Symptom guide · Upset Stomach & Diarrhea

A stomach upset in an animal who seems unwell

When the animal itself seems wrong, the vomiting is the least important detail.

Short answer: This is not a home-care situation. A stomach upset in an animal who seems unwell needs a veterinary assessment rather than a natural remedy, and we deliberately do not suggest one for it. This whole presentation is the escalation. There is no home-care version of it.

Our honest read: this one is a veterinary job first. Anything below is supportive at best, and it should not delay an appointment.

Stop and read this first

Go to a vet now if any of these are true

Trying to vomit repeatedly and bringing nothing up, with a swollen, hard, tight belly. In dogs, especially large or deep-chested breeds, this is the picture of a twisted stomach. It is fatal without surgery and it kills in hours. Do not wait, do not give anything by mouth, go now.
Blood in the vomit, or stool that is black and tarry, or obvious fresh blood in the stool. This indicates bleeding somewhere in the gut. It needs to be assessed today, not monitored.
They may have eaten something toxic: chocolate, grapes or raisins, xylitol, antifreeze, rat bait, human medication, cannabis, or a lily if this is a cat. Call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 now. Many of these have a narrow window where treatment works, and some do damage long before the animal looks unwell.
String, thread, tinsel or ribbon hanging from the mouth or the back end. Never pull it. A linear foreign body can saw through the intestine. This is surgical and it is now.
Collapse, cold extremities, pale or white gums, or unresponsiveness. These are signs of shock or serious internal illness regardless of the vomiting. Emergency, immediately.
Vomiting so persistent they cannot keep even water down. Dehydration accelerates fast once nothing stays in. They need fluids from a vet.

See a vet today if any of these are true

This is a cat and they have not eaten anything for 24 hours or more. Cats that stop eating can develop a serious liver condition within a couple of days. Do not wait it out, call your vet.
A distended or painful belly, or a hunched, praying posture with the front end down. That posture is how animals hold themselves when the abdomen hurts. It needs examining today.

Take this to your vet

A vet gets about five minutes of history from you, usually while you are worried and your dog or cat is frightened. Filling this in before you go is the single most useful thing you can do with the next ten minutes. Copy it into a note on your phone, or print it and write on it.

Visit brief

Animal: Dog or cat
Concern: Upset Stomach & Diarrhea
Pattern this page describes: A stomach upset in an animal who seems unwell (an owner-facing description, not a diagnosis)

Fill this in before you go

When it started, and what you were doing at the time
How it has changed since then: better, worse, or the same
What you have already tried, and for how long
Any food, treat, or supplement changed in the last two weeks
Everything they take now, including flea and worm treatment
Eating, drinking, peeing and pooping over the last 24 hours
Their weight now, if you know it

Questions worth asking

Do you want an x-ray or a scan to rule out a blockage, or is watching at home safe tonight?
Are they dehydrated enough to need fluids today?
What exactly should I feed for the next few days, and when do I go back to their normal food?
Should we test a stool sample for parasites or giardia?
If we do nothing today, what specifically should bring me straight back?
Should I stop anything I am giving them right now, including supplements?
What is this likely to cost, and what would you do first if I have to prioritize?

Prepared with the Furemedy symptom guide, furemedy.com. Owner observations only. Not a diagnosis and not veterinary advice.

What this tends to look like

Flat, withdrawn, hiding, or unwilling to get up
Not interested in food, people, or things they normally react to
Possibly shivering, hunched, or unusually quiet
The vomiting or diarrhea may even be mild

What is usually going on

How an animal carries itself is a better indicator of how ill it is than any count of vomits. A dog that has been sick five times and still wants to play is in a different category from one that has been sick once and has taken itself off to a corner. Withdrawal, weakness and hiding are what animals do when they feel genuinely unwell, and in cats especially it is often the only sign you get.

What you can do at home

Call your veterinary practice now, or an emergency hospital if they are closed
Do not give food, home remedies, or any human medication, which can interfere with treatment or cause harm
Do keep water available unless they are actively vomiting it straight back
Check the gums. Pale, white, gray or brick-red instead of healthy pink means go immediately
Write down when it started and what has happened since, then take that with you

When to stop and call your vet

This whole presentation is the escalation. There is no home-care version of it
Do not wait for the morning to see whether it improves

Not quite what you are seeing?

These are the other patterns we cover for upset stomach & diarrhea.

They ate something they should not haveA sudden upset with an obvious dietary cause, in an animal who is otherwise still bright.
Upset after a food changeLoose stool that started within a few days of switching food, in an animal who is otherwise well.
A stomach upset with a stressful triggerLoose stool or a lost appetite that lines up with a clear change in the household or routine.
A stomach upset that keeps coming backA pattern over weeks or months rather than a single episode, which is a different problem.

Natural remedies for dog upset stomach & diarrhea Natural remedies for cat upset stomach & diarrhea

Start the symptom guide again →

Sources and further reading

Furemedy is written by a pet owner, not a veterinarian. The red flags on this page come from the independent professional sources below — check us against them.

Vomiting in DogsMerck Veterinary Manual
Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines in DogsMerck Veterinary Manual
Vomiting in CatsMerck Veterinary Manual
Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines in CatsMerck Veterinary Manual
Animal Poison ControlASPCA