Dog ate chocolate?

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Vomiting every day.

Species: Cat
Breed: dom short hair
Age: 8-11 years
My cat has been throwing up almost every day for weeks but not after feeding. This morning it was about an hour before eating. I will hear him start to heave and then find 2 or 3 puddles of light brown liquid. I noticed that there would be pieces of my silk plant mixed in so that was moved out of his reach but he continues to throw up. He is on an indoor dry cat food, fed twice a day via auto feeder. He seems to be starving all of the time and constantly tries to break into the feeder to get more food. I wasn't worried initially because he was chewing on the artificial plants but since it's continuing I am concerned.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Sometimes it can be normal for a cat to vomit. But what you are describing sounds far too frequent.

I have a few thoughts about what could be going on.

You have described some symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Cats with a thyroid problem will be voraciously hungry and often will vomit quite frequently. They usually do lose a lot of weight but sometimes this happens gradually enough that owners don't notice the weight loss.

If he is hyperthyroid then the way to find out is to have your vet do some blood tests on him. For most cats hyperthyroidism is treated quite easily with medication, but it is medicine that he would need to have for the rest of his life.

If he is not hyperthryoid then another thing that could cause these symptoms is diabetes. However, most cats with diabetes have an extreme increase in thirst and urination.

Another possibility is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While you would think that inflammatory bowel disease would cause diarrhea, in some cats it causes vomiting. IBD is hard to diagnose without doing a surgery to biopsy the intestines. However, if your cat's tests turn out to be normal then your vet may talk about treating for IBD.

What you have described doesn't sound like something simple like a hairball or a dislike of a certain kind of food.

It would be really great if you could have Lazy Boy examined by a vet soon. If he does have hyperthryoidism and it goes untreated it can cause serious problems with his heart and can even cause blindness.

I really hope he is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.