Dog and Cat Vomiting: When to Worry





You wake up in the morning and pop your slippers on. You head downstairs only to find the messiest of all messy things: cat vomit or dog vomit depending on your pet obviously. Since somebody has to deal with it and your pet doesn't have opposable thumbs this one's on you. Now every once in a while is nothing to worry about. But if they have been sick a few times now it can be a sign of poor dog or cat health.

Today we are going to take a look at the difference between the occasional accident and more serious health conditions. The good news is that 9 times out of 10 the problem isn't a big one: but if it is you'll be prepared for it.

Ready? Let's get started.

Dog and Cat Vomiting: Vomiting or Regurgitation? First of all you have to understand the difference between vomiting and regurgitation. This might not be something that's ever occurred to you before: regurgitation is normally used as a synonym for vomiting. If your cat is vomiting he is bringing partially digested food back up through the esophagus.

Regurgitation in cats and dogs by contrast is where food that never reached the stomach is brought back up. It's obvious when food is vomited rather than regurgitated: put bluntly the food is partially digested and all mixed up. Regurgitated food is chewed but still mostly as it was when your pet first swallowed it.

You can also tell the difference between the two because regurgitation is passive while vomiting is active. Before your pet vomits they will do everything that we do when we are in the same situation: drooling a little heaving and generally looking nauseous. Regurgitation simply happens as the esophagus brings food back up. Causes of Dog and Cat Regurgitation So why is any of this important? Because dog vomiting and regurgitation have different causes. Let's start by taking a look at the reasons why your pet might be regurgitating their food.

1.They ate too fast. Classic. There is really not that much explaining to do here. Regurgitation often occurs because the stomach is simply too full to digest any more, and the rest is brought back up. 2. They ate something they shouldn't have. Again we have all seen pets especially dogs eating food that's either gone bad or wasn't ever supposed to be food in the first place. And we have all seen a dog sick after they ate something bad. Fortunately for dogs their bodies know what's food and what isn't even if they don't. They will often immediately regurgitate anything they shouldn't have eaten. They don't always though which is why you should always take your pet to the vet if you think they have eaten something suspicious. 3. Megaesophagus. Megaesophagus is a condition that primarily affects dogs, although it can affect other pets too. The esophagus becomes enlarged: wider. In so doing, the muscles of the esophagus become far less effective than they should be. This means that food can't reach the stomach and if it stays there for too long the body brings it up again. The condition may simply be hereditary passed down from the previous generation. However it may also be the result of a problem like a tumor or similar in the esophagus that's causing it to malfunction. Unfortunately this condition means that you have to treat regurgitation seriously. So if your pet is regurgitating food frequently take them to a vet.









Causes of Dog and Cat Vomiting Dog vomit and cat vomit are distinctive. It looks partially digested: almost as if the food went through a blender. It might also look green which is caused by bile stomach acid. Vomiting is typically more of a cause for concern than regurgitation. As always this is especially the case if your dog or cat is vomiting regularly. If they do then the problem is likely to be a gastrointestinal disorder. 1.Gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and the intestines and it becomes a symptom of a whole range of problems from infection to food allergies. That's why vomiting can be both chronic and acute.



2. Physical obstruction If your dog or cat is unable to digest something your pet can vomit it back up. Hairballs are the most obvious example but anything could cause a physical obstruction. Dogs especially eat anything: socks balloons toys and more. Keep an eye on them and see what they try to wolf down. 3. Parasites Intestinal parasites in dogs and cats like roundworms and tapeworms can also cause chronic vomiting. You will need a strong stomach to diagnose them. Remember that roundworms appear in both vomit and stool. Tapeworms won't but you might notice other symptoms like your dog appearing malnourished despite eating a lot. 4. CKD/Chronic Kidney Disease CKD in cats is long drawn out kidney failure. It's typically the result of a diet that's too dry. Cats don't drink that much: just a couple of teaspoons a day. If their diet is too dry the kidneys can't function properly and are damaged. CKD among other things causes vomiting. If you notice weight loss ulcers and significantly bad breath alongside vomiting then the problem may be CKD.

There are plenty more causes of vomiting in dogs and cats but these are the most common. The issue might also be: Side effects from common drugs

Exposure to chemicals and toxins

Cancer or pancreas/liver disease

Gastrointestinal ulcers

Diabetes



