- Like people, some dogs are prone to motion sickness and will vomit during or after car rides. The best way to prevent canine motion sickness is to get your dog used to car rides when she's a puppy. Don't feed your dog right before a car trip, and crack the window so she can have fresh air. It also can help to make sure the dog is well-hydrated before getting into the car.
- Dogs don't always have good discretion about what they eat. Garbage, roadkill, dirt, animal feces or an old sock might all seem like a good snack to a dog. A lot of these things will make him sick, and he will vomit to clear his stomach of the offending article. If it's something he ate, the vomiting should stop within a few hours. If the vomiting continues for 24 hours or more, looks bloody or has a particularly foul smell, take him to the vet immediately. He may have something obstructing his bowels, or he may need treatment for poisoning.
- Sometimes a dog eats something that can't pass from her stomach into her intestine, like a child's toy or a rock. The obstruction will cause her to vomit because food can't leave her stomach the usual way. Obstructions usually need to be removed by a vet, either with an endoscope through the dog's mouth or with surgery if the object is too far down.
- Pancreatitis is a disease in dogs where the pancreas becomes suddenly inflamed and frequent vomiting begins very suddenly. Dehydration is a risk with this disease, and dogs usually require corticosteroids to bring down the inflammation in the pancreas. Pancreatitis is generally caused by the dog eating something with a lot of fat, like chocolate.
- Most episodes of dog vomiting don't require a trip to the vet. Take away his food and give his stomach a chance to settle, and when he starts food again, give him something bland like broth or rice. Try to get him to drink water, because vomiting can cause dogs to get dehydrated very quickly. Monitor your dog's behavior to make sure he doesn't seem listless or have a fever, and keep an eye out for diarrhea and other signs of gastric distress.
