Cause of Dog Vomiting

Thanks for your question, and we are sorry to hear that your dog is having problems.

In order to provide the most specific advice possible, we will need more information including:

(a) Your dog’s breed
(b) Your dog’s age
(c) Your dog’s sex
(d) List of everything you fed your dog before he got sick
(e) List of everything you have fed your dog since he’s been sick
(f) Have you tried anything to help him? If so, please provide details.
(g) Is he on any medications?
(h) Does he have a history of any other problems?

The more details you can provide the better. Please add the details by clicking the “Post a comment” link below.

If we don’t hear from you, our veterinarians will do their best to give you a general answer, but they will need more details to hone in on what may be causing the vomiting. In the mean time, you should review our dog health vomit problems page for a background on dog vomiting and potential causes/solutions.

Hi Roger,
Your dog sounds like he (she?) is very ill, and needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. You did not mention how long this problem has been occurring, but from the photo, he (she), is very depressed, thin, and appears dehydrated. Please call a nearby veterinarian or Emergency Clinic for treatment for vomiting. Several causes for acute onset of vomiting food and water could be from infection, toxins, or even trauma. And if she (he?) is not treated quickly she could die.

If the problem is a chronic one, then more specific information would be helpful (age, sex, breed, vaccination status, how long the problem has been occurring, what previous treatments have been done, etc.) to better assess what may be wrong. Please click the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below and provide us with more details. I will follow up as soon as I read them.

Keep us posted on how your dog is doing and what the Emergency Veterinarian finds out.

Dr.Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.”

Thanks Dr. Tillman. Our dog is a chihuahua aged 3 yrs. We feed him Kibbles n Bits, but he did not eat much yesterday as got out and was gone for most the day. It is possible that he ate something else while he was gone.

I have been giving him a 1/2 of baby aspirin and 1/2 tea spoon of amoxicillin (Baby Strength). He has never been sick before that I know of.

I was glad to get your advice. Even though he is a stray that I took in, he is a good little dog and I want to help him.

I have tried to get him into 3 vets today but none will see him until I get $150.00 to pay up front. I’m on a fixed income and have a part time job to help make ends meet. I will have the money Thursday when I get paid but for now I have to keep on trying to force feed him and give him all the help I can with what little I have on hand.

I’m giving him 1/2 teaspoon amoxicillin 2 times a day, 1/2 a baby aspirin 2 times a day, and Pepto Bismol 2 times a day. I try to keep him warm and feed him baby formula oatmeal mixed with enfamil (the mixture is very thin so I can get him to swallow it) 3 times aday.

He still throws most it up. I found 2 pools of blood he either threw up or passed in a bowel movement this morning, but nothing since then.

He did get mauled by a big dog a few months ago, but I took him to a Vet then and found out he was okay. He has been fine since then until he got sick since last Fri afternoon (Editor’s note: question was submitted Tuesday).

Hi Roger,

Thank you for filling in some background history. This gives me much more information.

First, STOP, the baby aspirin immediately. Also, you are giving him way too much amoxicillin. At this time no one knows if he even has a bacterial infection, so he may not even need any amoxicillin. And stop the Pepto Bismol. He can have some ice cubes to lick, especially if he is vomiting food and liquids – you can make up some chicken broth ice cubes. He must rest his GI tract, meaning only liquids or ice cubes for the next 12-24 hours.

Keep him confined inside only to observe how much he is vomiting, and go outside with him to observe any stool (to monitor if it is loose, has mucous or blood, etc.).

If he is still vomiting all of the liquids, he will have to be seen for IV or SQ fluids.

You can give him chicken broth, beef boullion, or turkey broth with an eye dropper. It would be good to dissolve in some Acidophilus. Open an acidophilus capsule and sprinkle it into the broth. Lactobacillus acidophilus is the beneficial bacteria that is normally found in the gut.

You can buy it at health food stores in the refrigerator section. Since your chihuahua has been vomiting for the past 4 days, he has depleted all of the normal gut flora.

You can even give him some chicken or turkey baby food with some warm water mixed in to make it thinner. Hopefully, he will be able to hold down thin liquids. And you can dissolve the acidophilus into it each time. Offer him about 1 Tbsp every 3-4 hours. This is not very much, but I just want to know if he is able to hold it down over the next 24 hours.

