Vomiting in a dog: what to do if your dog is vomiting

Vomiting is a fairly common occurrence in small pets. Vomiting in a dog This is not a disease, but only a sign that indicates to the owner a change in the animal’s health. First of all, we need to figure out exactly what could be causing vomiting in a dog, causes such a state. In this review, we will look at the physiology of the gag reflex, the causes of vomiting, its consequences and treatment approach in dogs; Let’s look at how this problem can be improved or completely avoided by adjusting the diet; Consider the effectiveness of antiemetics.

The gag reflex is caused by a certain sequence of coordinated events that ensure the release of stomach contents, and at the same time reduces the risk of undesirable consequences. This reflex is controlled by a central rhythm generator in the brainstem, the “vomiting center.”

There are two principal mechanisms for the occurrence of vomiting:

1) Vomiting of central origin. With this type of vomiting, toxins that appear in the blood due to poisoning, liver disease, kidney failure or severe infectious processes stimulate receptors that activate the vomiting center and cause the act of vomiting itself.

2) Vomiting due to mechanical irritation of the digestive organs. In this case, the vomiting center can be directly stimulated by afferent neurons from the gastrointestinal tract and cause a reflex urge to vomit.

A characteristic sign of vomiting in a dog is changes in the animal's behavior. The main symptoms of the onset of vomiting will be:

saliva is produced profusely,
frequent or constant licking of the muzzle,
refusal to drink and eat,
loss of coordination - movements become chaotic,
there is rumbling in the stomach and/or belching,
the pet's behavior becomes restless,
Diarrhea or constipation may occur.

In order for the veterinarian to make the correct diagnosis, it is necessary to pay attention to the type and nature of the vomit. Let's list all the criteria for assessing vomit used by doctors in veterinary practice:

Sudden vomiting, which can occur at any time during the day and does not depend on food intake, may indicate a viral disease, metabolic disorder, pancreatitis or intestinal obstruction;
A dog's vomiting of undigested food long after feeding can also indicate pancreatitis, problems with the duodenum, and stomach disease;
A dog vomits in the morning on an empty stomach as a result of the reflux of bile from the duodenum into the stomach, especially in small breeds: Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Miniature Poodle;
A large volume of vomit is often observed when there is obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract;
Vomiting of bile in a dog is caused by delayed gastric emptying, as well as liver disease;
Brown, coffee-ground vomit in a dog indicates a stomach ulcer;
If a dog vomits yellow liquid or foamy discharge, this may indicate overheating, mild poisoning, and even stress in the animal.

As you have already noticed, there are a huge number of causes of vomiting that can put the doctor in a “diagnostic trap”. As a result, the doctor will collect an incorrect history and prescribe incorrect diagnostic tests. In order to prevent such a situation from arising, animal owners need to be as attentive as possible - monitor nutrition, changes in the pet’s health status, monitor the frequency of repetitions of vomiting, the color and volume of vomit. Then, describe this in great detail to a veterinary clinic specialist.

That is why we will dwell on these points in more detail.

The dog is vomiting white foam.

Vomiting white foam in a dog very often causes a lot of anxiety for the owner of the animal. However, there should not be much cause for concern. White foam is just mucus that covers the walls of the stomach and intestines, and protects against corrosion by gastric juice. The mucus that protects the stomach from acid contains mucopolysaccharides and proteins. They create foam when the dog swallows air. Therefore, if you see that your dog is vomiting with white foam, it means that his stomach was empty. And if white vomit appears soon after eating, this is more likely physiology, and not a terrible danger. First aid when a dog is vomiting is regular ice. After vomiting, it must be given to the animal to lick.

