If you’ve ever owned a dog, you know that they can vomit from time to time. When this happens, most dog owners are a bit annoyed that they have to clean it up, but many more owners are concerned because seeing your dog vomit isn’t a fun sight.
So, if you see your dog vomiting, do you need to call the vet right away? Well, not really.
If you catch a dog vomiting, it could be for several reasons. Like with humans, vomiting in itself isn’t a side of something serious, but if other symptoms accompany it, you may have to call in a professional to help you.
With that said, figuring out if you need to call a vet or not after your dog vomits is hard. There are simply so many factors to consider that it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll be looking at whether or not dog vomiting is serious, when you should be concerned, and some of the common causes of dog vomiting.
Should I Be Concerned If My Dog Vomits?
If you catch your dog vomiting, you don’t have to be concerned, not right away at least. This is because there are tons of reasons your dog may be vomiting. In fact, it can often be as simple as they ate too much or too fast right after exercising.
Alternatively, your dog could have eaten some grass from the garden or dog park that isn’t sitting well in its stomach. Or, they could just be coughing, and some saliva came out in the process.
However, there are times when your dog could be vomiting because of an underlying sickness or condition. In these cases, it’s best to be concerned and consult with your vet as soon as possible.
So, how do you know if it’s a cause of concern?
Well, that can only come from observation. The most important thing you need to do if you see your dog vomiting is observe them and see if they’re exhibiting any other symptoms. If you see your dog exhibiting any additional symptoms like constant vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, and more, this could be a sign that a vet visit is necessary.
What Causes Dogs to Vomit?
As mentioned earlier, dogs’ vomit for many reasons. The biggest and most common reason is eating something they shouldn’t. Remember, dogs are very curious creatures and would gladly eat just about anything you throw their way. And if the food they eat isn’t good for dogs, the body’s first reaction is to expel the food.
This is usually why dogs vomit. However, there are other causes, too.
Here are some of the other reasons you may find your dog vomiting unexpectedly:
Diseases
One of the most common causes of dog vomit is disease. Like humans, dogs can catch many diseases that cause them to vomit. Examples of these are tick-borne diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disease, and more. These diseases are usually associated with other symptoms aside from vomiting, which is why you need to keep a close eye on your pet.
Allergies
Dogs can be allergic to certain foods. It can be hard to tell what foods your dog is allergic to when you first adopt them, so there’s a chance they could eat something bad for their body. One of the most common ways their body deals with it is by vomiting when this happens.
Parasites
Various parasites can also cause dogs to vomit. This is especially true if they have stomach parasites and intestinal parasites. Dogs can catch parasites by eating the wrong food and not getting the right treatment. So, we highly recommend that you keep your dog up to date with their deworming medicine to avoid parasites in their intestines.
How Do I Know If My Dog Has a Serious Condition When Vomiting?
It can be hard to figure out if it’s time to bring your dog to the vet after vomiting. After all, seeing them throw up once isn’t enough evidence that they need medical attention. However, if you notice your dog vomiting frequently, this could be a sign that something is wrong and they need veterinary attention as soon as possible.
With that said, getting to the bottom of why your dog vomited in the first place is key to determining if it’s time to call a vet. So, make sure to retrace your dog’s steps to figure out if they had the opportunity to eat something they shouldn’t have during the day.
Additionally, you can do the following:
Check the Color of the Vomit
When you see your dog vomiting, one of the last things you’d want to do is examine the vomit. However, this is very important in determining why they threw up in the first place. For example, Spot & Tango explains why dogs vomit white foam. It could indicate that the pup threw up on an empty stomach, which is a sign of acid reflux or indigestion.
Alternatively, brown and red dog vomit could be caused by them vomiting their kibble after eating too fast. This is especially true if you can still see bits of kibble in their vomit.
Check How Your Dog Is Acting
It’s crucial to observe your dog. Firstly, you need to check if they’re frequently vomiting or if it was a one-time thing. If your dog only threw up once and is fine after, then there’s nothing for you to worry about.
However, if you see your dog vomiting a lot and it’s accompanied by other symptoms like lethargy, weakness, and diarrhea, this is a sign that something a bit more serious is happening. If you suspect that your dog is sick, we highly recommend calling your vet right away for advice.
Conclusion – What to Do If Your Dog Is Vomiting
The most important thing to do if you see your dog vomiting is observing them. You can’t tell right away if there’s something serious causing the vomiting, which is why you need to check if your dog is exhibiting other symptoms.
If your dog seems sick or is exhibiting symptoms on top of vomiting, it’s best to call your vet right away for help.
