What's going on when a small dog vomits?

Vomiting in small dogs is a relatively common phenomenon in daily life. Many factors can cause vomiting in dogs, such as overeating, gastrointestinal obstruction, physiological vomiting, gastritis, gastrointestinal ulcers, and internal parasites.

1. Overeating

People often joke about being "full to the point of vomiting," which is actually a real occurrence in dogs. Eating too much can indeed lead to excessive pressure on the dog's esophagus, causing vomiting symptoms when the digestion cannot keep up. In this case, owners do not need to be too worried, but they should pay attention to controlling their pet's food intake in the future.

1. Gastrointestinal Obstruction

Some indigestible objects are easily eaten by dogs, such as ropes, small pieces of plastic, and cotton. These materials will block the gastrointestinal tract when accidentally swallowed by dogs, causing rejection. At this time, the dog may vomit white, mousse-like substances.

1. Physiological Vomiting

Physiological vomiting in dogs is a relatively normal phenomenon. If the dog eats back its vomit and shows no adverse reactions, it is a normal physiological vomit, and additional attention from owners is not needed. However, difficult-to-digest foods can also cause physiological vomiting, so owners should adjust the diet.

1. Gastritis

If a dog's vomit is transparent and white, it may indicate gastritis. Gastritis can cause significant problems with the dog's digestive system, leading to loss of appetite, vomiting, and other symptoms. Owners should take their dogs to the hospital promptly.

1. Gastrointestinal Ulcers

If a dog vomits yellow-green bile-like liquid, it may be due to gastrointestinal ulcers. Gastrointestinal ulcers can cause the dog's digestive system to malfunction, with symptoms such as vomiting, and even bleeding or bloody stools. Not all gastrointestinal ulcers cause frequent vomiting, so owners should pay attention to vomiting episodes and consider regular veterinary check-ups to avoid missing the best treatment time.

1. Internal Parasites

There are many internal parasites in dogs, such as tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. The incubation period of internal parasites is long, and symptoms may not appear until a considerable time after infection. Therefore, if a dog vomits due to parasites, it indicates that the parasite infection has reached a severe stage. Owners should regularly deworm their dogs and be aware that dogs often play outside, where they are susceptible to infection. Regular deworming is essential to prevent missed treatment opportunities.