Dealing with a vomiting dog is unpleasant regardless of the age of your pet, but when a young puppy is ill, this can be particularly frightening. So, what precisely should you do when you see the leftovers from last night’s dinner scattered all over the floor? Should you limit your puppy’s food intake? Should you take him to the doctor?
The various causes of your young dog’s puking will be covered in this article, along with solutions. Fortunately, there’s usually no real reason for concern. Make sure to read this article in its entirety before you start to feel worried about your vomiting puppy.
Find food that fits your pet’s needs
When a dog throws up recently consumed food, you should be understandably concerned, but there are a few things that could be bothering his stomach.
To start, consider the fundamentals: His stomach may not be feeling well after dinner if you recently made changes to your dog’s diet, he competes with other pets for food, or he recently ate grass. Discover the potential causes of your dog’s illness and when to take him to the vet.
Why Dogs Throw Up After Meals
It looks like food but has liquid in it when you see that large blob of vomit next to their food bowl. This is a clear indication that your dog is eating her food too quickly.
When one dog regularly eats the food of the other dogs, it causes irregular eating patterns and food binges, which is a problem in households with multiple dogs. When a dog needs to eat quickly to get food, an electronic feeder could provide a solution. Additionally, you might think about giving the dogs separate areas to eat so they feel secure enough to do so at their own pace.
Your dogs are probably drinking too quickly if you notice a small pool of clear liquid close to the bowl. Keep a full bowl of clean water nearby at all times so your dogs can slurp water (and make a big mess) whenever they want to help alleviate this.
We are aware that dogs can become extremely excited about eating and practically inhale their food in a matter of minutes. This can lead to throwing up right after eating. There is only so much space in a dogs stomach.
Some people use special bowls designed to slow down puppers. Outward Hound make slow feeder bowls in bright colors that look kind of like round mazes. They are specifically designed to slow down your dog while she eats and they are pretty groovy looking.
This odd eating habit is commonly known as Pica and is more common than you might think, especially for puppies. One of the more common forms of Pica is Coprophagy, or eating poop. This is that annoying habit when your doggo knicks the poop out of the litter box or tries to eat a tasty poop treat on a walk. Not only is this a weird and gross habit, it also can cause problems for your doggo. For starters, it can cause them to… you guessed it… throw up. It can also cause a loss of appetite, drooling, lethargy and problems pooping.
Much of the time, Pica is just a behavioral thing with dogs. Sometimes it is a symptom of an underlying condition like liver disease, parasites, malnutrition, or anemia. If your pup is eating things they should not be eating, it might be a good idea to give them other things to play with like JW dog toys or Kong treat holders. They could just be plain bored. They could also be anxious and some calming products like Vetri SCience Composure or could do the trick.
Dogs’ fear of punishment is one more factor contributing to Pica. We strongly advise investing in training for both of you if you and your dog are having problems. You will both be a lot happier.
We all want to feed our dogs the highest-quality food and treats, but we rarely read the ingredients list completely. Your dog may experience issues with dyes, surfactants, emulsifiers, additives, and preservatives in your treats if they are present in your dog’s food as well.
When purchasing food for your dog, one of the best ways to keep track of what they are eating is to READ THE LABEL.
Even though this food is of good quality and is well-reviewed, it still contains a lot of additional preservatives and chemicals.
Even though the first ingredient in this moist food is lamb, it still contains numerous preservatives and additional nutrients.
Assuming that all of these preservatives, vitamins, and minerals are either GOOD or BAD for your dog is misleading. The best thing you can do is experiment with different foods until you find one that works for your dog while learning what works for them.
As we previously mentioned, dogs prefer eating things to food. Additionally, they enjoy chewing on objects like bones and sticks. They will unavoidably be digesting some of that bone and wood, which could result in gastrointestinal issues and vomiting.
There is a lot of contradictory information available regarding giving dogs bones, the types of bones they can safely chew, and the extent to which you should keep an eye on your pup while she is gnawing on her bone. Our best suggestion for bones is to speak with your veterinarian. They have a lot of experience with dogs eating bones and can recommend safe bones.
Our friends at Dogtime have a comprehensive list of things to consider when choosing a bone for your dog.
If your pup just JUST HAS TO CHEW, then consider getting her a Nylabone, which is designed for gnawing without breaking down or splintering.
Some of our favorite house and garden plants are actually poisonous to cats. American Kennel Club has a list of plants, shrubs and trees that are poisonous to dogs. The list below is reprinted from the AKC article:
Eating grass is another form of Pica in dogs and does frequently cause dogs to vomit after eating some. Studies have shown that dogs eat grass for a variety of reasons, including improving digestion, getting a nutritional component they need and treating worms. Interestingly, only 25% of dogs vomit after eating grass. It does raise questions about why dogs eat grass. It could just be that they are dogs and it is grass and why not?
When pesticides may be applied to the grass to keep it lush and bug-free is when you should be concerned about dogs eating grass. If your dog decides to eat someone else’s lawn while you are out and about, divert her attention with some delectable freeze-dried chicken treats.
If you choose to change your dog’s diet, be sure to do so gradually. Too soon after introducing a new food, a dog’s digestive system may overreact. A good transitional ratio is 1/4 new food days 1–3, increasing to 3/4 new food days 7–10
You might think about checking to see if the pet food manufacturer has changed the formula if your dog suddenly starts vomiting after meals and you have not changed the food. The majority of pet food businesses frequently alter their formulas without informing their customers, sometimes with unfavorable outcomes.
