Gastritis in Dogs

Gastritis is a general term used to describe inflammation of the lining of the stomach. The most common sign associated with gastritis is vomiting. Although signs may be mild and self-limiting in some cases, they can be debilitating and even life threatening in others, necessitating hospitalization and intensive supportive care. Acute gastritis is characterized by vomiting of less than 7 days duration. Chronic gastritis is characterized by intermittent vomiting of greater than 1-2 weeks duration. There are a variety of causes of gastritis, some associated with acute vomiting and some associated with chronic vomiting.

Causes of Acute Gastritis

Dietary indiscretion (ingestion of spoiled food, foreign bodies, plant material, hair or overeating)

Dietary intolerance or allergy

Ingestion of chemical irritants or toxins (fertilizers, cleaning agents, lead)

Drugs/medication (aspirin, antibiotics, steroids)

Infectious agents (viral, bacterial, parasitic)

Shock or sepsis (systemic infection)

Causes of Chronic Gastritis

Chronic or long term exposure to, or ingestion of, any of the causes listed for acute gastritis

Inflammatory bowel disease

Stomach cancer

There are some systemic diseases that can be associated with both acute and chronic gastritis. Those include kidney failure, liver disease, hypoadrenocorticism, neurologic disease and ulcers. Both dogs and cats can be affected and males just as often as females. Due to the increased potential for dietary indiscretion in younger animals, they are more likely to develop acute gastritis. Chronic gastritis can be seen in all ages.

What to Watch For

Excessive vomiting

Excessive vomiting with blood (either red or "coffee-grounds")

Lack of appetite

Weakness

Weight loss

Diarrhea

Melena (black tarry stool representative of digested blood)