Acute vomiting

11 Acute vomiting


Acute vomiting is a frequently encountered clinical sign in emergency medicine. Causes of acute vomiting may broadly be divided into those that relate primarily to the alimentary tract and digestive system, and those that do not. There are a large number of causes of vomiting and some of the most important with respect to emergency cases are listed in Box 11.1.



BOX 11.1 Causes of acute vomiting




Alimentary tract/digestive system causes



• Acute gastritis/gastroenteritis, e.g.
– Dietary indiscretion, including foreign body ingestion

– Food intolerance

– Intoxication

• Drug-induced (e.g. nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents)

• Infectious diseases (e.g. leptospirosis, canine parvovirus infection)

• Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE)

• Gastric ulceration

• Small intestinal obstruction, e.g.
– Foreign body

– Intussusception

– Neoplasm

• Acute pancreatitis


Other causes



• Acute hepatobiliary disease

• Urogenital:
– Acute renal failure

– Acute urethral obstruction

– Pyelonephritis

– Pyometra

– Prostatitis/prostatic abscess

• Peritonitis: septic, urinary, biliary

• Endocrine:
– Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

– Acute Addisonian crisis (hypoadrenocorticism)

• Central nervous system (CNS):
– Acute vestibular disease

– Raised intracranial pressure

– Inflammatory CNS disease


Nursing Aspect


Owners quite commonly ring for advice with respect to cats and especially dogs that have vomited and the duty nurse is often the person from whom this initial advice is obtained. In the author’s opinion it is not necessary for all such cases to be seen at the clinic following initial contact. Acute vomiting is often the result of gastritis or gastroenteritis secondary to dietary indiscretion and may be self-limiting without the need for veterinary intervention. The recommendation to examine the animal at the clinic should be guided by the owner’s wishes but also after obtaining adequate information with respect to:


• The animal’s current status

• The duration, frequency and severity of vomiting

• The nature of the vomitus

• Any known history of dietary indiscretion, especially with respect to foreign bodies and intoxication

• Previous medical and therapeutic history.

In the author’s opinion it is reasonable to recommend withholding food for a short period with continued monitoring at home for example for dogs that have vomited once or twice only, that remain relatively bright, that are tolerant of water, and especially where there is a suspicion of dietary indiscretion not relating to a foreign body. Owners should be advised to contact the clinic again should the animal’s condition deteriorate, at which time examination can be arranged.

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Sep 3, 2016 | Posted by in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Acute vomiting

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