If you have a thermometer you can take his temperature. Normal dog temperature is 101-102 degrees. If it is over 103, then he may have a viral or a bacterial infection.

In the meantime, if you have access to a health food store, you can buy the homeopathic remedy called Nux Vomica. Get the 6c or 12c potency. It will come in small pellets. You can give him 1-2 pellets by mouth, or just dissolve 1-2 pellets in a 1/2 glass of spring water. Then stir it 10 times, and give him 1/2 tsp (or 1/2 dropperful), by mouth one time per hour for about 3 hours then every 8 hours, if he is improving.

Please keep us posted.

Thank you,
Dr. Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
– Dog Vomiting,
– Ask a Vet Online Library – Dog Vomiting Section

My dog is still very sick. He has kept the chicken broth down today, but he threw up the beef broth.

I had to order the Acidophilus and nux vomica online as there is no place around here that caries them. I will go to the store tomorrow as soon as I can and get the acidophilus.

He can keep water down ok, but he can’t keep food down except for the chicken broth. He seems to be getting weaker, though.

I will take him to the vet tomorrow.

He is sleeping a lot and likes to go outside and lay in the sun. Should I let him and for how long?

His skin is also very red, and his temperature is 100.3. He is very listless and staggers a bit when he walks.

I have been told he may have something stuck in his gut but I have pushed in on his tummy and he don’t seem to be hurting there.

Is there anything I can do or give him to make him feel a little better?

I forgot to tell you he has not gone to poop since Friday that I know of.

Hi Roger,
Do not worry that he has not passed any stool. His intestine has been empty because of all the vomiting he has done. And I am afraid that the aspirin may have irritated his stomach,even more, so he is feeling weak.

His body temperature is a little on the cold side, that is why he wants to lay in the sun. Keep him inside with a hot water bottle, or heating pad to keep him warm. And cover him up with some towels or a blanket.

Since he is vomiting the beef broth,do not give him any more, and just stick to feeding the chicken broth. About 1 TBSP every 2-3 hours. Since he is not vomiting water, then he can have water whenever he wants it. The Nux Vomica should make him feel better but I do not know when you will get it since you had to order it online.

Make sure you get the Acidophilus in a capsule form, that way it is easier to open the capsule and sprinkle it into the broth, (and/or) chicken baby food.

I would suppose that the veterinarian will do a Parvo test on him, and maybe an x-ray, to make sure there is not a foreign body in his intestine causing an obstruction. There are times that you may not be able to feel a foreign body, but it will show up on an x-ray. I hope that he does not have a foreign body. He is too weak at this time to be able to have surgery.

The veterinarian may also do a blood test on him to check his kidneys, liver, glucose, protein, white blood cells, red blood cells — an entire internal check up. This will help to find out if he was poisoned, or if he somehow developed kidney failure or diabetes or if he has anemia, an infection, etc.

They will also give him either sub-Q fluids or intravenous fluids. If you have been able to keep him hydrated and he has not vomited any more, then the sub Q fluids would be cheaper, less stressful, and he would not have to stay in the hospital.

Also ask if they can give him a B-vitamin plus B-12 injection and if you can get some Pet-Tinic. This is a liver and iron tonic (comes in liquid form) that you can give with an eye dropper or syringe. He would only need 1 cc or 1/4 tsp 2 times daily. He would need this until his appetite returns to normal.

Hopefully, he is not too weak and he will start to respond to your nursing care, especially after he is able to get some Nux Vomica and the Acidophilus. I am also hopeful that he will hold down more chicken broth and water without any more vomiting over the next 24 hours.

Take care,
Dr. Tillman
PS–Please keep us posted on what you find out from your veterinarian.

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.”

My daughters & year old American Bulldog vomits everythibg won’t eat at all but drinks alot of water vomits iit right up

Hi Lee,
Thanks for your question. I’m happy to help, but we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber).
Please sign up and submit your question and photos. I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman
PS–From your question it sounds like your dog is rather sick, and should see a veterinarian as soon as possible, and not wait for advice from an online veterinarian.

I sure hope that person got that dog the help he needed. I never saw an end result. Poor little guy.