If your dog vomits foam in the morning on an empty stomach, you need to be as careful as possible. When this is a one-time vomiting in a dog , you have no particular cause for concern. If the vomiting is not severe, the animal needs to be given water, and then, after a while, you can feed it. It is best to give your pet chicken broth. However, if your dog is constantly vomiting, contact your veterinarian immediately. This symptom will most likely indicate disturbances in bile secretion, gastritis, indigestion or pancreatitis. Vomiting with copious amounts of white foam and diarrhea in a dog is a sign of an infectious disease. If your dog frequently vomits white foam or your dog has diarrhea and vomiting, do not prescribe treatment for the animal yourself. First of all, contact a specialist. Remember, only based on the results of examinations and tests can an accurate diagnosis be made. Only a doctor will be able to prescribe a correct examination and answer questions about what to do if a dog is vomiting and how to treat the identified disease. If there is severe vomiting, a blood test will be needed. It will help you find out if your dog has kidney and liver disease, diabetes or allergies. You may also need to take an x-ray of the abdominal cavity, which will allow you to find out if there is a foreign body or tumors there.

Diagnostics

Only a veterinary clinic doctor can correctly diagnose vomiting as a symptom, especially in puppies in the first months of life.

A single attack of nausea or vomiting does not pose a serious threat. Repeated, repeated vomiting during the day, accompanied by trembling of the animal, an increase in its body temperature, diarrhea and lethargy is a dangerous sign, especially for puppies under 4 months of age.

There are several so-called “diagnostic traps” that mislead both veterinarians and owners. Not all dog owners can distinguish vomiting from regurgitation, describing the wrong picture of what is happening. Accordingly, the veterinarian may prescribe a diagnosis that is not entirely correct, and this is a waste of time, which is very valuable in some cases. The process of regurgitation does not involve the abdominal muscles and diaphragm and is physiological, which is significantly different from vomiting.

Vomiting grass.

Often owners encounter this problem - the dog eats grass and vomits. Be aware that this is the most harmless type of vomiting in a dog. In this way, the animal “cleanses” its stomach. This is a variant of the norm and is inherent in nature itself. However, even in this case, the owner needs to be careful - the grass can injure the mucous membrane in the stomach or mix with the fur. And this, in turn, can lead to the formation of a lump in the intestines and lead to intestinal obstruction. A one-time or two-time emptying of the stomach from grass is a standard reaction of the body, especially if appetite and activity are preserved.

Why is such a symptom dangerous?

Vomiting with a yellowish tint occurs when bile refluxes into the stomach from the biliary tract. Because of this, the internal walls and sphincter are irritated, and gastritis is formed. There is also an effect on the ducts of the pancreas and gall bladder, which open into the intestines a few cm from the stomach.

This unpleasant symptom:

Leads to inflammation and prevents the flow of bile. As a result, bilirubin penetrates into the blood, yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes is observed, and intoxication occurs. Regular synthesis of bile occurs, muscle contractions of the stomach and peritoneum affect the gallbladder - releases of contents occur.
Dehydration develops. The sign is observed in very thin pets or puppies with illnesses. After several bouts of vomiting, the loss of fluid becomes so severe that it leads to dysfunction of the urinary and cardiovascular systems.

Yellowish vomit is most dangerous for elderly and emaciated dogs.

Yellow vomit in a dog.

If a dog vomits yellow foam , just like when vomiting white foam, most often indicates an empty stomach of the animal. Vomit gets a yellowish tint when bile and gastric juice mix. This is a natural phenomenon that occurs reflexively directly during a meal or shortly before feeding. Vomiting with yellow foam means that the dog's food portion was not enough. However, an isolated case is not an alarming symptom. If the vomit does not contain pieces of food, a visit to the veterinarian is not required. There is also no need to worry about treating a dog with yellow foamy vomiting if the vomiting occurred after the dog ate grass while walking. As we wrote earlier, in this way the stomach is cleansed of the remnants of undigested food. Look at your pet's diet. Most likely, his diet includes a large amount of cereals - buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and pearl barley. The simplest and only correct solution in this situation would be to reduce the amount of cereal and refuse food that is not intended for dogs. Remember, you cannot “feed the dog from the table.” The dog's stomach is different from the human stomach and requires separate nutrition. If the rest of your pet’s behavior has not changed, he is active and does not show signs of anxiety, we can assume that his health is not in danger.

