dog threw up a rock

Question
My 10 year old golden retriever threw up a rock 2"x1" this morning. Since
then he's vomited 2 more times but no more rocks came up. What should i
do?

Answer
Hi Jeslyn,

I hope you dog has stopped vomiting!

Your dog might a blockage, since vomiting isn't clearing up the situation. X-rays may be needed to see the contents of your dog's stomach.

If this were my dog, I'd call the vet even though it's the weekend. Most vet offices have a doctor on call for emergencies. You probably can wait to bring the dog into the office tomorrow, but you'd want to ask the doctor if you should withhold food and water until the dog can be seen.

Most dogs with a gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction have been vomiting or not eating for a period of time. This leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Your veterinarian may want to hospitalize your dog and administer intravenous fluids prior to anesthesia. Once he is more stable, he will be anesthetized and prepared for surgery.

Sometimes a swallowed rock will pass, and sometimes they don't. But since your dog is vomiting repeatedly, I'd say that he was in distress.

Best of luck,

Patti