Is your dog vomiting? This health issue can be very concerning for pet parents, especially when accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of appetite, weakness, or diarrhea. Additionally, if your dog vomits more than once within 24 hours, they may require urgent veterinary care. The color of your dog’s vomit also provides clues regarding possible causes and the seriousness of their case.
In this Sploot Vets guide, we talk about the most common causes of dog vomiting, what the colors of a dog’s vomit could mean, and more.
Why Is My Dog Vomiting?
A dog’s vomiting can be caused by a variety of issues, from mild intestinal problems to more serious medical concerns. To figure out a potential cause, it’s helpful to first observe when the vomiting occurred and what other symptoms are appearing.
1. Dog Has Loose Stool & Vomiting
It’s quite common for a dog to vomit while also struggling with canine diarrhea or loose stool. This often points to gastrointestinal upset in dogs. Some of the most common causes of GI upset include sudden dietary changes, dog food allergies, food intolerance, and canine intestinal worms. Certain bacterial or viral infections can also cause diarrhea and vomiting in dogs.
It’s important to note that if a dog has loose stools and vomiting, they are at risk of dehydration. It’s always best to seek urgent veterinary care if your dog is showing these symptoms.
2. Sudden Vomiting in Dogs
Sudden vomiting in dogs could be signaling stomach irritation, which can be caused by food poisoning, dietary indiscretion (trash gut), foreign body ingestion in dogs, or toxin ingestion (e.g., poisonous items to dogs, toxic plants to dogs).
If a dog suddenly vomits, even if it is just once, we recommend figuring out if the dog has recently ingested something they shouldn’t have. In addition, take a photo of the vomit and reach out to an urgent care veterinarian for guidance, especially if the dog vomits again or shows other symptoms.
Note: If you suspect poisoning, take the packaging (if any) of the ingested substance for reference. You can try reaching out to Pet Poison Helpline or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. You can also seek guidance from an urgent care veterinarian or emergency vet directly, especially if helplines have long waiting times.
3. Chronic Vomiting in Dogs
Chronic vomiting in dogs refers to vomiting that recurs over weeks or months. When dogs have chronic vomiting, it is typically caused by underlying conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), liver disease, kidney disease, or food allergies.
If your dog is struggling with this health issue, we recommend promptly scheduling a veterinary check-up to determine the root cause of your dog’s vomiting and get necessary treatment.
4. Dog Vomiting After Eating
If your dog vomits shortly after eating their food, there may be issues regarding the food itself or the way that they're eating. When dogs have dietary sensitivities, a sudden change in their diet, or are eating too quickly, these can cause vomiting. If your dog is vomiting right after their meal time, schedule a prompt check-up or nutritional consultation with a vet.
In some cases, a dog’s vomiting after meals can be caused by a foreign body obstruction. If this is suspected, the veterinarian may request X-rays along with your pup’s physical exam.
5. Dog Vomiting After Traveling or a Stressful Event
Stress and anxiety can affect a dog’s gastrointestinal system due to the release of adrenaline, causing them to vomit. If a dog’s vomiting is stress-related, it typically occurs right after or amidst the stressful event, whether that is traveling, fireworks, thunderstorms, holiday gatherings, or moving to a new home. Often, a dog’s stress and anxiety will also produce other symptoms, such as trembling, pacing, and increased panting.
In some cases, stress or anxiety-induced vomiting may resolve once the dog is comfortable. However, prolonged signs of stress and anxiety in dogs (with or without vomiting) may warrant a vet visit to ensure your dog’s well-being.
Additionally, if the dog is traveling, especially during long car rides, they may vomit due to motion sickness, aside from travel-related stress.
6. Dog Vomiting After Hiking, Running, or Swimming
Many dogs enjoy physical activities like hiking, moderate running, and swimming. However, it’s always important to match these activities with your dog’s athletic abilities and conditioning. Dogs can, at times, vomit due to over-exertion. If the vomiting only happens once and the dog stabilizes after resting, this may not require a vet visit.
However, if the dog has been exposed to the heat, is vomiting repeatedly, and shows additional symptoms like weakness, wobbling, collapse, excessive panting, and discolored gums, this may be pointing to heatstroke, which requires emergency vet care.
Dog Vomit Color Chart & What The Colors Can Mean
The timing of the dog’s vomiting and any accompanying symptoms are always important to note. In addition, the color of the dog’s vomit can give additional clues as to what could be causing the vomiting. Here is a dog vomit color chart and an explanation of what each of the colors can mean:
1. Dog Vomiting White Foam
When dogs vomit white foam, it typically consists of saliva and stomach acid. This typically means that the dog’s stomach is empty, with no contents to eliminate. This color of dog vomit is commonly associated with:
- Over-exertion
- Stress or anxiety
- Motion sickness
- Mild stomach irritation
- Meals that are spaced too far apart
Note: Contact a veterinarian if your dog is vomiting repeatedly or displaying other concerning symptoms.
2. Dog Yellow Vomit [Bile]
When a dog produces yellow vomit or yellow-brown vomit, it typically contains bile and stomach fluids. This kind of vomit can also mean that the dog’s stomach is empty. Typically, yellow vomit in dogs is associated with:
- Empty stomach and/or meals spaced too far apart (bilious vomiting syndrome)
- Sudden changes in dog food
- Over-exertion or exercising on an empty stomach
- Mild to moderate gastrointestinal upset
- Heatstroke
- Pancreatitis in dogs
Note: Yellow dog vomit can be linked to a number of possible causes. Contact a veterinarian if your dog is vomiting repeatedly. If your dog shows any signs of pain, weakness, or disorientation, bring them to an urgent care vet.
