Dog Vomiting: When to Worry and What to Do at Home
A single vomit in a dog that is otherwise bright, eating and playful is usually not an emergency. It often comes from eating too fast, grass or a food change. Rest the stomach for a few hours, offer small sips of water, then a bland meal. See a vet quickly if the vomiting repeats, contains blood, or your dog seems weak, bloated or in pain.
- Vomiting more than two or three times in a day, or it keeps coming back
- Blood in the vomit, either red streaks or dark material that looks like coffee grounds
- A swollen, tight belly, or retching and gagging with nothing coming up. In large, deep-chested dogs this can be bloat (GDV), which is an emergency
- Weakness, collapse, pale gums or unusual tiredness
- You think your dog swallowed something harmful: a toxin, medicine, bone, toy, cloth or string
- Your dog is a puppy, a senior, or already has a health condition
- Vomiting together with diarrhoea for more than a day, or your dog cannot keep water down
Common reasons dogs vomit
Most vomiting has a simple cause and settles within a day. The main job is to spot the few cases that do not.
- Eating too fast or too much in one go
- Scavenging: grass, garbage or something picked up on a walk
- A sudden change of food, or rich human food such as fried snacks, sweets or festival leftovers
- Motion sickness during car rides
- Worms and other parasites, or infections such as parvovirus in puppies that are not fully vaccinated
- Swallowed objects that irritate or block the stomach or intestines
- Poisoning, for example from grapes or raisins, chocolate, xylitol (a sweetener in some sugar-free foods), rat poison or human medicines
- Illness elsewhere in the body, such as pancreatitis or kidney or liver disease
It also helps to know whether your dog is vomiting or regurgitating. Vomiting involves heaving from the belly. Regurgitation is effortless: undigested food comes back up soon after eating, often still shaped like the food. Tell your vet which one you saw, because the causes are different.
What to do at home for a healthy adult dog
If your adult dog has vomited once or twice but is otherwise alert and behaving normally, these steps usually help. Do not withhold food from a puppy, a toy breed, a senior dog or a dog with diabetes without speaking to your vet first.
- Rest the stomach: remove food for a few hours, usually about 6 to 12 hours for an adult dog.
- Offer water little and often: a few spoonfuls or an ice cube at a time rather than a full bowl, which can trigger more vomiting.
- If there is no more vomiting, offer a small bland meal: plain boiled chicken with no skin, bones, oil or spices, mixed with plain boiled white rice, or the bland food your vet recommends.
- Feed small portions three or four times a day for one to two days, then mix the normal food back in gradually over a few days.
- Keep watching energy, appetite, stools, and how much your dog drinks and urinates.
Do not give human medicines such as painkillers or antacids unless your vet tells you to. Some common human medicines are dangerous for dogs.
Still unsure what's going on?Tell Joey what your dog brought up, when, and how they are acting now. You get calm, clear next steps in seconds, day or night.
Ask Joey freeWhat the colour of the vomit can mean
Colour alone cannot tell you the cause, but it is a useful clue to share with your vet.
- Yellow foam or liquid is usually bile. It is common when the stomach is empty, such as early in the morning. Smaller, more frequent meals can help, but see a vet if it happens often.
- White foam can come from an irritated stomach or from retching. White foam with unproductive retching and a swollen belly needs a vet immediately.
- Undigested food soon after a meal often points to eating too fast, or to regurgitation.
- Red streaks, or dark brown material that looks like coffee grounds, can mean blood. See a vet the same day.
- Anything that smells or looks like faeces needs a vet urgently, as it can mean a blockage.
How your vet will find the cause
Your vet will examine your dog and ask what they ate, when the vomiting started, how often it has happened, and whether vaccinations and deworming are up to date. Depending on what they find, they may suggest blood tests, an X-ray or ultrasound to look for a swallowed object, or a parvovirus test for a young dog.
A photo of the vomit and a note of the times it happened make that conversation much quicker.
Frequently asked questions
Should I give my dog water after vomiting?
Yes, but in small amounts. Offer a few spoonfuls or an ice cube every 20 to 30 minutes instead of a full bowl. If your dog vomits even small amounts of water, or cannot keep water down, see a vet because dehydration can set in quickly.
Is it normal for a dog to vomit after eating grass?
An occasional vomit after eating grass is common and usually harmless. If it happens often, or your dog also seems unwell, loses weight or has diarrhoea, see a vet to look for an underlying stomach problem.
When is dog vomiting an emergency?
Go to a vet straight away if your dog vomits repeatedly, there is blood in the vomit, the belly is swollen or your dog retches without bringing anything up, your dog is weak or has pale gums, or you think they swallowed a toxin or an object. Puppies and senior dogs should be seen sooner.
What should I feed my dog after vomiting?
Once the vomiting has stopped for a few hours, offer small portions of a bland meal such as plain boiled chicken without skin or bones and plain boiled white rice, or a bland diet your vet recommends. Avoid oil, spices, milk and treats until your dog is back to normal.
Why is my dog vomiting yellow foam in the morning?
Yellow foam is usually bile, which can irritate an empty stomach overnight. Feeding a small snack late in the evening, or splitting meals into smaller portions, often helps. If it happens regularly or comes with other symptoms, ask your vet.
This guide is general information to help you decide what to do next. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace an examination by a veterinarian. If your dog seems very unwell, contact a vet or an emergency animal hospital straight away.
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