What Are the Causes of Vomiting & Lack of Appetite in a Dog?
Dogs are notorious for their hearty and indiscriminating appetites. Whenever a dog loses interest in food, a dog owner needs to take notice. If the dog is also vomiting, then the dog needs medical attention. Dogs will not want to eat simply because their stomachs are so queasy. A dog with nausea will often drool or lick their lips constantly.
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Diet
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One cause of nausea and vomiting in dogs is that they ate something that they shouldn't have. Dogs do not instinctively know what is healthy for them to eat and what isn't. Dogs have been known to eat long dead animals, feces, raw eggs and rotting garbage. The dog gets infected by bacteria from the spoiled food. If the dog does not improve within 24 hours, call the vet. Call the vet immediately if the dog vomits continually or develops other symptoms such as diarrhea.
Blockages
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Dogs will also swallow strange non-food items such as stones, toys, jewelry, clothing, small devices, sewing needles, golf balls and, in one documented case, a butcher knife (See "Puppy swallows 13 inch knife, survives" MSNBC, 2005). Even if the object is blunt, it can still bring the dog's digestion to a halt. The dog will be nauseated, vomit and lose weight until the object can be removed.
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Medication
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Side effects of some medications will cause a dog to both vomit and lose its appetite, These include aspirin and many other painkillers. Tetracycline and other antibiotics may also cause vomiting and lack of appetite in dogs. Chemotherapy treatments will often cause nausea and vomiting. Supervise a dog whenever it is given a new medication for the first time. Report the lack of appetite and vomiting to the vet. The medication may need to be reduced or stopped.
Parasites
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According to The Veterinarian's Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms (Michael S. Garvey, DVM, et al; 1999), lack of appetite and vomiting several times a day can be symptoms of a severe infestation of worms in the intestine. The dog may also be drooling or have diarrhea, but these symptoms do not have to be present when a dog is infested with worms.
Illness
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A variety of dog illnesses include lack of appetite and vomiting. These include potentially lethal illnesses such as pancreatitis, gastritis, Addison's disease, kidney disease, liver disease, bacterial infection or cancer. Always note other symptoms the dog has when you contact your veterinarian.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hennyyxlb: Wikimedia Commons
