Is your dog throwing up clear liquid lately? Are you concerned about what to do next?
You may find your dog throwing up clear liquid from time to time, but repeated vomiting sessions require some attention. The vomit may be foamy, bloody, brown, clear, white, or yellow. To determine the underlying cause of the vomiting depends on other symptoms and their frequency.
Nothing can disturb pet owners more than the vomiting sound; all pet parents hate it and recognize it immediately. Vomiting by itself may confuse a lot of pet parents, but noticing clear liquid vomit can confuse you and lead to even more questions.
Let’s dig deeper and find out how to identify the dog vomit types and what you can do to help your puppy.
Vomiting vs. Regurgitation
Dog vomiting water is just the gastric juice and acid as an essential part of the digestive process. It may be a concern to get worried, but first, let’s discuss a few things that confuse many dog owners.
Before we move on, let’s distinguish something that most owners get confused about. Vomiting and regurgitation are two different acts.
Think of vomiting as an “active process”, when the dog throws up digested food, and think of regurgitation as a “passive process” when the food hasn’t even reached the stomach and the dog already throws it.
Will you be able to recognize the difference?
It is straightforward. When the dog vomits, you will notice small food particles that have already passed the stomach and maybe even reached the small intestine. While regurgitated food hasn’t even made it to the stomach, it contains big undigested food particles.
It is essential to know the difference because the causes and treatments for these conditions differ, and vomiting is more concerning than regurgitation.
Therefore, be careful, and check the vomit; you can even take pictures of it to show it to your vet so you can resolve this health issue more efficiently.
Dog Vomiting
When the intestines and stomach forcefully eject food, your dog will start to vomit. The vomit may contain partially digested food or yellow bile, and it will most likely smell sour.
Your puppy will start vomiting after eating or after intensive workout activities. Additionally, your dog may show other signs like licking the lips, drooling, nausea, or excessive swallowing.
There are cases where dogs eat grass before or after vomiting to induce it or protect the esophagus’s mucosa. If your puppy swallowed a foreign object, eating grass will have more positive than negative effects. However, we recommend preventing excessive grass-eating because it can worsen the condition.
It is unappealing, but you might catch your dog eating its own vomit. It is not that big of an issue; however, the sight is not pleasant to observe.
Bear in mind that dehydration occurs after vomiting, so your dog might try to drink a huge amount of water to compensate for the water loss. If the dog drinks too much water, it can overhydrate and induce more vomiting. So try to limit excessive drinking water after vomiting.
Regurgitation in Dogs
Regurgitation is a mild ejection of food that has not been digested yet, and it is coming from the dog’s esophagus. The most significant difference is that it does not involve abdominal heaving.
It will likely happen after a meal, meaning your dog is stressed or excited; ate too fast or too much.
Why Do Dogs Vomit Clear Liquid Water?
Clear liquid vomit in dogs consists of water and saliva. Sometimes you may or may not notice foamy parts in it. The only understandable explanation for this type of vomiting is that your dog drank too much water or drank the water too quickly. Indeed, there are other reasons if you notice your dog throwing up clear liquid, so don’t come to conclusions too quickly.
If the vomiting stops without other signs of illnesses after a few vomiting episodes, you shouldn’t panic. However, if it occurs frequently, it can signify a more complex issue.
The following causes can cause vomiting:
- Hypothyroidism
- Indigestion
- Toxin exposure
- Gastointestinal obstruction
- Infectious diseases
- Parasites
- Pancreatitis
- Addison’s disease
- Cancer
- Brain tumor
- Constipation
- Diabetes mellitus
- Eating grass
- Coprophagia
- Food allergies or intolerance
- Gastritis or gastroenteritis
- Stomach ulcer
- Parasites
- Kidney disease
- Bacterial, viral, or fungal infectious diseases
- Heatstroke
Acute vomiting
Acute vomiting occurs all of a sudden and lasts for a while. These are the reasons that could cause acute vomiting in dogs:
Eating Something Bad
Ingesting spoiled food or poisonous outdoor plant can cause excessive vomiting in dogs. However, this could quickly turn into a chronic condition if the cause is not treated on time.
Also, some human foods can be dangerous for dogs, and even though you consider the food-safe, it may cause problems in dogs. Fatty foods can as well cause vomiting issues, pancreatitis, and upset stomach in dogs.
Contagious Diseases
Certain contagious diseases can also cause vomiting, and they are more common in younger puppies. One of the most virulent viral diseases is parvovirus, which is life-threatening. Certain dog breeds are more prone to this virus, including Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherds.
