Why Is The Dog Vomiting?

Dealing with a vomiting dog comes with the territory of having a dog for a pet. There are several reason why a dog would expulse the food from its stomach. Dogs are not unlike humans that commonly vomit if something that does not agree with the stomach was eaten. Being voracious eaters, dogs would eat spoiled food as well as inedible objects thus it is common for dogs to have an upset stomach.

Nature though has provided our four legged friends with an effective way of purging unwanted food and foreign objects from the stomach. Simply by eating grass, a dog will be able to remove foreign objects like tree bark, stones, plastics, cloth and other inedible things. A vomiting bout will occur if the dog has consumed considerable amount of food and has drank a lot of water too quickly. Switching to a new dog food can also make the dog vomit. Not many dog owners are aware that stress can make a dog vomit.

Being introduced to a home with other pets will be stressful to the new dog . This usually happens if the old pet is a large and dominant dog and the newcomer is a shy or nervous individual. Fortunately, this stress induced vomiting will need no treatment and would be gone once the new pet has adapted to the new environment. The dog will be its normal self after vomiting. Owners of normally healthy dogs don’t really take the occasional vomiting of the pet seriously. Dogs that occasionally vomit need not be taken to the vet’s. The stomach must be rested for about 24 hours thus the pet must not be allowed to eat.

However, a dog’s vomiting may not be due to dietary indiscretion. Vomiting is not considered a disease in itself but an indication of an underlying illness. A pet parent should be vigilant and carefully observe the condition of the vomiting dog.

A dog owner has cause for concern if aside from vomiting the dog also has diarrhea, is lethargic and running a temperature. The vomiting of the dog may be caused by a poisonous substance that was ingested by the pet. Infectious disease like parvovirus and internal parasite infestation are other causes of canine vomiting. Vomitus that is tinged with blood is a symptom of stomach ulcers, intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis and kidney problem. Immediate medical attention must be given to a pet that has been vomiting for 24 hours more so if the dog is unresponsive and lethargic.

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