Causes of Dog Vomiting

Dog vomiting is not necessarily a severe condition, being caused by an upset stomach or excessive heat. However, vomiting can be indicative of a serious illness, such as parvovirus infection or liver disease.

Stomach Problems

Dogs often ingest diverse objects or human food that can upset their stomach. Throwing up is a natural reaction of the body. If the ingested food is toxic, the vomiting will be more serious and the dog needs to be taken to the vet. Dogs will often overeat or swallow too rapidly without chewing food, and this can also cause vomiting.

Heat Stroke

Dogs have a difficult time adjusting to extreme temperatures, especially when it’s hot. Extreme heat can cause a heat stroke. The dog will be vomiting and may also have seizures. You can easily detect a heat stroke, as your dog will have an elevated temperature. Cool your dog down with cold compresses, and avoid direct exposure to sun.

Intestinal Parasites

Intestinal parasites such as tapeworms or hookworms often leads to vomiting and diarrhea, as the parasites will cause intestinal discomfort. Monitor your dog’s feces for any worms or worm segments, and visit the vet for proper diagnosis and treatment. Dewormers will eliminate the intestinal parasites.

Food Intolerance

Your dog’s diet can cause vomiting. The dog may have intolerance to certain food ingredients. Check the label and do a few food trials by eliminating one ingredient at a time to determine the one that makes your pet throw up.

Diet Changes

Changes in your dog's diet can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, especially if you switched to wet or raw food. The dog will experience vomiting and diarrhea until his body gets used to the new diet. Always consult your vet prior to changing your dog’s diet, and have a transition period to avoid negative reaction.

Infections

Bacterial, fungal and viral infections can be the reason why your dog is vomiting. These infections can be contracted from other dogs though direct contact, saliva or the ingestion of feces. Other symptoms may include fever, diarrhea, lack of appetite or lethargy.

Some of these infections may be prevented if your dog has a proper hygiene. The infections are treated with antibiotics or antifungal medication.

Grass Eating

Grass has a special texture that can induce vomiting. Grass that is not chewed will tickle the stomach lining and the dog will throw up. Sometimes, dogs eat grass on purpose when they need to vomit.

Dog vomiting can be indicative of a more serious underlying condition such as parvovirus, kidney or liver disease, stomach ulcer, entero-colitis, tumors, gastritis, hyperthyroidism or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Dogs may throw up gastric juice, undigested food, ingested foreign objects, liquid, grass or blood. Keep an eye on your dog and see if he displays other symptoms that may be indicative of a disease. If your dog throws up on rare occasions, this should be considered normal. However, if your dog vomits frequently and throws up blood, you need to consult your vet.

 

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