Through
i Love Dogs (iLD) premium canine supplements I get to communicate with owners on a worldwide basis to answer their pet health questions through the iLD
Ask A Vet webpage. This post originally appeared as:
How Do I Stop My Boxer’s Vomiting?
My Boxer has been puking since yesterday. I can’t afford to take her to the vet just yet, so I have tried Pepto-Bismol and am about to get her some Pedialyte to keep her hydrated. Do you know of any other home remedies I can try using common household items?
Do you have any ideas as to what might be causing the issue?
– Dave
Hi Dave,
Thank you for your question.
When a dog is vomiting, there are a variety of potential underlying causes, including:
- Inflammation due to a dietary indiscretion (i.e., eating something not meant for canine consumption), food intolerance, foreign body/obstruction, etc.
- Infection: bacteria, virus, parasite, fungal organisms, etc.
- Metabolic Disease: kidney or liver disease, pancreatitis, etc.
- Cancer: digestive tract or other masses or diffuse cancers, etc.
- Toxic Exposure: ingestion of human or veterinary drugs (prescription, over the counter or recreational), fertilizers, household cleaners, etc.
As there are so many potential causes of vomiting in dogs, there is really no way that I can best direct to you on how to treat your Boxer’s situation at home without having first performed a physical examination. Furthermore, veterinarians are legally required to examine a dog prior to prescribing a remedy for that dog’s specific illness.
With that said, when a dog is vomiting, it is always best to withhold food and water. If anything that can be consumed by mouth is kept from entering the mouth and at least four hours go by without further vomiting, then you can offer small amounts of water or ice cubes. If at least another four hours go by without further vomiting, then you can offer a small quantity (a few teaspoons to a few tablespoons) of her normal diet or a bland, easily digestible alternative (like de-fatted boiled chicken or beef and white rice).
Keep your Boxer in a cool, calm and comfortable indoor location to prevent further stress on her body and digestive tract. Being active or residing in an environment that is too warm could cause her to continue to lose water through her lungs and paw pads, which could ultimately lead to dehydration (especially if she is not keeping any liquids down).
Additionally, if she is left outside or otherwise unattended while she is experiencing digestive tract upset, she may be more motivated to eat things she should not in order to try to settle her stomach or induce further vomiting. Therefore, keep her under your close observation as much as reasonably possible during episodes of vomiting,
diarrhea or decreased appetite.
If you are having issues with the cost of your dog’s veterinary care, then contact your
veterinarian to see if they offer some form of payment plan or CareCredit so that at least a physical examination can be performed as soon as possible.
Good luck,
Dr. Mahaney, VMD, CVA
Ask a Vet is intended for informational purposes only. If your dog requires veterinary attention, you should take him to your vet or animal emergency clinic for an examination.
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Copyright of this article (2013) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.
