Nausea and vomiting are common health problems in dogs. Each case of a four-legged friend vomiting is different and should be approached individually. The range of causes of this disorder is wide. The most common ones include: food intolerance, foreign body ingestion, indigestion or other gastrointestinal disorders. In most cases, the symptoms are short-lived and are nothing to worry about. However, there are a number of serious diseases that cause symptoms such as vomiting. Frequent and persistent vomiting may indicate a condition that requires immediate treatment. For this reason, if your dog's vomiting continues, accompanying symptoms appear or your pet's condition worsens, an immediate visit to the vet is necessary.
It's understandable that a dog's vomiting is a cause for concern for the owner, especially if it is prolonged or occurs frequently. The ailments may be relatively harmless, but also dangerous diseases. It is worth emphasizing here that to determine the exact cause of vomiting, it is crucial to consult a veterinarian.
The most common causes of vomiting in dogs include:
food hypersensitivity, i.e. an undesirable reaction of the body to ingredients in food that your four-legged friend does not tolerate
indigestion caused by overeating or eating inappropriate food (e.g. spoiled, expired or toxic)
sudden change of food
eating too greedily
diseases of the digestive system, including: gastritis or colitis, infections of the digestive tract, (gastrointestinal flu)
foreign body in the digestive tract
parasites
viral and cancer diseases
Vomiting and the health of the dog's digestive system
Whenever your dog vomits, you should remain calm and first look into the dog's mouth to rule out the possibility of swallowing a foreign body. You should also monitor your four-legged friend's behavior for any accompanying symptoms and carefully look at the vomit. Their appearance, consistency, frequency and time in which they appear have significant diagnostic significance.
If a dog vomits chyme (undigested food), the cause is most often due to overeating or greedy eating. This behavior may be caused by previous starvation or behavioral disorders. The problem may be solved by dividing the meal into small portions or using a slow-down bowl. In disorders
behavior, behavioral therapy may be helpful. Treatment of vomiting with digested food caused by hypersensitivity to food ingredients should always be consulted with a veterinarian. In such a case, an elimination diet is most often used.
If a dog vomits foam without food content, we may be dealing with inflammation of the respiratory system or reflux. These symptoms should not be ignored, especially if additional symptoms occur, such as: fever, severe cough, intense salivation. Then an urgent consultation with a veterinarian is necessary.
When a dog vomits yellow discharge, most often in the morning and evening, it means that bile is being released, which irritates the gastric mucosa. Vomiting bile is generally associated with diseases of the liver, duodenum, stomach, intestines and inflammation of the pancreas. Another case also requires urgent diagnosis in a veterinary office and quick implementation of appropriate treatment. Fresh blood in vomit is always a disturbing symptom and dangerous to the dog's health. It may occur as a result of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract or mouth, blood clotting disorders, rupture of stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as cancer.
When is vomiting in a dog dangerous?
A single episode of vomiting (without blood or other disturbing symptoms), which is most often associated with temporary stomach upset or a consequence of cleansing an irritated stomach, is not a cause for concern in most cases. In addition to the reaction to a foreign body in the esophagus, there are forms of vomiting that are dangerous and may indicate serious health problems:
acute vomiting that comes on suddenly and involves several episodes over a short period of time
chronic vomiting that recurs or persists for a long time, i.e. longer than two weeks
vomiting that resembles ejaculation, during which a large amount of vomit is released suddenly
vomiting with blood, white or yellow secretion and also in the form of foam
In each of these cases, an urgent consultation with a veterinarian is recommended to determine the cause of vomiting and develop an appropriate treatment plan for your four-legged friend.
Dog vomiting - first aid
Considering that vomiting may be a reaction to a foreign body stuck in the dog's mouth or throat, you should never delay in providing help. In the first step, we open the pet's mouth by tilting the lower jaw and holding the upper one with the hand. After locating the stuck object, we try to remove it with our fingers or using a spoon or tweezers. If a foreign body is stuck deep in the trachea and your four-legged friend is conscious, you can massage the neck with your fist upwards (in the case of a large dog) or with your hands (in the case of a small dog). Once you have removed the item, take your dog to your veterinarian to have it checked out. A foreign body may irritate the delicate walls of the mouth, throat and esophagus, and consequently swelling of these areas may occur.
