Vomiting vs. Regurgitation
Most of the time, we think of vomiting and regurgitation as the same thing. But these terms refer to different actions in dogs.
Regurgitation is the return of food into the oral cavity after it has been swallowed. The food never started getting digested before it was expelled — your pup’s abdominal muscles didn’t push the stomach contents back up into the esophagus and mouth. A combination of the esophageal muscles and gravity did.
Vomiting, on the other hand, does involve the muscles in the abdomen pushing stomach contents out of the stomach and back into the esophagus and mouth. Those contents will be partially digested. Vomiting is more of an active experience for your dog while regurgitation can happen passively without your pooch really controlling it.
Why does regurgitation occur? Typically, it happens when your dog:
So, regurgitation is something that many dogs can experience without actually having something medically wrong with them. (The exception is megaesophagus, and you should contact your veterinarian if your dog regurgitates frequently.) Vomiting, though, is more concerning.
Foreign Object Ingestion
One of the most common causes of vomiting in dogs is eating a foreign object or material, otherwise known as dietary indiscretion. Garbage, table scraps, socks, batteries, stones, bones, sticks — the possibilities are endless. Many dogs seem to enjoy eating grass, too — if you see the color green in your dogs vomit, this is usually the reason.
Tell your veterinarian immediately if your dog ate something he or she shouldnt have. They’ll need to take quick action to make sure your pet is okay.
Megaesophagus
Megaesophagus is a condition where the esophagus gets dilated, weakening the muscles. As a result, food does not move through the esophagus normally and can be easily regurgitated. Megaesophagus can either be congenital or acquired.
Why is My Dog Vomiting Undigested Food H
Have you ever fed your dog after exercise and within a few seconds he spews it on the floor? Or how about when your dog eats his meal and then soon after he throws up a tube of mucus?
Regurgitation when your dog brings up undigested food. It comes mainly from inside the esophagus … up through the mouth and out. It’s a normal process for dogs. Even so, when you’re in the moment, you might feel concerned. This is especially true when the lines between regurgitation and vomiting are blurry.
Before reviewing regurgitation in depth, let’s quickly take a look at vomiting and how it’s different from regurgitation.