Dog Vomiting - What Is The Cause And Suggested Treatment For Vomiting In Dogs?

Your dog's vomiting can be the result of a wide variety of causes.

Vomiting is an excruciating experience for your dog and is certainly a worrisome issue for you. Where the pain is originating from is not the easiest issue to identify - but that's what we need to determine in order to put a stop to the throwing up.

If Only Our Dogs Could Tell Us What The Problem Is dog vomiting

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What Causes Your Dog To Vomit?

There can be several common reasons for his/her current upset stomach. Did you recently switch his dog food to an entirely different kind? The quick transition may have been too abrupt for his system, especially if he was used to eating the old kibble for a long period of time. You should gradually introduce a new diet by mixing the new food in with the old.

Do you have a large breed dog that is growing very rapidly? Often dogs in this situation vomit up stomach vile in the morning because they are hungry and their bodies are developing faster than their meals can keep up with.

Did he manage to get himself into any food scraps that are toxic to dogs such as grapes, raisons, chocolate, avocados, baby food, alcohol, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, onions, or coffee?

Extreme food allergies have been known to cause bellyaches. Was he recently gnawing on a bone or cheap toy that crumbled and could have become lodged in his throat? Any of these reasons could explain his vomiting (throwing up).

Examine the intensity and consistency of your dog's vomit (sound gross I agree!). Has he been projectile vomiting? This force could mean a foreign object is stuck inside him and his body is working to get it out immediately. Does the substance have an obvious food appearance in it? This is most likely due to him eating a food that is toxic or spoiled. Is his vomit frothy and foamy? He could just have an upset stomach from a switch of diet or stress due to some new changes in his life.

Dogs eat grass to induce vomiting. Grass serves as nature's remedy for this purpose. If you see your dog consuming abnormal amounts of grass then he has a bellyache - but don't expect the grass to cure everything.

Treatment For Dog Vomiting

You should fast your adult dog for 12-24 hours after you notice him vomiting. If you have a puppy then the fast should not go on for so long due to his smaller body. This will give his stomach a rest and increase his ability to regulate his digestive system. Small amounts of water are ok. Keeping ice cubes in a bowl will provide him with a constant amount of water as they melt throughout the day.

At the end of the fast you can offer him a small bland diet that is 2/3 white rice and 1/3 boiled chicken breast. If he is able to keep the food down then give him another meal 4 hours later. If it looks like he is recovering steadily then you can continue with his normal sized meals on the bland diet for the next couple of days. [google_ad:DOTR_CMS_468x60_InArticle2]

All types of dog vomiting should be a reason for concern, especially if it is a prolonged problem with several different bouts. It is best to take your dog to a vet sooner rather than later. A dog that is vomiting frequently is considered an emergency due to the drastic way vomiting dehydrates the body. If the issue is left neglected then your dog's health is at serious risk.

Dog Throwing Up

The vet may prescribe some Flagyl for your dog to control his vomiting. Flagyl is an antibiotic that kills bacteria and certain parasites. If his condition has drastically weakened in a short amount of time then the vet may inject IV fluids to hydrate him and give his immune system a chance to recover to its normal state.

If you are certain he ingested something poisonous then the vet will induce vomiting. Some people do this at home by using a syringe to shoot 2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide down the dog's throat and then adding 1 teaspoon of salt to the back of their throat. The mix will make him throw up. The vet has a quicker prescription drug for this purpose that is actually dropped in the eye called Apomorphine. One drop will make him expel the toxic food. If done immediately after vomiting, an activated charcoal tablet with 2 teaspoons of water will coat his inner lining and suck out any remaining toxins before the toxins have time to reach his bloodstream.

If he has something lodged in his throat or belly then the vet will feel around to decipher if there is distinct pain in a certain spot on his stomach. If so, x-rays or ultrasounds need to be taken to identify the exact location and shape of the object. Some objects can pass safely but others may need surgery to be removed.

Second to undergoing surgery, the worst-case scenario is that your dog has kidney failure, pancreatitis, peritonitis, a hernia, or stomach cancer. Any of these will result in multiple trips to the vet for various medications to alleviate his suffering.

Vomiting should not be a common experience for your dog if he is in optimal health. If he has been vomiting and has diarrhea at the same time then you should bring him to an emergency hospital right away. This kind of issue should not be treated lightly because of the rapid way it can debilitate your dog's immune system.

Any kind of tummy ache for your little friend should be thoroughly investigated because nobody wants to feel sick longer than they need to.

Some other pages you may be interested in:

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