Causes of vomiting in dogs and usefulness of clinical investigations

Abstract

Objective: To find the most common diagnoses of dogs where vomiting was the main reason for referral and to determine the usefulness of various diagnostic investigations.

Material and methods: 213 dogs referred for vomiting as main or one of the main causes were analysed retrospectively. Diagnosis was reassessed and categorized into six groups, namely gastrointestinal, systemic, non-gastrointestinal abdominal, neurological, miscellaneous or no diagnosis. All diagnostic investigations were reviewed to assess their usefulness to reach a diagnosis. The usefulness of a diagnostic investigation was scored into the following four groups: enabled a diagnosis; assisted a diagnosis; no assistance, diagnosis reached by another procedure; no assistance, no final diagnosis made.

Results: In 203 dogs (95.3%) a diagnosis was reached and was categorised as gastrointestinal (43.7%), systemic (27.7%), non-gastrointestinal abdominal (16.4%), neurological (1.4%) and miscellaneous (6.1%). Laboratory tests enabling or assisting a diagnosis as blood tests in 12.2%; 26.8%, as faecal analysis in 6.6%; 1.4%, as ultrasound in 5.2%; 17%, as cytology in 3.3%; 4.2%, as urinalysis in 2.3%; 9.9% and as radiographs in 1.9%; 8.5% of all cases.

Conclusion: Overall, there was a high incidence of dogs referred for vomiting with non-gastrointestinal diseases. Amongst them, renal problems were most commonly seen, which emphasises the need to perform a urinalysis in most dogs with vomiting as major complaint. However, vomiting can be due to a large variety of underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and no single problem seems to be much more common compared to other problems in a referral institution.

Clinical relevance: Based on this investigation it is not possible to clearly state a most useful single diagnostic test in dogs with emesis, however, it could clearly been shown that more than one test is often needed to reach a final diagnosis. This is important for owners to understand but also for referring veterinarians.