What To Do If Your Pet Is Vomiting

dog nose

Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth, and there is nothing fun about watching your pet vomit or not feel well. During these tough times, it’s important to contact a veterinary care specialist immediately, as it could mean something much worse is happening. Our Greensboro emergency veterinarian team is highly skilled in treating pets dealing with vomiting, accidental poisoning, and similar health concerns.

If your pet is vomiting, do this:

Pet vomiting is not always caused by something serious–but sometimes it can be. That’s why we recommend taking several important steps the next time you notice your cat or dog vomiting:

  1. First, don’t give your animal any food or water for at least a few hours to let its stomach rest. (If your dog is very old or has health problems, ask your vet about withholding food and water first) Later, you can slowly break the fast by reintroducing water and small amounts of food to see how your pet handles it.

  2. If your pet continues to vomit (with or without a fast), or if there is visible blood in its vomit, call us. We’ll likely advise you to bring your pet to the vet so we can do a physical exam and lab tests.

  3. If you think of it, bring a sample of your pet’s vomit so we can test it.

When in doubt–call us! We’re happy to go over the scenario and help you figure out what to do.

Do not do this:

  1. Do not administer any over-the-counter or prescription medications to your pet without talking to a veterinarian first.  
  2. Do not allow the pet to eat or drink anything until there has been no vomiting for 6 to 8 hours.

You may need to induce vomiting. This is what you need to know:

If you know your animal has eaten something potentially toxic or poisonous, especially antifreeze, you may need to induce vomiting so that the harmful substance will be out of its system.

First, call us. We’ll guide you through the process from start to finish. We’ll ask you what the animal ate (if you know), how long ago it happened, and how your animal is behaving.

If we advise you to induce your pet to vomit, we’ll likely recommend using hydrogen peroxide, which is a safe, simple, and effective at-home method. We’ll give you specific instructions on dosage and instructions.

As with other pet vomiting situations, we’ll probably ask that you bring your pet in to see us after you’ve induced vomiting so we can examine your pet more thoroughly.

Without a doubt, call us at 336-288-2688 immediately with any issues. We are here to help, period.

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At Happy Tails Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Greensboro, NC, our kind and knowledgeable team is available to provide gold standard emergency vet care for you and your pet. We’re available in the late night and early morning hours during the week, and 24/7 on weekends for your convenience.