If your dog is vomiting, it can be a very worrisome time. Your dog could have just eaten something that upset their stomach or they could have a serious problem. However, if your dog is acting fine other than vomiting, there are some things you can do to help calm your nerves and determine if this is something more serious or not.
A dog who is vomiting but acting normal is a common problem with many causes. The most common reason for this is that the dog has eaten something that it shouldn’t have, such as a piece of plastic, or an object that has sharp edges and is causing damage to the stomach lining.
The best way to figure out what’s wrong is by taking your dog to the vet. They can do a complete examination and run tests on your dog’s vomit to see if they can figure out what’s going on. If there are any signs of blood in their vomit, or if they seem lethargic or weak after eating, then you should call your vet right away. If there isn’t a visible wound on their stomach or intestines when they’re vomiting, then this could just be due to an upset stomach or some other digestive issue that needs to be addressed by your vet.
Why is My Dog Vomiting?
Vomiting is a symptom of a problem, not the problem itself. Vomiting can be caused by:
- A blockage that prevents your dog from digesting food properly (such as an obstruction in their digestive tract)
- An infection that causes the stomach to produce excessive amounts of acid and enzymes that aid in digestion (gastritis)
- A medical condition like liver disease or pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Even though he’s acting normal, you should see a veterinarian right away. Vomiting is usually accompanied by other symptoms and often requires treatment. If your dog is just feeling sick, it will be much easier (and cheaper) to get its stomach back into order now than it would be if it developed more serious issues later on.
12 Reasons Your Dog May Be Throwing Up.
If you’re wondering why your dog is vomiting and acting normal, there are many reasons for pups to throw up. Some of them are more serious than others, but if you keep an eye out for any signs that something may be going on with your pup, any changes in behavior or eating habits, lethargy, diarrhea, or lack of appetite, you can protect him from further harm.
For example, dogs with gastric torsion will often vomit bile-tinged stomach contents after they’ve undergone surgery to correct the issue (which can lead to further complications). If you notice blood in your dog’s vomit or diarrhea after surgery has been performed on his stomach area (e.g., when he has had a band placed around his esophagus), contact your vet immediately because this could mean perforation has occurred during surgery and needs immediate attention before it worsens into something much worse.
1. Eating Garbage or Spoiled Food
Dogs are not picky eaters, and they will try to eat anything that smells or looks interesting. Most dogs have eaten garbage, spoiled food, or something toxic at one time or another. While some foods and toxins are obviously dangerous for dogs (like chocolate), there are others that may surprise you. Here are some common culprits:
- Foods that contain xylitol, a type of sugar found in many candies and chewing gums
- Grapes, raisins and currants
- Fatty foods like bacon bits
If your dog has eaten one of these items recently and is vomiting, as a result, take him to the vet immediately, he could be experiencing more serious side effects than just vomiting.
2. Bacterial Infection
A bacterial infection can be caused by a number of things, including eating spoiled food and eating garbage. Additionally, dogs can get sick from eating feces. If your dog has been vomiting for more than 24 hours and is acting normal otherwise, it might have a bacterial infection.
3. Parasites
Parasites are another potential cause of vomiting. Some common parasites that can be transmitted to your dog are:
- Worms (roundworms, hookworms)
- Coccidia
- Protozoa (Giardia)
Parasites are often present in food, water and the soil where the dog defecates. They can also be spread by contact with other animals or wildlife.
4. Medications and Toxins
Medications and toxins are the most common causes of vomiting, especially in dogs.
- Medications: If you’ve recently started your dog on a new medication or changed the dosage, you may want to stop giving it for a few days and see if this resolves the problem. Some medications can cause vomiting right away or up to several days after they’re administered; so if your dog vomits after receiving medication, it could be due to this side effect rather than any underlying issue.
- Toxins: Other drugs like insecticides, rat poisons, and antifreeze can also cause vomiting in both dogs and cats, though some may take longer than others (upwards of 72 hours) before showing symptoms.
- Foods: Food poisoning is often associated with abnormal behavior such as lethargy and lack of appetite in addition to nausea/vomiting. This can happen when owners feed their animals human food scraps without realizing there’s something bad about it (like onions or grapes). Ingesting certain plants can also make pets sick too.
5. Viruses
Viral infections are more common in young dogs and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Viral outbreaks are most common in the summer and fall, when viral shedding is at its peak. Also, dogs that have been exposed to other dogs are more likely to develop a viral infection.
6. Stress or Nervousness
Stress and nervousness are a common cause of vomiting. If your dog is nervous or stressed, it’s possible that it could be experiencing an upset stomach.
