Ask Dr Claire
My dog has been vomiting since yesterday afternoon and I am really worried. He was fine the day before now he just vomits without trying, I just need some answers.
In short, vomiting for 24 hours is a problem.
Vomiting is really just a symptom and can be the result of many underlying causes. In this case, we really need to find the cause of the vomiting so that we can treat your dog’s problem (not just the symptom). This will help us reach the best treatment plan too.
Some of the underlying causes of vomiting might be:
- Infectious disease (bacteria, viruses, parasites)
- Gut problems (inflammatory bowel disease, tumours, obstructions, food intolerance or food allergies)
- Abdominal or metabolic problems (kidney, liver, pancreatitis, spleen, electrolyte abnormalities, diabetes)
- Direct irritation of the stomach
- A reaction to toxins or other drugs
- Dietary indiscretion
A hands-on examination from your local vet would be a great place to start, ad as soon as possible. If he can’t even keep down water he will dehydrate further, and quickly – he needs help.
They may even recommend a blood test as a great way to assess your dog’s base health. Abdominal imaging (such as radiography and ultrasound) is often used in cases of vomiting to exclude any structural disease in the abdomen and look at gut wall thickness (which is an indicator of an unhappy gut).
If you’d like to chat in person, you can book a live video call or start a chat to discuss in more detail, as soon as possible.
We’re here to help!
Chat soon,
Dr Claire