Few alarms are as effective as that hacking sound coming from the foot of your bed. You leap up, wiping the crust from your eyes, and springing to move Fido from the carpet before he empties his stomach all over the floor. There are a wide number of reasons why your dog may be vomiting, ranging from simple indigestion to more serious illnesses. Here at Acoma Animal Clinic we want to give you the info you’re searching for in an emergency.
Before we go much further, it’s important to make a distinction between vomiting and regurgitating. Regurgitation is preceded by difficulty breathing and/or coughing before your dog then expels undigested foods. If your dog has thrown up and it looks a whole lot like their undigested kibble, then it is likely just regurgitation and nothing to be too worried about.
Vomiting, however is regurgitations much more unpleasant and aggressive older brother. Your dog may be drooling, retching or experiencing abdominal contractions, much like the symptoms humans experience. This is all to get the contents of their stomachs emptied.
Occasionally that vomit is bile, or colorless liquid that can enter the stomach. This can be caused from a long time between eating and will go away with food and water, but it can sure be scary. It is still something to make note of and if it continues to occur bring up with your vet.
See the Vet!
Get your dog in to see your vet if your pet is vomiting more than once a day, if the vomiting continues past day one, or is accompanied by any of the following symptoms: diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, lethargy, any blood in the vomit, changes in frequency of thirst or need to urinate. Contact us right away to get your pet the care they need.
Possible Reasons for Dog Vomiting
Sever and sudden (acute) spurts of vomiting can be caused by any of the follow, and they vary in severity.
- Dietary causes. Changes in food, or ingesting trash.
- Post-operative nausea (if your pet hasn’t had a recent surgery then this surely isn’t the cause)
- Car sickness happens to pups too!
- Bacterial or viral infections
- Foreign objects (bones, chewables, toys, all the sort of things dogs can swallow)
- Intestinal parasites
- Acute kidney or liver failure
- An inflamed gall bladder
- Pancreatitis
- Ingesting toxic substances
- Some medications can leave a pet feeling nauseous.
- Bloat
- Heatstroke
- Infected uterus
Obviously, kidney and liver failure are serious and will need care right away, but carsickness is much less so. The only way to really know what is wrong with your dog and causing the vomiting is to visit a vet straight away. If by close observation you can discount certain causes then it will make it easier for you and your vet to come to an understanding of what is making your pooch sick.
The same as with your own health, with proactive care and observation on your part, your vet will be better equipped to accurately and swiftly treat your furry friend.
