There are various reasons why dogs get sick, but all to often its because of what they have put in their mouth. In most cases it is nothing serious, but occasionally there can be a sign of a more serious problem.
Some common sign will be licking their lips, heavy drooling and you will notice that they swallow excessively just before being sick or when they feel nauseous. Some of them may eat grass to relieve gastric irritation. Some dogs will even have strong abdominal contractions followed by expulsion of vomit. Sickness in dogs can be caused by anything that irritates the stomach or prevents stomach contents from moving forward along the digestive tract.
Things that we can do to ease the illness prior to visiting a vet:
– No food & water for 2 hours
– Allow your dog to have a small amount of water after this time and withhold food for a further 10 hours
– If vomiting has stopped, allow small meals (2-3 teaspoons) of a bland food (such as chicken & rice) every hour or two.
– If no further signs are seen, your dog can return to a normal diet the next day however if your dog continues to be sick, cannot keep water down, you notice blood or unusual material in the vomit, signs such as discomfort, bloating, lethargy, call your vet immediately.
In the unlikely event that your dog becomes ill whilst with a FADM Dog Minder rest assured, you will be contacted immediately by the Pet Sitter. The symptoms will be explained and you will have full discretion as to the next steps you would like for your dog.