When Vomit Becomes Serious
How many of you have pets that vomit here and there? Usually no big deal right…or so it seems. Sometimes when your dog vomits, it’s just a reaction to hairballs, something going down the wrong pipe as he swallowed or sometimes his food just didn’t sit quite right with him. But, how do you know if vomiting could be a sign of something more serious or fatal even? Keep reading!
From: http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/firday-dopamine-dump-31.jpg
If your dog displays ANY of the following symptoms after he vomits, he needs an immediate trip to the veterinary clinic or hospital:
- Fever
- Swollen belly
- Bloody Stool
- Depression
- Pale or yellow gums
- Any signs of pain
- Dry heaving
- Bloody vomit
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Your dog hasn’t been vaccinated
Be prepared to answer the following questions when you arrive at the vet. Your answers will help with the diagnosis and treatment of your dog!
- How long has he been vomiting?
- How many times has the dog vomited?
- What did the vomit look like?
- How is your dog behaving? Is this normal?
- Is he in pain?
There are many reasons your dog may be vomiting and your vet uses a variety of resources to help in the diagnosis and treatment. Some of those factors are:
- Onset of symptoms
- Physical examination
- Lab tests
- Diagnostic tests
- Medical history
- Appearance of vomit/bile
- Level of nausea
So what may cause my dog to vomit?
This list is non-exhaustive but it just goes to show you how vomit can be a sign of something very serious and even deadly.
- Foreign objects in the gastrointestinal tract
- Parasites
- Kidney failure
- Liver Failure
- Gall Bladder Inflammation
- Pancreatitis
- Nausea due to anesthesia
- Poison
- Viral infections
- Drugs/Medications
- Heatstroke
- Car sickness
- As always, prompt attention to any “out of the ordinary” behavior of your dog whether it be vomiting or anything else is imperative. Any delay in action on your part could make things a lot worse for you and your dog.