In some cases, a dog vomits bile if parasites have taken up residence in its body. Diarrhea and vomiting of bile in a dog can also indicate such a dangerous disease as infectious or viral hepatitis. Additional signs of this disease will be a constantly elevated body temperature and a deterioration in the general health of your pet. Remember that intoxication leads the animal’s body to dehydration, which can even lead to death.

When treatment is not needed

If the dog is hungry. When your dog vomits before eating every now and then in the morning, it may simply be getting rid of excess digestive juices. Prolonged hunger can cause nausea and vomiting, but if the pet’s health does not worsen, and these episodes happen quite rarely, then there is no reason to worry. Correcting your diet and diet will help you cope with the problem.
When a pet swallows a foreign object. If the day before the dog accidentally swallowed a small pebble, fragment of a toy or bone, this will cause a morning attack of vomiting. More often than not, owners then find these foreign objects in a puddle on the floor.

It should be remembered that after the spontaneous release of inedible objects, it is necessary to monitor the pet’s condition throughout the day. He could have swallowed several fragments of bone or a toy, which could subsequently block the intestines.

Vomiting food in a dog.

If a dog's vomiting of undigested food is not accompanied by diarrhea , dehydration, or complete refusal to eat, then there is no reason for any treatment or panic. Most likely, the reason for this was large pieces of food that he swallowed along with air. The second option is that he simply chewed the food poorly. And the third option is banal overeating.

To prevent this from happening in the future, we recommend:

Reduce food portions. Feed the animal more often, but in smaller amounts;
The introduction of new food into a dog's diet should be very gradual. This should not be done at once;
Do not feed your pet large pieces of food. Take 5 minutes of your time and chop your food finely;
For some time it is necessary to exclude fatty and heavy foods from the diet. The dog should not overeat, then it will not have a pressing feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
Be sure to monitor the amount of fluid you consume. Remember, dehydration is very dangerous not only for humans, but also for animals.
Check the condition of your pet's gums regularly. They should not be too pale or too bright, with a purple tint. If you notice this, you need to take your dog to a veterinary clinic for examination.

Preventive measures

Most diseases occur due to improper care, feeding and training of the dog. In order not to provoke vomiting or diarrhea, it is important to follow recommendations from puppyhood that will preserve the health of your beloved pets:

Do not allow people to pick up foreign objects on the street or rummage through garbage heaps. The commands “Fu” and “No” should become law for the pet;
Carry out deworming in a timely manner;
Vaccination is an important preventive measure against severe infections. It must begin from early puppyhood;
Owners must ensure that the animal does not swallow a foreign object and do not give sharp bones;
Feed the dog only fresh food or dry food that is appropriate for its age;
When walking, put a muzzle on a large dog. The accessory will help prevent the ingestion of toxic or spoiled substances.

The dog has black vomit.

When you discover that your dog is vomiting blood , you need to pay special attention to the type and composition of the vomit and the accompanying symptoms. This will subsequently help the veterinarian make the correct diagnosis, and will tell you what exactly was the main reason for this change in well-being. Black and dark brown colors of vomit indicate problems with the kidneys or severe poisoning of the body. Kidney failure, enteritis, and the influence of strong poison also cause diarrhea, and subsequently anemia, a symptom of which is pallor of the mucous membranes. Another sign - a hint - is the appearance of an ammonia odor from the mouth. Brown vomit indicates bleeding in the stomach area. This can be either mechanical damage to the walls of the stomach or an ulcer. An extremely dangerous symptom that requires prompt hospitalization of the pet to a veterinary clinic. If a dog's vomit is streaked with blood and this blood is bright scarlet in color, this indicates that the animal has an injury in the mouth or trachea. In this case, you need to conduct a detailed examination of the pet’s mouth for wounds or scratches, paying special attention to the tongue and sublingual space.

