What is the difference between regurgitation and vomiting

But what if we told you that in addition to the reasons to vomit, there are many other reasons why they might regurgitate! Being able to differentiate between vomiting and regurgitation helps us diagnose pets and get them feeling better faster. Vomit: To vomit means to force out matter from the stomach through the mouth. It is an active movement in which the abdomen contracts and forces the stomach contents up and out. The material can be an array of colors depending on what was eaten or what the underlying condition is, and can contain some digested food, as the stomach has begun to process it.

This results in a serious condition called aspiration pneumonia and is usually associated with an abrupt onset of coughing and labored breathing.

The importance of differentiating vomiting from regurgitation So, why is it important to differentiate whether my patient is regurgitating or vomiting? The tests for determining the cause of regurgitation are different than those used to determine the cause of vomiting. Diagnostic testing for regurgitation involves evaluation of primarily the esophagus and sometimes the stomach. Evaluating the vomiting patient involves evaluation of the stomach and small intestine along with screening for other diseases such as kidney failure , liver disease and pancreatitis , all of which can cause vomiting.

Given his history, I recommended X-rays of his chest cavity where the esophagus lives. Low and behold, the images revealed a piece of bone lodged within his esophagus. We treated the secondary esophageal inflammation with medications and counseled his family on preventing their little darling from tampering with the garbage! Thankfully, Boomer experienced a complete recovery. By the way, bringing videotape of the event to the office visit may help your veterinarian know, with greater certainty, if your dog is vomiting or regurgitating.

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