Dog vomiting causes and treatment

Reasons why a dog will vomit

If you are a dog parent, you would want to protect your new furry friend from diseases. Dog vomiting is one of the most common concerns pet owners may face. If you notice that your dog is vomiting or feeling nauseous, try to find out what has been fed recently or the day before. It will also be helpful to the vet if you notice the colour of the vomit, frequency of vomiting and when your dog vomited. There are several reasons why your dog may vomit, and this includes parasitism, ingestion of toxins, sudden diet change, viral or bacterial infection

Types of dog vomit and their significance

There are three types of dog vomit, and you can easily identify what type it is by simply looking at it. Look at the table below for more information.

Medical issues related to vomiting

Dog vomiting could also be an indication of a serious underlying medical condition. Make sure you check with your vet if you observe symptoms such as:

• Weakness
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Depression
• Weight loss
• Dehydration
• Vomiting blood

Common causes of dog vomiting

There could be a lot of reasons why your dog is vomiting. Sometimes it might be due to an infection internally or due to external factors. Here are some common reasons why dogs vomit:

• Sudden change in diet
• Constipation
• Drinking polluted water
• Food allergies
• Eating spoiled food
• Intestinal parasites
• Motion sickness after a ride in a car
• Bacterial or Viral Infection

Diagnosis and treatment

Sometimes the answer to why your dog is vomiting might be pretty straightforward as you must have noted it eating something it normally does not eat. But other times, the vet may have to run a few tests to know why the dog is vomiting. The treatment is then modified according to the diagnosis as there is no set treatment plan. Your Vet may administer an anti-nausea or an antacid medicine to your dog to provide interim relief.

Colours of dog vomit

The dog’s vomit’s colour determines a lot of things and also narrows down the causes of vomiting. Given below are the different types of vomits that may help you identify what is wrong with your dog -

• Yellow vomit

  - Your dog may belch yellow vomit when it has an empty stomach and it looks yellow because of the bile in it. Yellow vomit is caused because of acid buildup, reflux or any other substance that may cause nausea to your dog.

• Foamy, white vomit

  - Your dog may belch a foamy white vomit due to a build-up of stomach acid. The foam appears because the vomit splashes around in the stomach before coming out.

• Liquid clear vomit

  - Your dog’s vomit appears liquid clear when there are stomach secretions or water pooling in the tummy. This often happens when your dog drinks water when it is already feeling nauseous.

• Mucous vomit

  - Your dog’s vomit looks slimy when it is drooling and it accumulates in its stomach due to some irritant. Hence, your dog gets out of its system through vomiting that carries mucous.

• Bloody vomit

  - Your dog’s bloody vomit is a sign of serious concern and may indicate internal bleeding. It is always advisable to rush to the doctor immediately at this stage.

• Brown vomit

  - Your dog may eject brown vomit when it may be eating too fast. The colour of the vomit appears so because the food that is thrown out may not be fully digested. Your dog’s vomit may also look brown after it may have accidentally ingested poop. This is called coprophagia.

• Green Vomit

  - Your dog may belch green vomit if it ends up ingesting grass. It may also be because of the contraction of the gall bladder before your dog vomits.

Vomiting v/s Regurgitation

Dog parents often get confused between vomiting and regurgitation. These two actions look quite similar but are very different fundamentally. Here’s how you can differentiate if your dog is vomiting or regurgitating:

Possible treatments for dog vomiting

Medicines to be given

The treatment of dog vomiting are prescribed by the vets. Some of the medicines that are often given to the dog to control its vomiting are antiemetics and metoclopramide.

Natural remedies

Here are some safe home remedies you can also resort to in order to provide relief to your dog from vomiting:

• Electrolyte powder

  - When your dog vomits, it ejects food that gives it strength. And since your dog cannot keep the food down, it is important to provide an alternate source of energy and this is when electrolytes come in handy. Switching to electrolytes will also ensure your dog will not dehydrate. You can add one teaspoon of Glucose Monohydrate to your dog’s water.

• Fasting

  - Fasting provides rest to your dog’s stomach and intestines and gives it time to recover from the vomiting. You have to consult the vet to know how long you should keep your dog fasting.

• Ginger

  - Ginger has carminative property, meaning it helps prevent the formation of the gas in the gastronomical tract or facilitates the passing of the gas. Given the astringent taste of ginger, your dog might not readily eat ginger. You may sprinkle some ginger powder on some bread and also add a little honey on top of it to disguise ginger’s taste.

• Ice chips

  - Dehydration is a common symptom post vomiting in dogs. You can plop a few ice chips in your dog’s mouth. This will replace the need for water and also the cold feeling can help your dog in feeling better.

• Plain rice

  - If the fasting suits your dog, then it is time to let some food into its system. Nothing is soothing like plain rice for the upset stomach and this is applicable for dogs as well. You can feed your nauseatic dog plain rice a few times a day in little quantities.

• Baby food

  - Baby food is another option to feed your dog that is recovering from an upset stomach. The composition of this food is light and will help your dog recover faster.

• Chicken broth

  - The chicken broth is high in nutritional value and also helps with dehydration. Chicken broth is available in stores as well but they might contain preservatives that might do more harm than good to your dog’s already upset tummy. Therefore, it is best to make the broth at home.