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Urgent care is for pets who are unwell, in discomfort, are in urgent situation or are not acting like themselves and should be assessed within 24 hours.
Wellness, routine, or general care is for pets needing vaccines, preventive care, or ongoing monitoring who can safely wait at least 24 hours.
This page focuses on urgent assessment. Routine wellness exams, preventive care, and monitoring of stable conditions are provided through scheduled general wellness appointments.
Dog or Cat Vomiting and Diarrhea at the Same Time
Vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats can range from mild and self-limiting to life-threatening, depending on the underlying cause, the speed of fluid loss, and whether internal disease, infection, obstruction, bleeding, or toxin exposure is involved.
Definition
Vomiting and diarrhea are clinical signs, not diagnoses. They describe abnormal loss of stomach or intestinal contents but do not explain why it is happening.
These signs occur when the gastrointestinal tract is irritated, inflamed, infected, obstructed, bleeding, or affected by disease elsewhere in the body. Problems outside the gut — such as pancreas, liver, kidneys, endocrine disease, or toxins — can trigger vomiting and diarrhea even when the intestines themselves are not the primary issue.
In dogs and cats, vomiting and diarrhea are among the most common reasons pets are brought to urgent care, because outward appearance alone does not reliably indicate severity.
Who This Page Is For
• Dogs or cats vomiting and having diarrhea at the same time
• Pets with repeated vomiting, loose stool, or sudden onset GI upset
• Pets with vomiting or diarrhea plus lethargy, weakness, pain, or appetite loss
• Puppies or kittens with diarrhea or vomiting
• Pets with diarrhea that is worsening, persistent, or abnormal in color or odor
Who This Page Is Not For
• A pet who had a single soft stool or brief stomach upset that resolved completely and returned fully to normal
If you are unsure whether this is significant, that uncertainty itself warrants veterinary assessment.
Related Urgent Symptoms
• Dog Vomiting
• Dog Diarrhea
• Diarrhea in Dogs & Cats
• Bloody Diarrhea or Blood in Stool in Dogs & Cats
• Dog Not Eating
• Cat Not Eating
• Dog Lethargic and Weak
• Cat Lethargic and Weak
What This Can Look Like at Home
Vomiting and diarrhea may appear suddenly or progress over hours to days. Some pets seem only mildly affected at first, while others decline quickly.
Common observations at home include:
• Repeated vomiting or retching
• Loose, watery, or frequent stools
• Straining or urgency to defecate
• Accidents in the house or litter box
• Reduced appetite or refusal to eat
• Quiet behavior, hiding, or restlessness
Why This Can Be Hard to Judge
Vomiting and diarrhea can be misleading because early signs often look mild even when internal disease is serious. Some pets continue to drink water, wag their tail, or appear “mostly normal” despite dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, infection, or intestinal injury.
Clinical signs are often subtle or masked at home, especially in cats, small dogs, and younger animals. The body can temporarily compensate before suddenly decompensating, which is why delay can be risky even when symptoms seem manageable.
The Improvement Trap
Temporary improvement does not equal resolution.
Many dogs and cats with vomiting and diarrhea appear to improve briefly — they may stop vomiting, pass stool, or seem brighter for a few hours. This often gives false reassurance and delays care.
Serious conditions such as intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, infection, internal bleeding, or metabolic disease can fluctuate before worsening again. It is common for vomiting to stop while dangerous dehydration or electrolyte imbalance continues silently.
If signs return, linger, or change — that pattern alone is a reason for same-day assessment.
What Is Easy to Miss at Home
• Dehydration even though your pet is still drinking
• Abdominal pain (tensing, stretching, hunched posture, guarding)
• Reduced urine output
• Pale or tacky gums
• Weakness or reluctance to stand or walk
• Small streaks of blood or dark discoloration in stool
• Quiet behavior mistaken for “resting”
These subtle changes often signal systemic illness, not just an upset stomach, and are commonly underestimated at home.
When This Can Be an Emergency
Vomiting and diarrhea should be treated as urgent and warrant same-day veterinary assessment if any of the following are present:
• Repeated vomiting or inability to keep water down
• Blood in vomit or stool, or black/tarry stool
• Marked lethargy, weakness, or collapse
• Abdominal pain, bloating, or a tense abdomen
• Pale gums or signs of shock
• Vomiting and diarrhea in puppies or kittens
• Known or possible toxin exposure
• Suspected foreign body ingestion
• Vomiting and diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours
• Any worsening after seeming to improve
Waiting in these situations can allow rapid deterioration.
How Veterinarians Assess This
Clinical signs alone cannot reliably determine severity.
