Ask Dr Fiona

I have an 11 week old Labrador puppy. Last night she was vomiting through the night and this morning she is very lethargic and tired. Should I be concerned?

It is concerning that your puppy is lethargic and tired. Puppies can become dehydrated very quickly when they are vomiting (and/or have diarrhoea).

Possible causes include a gastrointestinal obstruction (something is stuck along the gastrointestinal tract such as a partially chewed toy), a dietary indiscretion (change in diet/eating something she shouldn’t), parasitic infection or a bacterial or viral infection

Rather than wait and see if the vomiting persists, it is best to arrange a check- up with a veterinarian. This will allow a veterinarian to examine your puppy for other symptoms such as abdominal pain and fever.

Your puppy may require further tests such as blood tests and abdominal imaging such as x-rays or an ultrasound.

If you’d like to chat in person, you can get a vet within minutes on a live video call or start a text chat to discuss in more detail.

We’re here to help!

Chat soon,
Dr Fi