Vomiting is very common in dogs. The throwing up would be due to a variety of causes most of which should not be made a major concern. A vomiting dog would have strong abdominal contractions and heave forcibly to expulse the contents of the stomach and the small intestines. Although vomiting is a common occurrence in dogs, this concern is a challenge not only to dog owners but to veterinarians as well given that vomiting is not considered to be a disease but rather a symptom of an underlying ailment.

Vomiting in dogs is usually dietary related. Vomiting is caused by an irritation in the stomach. Aside from being voracious eaters, dogs are scavengers as well. Dogs not only eat spoiled and rotten foods but non-edible objects too. An owner that provides the pet with premium quality food will be disconcerted to know that the dog has ingested aluminum foil, plastic wrappers, stones, tree barks and many other non-edible substances. The dog vomits to expulse the toxic or the irritant substances in the stomach. A dog can be an after meal vomiter. Dogs in a pack need to wolf down the food because they need to compete with other dogs. Food gulping can result to vomiting.

A bout of vomiting can arise if the dog is suffering from gastrointestinal problems. The dog may have stomach ulcers or cancer. The pet can be infected with parvovirus or infested with intestinal parasites. Vomiting can be a sign of an underlying disease. Pancreatitis, Hepatitis and kidney failure are some of the diseases that would have vomiting as a secondary cause. Deficiencies or excesses of hormones as well as infection of the abdominal cavity can be one of the reasons why a dog would have recurring bouts of vomiting.

A dog that repeatedly vomits can get rapidly dehydrated. Vomiting can also result to aspiration pneumonia. The dog may develop electrolyte imbalance as well. Needless to say, it would be imperative to stop the bouts of vomiting. It would be necessary to know the causes why a dog is throwing up. A dog that vomits once or twice but acts its normal energetic self may not need medical treatment. Dogs really do induce vomiting by eating grasses to expulse substances they have ingested that do not agree with their stomach. A severe case of vomiting however would need a veterinarian’s attention. Take the pet to the vet if the dog is in obvious pain and the vomitus that is expulsed forcefully has blood in it. Immediate medical attention in this case can save the life of the pet.