The Treatment for a Vomiting DogThe best treatment for a vomiting dog depends on the cause of the symptoms. If a dog has an isolated episode of vomiting but is otherwise well, a trip to the vet may not be needed.
Some dogs have a sensitive digestive tract and may vomit occasionally (much less than once a week). In these instances, the first step is to limit the dog's food intake for a full day. Make sure to keep plenty of water at hand to avoid dehydration. After this, offer only small portions of bland food (chicken and rice) multiple times a day. Sometimes if the vomiting continues, your vet may give some anti-vomiting medication that may help the symptoms. For severe or repeat vomiting, immediate treatment is often needed. Dogs can become rapidly dehydrated, completely obstructed, develop electrolyte imbalances and even broader infections such as pneumonia. Treatment primarily includes antibiotics. But if there is an obstruction, particularly a complete obstruction, surgery may be needed to resolve this. Sometimes, surgery is done in cases of severe vomiting when no other test has revealed a cause. This is called exploratory surgery to explore what the cause could be. Your vet may also recommend hospitalization as this allows vets to carefully monitor your dog and treat for any emergent situation that may arise. Your dog can be given IV fluids that replenish the nutrients he has lost because of the vomiting and help to keep him hydrated. Multiple medications can also be given to help the symptoms and any underlying causes. For chronic vomiting, it is vital to diagnose the underlying condition to be able to treat it appropriately. Your vet will be able to use multiple tests to get to the right diagnosis and give the proper treatment. Please keep in mind that vomiting is a common symptom in dogs. It is often due to minor causes such as a gastric irritant but can also be a life-threatening emergency. Please feel free to review this entire section on vomiting to learn more about the signs and symptoms that would raise your concern level. Remember that whenever you feel your dog is showing any symptoms that are concerning you, you should take him to the vet right away.
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