Vomiting and Regurgitation
There is a difference between these two processes, vomiting is the forceful expeltion of the stomach contents, usually in response to disease, regurgitation is the expeltion of whole, undigested food which has not yet reached the stomach. The reason for regurgitation may be due to oesophageal disease, innaproriate food size or in response to a threat in order to make a quick get-away. These two conditions are seen commonly in snakes, but rarely in other reptiles. In snakes, regurgitation may simply occur due to rough handling, particularly seen after the snake has eaten. Snakes will also regurgitate if fed or force-fed food and then kept at sub-optimal environmental temperatures.
References
Girling, S., 2003. Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets. Blackwell Publishing.
© 2014 Cat Read
Girling, S., 2003. Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets. Blackwell Publishing.
© 2014 Cat Read