When it comes to dog puke, you can pretty much guarantee that it will happen eventually. Apart from the nuisance of cleaning it up, should you be concerned about your dog spitting out white foam?
If your pup is hacking up white foam, it’s crucial to find the cause to determine if your puppy needs an emergency visit to the vet. A dog vomiting white foam can be caused by a variety of things, ranging from simple indigestion to more severe problems like Pancreatitis.
More serious causes of when a dog vomits white foam include viral infections (such as parvovirus), bacterial infections, parasitic infections, and certain types of cancer. If your dog vomited white foam and has any of these other symptoms, it’s best to seek emergency veterinary care right away.
Most dogs will recover from vomiting episodes without any lasting effects with prompt treatment. So, if your dog throwing up bothers you, you’re not alone with other dog owners.
What Does White Foamy Vomit Look Like?
When a pooch hacks up white foam, it resembles nothing more than foam. Consider a foamy white combination that might be bubbly or flat and appears frothy on top of a Coke or like spilled bathwater that looks like soap suds.
While white foam is white in nature, it can take on other shades ranging from transparent to milky white.
Common Reasons For Vomiting White Foam
Dogs that vomit white foam, like all pup illnesses, do not have a definitive diagnosis. Some reasons are more or less distressing than other causes, but each deserves to be looked into in order to eliminate dangerous causes.
- Most human food is too rich for a dog’s tummy, which can trigger GI upset. Your dog may not vomit the meal right away but later retch and produce a frothy combination.
- Indigestion is often due to food allergies, and it causes foam to come out of your dog’s mouth.
- Dogs may eat grass to settle their tummy, but grass may make your dog vomit up a tacky or foamy white liquid.
- Furbabies, like people, may get the occasional stomach upset or sickness that causes vomiting.
- Kennel cough can be persistent, hard hacking, and can produce foamy white spit.
- Acid reflux is spat up, burped up, or coughed up stomach acid. It may be yellowish sometimes and can happen if your dog hasn’t eaten for a while, similar to BVS.
- Common in the morning, Bilious Vomiting Syndrome (BVS) is characterized by dogs vomiting yellow bile that may become white due to air bubbles formed during passage.
More Serious Reasons That Require an Immediate Visit to the Vet
- Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) or bloat is a condition in which a dog’s stomach fills up with air and might twist and is very painful. This condition has a hunched posture, causes retching, and produces a clear-ish, frothy vomit. However, vomiting is not the only symptom of these problems. Many dogs do not vomit, but they do exhibit other symptoms.
- Over time, some dogs’ tracheas narrow or collapse entirely, causing coughing, vomiting, and wheezing.
- Vomiting may occur if your dog ate a poison. As their body tries to get rid of the substance, they will vomit.
- Continued vomiting and a hunched back are indicators of Pancreatitis.
- A dog who has ingested something odd may vomit as they try to remove the foreign object.
- Very young dogs with kidney diseases may vomit, have increased thirst, lose weight, etc.
- Parvo is a very contagious viral illness that causes extreme vomiting and diarrhea in puppies. Parvo can be prevented with the appropriate puppy immunization injections.
- Rabies, like parvo, is a serious condition that may be prevented with yearly vaccinations (some rabies vaccinations last three years) and can result in vomiting, tremendous aggressiveness, foaming at the mouth, and ultimately death.
The reasons for white foam vomit in pups are numerous. This is why monitoring your dog’s additional symptoms is so important. Keep track of your dog’s eating, drinking, and activity habits and any changes in their urination pattern to assist with their diagnosis.
When Should I Take My Dog to the Vet?
If your canine is throwing up white foam, it’s a very good idea to contact your veterinarian to be on the safe side. Let your vet know of any extra symptoms they may be showing and any new changes in his routine, such as new food or a move to a new home.
Nonetheless, a single incident of white, foamy vomit without additional symptoms should not be reason for alarm. Your veterinarian may advise you to observe your dog and have them eat lightly for several meals during your check-in call. Keep your veterinarian informed on his development and any continuing vomiting or new symptoms.
In other situations, a vet visit is advised right away instead of calling, including:
- Multiple occurrences: A puppy throwing up white foam repeatedly may need an emergency visit to the vet, as stated above.
- Other signs of illness or discomfort: If your dog is in pain, lethargic, or exhibiting other signs of distress or disease, it’s time to bring him in asap.
- Pups with predetermined illnesses: are more likely to get sick during vomiting episodes than those without, particularly if they are having trouble maintaining their regular medication dosages.
- Puppies and senior dogs: are more prone to dehydration and problems linked with vomiting, according to the American Kennel Club. They’re also among the most vulnerable groups for severe illnesses associated with white foam vomiting, such as organ disease or parvo.
Your veterinarian will start by thoroughly examining your dog. Make sure to let your veterinarian know about your dog’s recent and long-term medical history. Include information on everything you believe your dog might have consumed, such as plants, chemicals, or hazardous meals.
Vomiting is a common occurrence that most dogs experience from time to time. Therefore, your veterinarian may suggest more diagnostic testing in the search for a reason for the vomiting. Blood and urine testing, radiographs (X-rays), and ultrasonic examinations are some of the techniques used.
Anti-nausea medications and gastric protectants are generally given first. Injections prevent further vomiting since the initial doses are usually given IV to avoid additional vomiting. Hospitalization may be required for intravenous fluids and frequent medication administration in dogs with dehydration, Pancreatitis, or other health issues.
Your veterinarian will use established medical procedures for treatment if the vomiting was caused by toxin exposure. This may also include hospitalization.
If your veterinarian suspects a gastrointestinal blockage, your pup will need an endoscopy or surgery to get rid of the source of the obstruction. Aftercare at the hospital will be required following surgery.
It’s a medical emergency if your vet suspects bloat. Surgery will be required to relieve the stomach gases via gastric lavage (pumping the stomach).
Can I Treat My Pup at Home For White Foam Vomit?
Although your dog only threw up white foam for a minor reason, like eating too many goodies, you’ll need to care for them after they’re sick to ensure they feel better.
Begin by determining if your dog is dehydrated. If they have an upset stomach, you’ll need to ensure they get enough water. However, this does not imply you should force them to drink a ton of water; it’s possible that doing so will make them throw up again.
Instead, let them drink a little water, then remove it for about a half-hour. You may offer them a little more water if they keep the water down and make sure they keep it down. If everything goes OK, you can simply provide your dog access to their water bowl after around an hour.
You’ll also want to hold food for up to a full day so that their digestive system can relax and heal. Then, when they have an empty stomach, you’re ready to resume feeding them, begin by offering them easily digestible foods like a spoonful of boiled chicken and white rice. Then after a while, they can go back to their normal diet.
Is Vomiting White Foam Preventable?
Although you can’t always prevent vomiting, there are a few things you may do to minimize it as much as possible.
- Keep your dog’s area clear of items she shouldn’t eat by sweeping the floor and putting tantalizing goodies out of reach.
- Encourage your dog to avoid eating grass and plants outside.
- Purchase only high-quality, healthy dog food and snacks.
- Don’t offer your dog too many snacks throughout the day.
- Take your dog for her yearly checkup to keep an eye on any issues that may arise.
Conclusion
Conclusion paragraph: Although white foam vomiting in dogs is not always a sign of a serious health condition, it is important to take your dog to the veterinarian for an evaluation if they vomit foam.
There are many potential causes of this symptom, and some of them may require treatment. If your dog has been diagnosed with any medical conditions that could lead to white foam vomiting, make sure you follow your veterinarian’s instructions for care. Thanks for reading!
*photo by mumemories – depositphotos