How to determine the cause?

The owner can determine what happened to the dog by analyzing its vomit. You will need to carefully study them, photograph unusual objects, and then show them to a specialist. Vomiting usually has the following symptoms:

Uniformity. If your pet vomits yellow liquid with foam and it is homogeneous, this indicates inflammation of the stomach.
Presence of worms or foreign objects. If light-colored organisms of different sizes move, then these are parasites. Due to their very large length, some dead helminths are often confused by owners with foreign objects.
Blood. If it is detected, you should pay attention to its approximate volume, shade, consistency. Small patches of bright color with mucus indicate mechanical damage to the esophagus, pharynx, and tongue. If there is a lot of blood and it is black, the cause is erosion in the stomach. This pathology poses a significant danger to the pet.

Vomiting from a tick in a dog.

A tick bite can also cause an animal to vomit. Piroplasmosis is a seasonal spring-autumn disease, the causative agent of which is the protozoan blood parasite Babesia. The single-celled parasite enters the animal's blood through a tick bite and begins to destroy red blood cells. The principle of infecting an animal is very simple:

the tick awaits its prey in the grass, on tree branches and even on the ground;
after it has dug into the skin, when it bites, it injects saliva, and with it microscopic parasites - piroplasms (babesia) - enter the bloodstream;
Parasites multiply in the animal's body, destroying red blood cells.

The incubation period of the disease lasts from 2 days to 2 weeks. Dogs of all breeds and ages suffer from piroplasmosis; young and elderly animals suffer the most. If, along with vomiting foam, your dog develops yellow diarrhea , lethargy, apathy, loss of appetite, rapid breathing, increased body temperature, pale mucous membranes, and urine becomes dark in color, your pet will most likely be prescribed treatment for piroplasmosis. Only a veterinary clinic specialist can make a final diagnosis for your pet based on examination, medical history and test results. Remember, if the dog does not receive treatment, the animal may die 4-5 days after the first symptoms of the disease appear!

Intestinal parasites in dogs.

The most common parasitic disease in dogs is helminthiasis. Numerous scientific studies show that about 40 - 80% of dogs are infected with intestinal parasites - flat and roundworms, and about 60% of puppies are born already infected. By the way, one of the most common causes of bloody stool in dogs is parasites. Infection of an animal with worms is accompanied by symptoms such as bloating, bloody diarrhea and vomiting in the dog , general weakness, cough, and there may be sudden weight loss. This is especially dangerous for small dog breeds and young puppies. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to give anti-parasite medication to puppies for the first time at the age of 3-4 weeks, up to 6 months - monthly, later - every 3-4 months. And even despite all this, most dog owners still face this problem.

Vomiting in a pregnant dog.

The answer to the question of why your dog doesn’t eat and vomits may be your pet’s pregnancy. Vomiting in a pregnant dog, as well as during pregnancy in women, is quite common. In this case, it is the result of toxicosis at certain stages of pregnancy. Toxicosis is a series of pregnancy-related diseases characterized by metabolic disorders, disruption of neural connections, vomiting and functional damage to individual systems and organs, and is also the result of restructuring of the hormonal system and adaptation to new conditions. There are two types of toxicosis - in the early and late stages of pregnancy. Every owner of a pregnant dog should know that toxicosis can occur in a pet twice during the entire period of pregnancy - on days 22-28 and in the middle of the second half of pregnancy. It is at this time that you can observe how the dog refuses food, vomits in the car , the dog develops vomiting and diarrhea, which you do not understand how to treat.

If your pregnant dog is vomiting, be as careful as possible. Be gentle and patient. Do not forget, this condition is temporary and will soon improve. Do not force the animal or force it to eat if it refuses it. In most cases, these manifestations of toxicosis go away on their own and do not require special human intervention. However, if you observe that your pet's toxicosis continues for more than a week, and vomiting in a pregnant dog becomes more than twice a day, then the animal must be taken to the veterinarian.