Dog food, just like human food, does expire. Keep that label handy in case your dog begins throwing up. The information you are preserving is the product code and batch. If you put your food into a sealable container, be sure to cut out that part of the label and tape it to the container.
Great Pet Care suggests the following general rule of thumb:
If your dog needs a little extra help when dealing with a food transition issue, you can feed them plain pureed pumpkin, which is a great source of soluble fiber. Or try a probiotic to give their stomach flora a boost.
There are two types of food ejection process that a dog uses. One is vomiting, which means that the food is partially digested and is coming back up from the stomach and upper intestine. Forgive the graphic detail, but it is an important distinction. The other way dogs eject food is regurgitation and happens while the food is still in the esophagus, BEFORE the food has begun to digest.
The most common cause of regurgitation is problems with or constriction of the esophagus. Your dog will probably want to eat that food again if it has been regurgitated, so you can tell if that is the case. Everybody has witnessed their dogs vomit, then immediately eat it.
Another sign that food has been regurgitated is when your dog leans over and the food sort of falls out of her mouth rather than heaving to expel it.
We get so bonded to our dogs and know that they get separation anxiety and can even get stressed and depressed. Dog stress shows up in many forms, including tucked ears and tails, drooling, pacing, hiding, and… you guessed it… vomiting.
Stress can be brought about by many things. Despite how much you may enjoy driving, some puppies may become car sick. Or he might be concerned that you’re going to see that nasty old doctor again every time you get in the car. Never enjoy having a dog vomit in the car.
So… if your fur baby is stressed by car rides, give them a nice calming treat before hand. And, be sure to take them on car trips to the park and the cafe and the beach so they know car rides = fun!
Last but not least, if your dog continues to vomit and exhibits other symptoms, it may indicate a more serious underlying condition that requires your immediate attention. Here are a few serious ones below:
Call your veterinarian right away if you notice your cat vomiting and any of the symptoms listed below are also present.
There are a few things you can do right away to help your dog feel better if she is sick and throwing up.
The first is stop feeding any foods until 6-8 hour after the last time they threw up. When you do reintroduce foods, slowly introduce a bland diet of white cooked (unseasoned) chicken and rice.
Make sure you have water on hand because they probably won’t be drinking enough. Just keep an eye on them when they drink to prevent them from consuming too much water and restarting the vomiting cycle.
And place them close to you in a comfortable space. With loved ones who aren’t feeling well, consoling them can go a long way.
Help! My Puppy Is Throwing Up
Puppy vomiting is a forceful expulsion of whatever is in the stomach and occasionally the upper intestines. When your puppy throws up, you may notice the area around their abdomen heaving.
Now, there is a crucial distinction between vomit that includes food and true vomiting. If your dog is regurgitating food, it probably happened not long after they ate. Whatever comes up isn’t going to be digested. To put it another way, if you see intact pieces of kibble or grass, your dog may very well try to eat them again.
Dogs that are regurgitating don’t feel nauseous. Dogs may vomit food for a variety of reasons, such as if they ate too quickly or excessively. You’re safe if your puppy exhibits this behavior just once or twice before returning to its regular behavior and activity level. However, if it occurs frequently, then have your dog examined by a vet, as regurge can also be brought on by health issues like hiatal hernias or megaesophagus. You can also try feeding your puppy more frequently in smaller portions or with a puzzle feeder meant to pacify picky eaters.
Compared to regurgitation, vomiting is different. That is when your dog displays symptoms of being ill, heaves, and vomits food or other stomach contents containing bile. It will look slimy and partially or fully digested. Dogs simply burp and bring up food during regurgitation, which is a passive process that doesn’t require any effort. Vomiting is an active process that requires effort (heaving).
You probably don’t need to see a veterinarian if your puppy vomits once or twice but otherwise behaves normally and has no other problems. Call your veterinarian, though, if your vomiting puppy exhibits signs of distress such as whining, acting lethargic, or being uninterested in their food for more than a few hours. Don’t wait; pack up and go to the emergency vet right away if your puppy is throwing up blood, has vomiting and diarrhea at the same time, or has consumed something poisonous.
The most common causes of puppy vomiting include eating something that doesn’t agree with them, intestinal parasites, and parvovirus. According to WebMD, there’s a long list of potential reasons for your puppy’s vomiting. This list includes:
Although this list is alarming and not exhaustive, keep in mind that your veterinarian is the best person to determine the underlying cause of your puppy’s intestinal issues. Your responsibility as a pet parent is to carefully record any symptoms, give an accurate picture of your dog’s diet, activity level, and health, and follow up frequently if the issue persists.
Your puppy’s behavior before and after vomiting will be discussed with your veterinarian, who will also want to know specifics about the type, amount, and consistency of the vomit. Even though it’s not particularly enjoyable, you can assist by collecting a small sample of the vomit for testing.
FAQ
What would cause a puppy to throw up?
The most frequent causes of puppy vomiting are parvovirus, intestinal parasites, and eating foods that don’t agree with them.
Should I be worried if my puppy throws up?
You must contact your veterinarian right away if your dog vomits repeatedly or does so more than once. We owe it to our dogs as owners to treat vomiting seriously because it can be a sign of many serious conditions. Ignoring your dog’s vomiting could have serious, even fatal consequences.