your dog using regularly available treatments such as drontal and others. A worm free dog will be less prone to vomiting as you’ve taken away one of the causes and at the same time helped to keep your dog healthy and happy.

Heat stroke can cause dog vomiting. Some breeds (greyhounds for example) are particularly prone to heat stroke. Be aware of this and keep your dog out of the sun to avoid overheating. Signs are rapid, shallow breaths. Vomiting (or worse) may result. Bring your dog out of the sun and try to cool him down.


Do you yourself suffer from travel sickness? Well so may your dog. If he does, he may vomit. If your dog does have trouble with travel sickness try not to feed them before travelling. The condition may reduce the more you take your dog out in the car.

As always it is suggested that you seek advice from your vet if you are concerned about your dog’s health. If dog vomiting is the cause of you taking your dog to see the vet it may help your vet with diagnosis and treatment if you can take a sample of the vomit with you.