Help - dog sitting, dog has diarrhoea

[JoyOdell123]

I’ve been up every fucking hour to let the dog out, she is doing very runny poo. Must be at least four times since 11 pm.

do I call a vet tomorrow?

Do you know if the dog is up-to date with their vaccinations ? I take it you know where their vet paper work is ? It's good that dog is going outside and not messing where they stand . Have they eaten at all today ? Still got an appetite ? Drunk any water today , still drinking ? Been playful ,wanting to for walks ?

If you're pet sitting the owner should have left vet details for you and should either pay remotely or reimburse you any costs.
It does sound as if a vet's going to be needed. Sorry I cat sit not dog sit but if I had a poorly cat yes I'd be taking them to their vets.
Can you contact the owner?
Do you think the dog could have picked up and eaten anything weird? Have they been off lead on walks rummaging in anything?

Went on a short walk, is quite normal behaviour wise, ate a bit of dinner and has done lots of wee and drinking water.

hasn’t been off lead or eaten anything weird

I would wait and see what dog is like tomorrow but try to find out about vaccinations , you don't say anything about vomiting ? I would be concerned if dog was vomiting too. Most likely just a stomach bug .

I wouldn't personally go to the vet just for a runny tum unless the dog is obviously unwell. Maybe do chicken and rice for a couple of days if possible. Hopefully it's just 'one of those things' and dog will be fine today. We get runny tums for no reason on occasions and so do dogs. Of course, it's easy for me to say when it's my own dogs and I'm not looking after someone else's!

Is the dog used to owners going away? Could be stress due to that

As it's not your dog you need to speak to the owner and ask them what they want you to do - you can't make any decisions for them.

If mine I would skip a couple of meals (they’ll survive!) before reintroducing plain chicken & rice- small amounts of Chappie are what vets have recommended to me before. And keep plenty drinking water available.
Give the owners a heads up though.?

I would contact the owner and then put dog on a bland diet of chicken/fish and rice and if you can get some plain tinned pumpkin to add to each meal that should really help, feed this for a few days. It might be due to being in different surroundings, missing owners or just an upset tummy.

I wouldnt go to the vet for just a runny bum unless obviously unwell too and I wouldn't feed chicken and rice either as a lot of dogs can't actually tolerate chicken as like mine it makes them worse. Speak to the owner, they are best to advise

I've never taken mine for that, ut usually rights itself, just like it does in humans.

I'd ask the owner what they want to do. Personally I wouldn't go for the vet for that unless they were listless, not drinking etc. The fact that they're getting up to go out is a good sign I reckon.

How's doggo doing OP? Did you get any sleep?

We had a five hour break but as soon as went outside another runny one. Will just lay off the food today and see how it goes.

This.

If you sitting my dog and this happened, I'd expect to be contacted.

I would feed it a little bit of food it might be hungry and contact the owner.

Thanks all

Please contact the owner. They need to be the one to make any decisions even if that decision is just "wait and see".

funnily enough my dog was the same yesterday, out every hour, scratching at the back door, couldn't settle. He was Ok overnight and is fine today.

I would not take to the vet unless it went on for a couple of days. Just calm reassurance, plenty of access to water, small amount of food if he is hungry and monitor. Take to vet if listless, not drinking, or in anyway appears worse.

I expect it is stress. If I was away I would expect the dog sitter to phone me, and then I would say to them what I have just written above (and apologize to them for the stress of having a sick dog)

What does he eat? If it's raw, it could be an issue with the food. Just a thought.

Definitely ask the owner. I'm surprised no one has mentioned (or I've missed) probiotics for dogs- you can get them in big pet shops and for dogs like mine with sensitive tummies often a couple of doses of the probiotics can sort it out. You can buy these without a prescription but obviously ask the owner and follow the instructions on the probiotics if you buy them!
I also would feed my dog on plain food like scrambled egg or dry toast/plain rice for a while, but the owner should tell you what plain food suits their dog.

I'd ask the owner what they want you to do but I wouldn't go to the vet yet. Dogs get an upset stomach sometimes, usually they've eaten something they shouldn't, overeaten or for no apparent reason. It normally only lasts a day or so and they're back to normal.

Don't feed her today but plenty of water and then tomorrow feed her plain chicken and boiled white rice with a hard boiled egg chopped into it. Should bind her up a bit and firm up her poos. Our used to get the shits when stressed, it's probably just because her owners are away. Exercise her too, walk her legs off, it'll get her bowels moving and clear her out a bit.

I find all these - plain food/ chicken and rice etc posts interesting.

My dog does tend to have a bit of a sensitive stomach, he is always better on his regular food than trying to swap in any plain/alternative foods. They will just give him more loose poos because of the change of diet.

So talk to the owner

@steppemum, it's standard vet advice when dogs have had a stomach upset