Vomiting and diarrhea that look identical at home can represent very different internal diseases, ranging from mild irritation to life-threatening conditions. Diagnostic testing is how veterinarians remove uncertainty and determine urgency.
Diagnostic testing may include:
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) to assess infection, inflammation, anemia, and dehydration
• Serum Chemistry Panel to evaluate liver, kidneys, proteins, and metabolic stress
• Electrolyte Testing to detect imbalances that can cause weakness, collapse, or heart rhythm problems
• Blood Glucose Testing to rule out hypoglycemia or metabolic disease
• Fecal Analysis to identify parasites, infection, or hemorrhagic disease
• Pancreatic Testing to assess for pancreatitis
• Abdominal X-rays to evaluate for obstruction, foreign material, or abnormal gas patterns
• Abdominal Ultrasound to assess intestinal integrity, pancreas, organs, and free fluid
Additional disease-specific testing (such as infectious disease screening, endocrine testing, advanced imaging, or exploratory procedures) may be considered based on the overall clinical picture.
Testing is what determines whether this is safe to monitor or requires immediate treatment.
Veterinary Differentials - Serious / Must-Rule-Out First
• Gastrointestinal foreign body or obstruction, where swallowed material blocks normal movement of food and fluid and can become life-threatening. Tests may include abdominal X-rays, abdominal ultrasound, bloodwork.
• Acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome, a severe inflammatory condition that can cause rapid dehydration, shock, and collapse.
Tests may include CBC, serum chemistry, fecal testing, electrolyte testing.
• Pancreatitis, where pancreatic inflammation causes significant pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and systemic illness.
Tests may include pancreatic testing, serum chemistry, abdominal ultrasound.
• Gastrointestinal ulceration or bleeding, leading to blood loss and weakness.
Tests may include CBC, chemistry panel, fecal testing, imaging.
• Sepsis or systemic infection, where gut disease triggers whole-body inflammation.
Tests may include CBC, chemistry panel, electrolytes, imaging.
• Intestinal perforation or peritonitis, a medical emergency requiring immediate care.
Tests may include abdominal ultrasound, bloodwork, imaging.
Veterinary Differentials - Common / More Typical
• Dietary indiscretion, where sudden food changes or scavenging irritate the gut.
Tests may include fecal testing, bloodwork.
• Gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach and intestines from infection or irritation.
Tests may include CBC, chemistry panel, fecal testing.
• Intestinal parasites, especially in puppies, kittens, or outdoor pets.
Tests may include fecal analysis, bloodwork.
• Stress-related colitis, where stress alters bowel function.
Tests may include fecal testing, bloodwork.
• Adverse food reaction, where specific ingredients trigger GI upset.
Tests may include bloodwork, fecal testing.
Safety, Psychology, & Peace of Mind
Vomiting and diarrhea are frightening because they are common — yet some of the most critical cases start exactly the same way as mild ones.
Waiting feels safer than acting, but delay can allow dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, obstruction, or infection to progress unnoticed. Assessment replaces guessing with clarity.
Most owners feel relief once severity is defined, even if treatment is required, because they know they acted at the right time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is vomiting and diarrhea an emergency for dogs or cats?
Vomiting and diarrhea can range from mild to serious, depending on the underlying cause. Because outward appearance does not reliably indicate internal severity, vomiting and diarrhea are treated as urgent clinical signs. Same-day urgent care is recommended, especially when episodes are recurring, worsening, or accompanied by weakness, lethargy, or other changes.
My pet seems normal now — can this still be serious?
Yes. Pets often hide illness, and vomiting and diarrhea may temporarily improve even while the underlying problem persists. Apparent normal behavior does not reliably reflect internal stability, which is why veterinary assessment is appropriate even when signs appear mild or short-lived.
What if it only happened once or seems mild?
Even a single episode of vomiting and diarrhea can be clinically meaningful. Temporary improvement does not equal resolution, and waiting to see if it happens again can delay diagnosis of more serious conditions. Early assessment helps determine whether this is self-limiting or progressing.
Why are tests needed if we already see the symptoms?
Clinical signs alone cannot determine severity or cause. Vomiting and diarrhea can look identical while representing very different internal diseases. Diagnostic testing replaces guesswork with clarity and allows veterinarians to identify risk and guide appropriate care.
What should I do right now?
Do not rely on watchful waiting. Vomiting and diarrhea warrant veterinary assessment, particularly if signs are persistent, worsening, or associated with lethargy, pain, weakness, blood, or uncertainty. Same-day urgent care helps reduce risk and determine next steps.