Bienvenidos, Dallas Voice readers! I certainly hope all is well, as it seems we are finally moving towards some sort of normalcy. Today I am discussing the topic of vomiting and diarrhea. How fun, right?
We all feel horrible when we see our babies not feeling well, especially if they have the pukes and the runs at the same time.
First, I want to make a point that “vomiting” may not always be actual vomiting. A dog or cat can be regurgitating or having a productive cough, which many times is confused with vomiting. Another common confusion that I see is that parents may say their baby has diarrhea, but it may be soft stools and not actual liquid diarrhea.
When talking to your veterinary team, it is important to describe what you are seeing as best as possible. You can also consider taking a picture or a video of what you are seeing, which can be helpful in determining what may be going on with your baby.
While it can be normal for a dog or cat to vomit or have soft stools once in a blue moon, it is important to be vigilant.
And if you are concerned, or if your fur baby seems to be not OK, then to take action right away.
Based on age, vomiting and/or diarrhea can be caused by quite a few different things. These causes include the following parvovirus, intestinal parasites, ingestion of foreign material/object, toxicity, congenital disease, organ failure/damage (including liver and kidney disease), pancreatitis, metabolic/systemic diseases like Addison’s disease, inflammatory diseases like IBS, certain bacterial/viral infections, changes in diet/treats or poor quality of food, stress, food allergies, reactions to medications/supplements/vaccines, motion sickness and, sadly, different types of cancer as well.
In order to identify the likely cause of vomiting and/or diarrhea, your veterinarian may recommend tests ranging from very basic to potentially more advanced, based on multiple factors. These tests may include fecal analysis, blood work, radiographs and parvo testing. If warranted, the doctor may also recommend tests like abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy, MRI or CT scan, food allergy testing (or prescription food trial), biopsy or even surgical intervention for exploratory and potential sample collection.
Needless to say, not all tests are applicable to every case, and often only the most basic tests are needed to identify the cause of the problem.
As expected, treatment options vary widely. Sometimes all your fur baby needs is just some injections and medications to go home with. However, there are times that hospitalization and even surgeries may be needed as part of the treatment. Some treatments may be needed long term or even for life. It truly depends on what caused the gastrointestinal disease and the severity of the issue, among other factors.
It is important to remember that while sometimes it may not seem that a couple episodes of vomiting or diarrhea are all that bad, it can certainly be correlated to significant disease — and vice versa, too.
When taking your loved fur baby to your primary doctor or the emergency hospital, make sure you have all the information available for the visit, as this will assist your medical team in finding out the cause of the issue. If your fur baby ingested anything that could have caused the vomiting and/or diarrhea, try to figure out what it was and how much they ingested, and if there is a label, take a picture of the label or bring the container with you to the visit. You may also consider contacting the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435; they are available 24/7.
Prevention is vital in avoiding vomiting and diarrhea with our babies. Always make sure your home is safe for them and make sure they have no access to things they can chew on or swallow that would make them ill. That includes picking up clothes from the floor if your fur baby is known to chew on or swallow fabric. Also beware of exposed electric cords, as some babies (especially kitties) can be tempted to chewing on them.
It is VERY important to avoid taking your puppy to public areas where there are other dogs that may not be fully vaccinated, since puppy vaccines are typically administered every three weeks until they reach four months of age, so they would be susceptible to catching something from an unvaccinated animal.
Unless it is necessary or recommended by your veterinarian, I suggest you avoid changing brands of food or treats cold turkey. And lastly, please understand that people, social media and some breeders or pet store team members may not have the best advice for your babies. Follow your doctor’s recommendations instead.
Let me finish my column this month by wishing all of you a very HAPPY Pride Month. I can only imagine how many people out there are not out and proud for different reasons. If you are reading this, and you are one of them, let me say I personally know how difficult it is to come out and be rejected. I even “lost” my family, just because I am gay.
I cannot hide the reality that there are challenges for us, but do not let these challenges stop you from being who you truly are and loving yourself. We only live once, and we deserve to be happy, even with the struggles. If you need help, seek professional advice. If you are not out and need support, you can always reach out to me, and I can at least share with you my struggles and how I overcame them.
Do not give up, and be PROUD of who you are!
Thank you all for taking your time to read my monthly column! Abrazos!
Dr. Josh owns Isla Veterinary Boutique Hospital, 14380 Marsh Lane, Ste. 110 in Addison (next to Tom Thumb). Call him at 972-738-1111 or visit IslaVet.com.
