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My dog has diarrhea, vomiting, and ear scratching. Should I see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

My dog vomited yesterday one time & had loose stool. Overnight I woke up to him having explosive diarrhea. Still loose stools. Eating & drinking like normal. Should I just watch him again tonight & see how he does in the morning? He is also constantly shaking his head & scratching his ears.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on February 16th, 2017

As long as Scout is bright, alert and eating, you can try to manage the GI signs at home. Fast him for 24 hours to give his GI tract a rest. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts. If he doesn't vomit, feed until the stool is normal before transitioning slowly to his regular diet. If he vomits or if the diarrhea does not resolve, see your veterinarian. If he develops lethargy or loses his appetite, see your vet. The head shaking and scratching at his ears may indicate ear infection. Scout may end up seeing the veterinarian regardless. An ear swab can be examined to diagnose yeast or bacterial infection in his ears.

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    Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Poor guy. It sounds like Scout may have intestinal parasites or an upset stomach from something he ate. Normally I would recommend trying a bland diet for the next 24 hrs to see how he does. Also adding 1-2 tsp of canned pumpkin (not the filling) adds fiber and helps solidify his stools some. However he also has signs of a possible war infection, which won't go away without prescription medicine from the vet, so it's best just to take him in for treatment. The vet can run a fecal exam to check for parasites and also treat the ear for a possible infection. I hope your Scout gets better soon!

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