What happens if a dog throws up white foam

Alongside the initial clean-up of slimy piles, and the worry over your dog's welfare, you're sure to be wondering exactly why your dog is throwing up white foam and what you can do to help them. While it's easy to immediately look to their dietary habits and question whether you've fed the best type of dog food that meets your canine's requirements or a dodgy human snack , there are a lot of reasons why a dog may vomit, and it is essential to get to the bottom of the problem so your vet can prescribe appropriate treatment for your dog.

There are a number of reasons why dogs vomit, including vomiting white foam. Vomiting can also be a sign of a number of underlying medical conditions, including:. When you bring your dog to the vet for vomiting, the first thing your vet will do is take a thorough history. Many over-the-counter medications and home remedies are not safe for dogs and could make your dog even sicker.

The treatment for vomiting in dogs depends on the underlying cause of the vomiting. In many cases, this is all that is needed to stop the vomiting and get your dog back to his usual tail wagging self again!

Your veterinarian may prescribe treatments such as intravenous fluids IV fluids , anti-nausea medications, antacids, antibiotics, appetite stimulants, and a bland diet while your pet is in the hospital.

Reflux Gastritis Is your dog throwing up white foam specifically in the morning? Kennel Cough This upper respiratory disease may lead to a dog throwing up white foam in addition to nasal discharge, excessive coughing and eye drainage.

Bloat When an abnormal buildup of air and intestinal fluids occurs, it can lead to your dog's stomach bloating up. Kidney Disease A serious cause of white foam can be kidney disease.

Rabies If your dog is up to date on vaccinations, white foam should not be a sign of rabies. Regurgitation vs. Vomit There is a difference between regurgitation and vomit. Article provided by Purina Dollar General is not responsible for the content above and disclaims all liability therefrom. Related Articles. Close OK. Close BACK. Close Added to cart Added to list. White foamy vomit is usually due to saliva and digestive secretions mixing with air in your dog's tummy, resulting in vomit with a soap suds like appearance.

Typically there is some sort of irritation or trigger causing the white foamy vomit. This type of vomit is different from the common yellow-orange vomit , which indicates the presence of bile. Dogs can also regurgitate white foam. Unlike vomiting, with regurgitation, dogs do not typically heave or act like they are going to bring something up. There are many reasons that your dog may be vomiting or regurgitating white foam.

Often times, it is due to some type of irritation of the stomach, such as:. Other reasons for them to vomit white foam can be severe and life-threatening, such as:. If your dog has vomited white foam only once and is still happy and eating, this may just be a mild upset stomach.

Brown vomit could just be regurgitated food from the esophagus that never made it to the stomach to be digested. Traces of blood can appear brown at times if they are not profusely bloody. Brown vomit can also be an indicator of coprophagia eating poop.

Green vomit can be caused by eating grass. It can also be due to a contraction of the gall bladder before vomiting usually on an empty stomach , resulting in bile in the stomach. Worms and other infectious organisms can cause vomiting in dogs.

If there are live worms or a large infestation, such as with roundworms, a dog may vomit them up. More commonly, they will shed eggs that can be found in the feces, and that is the only way to diagnose them.

Dogs often eat grass when they have an upset stomach, which can sometimes induce vomiting. If they are eating grass on a regular basis, however, it is a possibility that they can be ingesting more pesticides and parasites.

There can be external causes or internal causes, and there are many factors, including the duration, color, severity, etc. Brain tumor. Diabetes mellitus. Eating too fast. Food allergies or intolerance. Gastritis or an upset stomach from eating garbage or spoiled food. Gastroenteritis inflammation of the stomach and intestinal tract. Heat stroke. Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Inflammatory bowel disease.

Ingestion of toxic plants or other toxins. Intestinal obstruction from a foreign body. Intestinal parasites. Kidney disease. Liver disease. Middle ear problem. Motion sickness from riding in the car. Acute vomiting is something that comes on all of the sudden and has not been going on for a long time. Dietary indiscretion is something that is more common in younger dogs. From getting into the trash to eating a poisonous outdoor plant , you will usually know very quickly that your dog is sick.