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.

Nausea is common in humans and animals - but our pets can not tell us that they feel sick - so how do we recognise it  ?

The feeling of "wanting to be sick (vomit)" is common in humans, and we believe it is common in animals as well...but of course they can not talk to us and tell us ! Fortunately there are some telltale signs of nausea including :

• Frequent swallowing
• Licking of the lips
• Excessive salivation
• Restlessness
• A worried expression

In some animals these signs are very obvious, in other animals they are mild, and the animal vomits almost straight away.

Nausea can be caused by many factors including :

• Travel sickness
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Some drugs
• Hormonal disorders - eg Addisons disease
• Brain disease
• Some foods and spices
• Major organ disease- eg kidney failure 
• Poisoning
• Ingestion of some non-food substances eg soaps

If your pet shows signs of nausea with/without vomiting you should get the advice of your veterinarian in case the underlying cause is a serious disease.

Updated October 2013