Vomiting and Diarrhea: Do i need to go to the vet?

VOMITING AND DIARRHEA ARE A VERY COMMON SYMPTOM THAT ANIMALS PRESENT WITH. VOMITING AND DIARRHEA CAN BE CHRONIC (4 OR MORE DAYS) OR ACUTE.  HERE ARE SOME VERY IMPORTANT WARNING SIGNS THAT MUST BE INVESTIGATED AS THEY MAY MEAN VERY SERIOUS GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS. IF YOU NOTICE THESE SIGNS PLEASE CALL OUR HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. 



WARNING SIGNS:

CHRONIC, FREQUENT VOMITING, REGURGITATION OR DIARRHEA
EVIDENCE OF SHOCK - WEAK PULSE, PROLONGED CAPILLARY REFILL TIME
DEPRESSION OR PERSISTENT DIARRHEA
WEIGHTLOSS, DEHYDRATION OR WEAKNESS
YELLOW, PALE OR CONGESTED MUCOUS MEMBRANES
DIGESTED BLOOD ( COFFEE GROUND) IN THE VOMIT
LARGE MALODEROUS VOMIT WHILE FOOD IS WITH HELD
VOMITING FOOD GREATER THAN 6-12 HOURS AFTER INGESTION (DELAYED GASTRIC EMPTYING)
ABDOMINAL PAIN OR DISTENSTION
MELAENA ( BLACK OR TARRY STOOLS
STRAINING TO HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT
BLOOD IN THE STOOLS
CONSTIPATION

THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL BREED PREDISPOSITION TO GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS SUCH AS:

BOXERS - CANCER, COLITIS
COCKER SPANIALS - CHRONIC HEPATITIS
DOBERMANS - PARVOVIRUS, HEPATITIS
GERMAN SHEPERDS -PANCREATIC INSUFFICENCY, IBD, MEGAEOSOPHAGUS
LARGE BREEDS - TWISTED STOMACHS (GASTRIC DILATATION VOLVULUS)
ROTTWEILER - PARVOVIRUS

THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES

THOUGH PHYSICAL EXAM AND HISTORY IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ESTABLISHING A DIAGNOSIS FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS NEEDED SUCH AS:

BLOOD WORK
RADIOGRAPHS
BARIUM STUDIES
ULTRASOUND
FECAL EXAMINATION
ACTH STIMULATION TEST
LIVER FUNCTION TEST
ENDOSCOPY
EXPLORATORY SURGERY
TOXICOLOGY
ANA TESTING


        All of these services can be provided at COombs veterinary Hospital


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