Ask Dr Claire
I have an 11 week old Labrador puppy. Last night she was vomiting through the night, & this morning she is very lethargic and tired. Should I be concerned?
When puppies get sick regardless of the cause, they can go downhill easily. Vomiting and lethargy are certainly indicators of sickness.
Vomiting is really just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes. In this case, we really need to find the cause of the vomiting so that we can treat your puppy’s problem (not just the symptom). This will help us reach the best treatment plan too.
Some of the underlying causes of vomiting might be:
- Infectious disease (bacteria, viruses, parasites)
- Gut problems (inflammatory bowel disease, tumours, obstructions, food intolerance or food allergies)
- Abdominal or metabolic problems (kidney, liver, pancreatitis, spleen, electrolyte abnormalities, diabetes)
- Direct irritation of the stomach
- A reaction to toxins or other drugs
- Dietary indiscretion (aka what many Lab parents know all too well – they eat anything and everything!)
- Dietary change
A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start, and as soon as possible. If he can’t even keep down water he will dehydrate further, and quickly – he needs help.
We call it fading puppy syndrome and they become progressively dehydrated, get low blood sugar and become cold. Your puppy is still young and needs supportive care and treatment. Better to be safe than sorry with pups.
If you’d like to chat in person, you can get a vet on a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail now.
We’re here to help!
Chat soon,
Dr Claire