If you have a dog, you know what a big part of your family your dog is. They need special care and many people treat their dogs like kids, because, in a way, they sort of are, aren’t they? But sometimes, just like kids, dogs will get sick and start vomiting. This concerns everyone in your family.
On rare occasions, you yourself may know why your dog vomited but most of the time, you probably won’t. If they vomit once and if that is the end of it, you don’t have to be overly concerned. However, if it happens again, or if it persists, then you definitely need to be very concerned. Here are some helpful tips on what you should know about your vomiting pooch.
1. Causes
There are certain causes that you may know if you spot it. For example, certain foods are toxic to dogs. Things like chocolates, onions, grapes, raisins and several other human foods can cause your dog to get sick. If you are chopping onions, you may drop a little on the floor. If your kids are eating raisins, one or two may fall. You may be about to pick up these when your dog swoops in and gobbles it up. A short time later, they may vomit.
Depending on how much is consumed, it could be life-threatening. Other times, it could be that your dog has eaten too quickly or eaten something that’s disagreeable. Consuming too much fatty food could cause vomiting repeatedly. This is dangerous because it could be pancreatitis.
2. Diet Change
If you are changing your dog’s diet, it must be done gradually. You cannot give your dog Brand A and decide that from now on, it’s going to be Brand B. You need to introduce Brand B gradually over a week or so, increasing it slowly while decreasing Brand A. This diet change can cause vomiting, so do it slowly.
3. What To Do If Vomiting Frequently
If your dog vomits once, you don’t have to be overly concerned. It happens. Just like us, they may not be feeling great in the tummy. The occasional vomiting will happen, but don’t worry at this point. It could even be serious, but after the first episode, nobody knows, so just keep a watchful eye. However, if it happens again, and especially even more times, then you should take your dog to the vet immediately, as it could be a serious condition. It can be any number of things like pancreatitis, an intestinal obstruction or any number of things. Your dog must be examined thoroughly, but at the same time, make sure that you give the vet as much information as possible.
4. Pay Attention To Other Things
Vomiting once and then getting back to normal, such as having a healthy appetite means that it was probably an isolated incident.
However, do look for other things such as lethargy, bowel movement (if there’s diarrhea), increase in thirst and urination and other things that don’t appear to be ‘normal’ to you. This can help the vet to run tests that look for certain things. They can test the urine and blood and look for certain readings that may be elevated or decreased. Also, remember that different dogs have different types of constitutions. You may find that some dogs, such as the Portuguese water dog puppies, could lead a healthier lifestyle than other breeds of dogs.
5. Feeding
If you dog vomits, it’s okay to fast him/her for about twelve hours or so. Then, when you do give food, don’t give the dog its normal diet. Instead, give a bland diet like rice and chicken. Make sure the rice is cooked well and it’s nice and soft. The chicken has to be skinless and cooked well. Make sure nothing is too oily or greasy. See if he/she can hold this down. If this is brought up, then it’s best to go to the vet. Hospitalization may be necessary, such as with pancreatitis where they receive fluids intravenously.
Just make sure to keep an account of everything so that you can help the vet make a better and quicker decision. An isolated incident of vomiting is not a great concern, but more than that, you should go to the vet. Hold off giving any food or treats for a few hours until you see the vet and hopefully, it will be resolved.
