Introduction

Gastritis in dogs is a type of condition that occurs when the dog's stomach becomes inflamed. As a result, the dog’s stomach is unable to digest food properly. Gastritis can either occur in dogs in an acute, or chronic form.

Symptoms of Gastritis in Dogs

The most common signs of gastritis are vomiting, lack of appetite, and lethargy. Most dogs with gastritis vomit frothy bile, and in many cases there are flecks of blood in the vomit. Sometimes if the stomach begins to bleed, the dog can vomit up this blood and the vomit will look very similar to wet coffee grounds. Gastritis can also cause pain in the abdominal area.

Acute gastritis causes symptoms to appear suddenly. These symptoms can be severe, and they may increase drastically in a matter of hours. Chronic gastric is generally associated with more mild symptoms, but this condition can occur for a long period of time and possibly cause damage to the lining of the stomach.

Causes of Gastritis in Dogs

Gastritis can occur from a variety of causes, and this condition can affect dogs of all ages and breeds.

• Inflammatory - Immune-mediated, dietary allergy or intolerance, idiopathic
• Toxins - Fertilizers, herbicides, cleaning agents, heavy metals
• Dietary indiscretion - Plant material, foreign objects, chemical irritants
• Metabolic/endocrine disease - Azotemia, chronic liver disease, Addison's disease, pancreatitis
• Neoplastic - Cancer
• Parasitism
• Drugs - NSAIDs and glucocorticoids
• Infectious - Helicobacter, Pythiosis, viral

In most cases gastritis is an uncomfortable condition for the dog, but it is only considered to be a medical threat in severe cases. Most dogs respond well to treatments for the condition, and the majority of cases can be treated at home.

Causes of Gastritis