3. Dog Green Vomit
Green vomit from dogs typically contains more bile than yellow vomit. However, in some cases, the green coloring can be due to ingested plant matter. Green vomit is typically associated with the following:
- Ingesting grass – dogs can eat this to help settle an upset stomach or due to boredom
- Empty stomach and/or meals spaced too far apart (bilious vomiting syndrome)
- Stomach irritation
Note: If your dog is vomiting repeatedly or showing signs of abdominal pain, contact a veterinarian for guidance.
4. Dog Vomiting Blood
When a dog vomits blood, the blood can appear bright red (if it comes from the upper GI) or dark brown (if it comes from the lower GI). Some of the common causes of dog vomiting blood include:
- Trauma to the mouth
- Stomach ulcers (can be secondary to liver/kidney disease)
- Stomach inflammation
- Internal bleeding
- Severe heatstroke
- Foreign body ingestion
- Toxin exposure
Note: If your dog is vomiting blood, they may need urgent or emergency veterinary care, especially if they have additional symptoms like weakness, foaming at the mouth, or signs of dog pain.
5. Dog Vomit With Worms
When a dog is vomiting worms, this is a clear indication of intestinal parasites. The most common culprit of this is the roundworm, since these worms in dogs swim freely, unattached to the intestinal lining.
Note: If your dog is vomiting worms, bring them to a veterinarian for a deworming treatment. As an added reminder, this isn’t the only symptom of intestinal worms in dogs, as other types of worms can be present without being vomited out.
When Should I Be Concerned About My Dog Vomiting?
As discussed in the previous sections, here are instances when your dog’s vomiting may likely be a cause for concern:
- The dog's vomiting is sudden and could be linked to ingesting something inappropriate or toxic → may need urgent or emergency vet care
- The vomiting persists for more than 12 hours → may need urgent care
- The dog's vomit contains blood → may need emergency vet care
- The dog's vomiting is paired with signs of dog pain, lethargy/weakness, or symptoms of toxin ingestion → may need emergency vet care
- The dog’s vomiting is paired with diarrhea or loose stools, placing them at risk of canine dehydration → may need urgent veterinary care
- The dog's vomiting happens chronically, or after meal time → may need a check-up
- The dog's vomit contains worms → may need a check-up
What Can I Give My Dog for Vomiting?
If your dog is vomiting, veterinarians will be able to prescribe them the medication and treatment they need for immediate relief or long-term management.
After consulting a vet, they may prescribe an antiemetic medication for dogs, which helps provide relief from vomiting, whether it’s caused by motion sickness, dietary issues, gastrointestinal upset, pancreatitis, or other issues. However, antiemetic medications are often only one part of a broader treatment plan, which addresses the root cause of the vomiting (not just the symptom itself).
To help alleviate vomiting (especially severe or chronic vomiting), veterinarians may recommend dietary optimization, deworming, managing an underlying chronic disease, removing an ingested foreign body, managing anxiety, and so on, depending on your dog’s case.
How We Treat Dog Vomiting at Sploot Vets
At Sploot Veterinary Care, we provide next-level vet care, addressing a wide range of canine health issues. If your dog is struggling with sudden, severe, or chronic vomiting, here’s how we can help:
Call Ahead for Tele-Triage Services
In many cases, pet parents are unsure whether or not their dog needs veterinary care for vomiting. To address this, we offer tele-triage services to help you determine the next steps for your dog. Simply call us at (720)770-8656, and our dedicated team will help determine if your dog needs a check-up or same-day urgent veterinary care at Sploot.
By calling ahead, we can also prepare to receive you upon arrival. We also offer extended vet clinic hours, so you can get top-tier care when you need it most.
Stabilizing Your Dog’s Condition
Whether your dog is actively vomiting or showing more serious symptoms (pain, lethargy, and so on), our team will work quickly to stabilize their condition upon your arrival at Sploot.
Your dog may be given IV fluids to prevent dehydration, pain medications for dogs, and antiemetic medications. This helps keep them comfortable and prevents further complications while we determine the root cause of their vomiting.
In-House Veterinary Diagnostics & Personalized Treatment
We offer convenient, life-saving, in-house veterinary diagnostic services, delivering fast laboratory results to inform our next steps for treatment. Our vets may request bloodwork, X-ray imaging, ultrasound, fecal testing, or urinalysis, depending on your dog’s case.
Once we pinpoint the underlying cause of your dog’s vomiting, we provide a personalized treatment plan for their needs. Our treatment may consist of dietary changes, deworming, anxiety management, or long-term care for chronic conditions. Before sending you home, we provide clear instructions for at-home care and follow-up instructions.
Final Thoughts on Dog Vomiting
While occasional and mild dog vomiting may not indicate anything serious, it can still be challenging to determine which cases of vomiting need a check-up, urgent care, or even emergency care. When in doubt, it’s always best to consult a veterinarian, especially if your dog’s vomiting is severe, chronic, or accompanied by other symptoms.
Sploot Vets: All-in-One, Fear Free Vet Care
Whether you need assistance with your dog’s vomiting or other health concerns, we’re here to help! Sploot Veterinary Care offers all-in-one vet care for dogs, with primary care, urgent care, and emergency vet services all under one woof™!
With our experienced vets and state-of-the-art facilities, you can count on us for top-tier care. We also offer a Fear Free veterinary approach that prioritizes your dog’s comfort and well-being in every visit.
Visit one of our vet clinics in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Chicago today! We are open 365 days a year with extended vet clinic hours to fit your schedule.
Easily book your appointment online or through the Sploot Vets app! You can also call us at (720) 770-8656 for urgent concerns.
