Vomiting is the forcible expulsion of stomach and/or intestinal contents through the mouth .There are telltale signs which show that a dog is going to vomit. One sign is that the dog tends to lick her mouth incessantly maybe because she drools before vomiting. Another sign is you can see obvious contraction of the stomach muscles, very often accompanied by heaving, and sometimes gagging.
Sometimes dog owners report their dog is vomiting but in a minority of cases, we need to talk about regurgitation. When you see abdominal contractions, this is a sign of real vomiting and the problem is linked to the stomach. If you see undigested food, the problem is most likely linked to the esophagus. The treatment of course is different.
There are numerous reasons that may cause a dog to vomit. Some causes for mild acute vomiting in dogs include: over-eating, eating too fast, eating something indigestible or toxic, anxiety, sickness. Some causes for chronic vomiting in dogs include: food allergies, reaction to certain drugs (e.g. chemotherapy drugs, NSAIDs, steroids, antibiotics, etc.), stomach problems (e.g. gastritis, stomach ulcer), infectious diseases (e.g. parvovirus, distemper), worm infestation, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal obstructions, liver disease, cancer, such as stomach cancer, and intestinal cancer. Besides problems in the digestive system, health problems in other parts of the body may also cause vomiting in dogs, such as: pancreatitis, peritonitis (infection in the abdominal cavity), hepatitis, kidney failure, hormonal imbalance (e.g. Addisons disease, Diabetes Mellitus).
Depending on the cause of vomiting, here are some measures that can be taken to prevent dog vomiting: 1) If your dog often vomits in the morning or before eating and the expelled substance is a clear yellow or brownish fluid, it may mean that she has an upset stomach caused by excessive stomach acids. Feeding your dog more frequent meals in smaller portions may solve the problem. 2) If you feed your dog once a day, and your dog gulps down the food very fast because she is hungry, it is more likely that she will vomit after eating. Try feeding her several smaller meals – she may feel less hunger and may eat slower. 3) As anxiety is a cause for vomiting in dogs, make sure that your dog has no stress or anxiety in her life! For example, many dogs feel threatened and experience anxiety if they have to eat in the presence of other dogs. Therefore, letting your dog enjoy her meals in a quiet, non-threatening environment can remedy this vomiting cause. When to take your vomiting dog to the Vet? If your dog suffers from chronic vomiting, or if she shows any of the following symptoms, take her to the veterinarian right away: if the dog is vomiting more than 2-4 times a day, if the vomit is foamy, if there is blood in the vomitus, if the vomitus is foul-smelling, if the dog is weak or dehydrated, if the dog’s belly is bloated, if the dog is restless or panting, or seems to be in pain, if the dog has a fever.To check for dehydration, pick up some skin on the back of your dog and let it drop. If the skin does not return to its original position immediately, it means dehydration.
If your dog has mild, acute vomiting but is otherwise fine, try fasting her for 24 hours. But withholding food for 24 hours from very small dogs or puppies or even all adult dogs may lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and is dangerous. In those instances and in all cases of regurgitation, withhold food for maximum 6 hours.
