Reasons Why Your Dog is Throwing Up in Clifton Park, NY

Suddenly, you hear a familiar gurgling sound from your living room. You frantically run toward Patches, your French bulldog, just as he vomits all over your favorite sweatshirt. Your first thought is “Is he OK?” He looks OK, maybe even a little smug for hitting your sweatshirt.

He didn’t eat anything out of the ordinary lately. Then why is your dog vomiting? There are many potential reasons why your dog is throwing up in Clifton Park, NY. We’ll go over what you need to do.

What Do I Do First If My Dog is Vomiting in Clifton Park, NY?

Dogs commonly vomit for a number of reasons, from skipping a meal, to eating something they shouldn’t, to allergies. Vomiting is always a concerning symptom in puppies and your veterinarian should be alerted as soon as possible.

Is It an Emergency Situation?

When you first notice your dog vomiting, make sure they are not in any distress. Check if their tongue and gums are pink and make sure there isn’t anything like a bone fragment stuck in their mouth or throat.

If you notice the gums are any color but pink, something stuck in or around their mouth, or they just don’t look right, contact a regular or emergency veterinarian immediately. If your pup has diarrhea along with vomiting, they need to be seen by a veterinarian quickly.

What Have They Eaten Lately?

Once you know your pup is not having an emergency, it’s time to start thinking about what they last ate. Did they get a few too many table scraps at lunch? Were they grazing on grass during your morning walk?

Did you recently switch their regular food out for a new brand? Did they skip breakfast? Did you notice your plate of warm chocolate chip cookies looked a little sparse? Were they preoccupied with something in the yard this morning?

Answering similar questions can help pinpoint if you dog is throwing up from not eating enough (some dogs will vomit when they skip meals), from a dietary change (even switching dog food brands or flavors can cause upset stomachs), or from ingesting a harmful substance.

If you know or suspect your dog has ingested something harmful, contact a veterinarian immediately. If you notice blood in your dog’s vomit, also contact a veterinarian immediately.

Dogs will sometimes ingest grass to soothe their stomach and this is normal for them to do periodically. If you notice your pup is grazing in the yard and vomiting grass every day, it may be time to dig deeper to see if there is an underlying reason for this.

Note What Your Pup is Throwing Up

Is the vomit bright yellow? It may be bile, which dogs sometimes vomit when they skip meals. It can also be from a more serious cause, so it is good to have your pup checked out. Sometimes dogs (particularly puppies) will throw up worms.

These are usually white and look like spaghetti or translucent flat worms. If you notice worms, try to put a sample of them in a Ziplock for your veterinarian so they can determine what type of parasites your pup has and how best to treat them.

Are They Eating Too Fast?

Did your pup throw up undigested food right after eating? They may be eating too fast, which can cause them to gulp air in addition to food. This can be harmful in large-breed dogs and cause bloat or gastric torsion. In the most serious scenario, gastric torsion causes the stomach to twist and cut off its blood supply. This is an emergency and requires veterinary care and sometimes surgery to fix.

To prevent gulping food, try a slow feeder food bowl, which looks like a maze and causes your dog to slow down.

In a pinch, a clean rock placed in the center of the food bowl will have a similar effect. The same problem with swallowing air can occur when gulping water. If your dog is throwing up water just after drinking, check if they are gulping quickly.

This commonly happens after exercise or after being out in warm weather, so watch your dog closely when offering water in these scenarios.

Why is My Dog Vomiting Every Day?

If your dog vomits once or twice then stops, it is probably not cause for concern unless you note any of them problems discussed above. If your dog starts throwing up frequently, the root cause of the vomiting needs to be found and addressed.

Sometimes dogs vomit in response to an infection and require medication to start to feel better. Allergies can sometimes cause vomiting, especially if the pup has a food allergy.

If you suspect your dog has an allergy, your vet can instruct you on a new food selection or how to determine the allergen. If your dog is not up to date on vaccines, vomiting can be an early sign of a potentially fatal disease.

Distemper, leptospirosis, and parvovirus are all serious conditions that can cause vomiting. These are treatable, especially if caught and treated early.

Liver, kidney, or pancreatic infections or issues can cause long-term vomiting. Though serious, these can be treated.

Another concerning reason for chronic vomiting can be a foreign body obstruction. Anything your dog ingests that cannot be digested or is too big to pass through the intestines has the potential to obstruct the gastrointestinal tract and cause serious illness.

If you suspect your dog ate something they shouldn’t have and they are vomiting with or without diarrhea, they need veterinary attention.

Other Reasons for Dog Vomiting in Clifton Park, NY

If your pup is vomiting in the car or when on a boat and no other time, they may have motion sickness. Just like people, dogs can get car sick. There are medications your veterinarian can prescribe or recommend to help prevent motion sickness.

Heatstroke is another condition that can happen in dogs, just like in people. It’s always good to remember if you’re warm, your dog probably is too. If exercising or outdoors on warm days, make sure you bring extra water and offer it to your dog frequently.

Make sure your dog has access to shade and try to limit walks or exercise to early morning or later evening to take advantage of cooler temperatures. If you suspect heatstroke, this is an emergency and your dog needs medical attention quickly.

There are many reasons dogs vomit, and while the odd event once or twice isn’t cause for too much concern, it is always a good idea to contact your vet in Clifton Park, NY to see if your furry friend needs to be seen by them.