Canine Vomiting Causes, Treatments
Whether it is a dog or a cat that you own, vomiting is a problem that you will inevitably have to deal with as a pet owner. A dog that is vomiting could be seriously ill, or it may be something trivial, but the worry that this behavior generates is usually that of anxiety and panic. While some anxiety in your part would be understandable, your dog’s vomiting should be no cause for panic. In most cases the symptom is caused by something trivial and passes swiftly, without much intervention.
It is important that you stay calm, as the key to the dog’s survival may depend on you, if there is some serious health condition. Treatment for dog vomiting depends entirely on the cause, and it may be necessary for you to identify potential causes and accordingly provide your dog with the necessary care, if you cannot wait to get to the vet. Understanding the problem, potential causes, and how to treat it can help you make better decisions, leave you more prepared, also helping you stay calm and capable of exercising better judgment. Such supportive care is important as it could make a world of difference to the dog, with a quick recovery, or an extended bout of illness that requires treatment.
Dogs can be like unruly little kids at times, digging up and eating things they shouldn’t, often not even food items. In most cases of a dog vomiting, the cause is due to ingestion of some unfamiliar or non food object. Gastritis or an inflammation of the lining of the stomach is another very common cause that could again be caused by consuming some unfamiliar food, a non food item, or via a virus. Irrespective of the cause, the first thing you need to do, is to give the dog’s stomach a chance to rest. This is also true in case of a stomach upset or minor food poisoning.
Allowing your dog to continue eating and drinking will only worsen and aggravate the inflammation causing the inflammation to worsen. Dehydration is however a cause for concern. Keep up the fast for just 12 hours in case of a minor stomach upset or extend it by another 12 hours if the symptoms do not abate. Fasting can however cause hypoglycemia in dogs, so you need to look out for the warning signs. Simply rub some maple syrup or honey into the gums to avert this condition.
During the first four hours it would be advisable to offer your dog ice cubes, as fluids, including water, are also best avoided. This will help avert or reduce any risk of dehydration, while preventing the dog from gulping copious amounts of liquid that would simply prolong and accentuate the symptoms. Once the symptoms have abated wait for a couple of hours and put the dog on a bland food diet, but serving only small portions.
Do keep in mind that if the vomiting does not show any signs of abating within 18 to 20 hours, or if there are any other accompanying symptoms or violent and excessive vomiting then you need to rush the dog to a vet.