What to do if my pet has a Tummy Upset

Vomiting and diarrhoea is very common in pets when they eat something they shouldn't, or sometimes even when they try a new food they are not used to. This is called gastroenteritis and often clears up within 24-48 hours. It’s important to keep a vomiting pet hydrated. 

Step 1: It is recommended to not feed your dog/cat for 6-8 hours after vomiting to give the stomach a break and help reduce any inflammation and irritation of the stomach. However if your pet is a puppy or kitten you should not restrict food for so long. 

Step 2: Continue to encourage them to drink water little and often throughout the day, you can also offer then veterinary hydration fluids with electrolytes. 

Step 3: When you start feeding your dog/cat again, we recommend feeding small portions of a bland food such as boiled chicken breast, or scrambled eggs or a veterinary gastrointestinal food. Start by feeding them 2 small spoons of food and then monitor for a few hours, if there is no more vomiting and they are still hungry you can offer them another small amount. At the next meal you can offer a bigger food portion of bland food mixed with a small portion of their usual food and over time gradually switching to their usual food, always observing for further vomiting. 

Step 4: If your dog/cat has developed diarrhoea also, then we recommend also adding a probiotic paste to help resolve the diarrhea as soon as possible. 

When to contact your vet: 
- If your pet continues to vomit more than 3 times throughout the day despite having stopped food or if they are not able to keep water down. 
- If they appear tired and uninterested in interacting with you.
- If they showing signs of pain - they appear unsettled, cannot rest, constantly panting..
- If they are retching without producing any vomit.
- If they are vomiting blood or having diarrhoea with large amounts of blood.