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My dog is vomiting, has diarrhea, and strains. Is it a blockage?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Shepherd | Male | neutered

Tiki has been committing lately, which I attributed to a duet change, but then he had diarrhea and most recently will strain to deficate but only a small squirt of diarrhea will come out. I suspect a blockage, does that sound correct and how much would treatment cost?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on September 6th, 2017

Vomiting and diarrhea can be seen with an intestinal blockage OR a quick change in diet, but they can also be caused by food allergy, intestinal parasites, gastroenteritis, bacterial or viral infection, IBD, pancreatitis, among others. Dogs with diarrhea will often APPEAR constipated because they have the urge to defecate but there is nothing there to get out. I would recommend that Tikari get checked out by a vet, as dogs with both vomiting and diarrhea can get dehydrated easily. After an exam, the vet may recommend bloodwork, intestinal parasite screening, x-rays or ultrasound. Costs can vary drastically from clinic to clinic, so you might call your clinic ahead of time to inquire about the costs of diagnostics.

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    Answered By Christie Long, DVM

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on April 3rd, 2017

    Clearly the treatments that Panda is receiving are not addressing the true cause of her problems. She needs to be tested for intestinal parasites with a simple fecal test - parasites are a common cause of diarrhea and even vomiting and bloody stool. If there are no parasites, she should have blood work to determine if there is an internal problem, such as liver disease or pancreatitis, that could be causing the diarrhea. Ultimately, additional testing such as an abdominal ultrasound, may be required to find the exact cause. Ultrasound can suggest problems like inflammatory bowel disease.

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