Why do dogs throw up?

Dog owners are exposed to the vomiting bouts of the pet one time or another. The expulsion of food from the dog’s stomach can be due to a variety of reasons. Dogs are not unlike humans that commonly vomit if something that does not agree with the stomach was eaten. It is not surprising for a dog to have an upset stomach because this voracious eater would eat anything from spoiled food to inedible objects.

Nature though has provided our four legged friends with an effective way of purging unwanted food and foreign objects from the stomach. All the dog need to do is eat grass and all the things ingested that were not accepted by the dog’s system will be thrown up. Dogs that drink and eat too quickly or have consumed too much food will vomit. Switching to a new dog food can also make the dog vomit. Not many dog owners are aware that stress can make a dog vomit.

A dog that was taken to a new home where there are already other pet dogs will vomit. The situation becomes highly stressful if the nervous or shy newcomer is introduced to a large and dominant old pet. Fortunately, this stress induced vomiting will need no treatment and would be gone once the new pet has adapted to the new environment. The dog will be its normal self after vomiting. Thus the owner should not be too concerned with the vomiting bouts of the dog especially if the pet is healthy. Occasional vomiting bouts can be managed at home. You simply need to withhold food for 24 hour to give the dog’s stomach the chance to settle down.

Aside from the above mentioned causes, the vomiting of the dog can be due to other reasons. Vomiting is not considered a disease in itself but an indication of an underlying illness. A pet parent should be vigilant and carefully observe the condition of the vomiting dog.

A dog owner should be concerned if the pet that is vomiting repeatedly also has diarrhea, is lethargic and has developed a temperature. The pet’s vomiting may be caused by something serious like ingestion of poisonous substances. Infectious disease like parvovirus and internal parasite infestation are other causes of canine vomiting. A dog with bloody vomit may be suffering from intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, kidney problems and stomach ulcer. A do that has been vomiting for 24 hours must be taken to a veterinary facility at once as proper management is necessary to save the life of the pet.