Introduction
Vomiting is a clinical sign that something is going wrong inside your pet; it is not a diagnosis or disorder in and of itself. Vomiting is common in companion animals. Vomiting is not the same as regurgitation, which is the passive expulsion of undigested food or fluid from the esophagus into the oral or nasal cavities. Vomiting, unlike regurgitation, requires abdominal effort, usually described as “retching” immediately prior to “throwing up.”
Vomiting can be caused by a number of things, and can cause a number of mild to severe consequences such as dehydration/volume depletion, electrolyte disturbances, nutritional deficiencies, poor body condition, inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis), aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition. Dogs may vomit after eating rancid food, poisonous plants or other substances. They may vomit because of an underlying medical condition or food or other allergies. While occasional vomiting can be normal, frequent bouts of vomiting should be assessed by a veterinarian.
Implications of Vomiting in Dogs
Frequent vomiting, or vomiting that is accompanied by severe, bloody or mucoid diarrhea,lethargy, weakness, depression, pain, fever or confusion, warrants an immediate examination by a veterinarian. If a dog is unable to hold down even small amounts of food or water, this also indicates that something serious is going on. In these cases, the dog could be suffering from poisoning, an intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, bloat, or an infectious disease such as parvovirus. All of these conditions require immediate treatment or they could be lethal to the dog.
Long-term periodic vomiting, whether caused by a digestive problem such as food allergies, gastrointestinal bacterial or viral infection or a physiological deformity in the digestive tract, can lead to nutritional deficiencies over time if the problem is not addressed. Allergies and infections can interfere with nutritional absorption, and physiological deformities can cause vomiting which interferes with how much food the stomach is able to process, and thus how much nutrition the dog’s body is able to uptake. A poor body condition as indicated by dry flaky skin, muscle hypertrophy or dull coat may also be caused by nutritional deficiencies associated with chronic vomiting. Excessive vomiting can cause electrolytic imbalances and dehydration if not treated. Dehydration can be life threatening, and electrolytic imbalances can cause muscle weakness, tremors, and even neurological problems if they become severe. Another possible implication of vomiting is aspiration pneumonia, along with weight loss.