How often do you notice your dog starts behaving weirdly and then throws up yellow liquid or white foam? Well, if it happens frequently, you should be worried about whether you feed your dog right or whether you need to have a vet examination. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into what causes vomiting in dogs and how to prevent it.
Vomiting is defined as the forcible expulsion of the contents of the stomach through the mouth. It is a natural reflex that occurs when the stomach is irritated. Although vomiting is a normal reflex, it can also be a sign of a more serious problem.
There are many potential causes of vomiting in dogs, including:
- Dietary indiscretion (eating something they shouldn’t have)
- Ingestion of toxins
- Gastrointestinal parasites
- Gastrointestinal ulcers
- Gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines)
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Pancreatitis
- Motion sickness
- Viral infections
- Bacterial infections
- Fungal infections
- Certain medications
What to Do if Your Dog Is Vomiting
If your dog is vomiting, the first thing you should do is remove all food and water for at least 2 hours. This will give their stomach a chance to settle and help prevent further vomiting.
If your dog continues to vomit or shows any other signs of illness, you should take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination and may recommend additional tests, such as x-rays, blood work, or an ultrasound, to help diagnose the cause of the vomiting. Treatment will be based on the underlying cause of the vomiting.
How to Prevent Vomiting in Dogs
There are several things you can do to help prevent your dog from vomiting, including:
- Feeding a high-quality diet
- Avoiding table scraps and other human food
- Keeping your dog up-to-date on parasite prevention
- Regularly cleaning and disinfecting your dog’s food and water bowls
Conclusion
If your dog is prone to motion sickness, talk to your veterinarian about anti-nausea medication. You can reach out to vet chat online to find out right away, on the spot, what is happening to your dog. The process is easy: ask a vet online and get the answer in minutes, as the best online vets are on-call every day, late at night, and on holiday, ready to provide care anytime.
If your dog has only vomited once, it should be fine. If your dog continues vomiting, it is a sign that there is something more serious going on. In this case, you should visit an on-site vet and if the case is really severe, you can use the emergency pet fund, which provides a direct payment to your vet clinic in a pet’s life-threatening emergency. For less than $1 per day, you will be able to talk to a vet online 24/7, and get $3,000 for emergency vet means for up to 6 pets.