Why Do Dogs Vomit?

All is quiet. Suddenly, the peacefulness is interrupted by the sound of violent retching. You race to the door in hopes that you can get Rover outside before he paints the rugs in a variety of unwanted colors.

Anyone who has ever owned a dog is familiar with the scenario. The question is why do dogs vomit?

Experts attribute canine vomiting to a variety of reasons. In many cases, the vomiting episode is fast and the dog seems to be back to good health before you can even get him or her to the veterinarian’s office. In other cases, vomiting may be prolonged and it can cause dehydration to the point where the canine needs to have fluids administered intravenously.

Let us look at some of the causes of vomiting. One of the most common causes is that the dog consumes something better left alone. This might be a food item that disagrees with the dog or it could be something serious like poison.

Vomiting is often caused by a dog eating too fast or eating too much. If you suspect that this is the case, try feeding smaller amounts at more frequent intervals of time. If this proves not to be the case, you may have to change the dog’s diet in order to remedy the problem.

Stress is another factor than can induce vomiting. Obviously, the best thing you can do in this scenario is to try to reduce the stress factor. For example, if the stress is brought on by a strange dog visiting your home, try separating the dogs.

Parasites are another common cause of vomiting. In fact, it is common for puppies that have not been dewormed to vomit up roundworms that look a lot like spaghetti. If you suspect a parasite, take a fresh stool sample to the vet’s office to be analyzed. Medication may be warranted.

Food allergies can also cause vomiting. It is not usually easy to determine what food is causing the problem. You may have to resort to getting help from a veterinarian in order to find the food that is causing the problem. Always feed a high quality diet and avoid adding human foods to the dog’s diet.

Ingesting poisonous substances is one of the most serious causes of vomiting. This can come from the dog eating some people foods such as raisins or chocolate. Other causes of canine poisoning come from ingesting poisons such as rat bait, antifreeze, strychnine, vitamin D3, warfarin, or products that include lead. Some common plants are also poisonous to your dog.

If you suspect the cause of vomiting to be poison-related, do not waste any time. Seek medical attention immediately. It can mean the difference between life and death.

Vomiting is also a symptom of other more serious health issues that could include kidney infections, an infection of the gastrointestinal tract, foreign bodies lodged in the stomach or intestines, liver failure, gall bladder problems, pancreatitis, heatstroke, reactions to medications or viral infections.

Prolonged vomiting should be addressed.