My Dog Keeps Vomiting! Help!

Most dogs throw up more than once in their life, and in many cases, the vomiting is over as quickly as it starts. Vomiting usually results from inflammation or infection of the stomach and upper small intestine.

Dogs that eat very quickly often vomit their food back up soon after they have finished their meal, even though they are in perfect health. The food isn't digested at all, and they will often eat it again straight away. Gross, I know, but they don't seem to mind.

If your dog makes a habit of this, you may want to feed him two smaller meals a day rather than one big meal. Some dogs eat fast because they are concerned that the other dogs in the household will take their food. If you have more than dog, keep them apart at mealtimes to avoid this feeling of competition.

Vomiting often occurs if your dog eats something they shouldn't have. This could be food that is rotten, or maybe a rock or part of a chewed toy that irritates the lining of their stomach and intestine as it passes through. Sometimes these things can get stuck in the intestine, and that's when the problems begin.

If this occurs, your dog's vomiting will get worse, he will go off his food and his abdomen will be very sore. Anything he does eat or drink will come straight back up. This can quickly become life threatening, and your dog will need surgery to remove the obstruction.

Pups may vomit if they have a heavy burden of roundworms in their small intestine, as they can interfere with the passage of food.

Often the first sign of a viral infection such as parvovirus is vomiting and loss of appetite. If your dog is unvaccinated and starts to vomit and show signs of depression, contact your vet quickly.

Vomiting isn't always a sign of serious illness. If your dog throws up once or twice but is otherwise well, it may not be anything serious and you can watch and wait for about 12 hours. Don't feed him for 24 hours, then start with small frequent meals of a bland food such as chicken and boiled white rice.

However if your dog has a sudden onset of repeated vomiting which doesn't resolve with the above treatment, if he is depressed or if there is blood in the vomit, it's time to call your vet.

Vomiting more than once or twice a week over a longer period of time can lead to nutrient deficiencies and a lack of energy. This type of vomiting is more likely to be associated with conditions such as food allergies, or inflammatory bowel disease. Chronic vomiting can also be a feature of liver and kidney failure, and is often accompanied by other symptoms such as drinking a lot of water, and passing lots of urine.

As I mentioned in my previous article, "Why Is My Dog Drinking Alot?" excessive drinking and urination are often early symptoms of internal diseases. Again, you'll need the help of your vet to diagnose and treat an ongoing vomiting or excessive drinking problems.

Our dogs are like family to us and so naturally it's very upsetting when they become sick. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you knew how to give your dog a check-up, so you could spot a problem early? Before it became truly serious or even life threatening?

Well, now you can!