From frothy foams to food-filled regurgitations, understanding what your dog's vomit signifies can be crucial in determining their health and well-being. Vomiting in dogs can range from benign causes like dietary indiscretions to more serious issues such as infections or pancreatitis. In this blog, we'll explore the different types of dog vomit, what they may indicate, common causes, and when you should be concerned. Whether it's yellow bile, brown vomit, or clear liquid, we'll decode the messages your dog's stomach is trying to convey. So let's delve into the world of canine vomit and learn how to better care for our furry friends through their upsets.
Vomiting
Forceful expulsion of partially digested food, bile, or stomach contents.
Sign of upset stomach, pancreatitis, or ingestion of harmful substances.
Regurgitation
Passive process involving undigested food or water coming up without effort.
Caused by oesophageal disorders, abnormal oesophageal sphincter, or obstructions.
Instances of Regurgitation
Swallowing large objects, eating too fast, trouble swallowing, consumption of cold or frozen items.
Dogs with gastrointestinal problems or neurological disorders may regurgitate.
Megaoesophagus, a serious condition, leads to difficulty in food passage and requires management.
Common Causes of Dog Vomiting:
Bilious Vomiting Syndrome
Known in the community as the “hunger puke”
Usually presents prior to a meal and is very common to occur in dogs who are in the early stages of swapping from another diet to raw
Eases over the course of a few days though adjustments to feeding times, or giving a light snack before bedtime can help to resolve this
Vital to check feeding amounts are correct and all basics are being fed
Feed a little snack or a spoon of the raw food before bed to help to reduce these instances
Dietary Indiscretion
Occurs when a dog ingests spoiled food, garbage, foreign objects, or items found outdoors.
Includes rapid consumption or ingestion of cold food.
Viral or Bacterial Infections
Can result from infections like canine parvovirus, distemper, or bacterial conditions such as salmonella or E. coli.
Parasites
Vomiting may be prompted by parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and giardia.
Travel Sickness
Some dogs may experience vomiting while travelling in cars or boats.
Poisoning
Ingesting toxic substances like chocolate, medications, rat poison, insecticides, antifreeze, or cleaning products can induce vomiting.
Pancreatitis
Inflammation of the pancreas leading to gastrointestinal symptoms.
Medications
Vomiting, nausea, and diarrhoea are common side effects of various drugs.
Types of Dog Vomit and Their Meanings
Undigested Food
Possible indication of eating too quickly or consuming cold food. Dogs commonly do this in multi-dog households or if they do not have sufficient space to eat without fear that the food will be taken away from them. They tend to eat fast then move to a more private area to regurgitate
Let your dog re-ingest the vomited material if they wish to
Yellow Bile
Signifies an empty stomach or potential digestive issues like inflammation or infection.
Foamy or Clear Liquid
Result of overeating, rapid food consumption, or incompatible food.
White Foam
Indicates gastrointestinal problems, dehydration, or indigestible food.
Dogs drinking water quickly may regurgitate as white foam.
Yellow or Green Vomit
Sign of bile presence, possibly due to an empty stomach, gastrointestinal issues, or infections.
Brown Vomit
Could indicate underlying health problems like liver or kidney issues, intestinal blockage, or ingestion of toxins.
Red Vomit
Signals potential injury, internal bleeding, gastrointestinal issues, or ingestion of toxic substances.
Clear Vomit
Indicates vomiting of bile or stomach acid, possibly due to an empty stomach or digestive issues.
Grass in Vomit
Normal behaviour for dogs to munch grass, but if treated with pesticides, it may be toxic.
When to Be Concerned
Three or more instances of vomiting in 24 hours, vomiting persists for over 24 hours, inability to keep food or water down, presence of blood, lethargy, or other symptoms require attention. Please contact your vet or out of hours vet
Any signs of lethargy, pain or injury, or behavioural changes /seeming “not themselves”. Please contact your vet or out of hours vet
Any signs of blood or any reluctance to stand and / or walk. Please contact your vet or out of hours vet.
If your vet has deemed your dog to be ok, but having an upset stomach / tummy bug, please see our blog on what to feed for recovery from illness.
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