Do not be surprise if you will see a Labrador Retriever vomit. Vomiting is not strange to this breed because of their appetite. They are known to have good appetite both to digestible and non-food objects alike. However, vomiting do not occur because of ingesting foreign objects alone. There are variety of causes as to why dogs vomit.
Vomiting is the act of expelling food, fluid or debris from the stomach or small intestines through the mouth. The most common reason why dogs vomit is gastritis, an irritation of the stomach caused by ingesting foreign objects like decomposed grass, aluminum foil or paper. Aside from ingesting foreign objects, dogs also vomit because of eating too much or too fast or exercised immediately after eating. An immediate change of your dog's diet (switching from one brand to another or switching from commercial dog food to natural homemade food) can also be the reason of vomiting. Vomiting may also be a sign of diseases like metabolic disorders, liver disease, heat stroke, adrenal gland disease and many other diseases.
If your dog vomits once or twice without abdominal pain, vomiting can be treated at home. It is just their way of letting out foods and foreign objects that should not be in the stomach. But if your dog vomits more than few times and if there is an abdominal pain or blood in the vomitus, it is better to have your dog examined by a vet. Also, vomiting accompanied with depression or weakness, fever and unproductive retching must be treated by a veterinarian.
When treating a vomiting dog at home, refrain feeding your dog for 12 to 24 hours after vomiting. After that no-food period, offer small portion of soft, bland food such as boiled rice, skinless chicken or pasta. Foods and water should be given at smaller portions several times a day, instead of one large meal. If no further vomiting occurs, you can increase the next day's meal to normal-sized portion and can return to normal diet the following day.
To lessen the possibility of vomiting in dogs, refrain from giving your dog large meal. Break it down to several small meals a day (at least one in the morning and one in the evening). Then enforce rest after meals, especially avoiding strenuous activities. When switching food, do not switch all at once. Gradual switching of food works best for your Labrador Retriever.
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