Joii, our vet care provider share advice on vomiting and diarrhoea

Stomach upsets (vomiting and diarrhoea) are incredibly common problems in dogs and cats. One study has shown that stomach upsets are the third most common reason to take your pet to a vet practice (1). At Joii, these are the most common problems that we see, which suggests that stomach upsets happen a lot more than vets in practice might realise. 

There are many causes of upset tummies in dogs and cats, the most common of which are:

●       Food related problems - eating something they shouldn’t have, food allergies or a sudden change in diet can all cause vomiting and diarrhoea

●       Gut infections - most commonly viral infections, but bacterial infections and parasites (worms) can also be the cause

●       Inflammatory disease - such as colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) & pancreatitis

●       Gut blockages - when a pet has eaten something and it has become stuck in the stomach or intestines

Very mild cases will usually resolve within 24hrs. If your pets stomach upset lasts any longer than this, they will need some form of treatment to help them recover.

The main treatments recommended for upset stomachs will be:

●       Diet - gastrointestinal diets are formulated to help settle the stomach, replenish the good bacteria and replace any lost nutrients. They should be fed little and often for 5-7 days, and then a slow transition made back onto your pets usual diet. Probiotics - help to soothe the inflamed gut, replenish good gut bacteria & contain clays to help stools firm up

To help your pet recover quickly, we recommend the following care tips:

●       Make sure your dog has access to plenty of water and that they are drinking regularly

●       Feed small but frequent meals – this will gently get their guts used to processing food again. Feeding a prescription gastrointestinal diet is the best way to help your pet, but you can feed a bland home cooked diet (such as boiled chicken & rice) if you can't obtain this immediately. Home cooked food should not be fed for more than 24hrs.

●       It’s important to let your pet rest until they have completely recovered.

If your pet has any of the following symptoms, please seek veterinary care: 

●       Blood and/or mucus in their diarrhoea

●       Severe or constant watery diarrhoea

●       Reduced appetite

●       Ongoing vomiting

●       Lethargy

●       A painful stomach

Purely Pets customers have access to Joii Pet Care included as part of their existing policy offering 24/7 access to video consultations with qualified vets. Download the Joii app today!

(1)   Resource