You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Vomiting is commonly observed by pet owners - but what should you do ?

If your pet has been fed too many tit-bits or if it steals food or scraps from left-over plates or bins it may well contract a transient gastroenteritis - which results in vomiting and/or diarrhoea.  Vomiting is defined as the active expulsion of food from the stomach - however sometimes food (and other material eg saliva) that leaves the mouth has not actually been vomited because it has been brought up without ever reaching the stomach. See dysphagia, pharyngeal retching, and regurgitation. 

Your veterinarian will need to differentiate between the many different causes of vomiting so, it is important to record what you see when your pet appears to be vomiting. In particular note the following :

• Did your pet look depressed (nauseous) immediately before it "vomited" ?
• Did your pet dribble saliva before it vomited ?
• During the act of vomiting did your pet appear to strain it's abdominal muscles ?
• What did your pet eat before it vomited
• Did your pet vomit the food immediately after eating ?
• Did your pet vomit the food some time after eating ? If so, how long afterwards ?
• Did the food come out in a sausage-shape ?
• What did the vomit look like ? 
  • Colour
  • Content
  • Consistency
  • Slimy or not
• Report any other signs of illness or unusual behaviour that you have noted in the days or weeks preceding the onset of vomiting

• gastrointestinal tract inflammation, obstruction, partial obstruction or distension
• stress, fear, excitement
• movement (travel sickness)
• toxins - bacterial or chemical
• chemicals produced in the body in association with many diseases e.g. urea in renal failure, pyometra
• trauma - especially concussion of the brain or spinal cord
• cancer
• high body temperature (pyrexia)

What should you do ?

Contact your veterinarian for advice about what to do. If you can give a clear description of how and what your pet vomited your veterinarian will have a good idea about the likely cause(s) and be able to advise you over the telephone. Most causes of vomiting are not particularly serious, will be transient, and can be managed with dietary change and/or drugs and do not require detailed investigative procedures. However, sometimes vomiting can be the sign of a more serious disorder and urgent investigation and treatment will be needed.

It is advisable not to feed your pet any food until you have spoken to your veterinarian, but water should be offered in small amounts otherwise your pet could become dehydrated.

More detailed information about vomiting can be found HERE

Updated October 2013