🤢 Vomiting or Regurgitation in Dogs and Cats? – Dr Duncan Houston, 2025

🩺 What’s the Difference?

When your pet brings something up, it’s important to know whether it’s vomiting or regurgitation. The difference helps guide the diagnosis and treatment. Here’s how to tell:

• Vomiting: Active process involving abdominal heaving and nausea. Food is often partially digested and may contain bile.
• Regurgitation: Passive return of undigested food or fluid—usually from the esophagus. Typically comes up with little to no warning.

🐶🐱 Common Causes

Vomiting is often a symptom of:

• Gastrointestinal irritation (e.g., diet change, toxins, infection)
• Pancreatitis
• Liver or kidney issues
• Parasites

Regurgitation is commonly linked to:

• Megaesophagus
• Esophageal blockages
• Neuromuscular disorders

🔍 Signs of Vomiting

• Visible abdominal heaving or retching
• Drooling or licking lips (nausea)
• Stomach noises (borborygmi)
• Presence of bile in the expelled material
• Food may be partially digested

🧊 Signs of Regurgitation

• No abdominal effort
• Usually occurs shortly after eating
• Food appears undigested and often covered in mucus
• Material is often tubular in shape
• Typically no bile present
• Often happens quietly and suddenly

🧪 Diagnostic Clues for Vets

1. Abdominal compression or retching indicates vomiting
2. Shape and condition of the expelled material
3. pH test: Regurgitation is usually neutral or alkaline; vomiting tends to be acidic
4. Bile presence suggests vomiting

📹 Visual Learning

Though the original videos are not linked here, your veterinarian may show you clinical examples of vomiting vs. regurgitation in practice. Observing these firsthand is often the best way to learn!

💡 Helpful Tip

If you're unsure which is happening, take a quick video of the episode and show it to your veterinarian. This helps immensely in reaching the correct diagnosis! 🎥🐾

📞 When to Call the Vet

• If either vomiting or regurgitation is frequent
• If your pet seems lethargic, weak, or in pain
• If there is blood in the vomit or regurgitated material

Don’t delay care—early intervention can be life-saving.