Dog dry heaving: causes, prevention, and how to stop dry heaves in dogs

If you are wondering, “Why do dogs dry heave?” and what you should do to stop it, you instead need to know one important thing. Yours is a case of medical emergency- you should take your pooch to the veterinarian straightaway. Dog dry heaving is usually an indication that your dog is trying to vomit but nothing is coming out. It is often fatal if not addressed in time. Below we explore more on dry heaving in dogs.

Why Is My Dog Dry Heaving A lot But Not Throwing Up?

Dog dry heaving is most commonly caused by a life threatening condition known as gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV) or “canine bloat”. Gastric dilation refer to a situation where a dog’s stomach get filled with air and food and become distended.

When volvulus or torsion occurs (hence the name GDV), the stomach gets twisted on itself, cutting off the exit routes (i.e. small intestines and esophagus) for gas, food, and fluids. Consequently, the affected dog is unable to throw up or belch to release the pressure inside his stomach. You will see the affected dog dry heaving without successfully passing any food or gas out.

As the stomach dilates more, the blood supply to stomach wall tissues become hampered leading to its damage. The spleen can also get caught in and get damaged. Further dilation and torsion can exert pressure on the lungs (diaphragm) leading to labored breathing. Blood supply to the heart may also be hampered leading to shock and ultimately death.

Dog dry heaving (non-productive vomiting) usually occur alongside other symptoms of GDV including:

• Hard, swollen abdomen.
• Agitation and restlessness
• In some cases, the affected dog may bring up some white foam
• Fast paced or labored breathing
• Pale gums- usually an indication of shock
• Increased heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Weakness (the dog may even collapse after a session of dry heaves)
• Drooling

Risk Factors for Dog Heaving and Other Symptoms of GDV

The following factors can increase the risk for canine bloat and torsion and the associated symptoms such as dry heaving:

Large Breeds with Deep Chests

Dog dry heaving is commonly observed in big-chested dog breeds with the Great Dane leading the pack. Other prone breeds include Standard Poodle, Boxer, Doberman, German shepherd, Rottweiler, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Weimarainer, Collie, Irish wolfhound, Akita, Labrador retriever, Golden Retriever, Bloodhound, and Akita.

Jennifer Lang, DVM, a veterinarian at the veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI) attributes this to the structuring of internal organs within the chest cavity of these dog breeds.

Feeding Intervals and Sizes

As Dr. Kiko Bracker, DVM, DACVECC, a specialist in emergency and critical veterinary care at the MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston says, feeding your dog one high-potion meal per day as opposed to smaller-sized potions throughout the day heightens the risk of canine bloating.

If your dog is dry heaving at night only, chances are that you feed it only once in the evening. If not, it is not your fault. For some unknown reasons, dog dry heaving tend to occur in the evening as Dr. Rachel Addleman, DVM, a Veterinarian practicing in Houston, Texas, says.

Using the Wrong Bowl

For a long time, it was believed that raising a dog’s feeding bowl from the floor minimized the risk of bloating. The tip was passed around far and wide, especially among owners of Great Danes, but this didn’t stop dog dry heaving and other symptoms of canine bloat from appearing. The myth has since been nullified. Raising the dish actually heightens the risk of bloating.

Video: Pickle the Dog - Coughing/dry heaving

Aged Dogs

Older dogs, especially those from the susceptible breeds identified above, are at higher risk of developing gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV) than younger dogs and puppies.

Video: Dry Heaving Cat

Dog’s Gender

According to Dr. Bracker, male dogs are more prone to GDV than their female counterparts.

Dog Life History

The genetic aspect of GDV means that dogs whose parents and older relatives experienced episodes GDV are more likely to develop it as well. Other than that, dogs that have experienced one or more cases of gastric dilation (stomach distention without twisting on itself) are also more likely to develop gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV). As Dr. Lang says, “up to 80% of dogs experiencing gastric dilatation will go on to develop GDV at some point in their life.”

Video: dog dry heave

How to Stop Dog Dry Heaving Due to Canine Bloat

What to do for dry heaves in dogs? Nothing. Forget about home remedies and take your dog to the vet. Don’t neglect your dog and end up regretting about it when you lose it.

According to Dr. Bracker, air-bloating is treated using a process called trocarization where the air in the dog’s abdomen is removed with the help of a needle (or catheter). As for food-bloat, hydration may be deemed enough to stop the problem. For real GDV however, involving torsion (twisting of the stomach), surgical intervention is typically needed.

How to Prevent Dry Heaving Due To GDV

Prevention of dry heaving begins with carefully watching out how you feed your dog. If your dog tends to gulp its food fast in particular, it might end up with excess air in the stomach which often leads to bloating. You can prevent this and other predisposing dietary factors in the following ways:

Video: What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know About Bloat

1. Do not used raised bowls. This will only make your pooch more susceptible to bloating and torsion.
2. Use specially made bowls to slow down the pace at which your canine pet feeds. One such bowl is the Brake-Fast bowl which is designed with special obstructions. You can also create the same effect at home by placing a large object (say a ball or a toy) that your dog cannot swallow at the center of the feeding bowl.
3. Feed your dog two carefully measured meals per day rather than one. Wet food is particularly great for dogs susceptible to bloating e.g. old dogs from the Great Danes and other breeds. Remember that overfeeding your dog is just as dangerous as feeding your dog once only.
4. For dry kibble, spread it around on the floor and let the dog do the picking. You may find Kibble dispensing toys such as Kong Wobbler and Atomic Treat Ball very handy for this purpose.
5. Do not engage your dog in vigorous activities one hour before and two hours after feeding.
6. Get a gastropexy performed on your dog. The tips mentioned above can help to minimize the risk of gastric dilation and volvulus. According to Dr. Lang, however, the only surefire way to prevent the problem is to perform a surgical procedure known as gastropexy in which the stomach is permanently attached to the body wall.
7. Do not change your dog’s food suddenly: according to Emergency Animal Hospital of Northwest Austin, it is also not a good idea to drastically switch your pooch’s diet if she is prone to bloating and torsion.
8. Add canned food to your pooch’s diet: According to Dr. Addleman, canned food has been found to reduce the risk of canine bloating.

As a closing remark if your dog is dry heaving (whether be it at night or during the day), that is trying to vomit but having nothing come out, rush it to the veterinarian.

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