If your dog vomits after ingesting or being exposed to something dangerous, time is of the essence, so go at once to a veterinary clinic.
As mentioned, most cases of acute gastritis resolve on their own without medical intervention. Here are six nonmedical steps for treating acute gastritis in dogs who otherwise appear and act bright, alert, and normal.
In addition to notifying your veterinarian if your dog continues to vomit, be ready to call for help when:
If medical care is needed, your veterinarian may take an X-ray or do an ultrasound in an effort to discover what your dog might have swallowed. Blood tests may be useful to help rule out other causes such as pancreatitis or acute kidney failure. Surgery may be required to remove an object that blocks the intestines or a large object in the stomach, such as Gorilla Glue, which swells to a large mass after ingestion.
If no cause is discovered, you may need to consult a specialist for an endoscopy, where a tube is inserted through your dog’s mouth and esophagus into the stomach. Small objects in the stomach can be removed with the endoscope. If no obvious cause is found during endoscopy, a biopsy of the stomach lining can be taken to provide additional information.
Your dog might be treated with gastrointestinal protectants such as sucralfate (Carafate), an anti-ulcer medication; with anti-emetic or anti-vomiting medications such as metoclopramide (Reglan or maxolon), H2 (histamine-2) receptor antagonists such as famotidine (Pepcid) or ranitidine (Zantac), which are used to reduce stomach acid; or proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazolie (Prilosec or Losec), which are used in cases of severe stomach ulceration.
My First Experience With Dog Vomit
When my dog Penny was a puppy, she threw up every morning and every evening for about a week, but only in the wee hours of the morning and in the middle of the night. Shed start making those terrifying hacking/snorting noises, waking me up, but (bless her heart) only giving me enough time to get her halfway to the door, where shed puke all over the carpet.
I read online that it might be because she was going to bed with an empty stomach, so I tried giving her a little bit of kibble before bed. Of course, this only resulted in EVEN MORE dog vomit. Needless to say, I had that fleeting thought of “Good God, what did I get myself into adopting this animal?”
You see, Penny is the first dog Ive ever owned, and I wasnt used to this kind of thing. During those first months, I got a brief glimmer of what it must be like to have a baby. Oye. Bless you, mothers of the world. You are saints.
Common Causes of Vomiting in Dogs
As it is with people, there are some other illnesses, conditions, and situations that can cause vomiting in dogs.
Allergies to Specific Foods: Some dogs dont tolerate certain common dog food ingredients. Your dog may be sensitive to grains, certain kinds of proteins, or additives/fillers. If you suspect this is the case, your best bet is to try a “limited ingredient” dog food (or foods with one protein source, like chicken or fish), or one that cuts out grains completely.
Table Scrap-itis: Feeding your dog foods that its not used to can cause vomiting, as well. Spicy foods can cause problems on both ends (wink wink). In general, I limit the people-food that I feed my dog to relatively bland meats and non-harmful veggies or fruits. I also save these treats for special occasions and only give tiny portions.
“Food Poisoning”: I probably shouldnt put “food poisoning” in quotes because it can happen to dogs the same as it does in people. If your dog eats food out of the trash, rancid kibble, or old/expired food, there is the potential for illness and vomiting.
Toxic or Poisonous Foods/Items: There are certain foods that we can eat, but dogs cannot. In addition, there are tons of plants, household objects, and chemicals that can result in poisoning or toxicity, causing your dog to throw up. Some of these items are more dangerous than others, so its important to keep an eye on other symptoms and get your pet to the vet or animal hospital ASAP. Ive written about things that are poisonous to dogs to help you determine the cause of your pets illness.
Digestive Obstruction or Blockage: Your dog could have eaten something that is obstructing or completely blocking off a portion of its digestive tract or even esophagus (which probably wont result in vomiting, but in dry heaving). If your dog is throwing up clear or yellowish frothy bile, there is a chance that this was caused by something your dog ate that is now lodged in its gut somewhere. The vomiting is the bodys way of trying to expel whatever it is that is stuck. Obviously, veterinary intervention is needed in these cases.
Stomach Issues: Other issues can cause the frothy bile vomit, including gastritis, pancreatitis, or peritonitis. Dogs afflicted with these conditions need to be seen by a vet.
An Empty Stomach: If your dog is throwing up the frothy bile at night or in the morning and isnt displaying any other symptoms, there is a chance it is because the poor thing is starving. Well, maybe not starving, but it certainly could be hungry. Try feeding a tiny portion of food or a few treats before bed. Ive gotten into the habit of feeding my dog one of those dental cleaning sticks before bed each night.
Motion Sickness: Dogs can get carsick! If your dog is throwing up only in the car or on a boat or something, there is a good chance its got doggy motion sickness.
Behavioral Issues: Your dog might be stressed out, eating too fast, or eating and then exercising too vigorously. Are you picturing a dog with sweatbands on, running on its hind legs on a treadmill? Cause I am.
Bloat: If your dog is trying to throw up, but nothing is coming out, there is a chance he/she has a condition called bloat (aka gastric dilatation and volvulus, or GDV). Bloat is a general term that refers to gas build-up in the stomach in cases where the stomach is also twisted (gastric torsion). It is a very dangerous condition most common in larger, deep-chested dogs (from Great Danes to Basset Hounds) and requires a vets care.
Other Serious Conditions and Illnesses: This list is not comprehensive, but the following serious illnesses and conditions can cause vomiting: kidney/liver problems, ulcers, enterocolitis, parvo, distemper, diabetes, and cancer.
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