Hi all need some advice please. I have had a migraine this weekend and my oh has fed the dogs. On Sat they had ran out of food and instead of going to the pet shop he borrowed some food from a neighbour and gave it to them for breakfast. They had their normal food from tea time.  Yesterday afternoon one of my dogs started being sick and has had diarrhea (sp) during the night, she is still off colour this morning. My other yorkie also had diarrhea in the night so I am putting it down to the change in food, but the tummy upsets didn't come on until 24hrs after eating different food so I am wondering if maybe it isn't that. Also how long should I expect this to last if it is food related. My little yorkie who is still feeling poorly refused her tea last night and I am not going to offer her anything this morning at all. I will probably give her some chicken and rice tonight if she is feeling better. I am a bit worried as it is bank holiday and the vet isn't open to just whip her down if I'm too worried but I don't want to leave it till tomorrow if she needs to see a vet today. What would you do? Thanks
jane

A change in food most certainly can cause diarrhoea, it is the fact that one of your dogs was also sick that causes a little more worry, if your dogs have access to grass that would proberbly account for it, especially if the dog had tummy ache it would be a natural instinct to eat the grass, so perhaps your dog ate some whilst out on it's walk or from your garden. A change in food does not usually cause sickness too, so keep an eye on that, hopefully it was just the once.

A vet will generally say wait 48 hours with diarrhoea some even 36hrs before a consultation, as it usually rights itself, (that is unless a dog is violently and continuously ill, which would need instant veternary attention)

I would think that your dogs will be back to normal soon, chicken and rice is the best thing you can give them, and tell hubby to stick to their normal food, some dogs have really delicate tums and it does not take much of a change to cause diarrhoea.

Thanks for your reply Carrington. Yes she does have access to grass and she may have eaten some. She was sick a couple of times during the night and after having a drink of water this morning she was sick again. She has just managed some water and has kept it down and is lying quietly. She seems to want to be in a secluded place and is lying behind the tv. I might give the vet a call.
jane

In that case I agree, none are very good signs, it is not food causing her to be sick so much she should not have continued just after water this morning and going into seclusion is worrying, call the vet asap she needs an injection to stop her sickness followed by an antibiotic to clear up the problem. Call the vet now!

The one that's the worst isnt' the one that had the tick a few days ago is it?

Hi all an update.( She isn't the one that had the tick. He is fine.) I took her straight to the vet and when we arrived she had diarrhea so bad it was like dirty water, the smell was absolutely awful. The vet isn't sure what the cause is but is thinking along the lines of infection. She has been kept in for observation and fluids. I have to ring tonight to see how she is and as its a bank holiday she isn't at our usual vet so I have to collect her to bring her back in the morning. It is going to be a long day and night. I am so worried, lots of things are going around my mind I can't wait for tonight to come to call the vet and for tomorrow to come so that I can collect her.
jane

Poor little girl, thank goodness she is in the right place, I wonder what it is? Apart from a number of bugs, virus's, infections etc, just a thought but was the food ok that they had earlier? Is it possible that it was off can you take some of it to the vet to also check, it is worrying as they both had diarrhoea to start with, off food would also cause the sickness, just such a coincidence. She is in safe hands now, let us know how she is later and if the cause is found, though with so many reasons I can understand your vet not knowing.

I wish her better soon.

Thank you Carrington. I am counting the minutes till I can phone the vet. I did wonder about the food myself but all 3 were given it and although Jake had diarrhoea in the night he has been fine since and Toby has had no ill effects at all. I would have thought  that if it was the food all of them would have been ill. It happened so quickly. She was fine all morning. I went to my mums at lunch time and my oh came home just after and she had been sick. He rang later to say she had refused her dinner and she hasn't been well since. I can't stop thinking about her and my mind is going around in circles thinking of things that it could be. I am also worried whether it is anything that my other 2 may catch. I know she is in the best place but its not like being able to look after her myself.
jane

An update. Rang the vet at 7pm had to ring back at 10pm last night and was told Tiegan had been fine and she could go home. Went and picked her up and she hasn't been sick at all over night however she does seem to be losing some watery fluid and she is still very down in herself. I am cooking some chicken for her as he said to feed her this morning. The vet still is not completely sure what has caused it and is putting it down to "something she has eaten, perhaps from the garden" I am still worried about her so I am going to call my vet as soon as they open, it may be that it is going to take a few days for her to recover but I rather play safe. My poor little baby looks so depressed.
jane

Hi, did she eat her breakfast without being sick this morning? I hope that she did eat a little food, though she obviously is still not well.  The vet will have given her everything possible, it is up to her now to rest and recover, she sure has had a nasty bout of something. :-(  If she refuses to eat over the next 12 hours or continues with the bad diarrhoea and sickness call your vet again, though I am sure that the worst is now over and she is on the road to recovery. :-)

Hi She ate some breakfast and seemed a little better this morning, but this afternoon she has started being sick again and now she also has had diarrhea. I have phoned the vet and they said to take her to see them at 9am tomorrow but I am a bit worried about leaving it that long. I am trying to decide whether to ring them now and ask them to see her before they close at 6pm. She looks so sad I just wish we knew what the cause was.
jane

Hi Jane,

How is your little one? Did you take her to the vet before they closed?

Hi yes I took her to the vet and he gave her a thorough exam. He thinks its a virus and we have to keep her hydrated until it passes. He said he felt it was ok to bring her home tonight as she is not too badly dehydrated and he gave her an injection to help with the sickness.  Since we came home she has had a drink but it seems to pass straight through her and she just leaks the most offensive smelling liquid. I have used all of the dog bedding in an hour. I have had to resort to putting her in her cage with newspaper to lie on to make it easier to clean. I have had to give her a bath and now I am using babywipes to help keep her clean. It seems to have settled for now as she has managed to go to sleep. I have to take her back in the morning and again it will be a decision as to whether she needs IV fluids. I am so worried about her she looks so sad and I feel awful putting her in her cage but at least she has settled. I just want to cuddle her. I hope she gets better soon the longer it lasts the more worrying it is.
jane

I hope she feels much better this morning,poor little tyke.

Her diarrhea slowed down in the early hours of this morning and although she has been drinking she does seem dehydrated this morning. She hasn't been sick at all. I have to take her back at 9am. Oh how I wish she was feeling better.
jane

any news?

Hi all, an update. I took Tiegan back to the vet and she was given an antibiotic injection and I had to give her a syringe of 2ml of an electrolyte solution every half an hour. I saw a different vet who suggested it could be a low grade parvo that as she is vaccinated she is fighting off (the other vets had siscounted this). The vet said there was parvo in Stetchford and although there isn't a problem in my area we are not too far away. Because of this he recommended a parvo boost for my other 2 dogs adn he wanted to see Tiegan the next morning. By lunch time she was feeling much better and it was such a huge relief to see her picking up. (I had stayed up with her for 3 nights and that night myself and my 3 dogs settled on the sofa, when I woke a couple of hours later they had taken themselves off to bed and left me alone downstairs!!) Anyway she has continued to improve and hopefully she made her last trip to the vet yesterday morning. She had another antibiotic injection and she has tablets for 4 days and a special diet for a couple of days. It is lovely to see her running around, barking, playing and eating normally. I keep picking her up for a cuddle!!! Thank you for caring.
jane

So happy to hear that she is finally on the mend.

Wow! What a relief :)

Im so pleased to hear that things are settling down again for you. Have a great time together over the weekend.
xxx

Been following the thread, so pleased that Teigan is feeling better, such a worry when they are feeling so sick.

Very pleased to hear she is doing so well now....... what a scare! Just makes her even more precious. :-) They certainly know how to worry us.