If your dog vomits occasionally and does not exhibit other symptoms, you have nothing to worry about. However, retching in dogs can indicate a significant underlying ailment. Several medical conditions can cause dog dry heaving; some of these conditions are life-threatening if there is no early treatment. So, If your dog is retching, you must consider this an emergency and take them to the veterinary doctor immediately. In this article, we will be going over several reasons why your dog is retching and how you can solve the problem.
Reasons your dog is retching
Dog dry heaving can be caused by medical and non-medical factors. These include:
Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus
Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) is a medical condition in which the stomach is hyperextended and rotated due to extreme gas content. This condition affects dogs mainly. GDV is also known as gastric torsion. In plain terms, the stomach of the dog becomes stretched and twisted. Some people call this condition ” bloating.” However, in bloating, the stomach is only distended; there’s no twisting. Bloating is a normal phenomenon that occurs after eating. GDV is a critical condition that is fatal if there’s no medical intervention. When the dog’s stomach expands and twists, its entrance and exit are blocked. The pressure that results from the twisting also cuts off blood supply to other vital organs. Dogs with GDV dry-heave repeatedly to relieve their stomach of some of the trapped gas. Even then, the gases will not be released since the entrance to the stomach is blocked, so your dog keeps on retching. Other notable symptoms of GDV are increased heart rate, labored breathing, and an inflamed abdomen. Dogs with GDV require emergency surgery.
Blocked Throat
Another reason your dog is retching could be an object lodged in their esophagus or airways, causing a blockage. Your dogs can mistakenly swallow their dog toys, rocks, tissues, and other foreign objects. This can cause the dog to gag, retch, and even vomit. Other things to look out for if you suspect that an object is stuck in your dog’s throat are; pacing, mauling at the face, loud breathing sounds, and salivation. A dog trying to clear its blocked airway will produce dry-heaving coughs. Eventually, your dog might vomit the foreign object. But in some cases, the object might be too deep, and dry heaving will be unproductive. It would be best to let a veterinary doctor remove the object; attempting to remove the object yourself can damage the esophageal lining of the dog.
Respiratory Disease
Various respiratory ailments can cause a dog to cough violently, leading to dog dry heaving. One of these diseases is Kennel Cough. Kennel cough is a respiratory infection that causes dogs to cough violently, causing them to dry heave. It is also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis. Kennel cough is an airborne disease caused by viruses and bacteria, especially Bordetella bacteria. If a dog infected with this airborne disease coughs into the air, any dog in its surrounding can contract it. Kennel cough can easily be contracted at dog parks and dog groomers. Therefore you must inoculate your dog against kennel cough.
Tumors obstructing the airways
Another medical condition that can cause retching in your dogs is a tumor growing in the esophagus or airways. When a tumor grows in your dog’s airways, it obstructs it. In addition to compressing the airways, it also compresses this esophagus. These compressions due to abnormal growth can cause difficulty breathing. Irritation may occur, causing your dog to cough and dry heave to spew the irritant or make more room for air. The only way to get rid of these tumors in your dog’s throat is surgical removal.
Gobbling
Some dogs ingest their food quickly without adequately chewing or waiting for the previous bolus to go down. Ingesting food quickly can sometimes cause the food to go into the wrong channel. This can block the dog’s airways, causing them to dry-heave to get the food out. Furthermore, dogs that eat quickly are susceptible to Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus. So if you observe that your dog is dry heaving while eating, this is probably what is happening. You can deal with this situation by getting a slow feeder which rations your dog’s meal.
Nausea
Different things can make your dog feel nauseated. If your dog swallows a material that upsets his stomach, he may retch to vomit the unpleasant substance. Moreover, other normal daily activities such as eating excessive quantities of food, gobbling food, etc., can make your dog nauseated. Also, certain drugs can cause nausea as a side effect, which can lead to dog dry heaving. Asides from nausea, ingesting unpleasant substances can lead to other problems, such as diarrhea, drooling, etc., in your dog.
Bilious Vomit
Bile is a yellowish-green fluid produced by the liver. Bile is essential for the complete digestion of food. During a prolonged fasting period in a dog, the stomach is empty. This means there’s nothing to neutralize the bile and gastric acids. This can lead to nausea and retching. Bilious vomit is a result of excessive amassing of bile in the stomach. This irritates the walls of the stomach. If the dog still doesn’t eat, he starts to produce a fizzy yellow vomit. Other signs of bilious vomit are pale gums, dehydration, drooling, etc.
Loss of Elasticity of the Trachea
The trachea is a flexible respiratory pipe that conveys air to the lungs. It is commonly called the windpipe. The trachea is made up of cartilaginous rings that make it elastic. In some dog breeds, such as Poodles, the cartilaginous rings that constitute the trachea weaken and reduce the diameter of the trachea. This condition is hereditary. When the trachea is constricted, severe coughing and retching can result.
Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is a medical condition in which the tonsils are inflamed. This inflammation causes the tonsils to swell. When this lymphatic organ swells, it can initiate the dog’s gag reflex, causing the dog to dry heave.
How to cure retching in dogs
Go to the Veterinary Doctor
Retching isn’t a minor issue that you can shove away; it requires immediate treatment. Inform your veterinarian of all signs you’ve observed. Tell whether the dog has vomited since it started retching or if the retching has not been productive. Also, provide information about what your dog has eaten recently. The veterinarian will conduct physical examinations to check for anything that might help with the diagnosis. The vet also performs several chemical tests such as urinalysis, blood, etc. With the aid of imaging techniques, your vet might be able to pinpoint the exact cause of the retching. The veterinarian will then carry out the appropriate treatment based on your dog’s condition. In the case of Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GVD), the vet needs to perform surgery on the dog without delay.
For kennel cough
The first thing to do in this case is to isolate the infected dog because this infection is contagious. While they’re in isolation, these dogs can be treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and cough suppressants.
For bloating
Usually, simple bloat can be relieved when the dog belches or retches.
For Collapsed windpipe
There’s no lasting cure for a collapsed trachea at the moment. The condition can only be managed with anti-inflammatories, bronchodilators, and cough suppressants. Obesity can aggravate this condition, so the dog’s weight should also be regulated. Surgery can also be effective.
How to prevent retching
Bloating can be avoided by reducing the quantity of your dog’s meal. Your dog should eat a smaller amount of food, but multiple times. Food dispensers can help with this. Furthermore, gastropexy surgery, which forestalls your dog’s stomach from twisting, can mitigate your dog’s chances of coming down with GVD. Moreover, you should ensure that your dog relaxes after every meal. This enables the food to settle well without any stress. Gastric torsion has been linked mainly with dogs that engage in bodily activities immediately after eating. You can prevent your dog from contracting Kennel Cough by inoculating your dog with the bordetella vaccine. Also, it would help if you avoided congested dog kennels that lack adequate ventilation. Also, place your dogs under close supervision so that they don’t swallow foreign objects, chew on inappropriate material, or ingest harmful substances. The best approach to prevent your dog from swallowing foreign objects is to dog-proof your house until you’re sure that your dog knows what he shouldn’t chew on. Overall, a regular medical check-up for your dog is vital. This enables your veterinarian to examine your dog and possibly diagnose upcoming health issues, such as throat tumors, at an early stage.
Conclusion
It is almost impossible to know when your dog becomes susceptible to an ailment. Nevertheless, there are several things you can do to bolster your dog’s wellbeing. Be mindful of your dog’s surroundings, train him to imbibe good eating habits, and be consistent with your dog’s medical check-ups.
