Dog - Vomiting

What causes vomiting?

Vomiting is not a disease but a sign of many different conditions.  Many cases of vomiting are self-limiting after a day or two.  Less commonly, vomiting may result from a serious illness, such as cancer.  Even when vomiting is caused by mild illnesses, it may lead to death of the animal if treatment is not begun early enough to prevent severe fluid and nutrient losses.  Please contact us if you are concerned.

How serious is vomiting in dogs?

As explained vomiting is a sign of an underlying problem. Irrespective of the cause profuse vomiting can cause problems due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.  When the vomiting is due to systemic (whole body)  illness other signs may be apparent, such as

1. Diarrhoea
2. Loss of appetite
3. Abdominal pain
4. Pyrexia (fever)
5. Lethargy
6. Blood-tinged vomit

What tests are performed to find the cause?

Always make a note if any of the above signs are apparent in addition to the vomiting since this may affect the tests we carry out.  Diagnostic tests can include imaging, i.e. radiography (x-rays) together with ultrasound scans, blood tests, and sometimes biopsies of the stomach and intestinal tract.  Occasionally it may be necessary to carry out exploratory abdominal surgery in order to establish the cause.

How does this help treatment?

Once we have a specific diagnosis treatment can become specific.  It may include special medications, diets and/or surgery.

What happens if there are no other signs except the vomiting?

If your dog does not appear systemically ill from the vomiting, the cause may be less serious.  Some of the less serious causes of vomiting include stomach or intestinal bacteria, viruses, endoparasites (worms) and dietary indiscretions (eating something).  This includes rubbish or rotting food and other offensive or irritating materials.  In these cases a minimum number of tests are performed to rule out certain parasites and infections.  These cases are often treated with drugs to control the motility of the intestinal tract, and also to control inflammation of the bowel.  The dog is often prescribed a special diet for a few days.  In such cases we would expect improvement within 2-4 days.  If this does not occur, medication may be changed or further tests performed to try to reveal the true cause of the vomiting.  It is important to keep us informed, particularly if there is a lack of expected improvement.