Intestinal Parasites
Not protecting your puppy from parasite infections can also cause vomiting. Sometimes, the dog may carry the parasite, and you are unaware of it. Dogs often vomit water when they get infected with Giardia directly or when in contact with another dog infected with Giardia.
The parasite starts replicating in the dog’s body, and the symptoms will start showing up suddenly, and we can detect the worm only in the stool.
Contaminated water
Drinking water from a contaminated resource can cause bacterial infections that may upset the dog’s stomach.
Also, water from lakes where blue-green algae are very present can cause cyanobacterium. Firstly, your dog can start vomiting, and then it could progress to neurologic signs and even death.
Bloat
Gastric dilatation or volvulus are acute life-threatening conditions that require immediate hospitalization and aggressive treatment.
The stomach fills with air, and then it could twist on itself; additionally, the circulation can cut off and cause shock. Large dog breeds and deep-chested dogs that have intensive workouts after a large meal may develop this condition.
Also, drinking water excessively is another factor that leads to bloat. You can prevent it by removing the water bowl until the dog’s stomach rests.
Chronic Dog Vomiting
Opposite to the acute condition, chronic vomiting occurs when the cause is present for a long time or when the acute infection is not treated correctly.
If your vet cannot detect the underlying cause, it can get very serious since your puppy will be prone to frequent vomiting.
To diagnose the problem of chronic vomiting, your vet should do bloodwork, ultrasounds, X-rays, or biopsies.
These are some of the most common causes of chronic vomiting.
Megaesophagus
Several conditions can lead to generalized enlargement of the esophagus, such as myasthenia gravis, Addison’s disease, or hypothyroidism.
Vets diagnose megaesophagus only based on the symptoms and the X-ray image.
Pancreatitis
Eating fatty foods may lead to vomiting and pancreatitis. Therefore, dogs need to be fed a low-fat diet. Bichon Frises, Yorkshire Terriers, Schnauzers, and Poodles are dog breeds prone to this disease.
How Does Your Dog’s Vomit Look Like?
Once you assure that your dog’s upset stomach is not manifesting regurgitating, and you are sure that it is vomit, you can determine the cause just by the vomit’s color or consistency.
Yellow vomit
This vomit often occurs when your dog has an empty stomach, and the color is due to the bile secretion. It can happen in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Therefore, make sure that your dog doesn’t miss any meals.
Other common causes of vomiting bile are acid buildup and reflux or other systemic diseases that may cause nausea due to an empty stomach.
White and foamy vomit
White and foamy vomit is caused by stomach acid buildup. The foam appears as if the dog swallowed some air before vomiting.
Clear liquid vomit
Throwing up clear watery liquid is either caused when water pooling in the stomach occurs or due to stomach secretion. If the dog feels nauseous and keeps the water down, it will most likely throw liquid and clear content.
When you notice your dog throwing up clear liquid, don’t panic; instead, just observe for other signs.
Mucus-like, slimy vomit
Mucus slimy vomit occurs when the puppy drolls and pools it in the stomach. Nausea will relieve when the dog vomits the mucus.
Bloody vomit (red or pink)
When you notice blood in the vomit, always be cautious and take it seriously.
Blood causes nausea, so the dog’s vomiting will occur if the blood is pooled in the upper digestive tract. If the color stays pink and does not turn red, the vomiting is not profuse or prolonged; you should observe and if you notice any changes, ask for a piece of veterinary advice.
Although, if you notice fresh blood, blood clots, or a coffee-ground content, it indicates stomach ulcers, stomach or intestine bleeding, stomach tumor, lack of clotting, or maybe eating rat poison. Stomach ulcers usually happen when the stomach lining is damaged, accompanied by weight loss, vomiting, upset stomach, and other symptoms.
Brown vomit
Vomiting brown content sometimes indicates only regurgitated food from the esophagus that never made its way to the stomach. It can also mean that your puppy ate too quickly without chewing or swallowing air by gulping.
This vomit sometimes looks like regurgitated kibbles, so we recommend a detailed examination to determine the nature of the vomit.
When dogs have a nutritional deficiency, they tend to eat their own poop, and this condition is called coprophagia. So, this vomit can indicate coprophagia.
Green vomit
Like the case of coprophagia, dogs tend to eat grass when they have some nutritional deficiency, so the vomit will appear green. Also, dogs eat grass when they have an upset stomach; but this is not the solution since that means they ingest more parasites and pesticides.
