Dumpster-Dining Giving Your Dog An Upset Stomach? 4 Steps To Stop The Vomiting
If your dog's recent venture into dumpster-dining has got it suffering from an upset stomach, you'll want to control the vomiting as soon as possible. It's difficult to stop dogs from digging in garbage cans but those dirty diapers and rancid snacks can cause some serious stomach upset. Here are four steps to take if your dog has eaten something that's made it sick.
Stop the Feedings
As soon as your dog starts vomiting, you need to stop the feedings. Adding food to an already sick stomach will only cause the vomiting to get worse. Put your dog on a 24 hour fast to give its stomach a much-needed rest. You should keep your dog indoors during the fast to make sure it doesn't sneak food or garbage.
Offer Fresh Water
Once the vomiting has slowed down, you should start offering fresh water to your dog. Water will prevent your dog from getting dehydrated while it's recovering. If your dog has a difficult time drinking water, try offering ice cubes instead. Your dog will be able to get much-needed moisture by licking the ice cubes. Once it's ready to start drinking again, you can replace the ice cubes with fresh water.
Go Bland for a Few Days
After the 24 hour fast, you'll be able to start feeding your dog again. However, you shouldn't go right back to their usual diet. Instead, try to keep their diet as bland as possible for at least one day after the final bout of vomiting. Start with a diet of cooked skinless chicken breast and white rice or cottage cheese. Once your dog goes a full day without stomach problems, you can switch back to its normal dog food.
See a Vet
In most cases, vomiting is caused by something your dog ate. However, in some cases, it can be a cause for alarm. If your dog is lethargic or disoriented, there may be something more seriously wrong with it. This is also true if your dog is vomiting uncontrollably. If your dog appears to be lethargic or has uncontrollable vomiting, you should go to the animal hospital as soon as possible. It may have eaten something that was poisonous.
If your dog has been dumpster-dining, and has started vomiting, follow the tips provided above to help ease the symptoms. If you can't get the vomiting under control, be sure to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
