Is Your Dog Vomiting?

Dog vomiting is a symptom of a lot of different dog diseases.
As a dog owner you need to know when to seek veterinary help to avoid dehydration and severe complications.

Frequency and Type of Vomiting in Dogs
One-off Episode
Repeated Episodes
Regurgitation of Food
Vomiting Bile and Froth
Vomiting Blood

It is important to identify and eliminate causing factors.

Therefore, diagnostic tests are carried out for crucial information about function of inner organs.

X-rays help to identify blockages anywhere in the digestive system.

Dehydration can make your pet very ill and can affect all other organs and cause shock. Depending on the grade of dehydration your sick dog will need oral or IV fluid therapy and hospitalization.

One-Off Episode

A short, one-time episode is usually self-limiting and disappears again without needing further medical attention. Carnivores do suffer quite often from an upset digestive system and medicate themselves instinctively through ingestion grass to make themselves sick.

Causes are usually of dietary origin:

• Feeding a new diet without an introductionary phase
• Too big of an amount of food eaten at once
• Ingestion of poor quality or spoiled feed.

Management of this type of dog vomiting is straightforward and usually does not require professional interference:

• 24 -48 hour starvation with fresh water ad lib.
• cautious reintroduction to the normal diet. Give first small amounts of feed 3 -4 times during the day.

Repeated Episodes of Dog Sickness

Medication
Antacids
Anti-vomiting drugs
Antibiotics
Fluid therapy

Your veterinarian will examine and identify the underlying problem(s) and determine an individual medication for your dog.

She or he might administer injectable drugs, such as antacids, antiemetics (anti-vomiting meds), antibiotics and fluid therapy.

Intestinal Blockages

Intestinal blockages can be caused, for example, by massive worm infestation, swallowed foreign bodies, ileus and bloat and twist of the dog's stomach.

Infestation with roundworms (look like spaghetti) are a cause of repeated dog sickness. Your vet needs to prescribe a worming schedule with an effective worming drug. In case of massive worm count careful monitored de-worming is required as there is an increased risk of intestinal blockage through formation of "worm balls"

In this case avoid home remedies and supermarket products. Their effectiveness is questionable if clinical signs of worm infestation are already present.

Blood or Coffee-ground-like Vomit

Blood stained vomit or black, coffee-ground-like, tiny pieces in the stomach content indicates bleeding or ulceration of the esophagus and/or stomach wall and needs to be investigated as soon as possible. Your dog will be in much discomfort or distress. Stomach ulcers do hurt.

First Aid Treatment:

• Immediate starvation
• Give cubes/ pieces of frozen drinking water to try to stop bleeding
• Controlled water intake
• Seek veterinary help the same day

Other reasons for vomiting in dogs include:

• Drug intolerance
• Poisoning
• Pharyngitis
• Tonsilitis
• Pyometra (pussy inflammation of the womb)
• Diseases like diabetes, pancreatitis, liver problems, kidney diseases, gastritis, gastro-enteritis, tumors, cancer and different neurologic problems.

What kind of Diagnostic Tests will be carried out most likely?

Diagnostic tests for the investigation of sickness in dogs include usually a blood screen with biochemistry, haematology and electrolytes. X-rays of the abdomen, urine- and faeces samples give further important clues.

In some cases a diagnostic laparatomy (investigation of the abdominal cavity and organs directly via surgery under a general anaesthesia) needs to be carried out.

In the case of dehydration and electrolyitc imbalances your sick dog will require hospitalization and intravenous fluid therapy.

If your dog vomits constantly and stopped passing faeces, he /she is highly suspicious to have an intestinal obstruction or blockage.

Ingested foreign bodies are often the reason for this problem. Especially young dogs seem to swallow items, like stones, peach stones, balls and toys, wooden pieces or bone pieces etc.

In this case veterinary investigation should not be delayed, because severe complications can be fatal. Your dog might be lucky and passes it without further problems.
Be prepared for abdominal surgery.