Worms in vomit
Worms and some infectious organisms can appear in dogs if you don’t protect your puppy from internal parasites. The most common infestation is with roundworms, which will additionally shed eggs and worsen the dog’s health.
What to Do If Your Dog is Vomiting Clear Liquid?
If you notice your dog throwing up clear liquid just one time, there is no need to worry. However, watch out for signs of diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite, or other illness signs.
The first thing you should do is check your home if you suspect foreign body ingestion or some toxin exposure. Then, if your dog vomits again, withhold food and water for a few hours and continue to observe. We recommend contacting your vet to determine whether a dog vomiting clear liquid is normal or not.
Treatment for Vomiting in Dogs
If the dog’s vomiting continues in the next 24 hours, it is time to see a vet. Your vet will take your dog’s medical history and anamnesis, and after making a diagnostic test, your vet will recommend you a diet and medication.
Try to remember everything your dog has eaten in the last 24 hours, including possible eating of plants, dangerous human food, or chemicals.
Based on the diagnostic tests, the recommended therapy may vary. Usually, if your dog is throwing up clear liquid, your vet may suggest anti-nausea medications, GI protectants, and antacids. To avoid another dog throwing, your vet may choose a more aggressive form of drugs like injectable drugs.
When a gastrointestinal obstruction is suspected, endoscopy and surgery may be necessary to diagnose and remove the obstruction. Also, these procedures are invasive, so bear in mind that your dog may go under general anesthesia or sedation.
Depending on the suspected cause, when your dog throws up clear liquid, it may be referred to a veterinary specialist.
Intoxication is a widespread reason for clear liquid vomit, so this will involve a specific treatment to that toxin, including contacting animal poison control, hospitalization, and administering remedies like activated charcoal.
Bear in mind that many human medications can be toxic for dogs, so don’t give anything to your dog unless you have consulted with a veterinarian.
Home remedies
Usually, you shouldn’t give your dog any human medications or anything not prescribed; however, if your veterinarian approves it, feel free to do it.
The following home remedies are widely used when dogs have clear liquid vomit:
Pepto Bismol needs to be taken with caution since the main ingredient is aspirin(salicylic acid), and it can cause gastrointestinal bleeding.
Pepcid AC (famotidine) and Prilosec (omeprazole) are much safer options since they have fewer side effects and help in reducing acid production and acid reflux.
Dog Vomiting Treatment at the Vet’s Office
In most cases of vomiting, treatment via injection is the most effective route. It is the most reliable way to guarantee that the medicine is getting into the dog’s system and to prevent further vomiting. Often, a dog will vomit up a pill, which can’t help them if they can’t keep it down.
Firstly, the vet should balance the flora of the dog’s digestive system and then start to cure the leading cause of the vomiting.
Medications to Stop Nausea and Vomiting
Injection treatment is the most effective since pills can be thrown up very quickly when the dog suffers from this issue.
Cerenia (maropitant citrate) is a widely used antiemetic drug; it affects the vomiting center in the brain, reduces abdominal pain, and also affects the stomach’s receptors. Most likely, your vet will administer a single injection dose of Cerenia and then continue with Cerenia pills every 24 hours.
Reglan (metoclopramide) is proven to be very effective when motility disorders occur, as well as megaesophagus.
Zofran (ondansetron) is also a widely used antiemetic drug.
In addition to these drugs, your vet may also recommend an easy diet for feeding your dog.
How to Prevent Vomiting in Dogs
Prevention is the best cure; however, we cannot always control vomiting.
The good news is that you can follow these instructions and lower the risk of vomiting clear liquid:
- Keep human food, plants, chemicals, and toxins away from your dog
- Prevent your puppy from chewing, licking, and eating dangerous things
- Take your dog for a wellness exam at least once per year
- Avoid fatty and unhealthy food
- Gradually change your dog’s diet
- Don’t feed your dog with bones
- Don’t let your dog access the garbage can
As soon as you notice any clear liquid vomit, it is best to observe for other symptoms of illness. Don’t wait too long without veterinary attention if you are in doubt.
FAQ:
Final Thoughts
Dogs vomit clear liquid due to severe digestive tract upset and can be unpleasant for both the dog and the dog owner. No matter the root of this issue, you should reach your vet on time and explain the symptoms. Bear in mind that you shouldn’t give your dog any human medication or unprescribed medicine.
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*photo by Irrmago – depositphotos
