An Australian Shepherd throwing up and simultaneously having diarrhea is not a good sign. Australian Shepherds sometimes throw up blood, white foam, yellow form, bile, mucus, or after eating and drinking.
But with diarrhea, it’s unusual. So, why throw up with diarrhea?
We’ll cover why an Australian Shepherd diarrhea and vomiting happens and how you can help your dog.
Australian Shepherd Diarrhea And Vomiting: Why It Happens
Australian Shepherd diarrhea and vomiting often occurs because of an upset stomach due to inflammation or irritation caused by their diet or a health condition.
The health conditions and situations that may cause an Australian Shepherd to diarrhea and throw up include:
- A sudden change of diet
- Food intolerance or allergy
- Gastrointestinal infections ( viruses and bacteria)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Ingestion of toxins
- Stress
- Gastrointestinal obstruction
- Intestinal parasites
- Dietary indiscretion (eating what they are not supposed to eat)
- Pancreatitis
- A reaction to a medication
What To Do
When your Australian Shepherd is having diarrhea alongside vomiting, and if there is no blood in the vomit or stool, the first action is to monitor them at home.
Withhold feeding them for 24 hours to allow their stomach to settle down and heal. During this time, only provide them with clean drinking water.
If there is continual vomiting and/or diarrhea, seek medical attention within 8 -12 hours after the onset of the vomiting and diarrhea.
And if vomiting and diarrhea reduce after 24 hours, introduce a bland diet consisting of boiled white rice with boiled chicken. If after eating they still have diarrhea and vomit, contact your veterinarian.
Immediately contact your veterinarian when you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Blood in the vomit or stool
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Signs of dehydration (dry gums)
An Australian Shepherd also produces vomit with different consistencies and colors. These vomit types can give you an idea of what could be the cause of the vomiting, however, this does not give a complete diagnosis.
To learn more about the different Australian Shepherd vomit types and the possible causes the below guides provide a comprehensive explanation of each:
- Australian Shepherd throwing up clear liquid: what it means and how to help
Australian Shepherd throwing up blood: Why and what you need do
- Australian Shepherd throwing up mucus: Read before you panic
- Australian Shepherd throwing up white foam: Reasons why and what to do
Treatment
The severity of throwing up and diarrhea depends on the length of time and presentation of other symptoms which indicates a serious health condition as the underlying cause.
Throwing up with diarrhea most of the time is due to an upset stomach and the symptoms pass after the initial treatment with bland food.
In some cases, the situation takes a turn and an Aussie may continue vomiting and having diarrhea after 24 hours of monitoring their condition.
In this case, medical attention by a veterinarian is required. Diarrhea and vomiting cause a dog to lose water and electrolytes which leads to severe dehydration, which is life-threatening.
The initial treatment consists of the provision of anti-nausea medication to stop the vomiting, pain relief medication in case of abdominal pain, and antacids.
If an Aussie is dehydrated, intravenous fluids are provided for rehydration and replacement of lost electrolytes.
The treatment provided also depends on the results of the tests conducted to determine the underlying cause of the vomiting.
How To Prevent an Australian Shepherd Diarrhea and Vomiting
There are preventive measures to prevent an Australian Shepherd from having diarrhea and throwing up. This includes:
Slow transition to a new diet
Diarrhea and vomiting are usually due to a sudden change in their diet, which leads to stomach upset because an Australian Shepherd’s stomach has not adjusted to the new food.
To prevent this from happening, always consult with your veterinarian on any diet change and introduce a new diet or food slowly for 5-7 days to allow your dog’s stomach to adjust to the new food.
This can be done by mixing the new food in small amounts into the current food and gradually fully replacing the current diet.
Also, monitor your dog’s diet to observe whether diarrhea and vomiting are due to their current diet. In most cases, diarrhea is triggered by an Australian Shepherd’s diet.
Some diets contain ingredients that may cause indigestion, food intolerance, or allergy. With the help of your veterinarian, you can identify the diet as a problem and be able to change their diet.
Stress management
Throwing up and diarrhea due to stress can be prevented by relieving your Australian Shepherd from stress triggers, which will calm them down. Stress triggers include a change in their routine, meeting new people, or being in a new home.
Other methods to relieve stress include exercise, stress management training, and music therapy. These will help an Australian Shepherd to manage stress better.
Keep up with routine check-ups
When health conditions are discovered early, they can be treated and/or managed which prevents an Aussie from developing conditions that can result in vomiting and diarrhea.
Therefore routine health checkups are important to allow your veterinarian to examine your dog to ensure they are healthy and continue to thrive.
Prevent access to toxins
Ingestion of household products such as cleaning products, antifreeze, or garden chemicals causes throwing up and diarrhea.
These products are potential toxins to your Australian Shepherd and should be securely kept away to prevent your dog from accessing them.
Takeaway
An Australian Shepherd throwing up and having diarrhea is concerning to any Aussie parent. These two symptoms can quickly dehydrate a dog which can be fatal.
Vomiting and diarrhea can be due to underlying health conditions especially if other symptoms are also present. If your Australian Shepherd has other symptoms, and vomiting or diarrhea is continuous, always seek medical attention.
There are also ways you can put in place to prevent your Australian Shepherd from throwing up and suffering from diarrhea.
By following the tips discussed above, such as keeping an eye on what your dog eats, managing stress, or preventing access to household products, you can prevent vomiting and diarrhea from occurring.