Learn to Differentiate Between Regurgitation and Vomiting

⚠️ Important note: While these tips can be very helpful, remember that they should never replace the specific recommendations of your veterinarian.

One of the keys to detecting potential digestive problems in your dog, such as megaesophagus, is knowing how to distinguish between two symptoms that may seem similar but are not: regurgitation and vomiting.

Here we explain in a simple way how to differentiate them and why it is so important to do so.

🔄 What is regurgitation?

Regurgitation is the expulsion of food from the esophagus into the mouth, without the stomach being involved.

Key characteristics

🐶It's a passive process: the dog simply lowers its head and the food comes out. There are no gags or contractions.

🍖 The expelled food is usually undigested, sometimes with whole pieces.

🧪 It doesn't contain gastric acids, therefore it doesn't have a strong odor.

⏱️ It usually occurs shortly after eating or drinking.

🫧 It may be accompanied by white foam, especially in cases of megaesophagus.

❗ It is one of the most common symptoms of chronic megaesophagus.

🤮 What about vomiting?

Vomiting is the active expulsion of stomach contents.

Key Characteristics

💪 It's an active process, involving muscular contractions of the abdomen and diaphragm.

🥣 The contents usually have a more liquid consistency.

🧼 It has a strong, acidic odor due to the presence of gastric juices.

😞 The dog often shows discomfort, nausea, or retching before and after vomiting.

🍽️ It may contain partially or fully digested food, depending on the time elapsed since ingestion.

🧠 Why is it important to differentiate between the two?

Knowing whether your dog regurgitates or vomits can greatly help the veterinarian detect problems such as:

Megaesophagus (chronic regurgitation).
Gastritis or ulcers (frequent vomiting).
Obstructions or foreign bodies.
Neurological or metabolic diseases.

👉 If you notice your dog effortlessly expelling undigested food without any prior symptoms, it's probably regurgitating.

🐾 In short:

If you have any doubts, record a video of the episode and show it to your veterinarian. Sometimes, a simple image can help guide the diagnosis more accurately.

And if you think your dog might have megaesophagus, check out our blog to learn more about symptoms, diagnosis, care, and daily management.

Salú y Suerte! #MegaDog #CanineMegaesophagus #SpecialNeedsDogs #DogCare #RegurgitationVsVomiting

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