Introduction
The Root of the Behavior
Before rushing your dog to the vet, you can actually take a look at his throw up to try to discern the severity of the situation. Dog vomit can be granular or chunky. If you see granules that resemble coffee grounds, then food has been digested and there is blood in his vomit. If the vomit has chunks, then he has not even had a chance to digest his food. This likely indicates he just ate too quickly or was too active after eating. Both granular and chunky vomit tends to be from ingestion problems. Liquid vomit that is foamy, clear or slimy that also has a yellow tinge too it is a sign of a completely different medical problem and has no connection to anything actually being ingested.
Dogs are eating machines, and it is impossible to watch your dog at all times. It is only a matter of time before he ingests something he shouldn’t such as spoiled food, an inedible object, grass, or too much water, all of which can make him want to throw up. He may also want to throw up because he has an inflammation of the intestinal tract or stomach, called gastroenteritis. He could want to throw up because he has an intestinal obstruction from a tumor, organ displacement, or foreign object. He could be suffering from parasites, a bacterial, viral or fungal infection, drug side effects, a head trauma, inflammatory bowel disease, liver or kidney disease, Addison’s disease, or pancreatic disease. Throwing up could also be a sign of gastrointestinal ulcers or hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. It is also common for dogs to want to throw up after excessive exercise or from motion sickness while riding in a car.
Encouraging the Behavior
Once your veterinarian does find the cause of your dog’s desire to throw up, she will be able to properly treat him. If he has a foreign object lodged in his stomach or small intestine, surgery may be necessary. The same holds true if a cancerous tumor is discovered. Bacterial infections and parasites can be dealt with by using medications. One major side effect of vomiting is dehydration and the loss of electrolytes, so replenishing those is important.