Vomiting is the result of a reflex that leads to the expulsion of the stomach’s contents through the mouth. It is accompanied by abdominal spasms that can sometimes be dramatic.
They are common in dogs.
Regurgitated material can include food, including grass! Or gastric juices that are white in color, or duodenal, rather yellow, often referred to as “bile”.
A dog may vomit for various reasons. Generally, the causes are:
- Digestive causes such as gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), a rapid dietary change or an obstruction…
- Des causes extra-digestives comme une insuffisance rénale ou le mal des transports…
Some causes are obvious. For example, the regurgitation of a large amount of previously ingested grass.
Others, more complex, require a veterinary consultation and possibly the carrying out of additional tests.
Read also | Best dog kibble: a veterinarian’s opinion
What to do on a case-by-case basis
Si mon chien vomit soudainement
In cases of acute vomiting, that is to say when it occurs suddenly, the first thing to do is to withhold food from your companion. Indeed, any new ingestion of food or water may trigger further vomiting.
This fasting period can last 24 hours. However, be careful: if your animal is very young, very old or very small (e.g., a Chihuahua), the consequences of acute vomiting can quickly become dangerous.
I am specifically thinking of the risk of dehydration. It is therefore recommended to consult a veterinarian without delay.
You should also consult a professional even if your dog is not frail if it has acute vomiting and sudden lethargy or if the vomiting persists after a 24-hour fast.
Severe vomiting and a general decline in condition can be a sign of serious conditions such as intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, or leptospirosis, a bacterial disease.
Just like humans, dogs can also contract gastroenteritis caused by viruses or spoiled food.
In this case, the vomiting is often accompanied by diarrhea.
Parvovirus is a very serious viral hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in puppies. There is a vaccine that can be given from 8 weeks of age to prevent this highly contagious disease.
If my dog vomits regularly
A dog that vomits frequently may be suffering from a chronic condition such as renal or liver failure, chronic pancreatitis, intestinal lymphoma, or IBD (inflammatory bowel disease)…
D’autres signes comme un amaigrissement sont souvent présents.
In that case, you should consult a veterinarian so they can carry out tests to make a diagnosis and treat the ailing animal.
The evaluation of a dog that vomits regularly includes blood tests, X-rays or ultrasounds, and sometimes a CT scan or an endoscopy.
If my dog vomits white foam
Les vomissements de mousse blanche surviennent souvent sur un estomac vide.
Because the dog has no food to regurgitate, it vomits gastric juice, a liquid produced by the glands of the stomach wall. The foamy appearance is caused by an excess of gas in the stomach.
If my dog vomits yellow
Yellow vomiting corresponds to the evacuation of liquid present in the duodenum, this intestinal duct at the exit of the stomach.
This liquid is a mixture of bile and digestive and pancreatic juices. They occur during intense vomiting.
Vomissements de croquettes ou vomissements clairs ou jaunes, l’attitude à avoir est la même : une diète et une visite chez le vétérinaire si les troubles persistent
Si mon chien vomit du sang
This alarming symptom is not necessarily a sign of a serious condition.
Cela peut simplement refléter une irritation importante de la muqueuse stomacale. Mais, dans certains cas, cette hématémèse peut traduire la présence d’un ulcère, d’une tumeur ou d’un trouble de la coagulation.
If there is blood in the vomit, don’t panic and make an appointment with your veterinarian without delay.
Si mon chien vomit des vers
Some worms, such as roundworms, can be expelled during vomiting. They look like white spaghetti and are common in puppies.
If your dog vomits worms, you will need to give it a dewormer, then repeat 15 days later.
Puppies must be dewormed once a month until the age of 6 months.
If my dog vomits in the car
Like children, puppies frequently vomit during car rides. It’s due to immaturity of the inner ear.
If the symptoms persist into adulthood, your veterinarian may prescribe antiemetics or dimenhydrinate, which is more specific for motion sickness.
If my dog vomits when I change its kibble
Some very sensitive animals cannot tolerate changes in food and develop digestive problems at the slightest deviation.
Pour ces chiens, il faudra être strict et ne distribuer que l’aliment habituel. Les canidés ne sont pas comme les humains : ils n’ont pas besoin de varier leur alimentation pour être heureux !
As a rule, any change in diet should be done gradually by mixing the new food with the old for about ten days.
How to treat a vomiting dog
Treatment of vomiting
Common measures include:
• Une diète de 24 heures
• Des anti-vomitifs en injection ou en comprimé
• Des pansements gastriques sous forme de liquide
En cas de vomissements importants entraînant une déshydratation, une courte hospitalisation pour perfusion peut s’avérer bénéfique.
À ce traitement symptomatique s’ajoute éventuellement le traitement de l’affection sous-jacente : antibiotiques en cas de gastro-entérite bactérienne, anti-inflammatoires en cas de MICI, cholérétique en cas de stase biliaire…
It is advisable to always give antiemetics first and to wait half an hour before administering other medications and/or feeding the dog.
Adjusting the diet of a dog that vomits
As mentioned above, a short fast can be beneficial. It may also be useful to feed your dog a highly digestible diet (available from veterinarians) for a few days to rest its digestive tract.
On peut aussi lui proposer du poulet ou du jambon avec un peu de riz très cuit.
For dogs that gulp down their meals and immediately vomit undigested kibble, it is recommended to divide the daily amount of food into two or even three meals.
In stores, you can find slow-feed bowls for these overly greedy animals!
In cases of food allergy in dogs
Furthermore, there are certain chronic conditions causing vomiting in dogs that respond well to a change in diet.
Food allergy in dogs rather manifests as itching. However, about 15% of allergic dogs also experience vomiting.
In dogs, the main allergens are proteins that are mainly found in meats: beef, chicken, pork, lamb but also fish, egg and dairy products.
À noter que l’intolérance au gluten, fréquente chez les humains, n’existe pas chez le chien, sauf chez le Setter Irlandais.
There is no reliable blood test to know if a dog is allergic to a food. The diagnosis is made by an elimination diet.
That is to say by giving dogs foods they have never eaten or special kibble with hydrolyzed proteins, which do not trigger an allergic reaction. If the itching and vomiting stop, then it was indeed a food allergy.
Pour s’en assurer on peut réintroduire l’ancien aliment. Les troubles doivent réapparaître.
Les MICI du chien
Inflammatory bowel diseases, or IBD, often cause diarrhea. But, sometimes vomiting is the only symptom.
Le diagnostic se fait par échographie et analyse histologique de la muqueuse digestive grâce à des biopsies réalisées par endoscopie ou chirurgie.
In addition to treating the inflammation, highly digestible or hypoallergenic dry food or pâtés are often recommended to improve symptoms.
Vomiting in dogs is a common symptom. The causes are numerous. A dog that is vomiting and whose general condition is impaired should receive a prompt consultation with its veterinarian.
