What causes a dog to dry heave but not vomit and still be active?

No, it's not a sign of GDV. The most common disease causing this symptom is a viral/bacterial infection called Kennel cough, this disease usually resolves without treatment within a couple weeks but if the cough is too severe it is recommended to go to the vet in order to get cough medicine and antibiotics.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Chronic heaving / gagging can be caused by problems with larynx or trachea, like laryngeal paralysis, chronic infection / inflammation, laryngeal mass, mass on the neck and more. A visit at your local vets is recommended to establish diagnosis and implement treatment as required. Your vet may want to examine the throat under sedation and/or take radiographs of the neck and chest.

It is possible that Odin has kennel cough, which would cause him to hack and dry heave. This is a highly contagious respiratory infection. It is self limiting, but it can take up to three to four weeks for symptoms to resolve. I would have Odin seen by a vet today if possible. Even though it is self limiting, the vet may prescribe medications that can help with his symptoms.

Hi there! Thanks for letting us take care of you today! Dry heaving is concerning that can be seen with emergent conditions like gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), especially if accompanied by a bloated abdomen, severe lethargy, collapse, pale gums and/or inappetence. Other possibilities foreign body obstruction. I recommend that you have Duke evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible if the above clinical signs are observed. Treatment recommendations will depend on the findings. A GDV is a surgical emergency that needs emergency surgery. Hoping that everything goes well with your boy!

If the vomiting was solely due to motion sickness, I would have expected it to have stopped at this point, once she was out of the car. Vomiting can have a number of causes in dogs, both related to the GI tract (parasites, intestinal blockage, foreign objects in the stomach, bacterial or viral infections) as well as non GI-related (kidney or liver issues, pancreatitis, etc). The fact that she is now dry-heaving is especially concerning, as non-productive vomiting (i.e. retching repeatedly without bringing anything up) is a common sign of the very serious GI issue known as "bloat" or "GDV". In this condition, the stomach fills with air and/or food, and then flips around, essentially blocking the entry/exit points. I would take Hannah in for veterinary care immediately, first to rule out GDV and then to get definitive diagnosis and treatment for the vomiting.

Based on your description, I’m suspicious that your dog may simply be experiencing a reverse sneeze. This is completely normal and benign. Sneezing usually occurs with irritation to the front of the nasal passages, but reverse sneezing occurs with irritation to the back of the nasal passages. Consider looking up a video of reverse sneezing to compare with your dog’s actions. If your dog is retching to vomit unproductively, isn’t eating or experiencing other problems, I recommend a trip to the vet. Feel free to post additional questions or a request a consultation if you have further questions for us. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Achilles may have a respiratory infection called kennel cough (or tracheobronchitis). It is like a cold with a cough humans get and causes a tickle in the throat and dry heaving type behavior. I recommend taking him to a vet for a confirmation. They may need to take a xray of his chest to make sure its not pneumonia or something stuck in his throat. If it is kennel cough, he needs medications to prevent pneumonia and to help his cough. Good luck and kisses to Achilles!