The following factors can cause stress in dogs:
- Moving to a new home
- Being left alone for long periods of time
- Having a new baby in the house or other pets introduced into the household (such as cats)
7. Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is a common cause of vomiting in dogs. The fact that they are more prone to motion sickness than people means this can happen when your dog rides in the car or on a boat or plane, but it can also happen to you if you’re riding in a car or on a boat or plane with your dog.
Dogs have an inner ear balance system that tells them what’s up and down. They rely heavily on this information for many reasons, including being able to walk around without falling over (which would make them look like idiots). Motion sickness happens when their inner ear system gets confused by movement and thinks they’re moving when they aren’t, this causes them extreme nausea.
8. Bloat
Bloat is a serious condition that can be life-threatening. In fact, in the United States alone, it’s estimated to kill more than 1,000 dogs each year. However, most cases of bloating are caused by less serious issues such as gas buildup or lack of exercise.
If your dog has recently eaten a large amount of food and is showing signs of bloating (such as abdominal swelling) but is otherwise acting normal, you should contact your vet immediately. The vet may decide to induce vomiting in order to relieve the pressure on your dog’s body and help prevent further damage. Afterward, they’ll likely recommend keeping an eye on their food intake and making sure they stay hydrated throughout the day as well as getting some exercise every few hours or so.*
9. Overeating or Eating Too Fast
If your dog is vomiting and eating at the same time, try to stop him from eating too fast. In some cases, this might help with the vomiting.
If your pet ate something that causes him to vomit frequently, try giving him smaller meals throughout the day instead of one big meal every few days. That way he can digest his food more easily and won’t have anything left over for later in his digestive tract that could cause vomiting when it reaches his stomach.
10. Food Allergies or Intolerance
If your dog vomits after eating, it could be due to food allergies or intolerance. If your dog has any of these symptoms, see your veterinarian rule out a food allergy:
- Itchy skin
- Hives (red welts)
- Excessive scratching or biting at the paws or body
- Chronic ear infections that don’t respond to antibiotic treatment
11. Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a serious condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed and begins to swell. The pancreas produces enzymes that help you digest food, so when it’s inflamed, these digestive enzymes leak into your dog’s bloodstream and cause problems elsewhere in his body.
It can be difficult to tell whether pancreatitis is causing your dog’s vomiting, but if he has other symptoms of this condition (jaundice and lethargy), then it’s likely that this is what’s going on. If you suspect that your pup has pancreatitis, call your vet immediately; untreated cases often result in death within 72 hours.
12. Liver Disease or Kidney Disease (Chronic Renal Failure) or Other Internal Diseases
Other internal diseases: You may have a dog with liver disease, kidney disease, or other internal problems that can cause vomiting. These conditions are much more serious and require immediate attention from your veterinarian.
How To Prevent Dogs from Vomiting
If your dog is vomiting, you may want to consider feeding a bland diet. Feeding a bland diet can help soothe the stomach, which can reduce vomiting. You should also feed small meals and frequent meals.
To prevent your dog from vomiting, feed it high-quality food that is low in fat and fiber. Make sure that the food you’re using has less than 10% protein by volume. If possible, avoid foods with added sodium as well; these types of ingredients can cause nausea or vomiting due to their stimulant properties.
Drugs To Give Dogs To Stop Vomiting
If your pet is vomiting, you might need to give him or her medication. Here are some common drugs that can help stop vomiting in dogs, cats, ferrets, and rabbits:
- Metoclopramide (Reglan) is used as a short-term treatment for nausea and vomiting in humans. It’s also very effective at stopping these symptoms in pets with similar causes. It works by increasing the amount of saliva produced by the stomach, which causes the stomach contents to stay down longer than usual and reduces their absorption into the bloodstream. Because metoclopramide’s effects can wear off after just two hours or so, it’s important that you only give this drug when needed, not on an ongoing basis.
- Cimetidine (Tagamet) belongs to a class of drugs called histamine H2 receptor antagonists (or “blockers”). These medications reduce acid secretion by preventing histamine from binding with certain cells in your pet’s stomach lining that normally produce excess acid when stimulated by food proteins or bacteria left behind after eating raw meat or fish products like sushi rolls made from tuna fish mayonnaise salad dressing mixed with sliced green onions; boiled potatoes drenched with butter then topped with shredded cheese; whipped cream garnished with crushed nuts; chocolate syrup drizzled over everything else…
In Conclusion
If your dog is vomiting but acting normal, it’s time to take them to the vet. This may be a symptom of something serious, like an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract. If you notice that your dog is vomiting and not acting normally, call your vet right away because they may need to be seen as soon as possible.