Objective To determine whether administration of antiemetic medication to dogs and cats with gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction (GIFBO) delays time to definitive care (surgery or endoscopy) and increases the risk of complications. Design Retrospective study (January 2012–July 2020). Setting Private referral center. Animals Five hundred and thirty‐seven (440 dogs and 97 cats). Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Medical records of dogs and cats with GIFBO were reviewed for antiemetic administration at the onset of clinical signs, time from onset of clinical signs to first intervention and definitive care, GIFBO‐related complications, and length of hospitalization. Antiemetics were prescribed for 200 of 537 patients (158 dogs, 42 cats). Antiemetic administration was associated with an increased time between the onset of clinical signs and definitive care (3.2 days 95% confidence interval, CI, 2.8–3.5 vs. 1.6 days 95% CI, 1.4–2.0; P < 0.001) but not with GIFBO‐associated complications (P = 0.45). Antiemetic administration was associated with an increased length of hospitalization (1.6 days 95% CI, 1.4–1.7 vs. 1.1 days 95% CI, 1.1–1.2; P < 0.001). A longer duration of clinical signs prior to intervention was associated with GIFBO‐related complications (P < 0.001) regardless of antiemetic administration. Conclusions Antiemetic administration in patients with GIFBO was associated with increased time to definitive care and length of hospitalization but not GIFBO‐associated complications. Antiemetics are not inherently contraindicated in patients for whom GIFBO is a differential, but clients should be counseled to monitor for progression of clinical signs and follow‐up accordingly.