My 3dog year old golden retriever has been having trouble swallowing his food. Its been going on for almost 2 wks now. He sounds like he’s gulping. And then he vomits his food right back up. He’s hasn’t been eating his dry dog food, ol roy dinner rounds.
He’s been eating soup, white rice, some canned dog food.
but he’ll throw it right back up.

Could he have swollen glands?
a sinus infection?
cold?
I been giving him motion sicknesss pills.

Dear CJ,
Regarding your 3 year old Golden Retriever, you wrote,
“He’s been eating soup, white rice, some canned dog food, but he’ll throw it right back up. Could he have swollen glands? a sinus infection? cold?”

No, a respiratory problem WOULD NOT cause vomiting for two weeks!

I would immediately take him to a veterinarian to have him checked for an obstruction in his throat area. It also sounds like he may have mega esophagus, which is an inability for the esophagus to push food down into the stomach.

You wrote,
“I been giving him motion sickness pills.”

This will NOT help, and may cause more drying of his mucous membranes causing him to become more dehydrated.

TAKE HIM TO A VETERINARIAN ASAP.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

My puppy started vomiting today but still Thursday afternoon she made sounds like she was choking i called the vet she said it was just a reverse cough. Now im not too sure. She turned away chicken and she will usually eat anything. She was running and jumping fine then she vomited again and now shes laying down. Im really worried shes just a baby shes a maltese mix so shes very tiny too

Hi Melissa,
For your 5 month old Maltese puppy that is refusing to eat, I would advise taking her in to see a veterinarian. Small breeds can suffer from low blood sugar, and in a young puppy they are also prone to Parvo virus and other diseases that start with decreased appetite, The sooner she is examined, and treated it needed, would be best.

Also, thanks for your question. I’m happy to help, but we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber).
I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hi,
I have a 1 year old pekingnese dog and he has been very healthy but the past 2 days it seems like everytime he eats his dog food, he just throws it back up. We have not allowed him to have any people food and he only eats puppy chow (well the adult one now). Occasionally he tried to get into the garbage to get people food but doesnt succeed. He has had the same food all along and nothing has changed. He keeps down his water, just not his food.All his shots are up to date. I am just wondering whether or not i should be concerned about this or not?

Hi Karen,
Your one year old Pekingnese may have an obstruction.

You should take him in for an examination and x-ray.

Also, I’m happy to help, but we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber).
I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.

Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Whatever became of Roger’s dog?

June 14, 2013

Dear Anonymous,
If the original subscriber does not post an update, it is difficult to follow the case.

I do not know what happened to Roger’s dog.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

My friend has a chihuahua and he cannot keep 60% of his food down. They took him to vet, had X-rays, blood work, and a barium test done and nothing. They found nothing! He is getting very skinny poor guy. What kind of supplement can they give him?

October 14, 2014

Dear Mildred,
Thanks for your concern for your friend’s dog.
I’m happy to help, but we only accept new questions from subscribers (the original question above was from a subscriber).

I’ll then get back to you right away at the bottom of your newly created web page.

I will also need more information, regarding age of the dog, if spayed or neutered, and if an ultrasound was done. In some case of foreign body ingestion, that causes a ‘partial’ obstruction, neither an x-ray nor barium will show up a plastic foreign body, which will be visible on ultrasound. (such as the rubber nipple off a baby bottle)

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Why doesn’t anyone speak of typical vomiting that all dog owners eventually see. A great deal of the vomiting we see is due to obsessive licking of its hair or grass eating. After having multiple dogs over the years and believing this old school belief that dogs ate grass to relieve a sour stomach, I decided to challenge it. The reason was 5 dogs. I decided to completely keep them from eating grass and stop the obsessive licking. Amazing no more vomiting. I simply thought the hair and grass was causing excessive acid production which caused the vomiting. My dogs got and still do have plenty of walk time and a good diet. The vomiting was out of control at times with 5 dogs. They were healthy. They now know when I call their name in a reprimanding tone that I am telling them to halt the licking or stop the grazing. Most of the time they just don’t do it anymore. As far as I’m concerned it was a debunk to that nonsense of a need for grass. It was the grass and their hair that caused the problem. Similar to a cat with hair balls. A few dogs can eat grass and manage not to vomit. I have one busy body trouble maker who manages smaller quantities along with the wood chips. She is tougher to control at times. She does it to constantly test me, but more because she is determined to be the boss.