When your dog vomits, it may not always mean something serious, and you may be able to treat him at home. However, there are times when vomiting is serious and you will need to take your pet to a veterinarian. Here are some reasons for vomiting which you may not need to be concerned about and some in which you will need professional help and care.

Less serious causes of vomiting:

If your dog is only vomiting once in a great while but is otherwise eating, drinking, and running around, then it's probably nothing to be concerned about. Sometimes, dogs may have eaten their food too fast, ate a bad bug, or even had to much "excitement." Vomiting can also happen if you switch your dog's diet frequently. Most dogs are usually fine within a day of occasional vomiting. Sometimes, the dog may act like it doesn't feel well for a short period before or after he gets sick but returns to normal not long afterward. If you see blood or odd coloring in the vomit, then you may want to take your dog in to your veterinarian even if he seems OK otherwise.

Serious reasons for vomiting:

Dogs which are vomiting to the point where they can't keep any food or water down may have more serious issues. Severe vomiting can be caused by a virus, bacteria, parasite, or even accidental poisoning. Examples of such causes include the salmonella bacteria, often present in raw eggs and poultry, parvo virus, especially in un-vaccinated puppies, and the giardia parasite. Chronic vomiting can also be caused by food allergies, especially if it's happening not long after eating. If your dog is showing signs of dehydration, lethargy, and weight loss, then you must have the dog medically treated as soon as possible.

Treatment for food-related vomiting:

If the vomiting is food-related, such as a reaction to a change in diet, then withhold the new food and feed a bland diet until you can switch back to the normal diet. Do the same for food allergies until you can find food without the suspected trigger ingredient. Be sure to get guidance from your veterinarian on how long your dog should fast before withholding food. Always provide water for your dog, especially if he is vomiting, to keep dehydration from becoming serious.

Vomiting in dogs is not uncommon. If it happens only once in a great while, and your dog is running around and eating as normal, then it's probably nothing to be concerned about. However, if your dog is vomiting regularly, starting to act weak, or is vomiting blood, then he may need emergency treatment. Any time you're not sure what you're dealing with when it comes to your dog's health, it's always good to take him in for a checkup.