How to treat acute vomiting in dogs

(December 22, 2009)

It is not rare to find a dog vomiting. If your dog has been vomiting occasionally, you don’t have much cause to worry. A random episode of vomiting is usually associated with indigestion or bad food that a dog may have ingested. However, if the vomiting is continuous, whether acute or chronic, prompt medical attention is required.

If your dog has been vomiting and feels lethargic, or if the vomiting is accompanied by diarrhea and behavioral changes, it is an indication of illness. Vomiting is often caused due to an irritation in the lining of the stomach or the colon. The stomach begins to contract, throwing out undigested food. If the vomiting is repeated continuously over a period of time, it could be a life threatening emergency. This could be a sign of inflammation or infection in the intestinal system.

Acute vomiting in dogs, which is the result of an isolated episode, could be caused by a change in the food. If you have the habit of feeding the dog table scraps, that too could lead to vomiting. Another reason could be that the dog may have eaten something that is unfamiliar to its system. Food change is the most common cause for acute vomiting in dogs. Food change causes stomach upsets; therefore, it is recommended that every time you change the food of your dog, do it slowly so that the dog’s body gets used to the new food.

In such a case, the dog should not be given any food for a period of at least 24 hours. This gives the dog’s stomach enough time to settle down. After a period of 24 hours, you can give the dog small amounts of bland food like plain boiled rice or boiled chunks of chicken.
Give your dog smaller meals if it eats too fast. You can give the dog smaller meals at different intervals. Use this technique especially when you are feeding your dog dry food. Since dry food absorbs moisture inside the stomach and expands in size, it may cause the dog to regurgitate. To prevent this, try soaking the food in water or milk for some time before offering it to your dog. Alternatively, you can give your dry dog food mixed with canned food.

In puppies, acute vomiting is often a sign of parasites like roundworms and hookworms. To check for the presence of these worms, take your puppy to the veterinarian for a complete check up.