Remember to feed your pet properly. Introduce additional vegetables into your diet - beets, carrots, pumpkin, stewed zucchini. It is better to give vegetables raw, boiled or stewed. You can make meals smaller and add additional daily feedings. In this case, the amount of feed should remain the same. Once again, I would like to remind you that if a pregnant dog is vomiting, it should not be overfed.

Poisoning in a dog

However, most often the answer to the question why a dog vomits is poisoning. There are several types of poisoning:

Food. It occurs when a dog eats something poisonous or toxic;
Respiratory. Occurs when inhaling toxic substances through the nose;
Contact. When toxic substances enter the body through the skin of an animal.

The first type of poisoning is most often recorded. Its main signs are: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps or muscle weakness, a general depressed state - the animal refuses food and whines. Dog owners often encounter accidental poisonings when the dog eats a found dead rodent or finds some object on the street that is extremely dangerous and toxic to the animal. This is a very serious diagnosis, since the animal does not begin to vomit immediately. If your dog vomits and sneezes, this is additional confirmation of the penetration of poison into the animal’s body. And inclusions of black color may indicate that most of the vital organs are no longer working and you need to take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible. In addition, try to provide first aid to the dog yourself. To do this, you need to provoke profuse vomiting.

How to make a dog vomit ? Dilute a tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water, in a ratio of one teaspoon per 500 ml of warm boiled water, and pour it into the dog’s mouth. You can also induce vomiting in a dog of hydrogen peroxide with water, in a ratio of one to one, and pour a teaspoon or a tablespoon of the prepared mixture into the dog’s mouth, depending on the size of the dog. After 5-7 minutes the stomach will be released. After such a stomach cleansing, it is imperative to give the dog any adsorbent that is in your pet’s veterinary medicine cabinet. If there is an obstruction in cleaning the intestines, you can give the dog two or three tablespoons of Vaseline ointment or castor oil.

After providing first aid, take the animal to the clinic as soon as possible. Under no circumstances should you practice treatment at home.

Most poisonings will require qualified assistance. For example, in case of poisoning with chemical acids and alkalis, gastric lavage with a tube will be required. After rat poison, the dog will be prescribed a complex of medications. Also, after any poisoning, the animal will need rest for some time and a restorative diet, which will be prescribed by a veterinarian. If your dog has been poisoned by something at home, after a visit to the veterinarian, conduct a home inspection. Do a thorough cleaning, remove all hazardous substances, cleaning products, medications and other chemicals from the animal’s access area. If your dog is poisoned on the street, you have only one solution. Spend more time and maximum attention to training. The dog must know and understand your commands. Train your animal to pick up things from the ground. Pay close attention to what your dog sniffs at, and do not let the animal off the leash near garbage dumps or in unfamiliar parks.

What to do and what to give your dog for vomiting?

So, the first aid you should provide to your pet is as follows:

Do not scold your pet under any circumstances, provide it with care and love.
Remove all food. Believe me, nothing bad will happen if your pet remains on a starvation diet for several hours.
Make sure that the animal has constant access to drinking water.
Try to relieve pain and cramps in the stomach. A drug such as “No Shpa” copes well with this.
The next step should be the adsorbent. To remove toxins from the body, you can give smecta or enterosgel. Activated charcoal can cause additional stomach irritation, so it should be used as a last resort.
Cerucal is also used to stop vomiting. This is a fairly well-known and well-proven antiemetic drug. Calculation of the dosage of Cerucal for vomiting depends on the weight and type of dog . The standard proportion is 0.4 mg per 1 kg. The slightest excess of the dose or frequency of use of the drug will cause serious harm to the pet’s condition. The dosage and duration of treatment is calculated only by a veterinarian after an individual examination of the pet.

Remember, the medicine affects the pet’s brain and central nervous system. This means that you should under no circumstances abuse it or treat the use of the drug carelessly!

In conclusion, I would like to say the most important thing. Love your pet, be attentive and responsible, and let your pet be healthy!