When your pets are dealing with diarrhea and vomiting, it’s easy to feel helpless, especially if your vet is already closed. Today, we’ll give you some tips on what you should and should not do in this heartbreaking situation.
First things first – remove all food and water from your pet’s reach and check for signs of dehydration.
Signs of dehydration:
- Dry mouth, tongue, and gums
- Eyes sunken into their sockets
- The skin turgor test – pull the skin of your pet back and see how quickly it returns to form. If the skin does not return back to normal position, contact a veterinarian immediately.
If diarrhea and vomiting persist, it’s time to call a veterinarian. If your vet is closed, call us! If removing food and water works, monitor your pet closely. If you make it to eight hours without a flare up, start giving your pet small amounts of clear liquids like water, Gatorade, or Pedialyte in the amount of 1 teaspoon per pound of body weight every 2 or 3 hours. Be sure to also isolate the sick pet from your other pets at home. If either diarrhea of vomiting persists, get to a veterinarian immediately.
Stay away from giving your pets any medicine that has not been prescribed for this exact situation from your veterinarian. Be sure to keep all food and water from your pet until either diarrhea or vomiting has completely stopped for a period of six to eight hours.
Both diarrhea and vomiting are referred to as gastroenteritis, and can result from anything as small as a certain food not agreeing with them to food poisoning.
If your pet is experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis, it’s best to get ahold of your veterinarian immediately. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact us immediately.