Dogs with a stomach ache may become restless or unusually still, tense their belly, arch their back or take up a so-called praying position, with the front end lowered and the rear end up. Vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite and drooling can occur at the same time, but some dogs mainly show that they do not want to be picked up around the belly.
The cause may lie in the gastrointestinal tract but also in other organs in the abdomen. Foreign objects, inflammation, pancreatic problems and twisted stomach are examples of conditions that can include abdominal pain. The vet assesses the tension of the belly and your dog's circulation, among other things, and then chooses blood tests or imaging based on the findings.
Seek care for obvious or persistent pain, especially if your dog is vomiting, is lethargic, does not want to eat or gets a swollen belly. Severe pain, collapse or repeated unproductive attempts to vomit should be assessed as an emergency.