The term “gastroenteritis” implies inflammation of the stomach and intestines.  It is a descriptive term rather than a diagnosis and can be applied to any situation where one of our pets has vomiting and/or diarrhoea.

Some episodes are acute and spontaneously resolve with or without treatment whereas others can last weeks or months.  If gastroenteritis has lasted more than two weeks and there has been no identified cause or prolonged response to treatment, this is referred to as a “chronic” case.