Sickness and stomach upset.

[lots.nj]

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My 5 month old puppy has been sick 4 time today. He was fine in the morning but got back from puppy class and he has slept the whole time apart from waking up to be sick and has not eaten his tea. He also vomited once on Friday and twice last Tuesday. Do puppy get stomach bugs?

Is it worth waiting 24hr before taking him to the vets?

 

[eingana]

Hi, and welcome to DogForum

Yes, puppies can get stomach bugs including some of the same ones that we get, but if this has been going on since last Tuesday then it's either a tummy bug now and a food/situational reaction before, or vice versa, as normal bugs don't tend to last that long. It could all be explained by an allergy/reaction or it could be something more complicated like a more serious infection or parasite. If he's not picking up by the morning then I'd get him to the vet tomorrow.

As long as they are a decent weight, treatment for sickness starts with 24 hours of starving (but always allowing access to clean water). That gives the stomach the best chance to calm down before trying to eat again, so I'd just lift his tea and not try feeding him at least until the morning.

If he's underweight or shows any sign of dehydration then he needs a vet earlier than 24 hours. If he shows any sign of dehydration that is really an emergency, particularly if he can't keep down water. If he's borderline then I'd get a medicine syringe and syringe feed him some water (how much depends on size and breed) and repeat this if he's bringing that back up or his dehydration signs don't pass. If there's no sign of improvement in a few hours then the vet is the next step.

Is your pup vaccinated? If not then you need to know that some of the more dangerous diseases can manifest themselves starting with vomiting, so if he's not vaccinated he needs a vet tomorrow.

if you don't know how to check for dehydration, there's a pretty good list of things to check here:

http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-if-a-Dog-Is-Dehydrated

I'd recommend learning how to check skin tenting and knowing what healthy gums look like to all pet owners.

I hope he picks up overnight and is bright and breezy tomorrow.

 

[gypsysmum]

The thinking has changed on starvation for stomach upsets, particularly in puppies. We are now advised to feed a bland diet such as chicken and rice until things settle down. Some experts are even saying to not change anything at all. Vomiting in a puppy should also be of concern in case they have eaten something that is not passing through. Best, as above, to see the vet sooner rather than later.

 

[lots.nj]

Managed to syringe some water into his mouth to keep him hydrated. After a good night sleep he is back to his normal self annoying our older dog and chasing the cat. Thanks for the advice, you help to put my mind at rest.