All of us who had or have dogs have seen them vomit at some stage. We almost always believe it’s caused by something they’ve eaten. It is generally a one-off situation, however, in some cases, we’ve had to visit a vet. It’s strange when it happens as generally, our pooches relish everything that goes into their mouth, no matter how bad it seems to us. When they do stop vomiting, we’re still left with the question: why is my dog vomiting? In today’s post, we’ll share some of the possible reasons why your dog vomits and when you should be concerned.
It is difficult to decide when to take your dog to the vet. Consultations aren’t very cheap and from our past experience, most times we visit the vet is for something really small and not at all serious. Indeed, it has happened to us umpteen times. When we humans vomit, we know what to do: have a bland diet and rest. It probably would’ve been something that didn’t suit our tummies or we may have caught a mild virus. We can almost apply the same logic for our furry friends, although there is something that slightly differentiates us from them. Something that dogs do and we can’t. Therefore, before worrying, you need to know the difference between vomiting and regurgitation.
Regurgitation is the process when food from the stomach moves up the esophagus into the mouth. Mothers of puppies often regurgitate part of their food after they eat to feed their young ones. The most interesting part is that dogs have a muscle in their esophagus which they can control and helps them regurgitate their food as and when they wish. But this is completely different when compared to vomiting.
Vomiting is a forced contraction of the stomach. This causes partially digested food to be expelled. It is much more violent as it’s not voluntary and usually occurs long after the food is ingested.
Why does my dog vomit?
There are several reasons why a dog vomits, and it is also one of the most common reasons why a dog parent takes their dog to the vet. One of the root cause is a survival instinct, which is innate in dogs. This sometimes makes them quickly eat anything they find, and once ingested, the body decides whether the food is good or not. If it’s bad they get rid of it by throwing up. In fact, dogs are quick to vomit when compared to other species and hence, if a dog vomits, we should not worry too much.
However, it is important to distinguish between acute and chronic vomiting. That is if your dog vomits once or twice on a regular basis or vomits constantly. When your dog vomits sporadically, you don’t need to worry especially if your dog goes on behaving normally after. However, if your dog vomits in short intervals, they are definitely trying to expel something that isn’t suiting their tummy. In this case, if their behavior is normal, it might take a day or two to be fine with the help of a soft diet.
What if my dog has chronic vomiting?
Even if your dog behaves normally, but has been vomiting for more than two days in a row, it is chronic vomiting and it’s time to take your pooch to the vet and ask: why is my dog vomiting? The veterinary clinic will most likely run some tests such as blood tests to check the level of hydration and/or tests to ensure that the organs are fine as some diseases connected with the liver, kidney or pancreas, could be the reason for your dog’s vomiting.
It is also common for the vet to take an X-ray to check for the presence of any foreign body in the intestines. Some dogs tend to eat everything that comes their way, even stones. If after the tests and X-rays nothing has been detected, the vet will prescribe a treatment to calm the heartburn and stop the vomiting reflex. However, if it continues, they will most likely do an endoscopy to detect if it is a more serious problem.
So if your dog vomits and goes on normally, you probably don’t have to worry about anything. However, if not, visit your trusted vet and we’re sure they will help you find out why your dog is vomiting.
What is Gudog?
Gudog is the easiest way to find & book the perfect dog Sitter. Thousands of loving Sitters are ready to care for your dog like family! All bookings come with Veterinary Care & Free Cancellation.
