Persistent Vomiting in Dogs

There are two types of vomiting: regurgitation and vomiting. When your dog regurgitates, he is just expelling the food (or other substance) from the esophagus before it gets to the stomach. With regurgitation, there are no contractions of the stomach muscles because the food has not reached the stomach. Vomiting is forcibly expelling the contents of the stomach with contractions of the stomach muscles. Both of these may happen right after eating or several hours later, depending on the cause. You should immediately call your veterinarian if you see blood in the vomit, bloating or a swollen abdomen, if you think your dog may have eaten something toxic or spoiled, or if he has fever, diarrhea, or pale gums.

While vomiting in dogs occasionally is common, if your dog continues to vomit, or has other symptoms including fever, diarrhea, lethargy, or weight loss, something serious may be wrong. In fact, if your dog has thrown up more than once in a 24-hour period you need to be aware of his other behaviors and symptoms. When your dog vomits, he is losing nutrients and calories that he needs to grow and be healthy. Therefore, if your dog has vomited more than once in a 24-hour period, you should take him to see a veterinary care provider immediately because it can quickly become a life-threatening illness.

Your veterinarian will need to do a comprehensive physical examination including vital signs, auscultation, and palpation. Be prepared to give the veterinarian your dog’s medical history and mention any medications you have given him. In addition, the veterinarian will try to get a sample of vomitus (bring some if you can) to test in the laboratory. If you cannot get any, let the veterinarian know the color and consistency of the vomit. You should also tell the veterinarian any other symptoms you have noticed, if any. Next, laboratory tests will be done to check your dog’s complete blood count, blood cultures, metabolic panel, urinalysis, and fecal examination. An endoscopy may be done next to check for abnormalities in the digestive tract and stomach. Radiography will be done next, which includes an abdominal x-ray, ultrasound, CT scans, and maybe an MRI if needed.

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For a food allergy or change in diet, a simple change in food may be all your dog needs. That being said, most of the other conditions involved in persistent vomiting can be very serious and have to be carefully cared for by the veterinarian and managed at home by you. Regular veterinarian visits are important to the success of your dog’s recovery so be sure to see your veterinary care provider at least once per year.

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