Vomiting is one of the most common reasons why pet parents have to take their puppies and dogs to a veterinarian. Vomiting is not a disease and can be caused by something as innocuous as eating a bug or it could signify a life threatening illnesses.
Vomiting is defined as a forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth. The material could be food or fluid. It may have tinges of yellow bile or it could be clear. Some pets will become nauseated and begin salivating tremendously before they throw up. For others it is a very passive event and the material just falls out of their mouths, though it doesn’t make much of a difference to someone who has to clean up the mess.
However, the way your pet acts just before and during the event and what they produce can give your vet some vital information when trying to determine the cause. Part of the territory when owning a pet is periodically dealing with spit ups.
Cats for example, ingest large quantities of hair when grooming themselves. This fur may end up on your carpet as a hairball and not in the cat box.
Dogs often act like vacuum cleaners and will suck up everything in sight. Many items will pass harmlessly out through their mouths or the other end. Objects have been known to reside inoffensively in their digestive tract for extended periods of time and without warning it suddenly forms an obstruction that requires surgical intervention. Vomiting does not always mean that there has a problem with their digestive tract. Kidney or liver disease can also be the culprit.
Under active adrenal glands, hypoadrenocorticism or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus can trigger bouts of retching, internal parasites especially in puppies or kittens. Adverse reactions to medications and even neurological disorders such as a middle ear infection vestibular disease can also be to blame. Toxins such as snail bait, anti-freeze, motion sickness, pain, even fear have been known to induce vomiting.
So how are you supposed to know when you need to hurry in and see your veterinarian and when you can just wait and see? A good rule of thumb is to see your veterinarian if your dog exhibit any of the following conditions and symtoms. This applies to all dog and cat breeds.
- If you know that your pet as been exposed to a toxin or potentially toxic substance
- Vomiting contains evidence of blood
- If your dog is getting worse and not better or if it’s obviously in pain
- If your dog has no appetite, is lethargic, has diarrhea for more than two days or no bowel movement for twenty-four hours
It’s impossible to tell what diagnostic procedures your veterinarian will need to perform in order to establish a diagnosis and what treatments may be indicated. But be assured the process will start with obtaining a thorough history from you.
Ask other family members what they have observed and whether they may have unwillingly caused the problem. Your dog’s health is just as important as your own family. Remember, whenever you have questions concerning your pets health, see reach out to you vet immediately.
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