Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Nothing is worse than when your dog is sick or hurt. It’s hard to know what to do or whether it’s time to call the vet. You may feel this way if your dog is throwing up. When should you call the vet?
Dogs & Vomiting
Dogs are pretty good about eating almost anything and everything. They are sometimes curious about a new thing they encounter outside. Or they may have a hankering for those chicken bones you threw into the trash. Dietary indiscretion is a huge problem with dogs and can cause them to throw up. However, vomiting can also be a sign that something serious is going on.
But dogs also regurgitate, so how can you tell the difference between this and vomiting? With regurgitation, the dog brings up food or liquid without any effort. On the other hand, throwing up usually involves some effort to bring up the liquid or food.
Indications Throwing Up is Serious
A dog may vomit after eating something he shouldn’t have. Once they get that out, they may feel better. However, there are other times when throwing up seems to get worse. When this happens, you may also notice other symptoms, such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Increase or decrease in urination
- Blood in vomit or stool
- Change in thirst (either more thirsty or avoiding water)
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Collapse
- Pale or white gums
- Abdominal pain
- Weight loss
If your dog is throwing up and has any of these symptoms, it’s time to call the vet ASAP.
Review symptoms, medications & behavior to keep your pets healthy with a Vet Online in just minutes.
Ask a Vet Live NowConditions That Cause Vomiting
These symptoms can be an indication your dog may have one of the following issues:
- Infection (bacterial or viral)
- Dietary allergies
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Metabolic disease (such as diabetes, pancreatitis, and more)
- Cancer
- Swallowed a foreign object
- Eaten something poisonous or toxic
- Parasites
- Kidney issues
- Liver failure
- And more
Each of these is a condition that must be treated by the vet. With symptoms like these, don’t wait around to see if your dog gets better or worse. These are an indication that your dog is very sick and needs treatment as soon as possible.
Treatment of Throwing Up in Dogs
Treatment will depend on the vet’s diagnosis. When you take your dog to the vet, they will run tests such as blood work, x-rays, and others to determine what’s wrong with your fur baby. The vet may even have to do an ultrasound to determine what’s causing your dog to vomit.
The good news is that most conditions can be treated and your dog can feel better quickly.
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
Review symptoms, medications & behavior to keep your pets healthy with a Vet Online in just minutes.
Ask a Vet Live Now