Possible Causes and Treatments for Your Dog’s Vomiting (Pasadena, MD)

It is no secret to pet owners that vomiting is a sign that something is not right with their dog’s health. When you own a dog, you have probably realized that sometimes they eat things that do not agree with them, and this might cause them to throw up. However, if your dog has vomited more than a few times and seems not to be feeling well overall, you might be concerned about other health problems.

There are various reasons that your dog might be vomiting and knowing more about the reasons for your pet’s vomiting can help you to figure out when to take them to the veterinarian. Dog vomiting can be caused by both mild and serious health concerns, which is why it’s a good idea to know more about the reasons that your dog might be showing this symptom. There are also a variety of treatments that your dog could be given for their vomiting that pet owners should be aware of.

1. Parasites

If your dog is not on a worming protocol, they could vomit due to the presence of a large number of parasites in their intestinal tract. Parasites can cause all kinds of other symptoms, but in the early stages, your dog might experience vomiting and diarrhea as their body tries to get rid of the parasites in their system. Your dog might also have a lack of appetite, and they could look hollow and thin. Parasites can be treated with medications that kill the parasites, but your vet will need to figure out which parasites your pet has first.

Taking your dog to the vet is always the best course of action when it comes to suspected parasites. There are specific medications for each type of parasite, and your dog will get the most benefit from treatment if they are given the right medications for the specific parasite they are struggling with.

2. Poisoning

When your dog has eaten a toxic substance, they will usually start vomiting almost right away. This can be the first sign that something serious is wrong, followed up by diarrhea and signs like panting and drooling. If your dog has eaten a highly toxic substance, they might actually collapse not long after they have begun vomiting. Be on the lookout for bloody vomit and bloody diarrhea if you think that your dog might have been poisoned as well.

Poisoning cases need to be taken to the veterinarian right away. Time is of the essence when your pet has been poisoned, and you need to be sure that you do not wait too long to get your dog treatment. Your vet can give your dog fluids, and they might be able to provide other treatments that help to expel the poison or to bind the poison to another substance so that it can pass through your dog’s system.

3. Organ Failure

There are various health conditions that can lead to organ failure. Liver conditions, spleen conditions, or other serious illnesses can make themselves known slowly at first. Vomiting after meals or after exertion can be the first symptom of an organ failure condition. Dogs with kidney disease can also vomit due to the toxicity that builds up in the system when the kidneys are not working properly.

If your dog has been vomiting every day without any other symptoms, you need to take them to the vet to be looked at. They could have a food allergy, but they could also have a much more serious condition that is causing the vomiting. The sooner that you catch this kind of condition, the more treatment options your might have open to you.

4. Stress

Some dogs vomit when they are stressed. This can happen due to a new pet in the home, loud noises outside, or other stressors. Dogs who are stressed might need to be put on some form of medication to help them to calm down, or you might need to change their environment to help them to manage their worries and fears. Most dogs will adjust to a new environment fairly rapidly, but not all dogs are able to adjust readily to changes in their environment.

Training, medications, and crate training can help your dog to deal with stress more effectively. Working with your vet and a dog trainer can help intense and fearful dogs to cope with stressors better so that they do not make themselves sick with worry.

5. Parvovirus

Parvovirus is much more likely to impact puppies, but older dogs can catch it too. Parvovirus is highly contagious and often deadly. If your dog is vomiting blood and has bloody diarrhea, you should be immediately concerned about parvo. This illness often causes a very high fever as well, so dogs with parvo are often very listless and seem not to be interested in anything around them.

Parvovirus requires treatment right away, and you should call your vet ahead of your arrival to warn them that your pet might have parvo. Most vet clinics have an exam room that they use for quarantine cases that are highly infectious, like parvo. Your dog will probably have to stay in the hospital under intensive care to survive parvo.

Dog Vomiting Can be Related to Many Conditions

Make sure that you always take vomiting in dogs seriously. While your dog could just have eaten grass to cause vomiting, they could also be sick with a much more serious ailment. Always be on the lookout for blood in the vomit and other symptoms like diarrhea. If you think that your dog might have eaten something toxic, do not hesitate to take your dog to the vet right away.

There are various conditions that can be linked with vomiting, and your vet will usually need to get involved in helping you to find out what is going on with your dog. Ignoring vomiting can lead to lots of negative consequences for your dog’s health, and you should always consider this a good reason to head to the vet with your dog.

Be sure to call Lake Shore Pet Hospital at (410) 317-2028 to talk with your veterinarian about your dog’s vomiting!