If your dog's vomiting has a different cause, apart from the mandatory visit to the vet, we can take certain steps to support your pet during the illness. First of all, do not give your dog any food for at least 12 hours to allow its digestive system to calm down. After this time, unless the vet advises otherwise, we gradually give him small amounts of easily digestible food. The second important issue is ensuring the dog is adequately hydrated. To stimulate fluid absorption, we administer a small amount of water or electrolyte solution to be swallowed in small arcs. Remember that the risk of dehydration increases significantly during hot weather and weakness caused by fever. The amount of fluids administered should be consulted with your veterinarian. In addition, we constantly monitor the condition of our four-legged friend. Due to the risk of choking on vomit, we never leave the dog alone.
Diet for a dog after vomiting
A proper nutrition model plays an important role in the prevention of certain diseases. Very often, an appropriate diet is both an important supporting element and a key element of therapy. After vomiting, the most important thing is to hydrate, provide the dog's body with lost minerals, as well as calm the digestive system and give it time to regenerate. A balanced diet in the form of high-quality, easily digestible meals with a reduced amount of fat and an increased level of easily digestible protein comes to the rescue.
You can use ready-made food intended for dogs with digestive problems. You can also prepare your own meals, remembering that the sets contain almost 80% animal protein. It is best to compose a menu based on lean cooked meat, e.g. poultry (chicken, turkey), rabbit, veal and fish. The rest should include cooked vegetables rich in fiber (carrots, beets) and small amounts of groats or rice. In addition to the proper composition of dietary ingredients, the method of serving food is also important. In the first period of recovery after vomiting, a good solution is to give small portions more often. In this way, we relieve your pet's digestive system and at the same time provide it with the optimal dose of calories and nutrients. In addition, to optimize the digestion process, we serve meals at least 45 minutes after physical exercise (e.g. walking) and provide him with at least the same time to rest after eating.
To avoid dehydration after vomiting, ensure that the patient has access to fresh water at all times. If he is reluctant to drink, mixing water with cooked meat broth, moist food or sauce may help to achieve good hydration.
Vomiting in a dog – summary
Vomiting is common in dogs.
Vomiting can have many different causes.
It remains crucial to understand the causes and effects of vomiting in dogs.
Mild indigestion or other simple gastrointestinal disturbances usually disappear within a day.
Vomiting with blood, sudden, acute, chronic or accompanied by symptoms should be consulted with a veterinarian immediately!
In some cases, especially choking, immediate help is necessary!
Proper care of the dog plays an important role in the treatment and recovery process, in particular: regular visits to the vet and strict adherence to his recommendations, diet control and avoidance of harmful substances in meals, adapting physical exercise to the pet's health condition, and ensuring his calm sleep. , a safe place to relax.
The Old English Sheepdog, also known as the Bobtail, is a very playful dog with a gentle, calm and even temperament. It is characterized by a natural defense instinct, loyalty and intelligence. He looks for close contact with people and builds strong relationships with them. However, wherever he appears, his impressive hairstyle attracts the greatest emotions, attention and great recognition.
Strawberries freshly picked from the field have an amazing taste and aroma. In addition, this delicious and tempting-smelling delicacy is very healthy. It's common knowledge that we're not alone in our preference for these juicy fruits: many dogs, like most people, enjoy strawberries. However, remembering that some foods are well tolerated and healthy for dogs, others are difficult to digest or even poisonous, the question arises: what about aromatic strawberries? Can a dog eat strawberries or should they be kept out of his reach?
The Lagotto Romagnolo is one of the oldest breeds of water retrieving dogs. He has an excellent sense of smell and a great passion for work. He is dedicated, very obedient and easy to train. Its cheerful, friendly and very affectionate character makes it an excellent companion dog and is currently becoming more and more popular as a family dog.
