Light Formula Dog Food
If you suspect motility issues to be the cause of vomiting, consider giving the dog a light formula dog food.
Canine nutritionists believe that high-fiber dog foods boost motility by moving the food forward.
Many dog owners have also reported significant improvements by feeding their dogs plain pumpkins.
What Your Vet Will Do
When your veterinarian evaluates your dog, they will likely first want a good history of anything your pet may have eaten or gotten into and information on how often they are vomiting or regurgitating. They may want to do bloodwork to look for causes of vomiting such as kidney disease or pancreatitis. They may also need to do X-rays if they think your pet may have an obstruction in the GI tract or the esophagus is not working properly.
Once your vet is able to identify the problem, they can start treatment to get your pet feeling better quickly.
Why Do Dogs Vomit Food
If your dog is throwing up undigested food but it isnt immediately after they’ve eaten, they’re probably vomiting. As described above, you can usually tell vomiting from regurgitation by the consistency, color, and smell of the stomach contents.
So, why do dogs vomit? There are many possible causes.
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Why Is Your Puppy Throwing Up Several Hours After They Have Eaten
When an adult is seen throwing up after they have eaten or several hours later, it isnt uncommon. Typically, you need to just wait and see and the case of throwing up is normally very mild.
However, if you notice your puppy throwing up several hours after they have eaten, this could be serious. This is because a puppy has a small GI tract, and their immune system is still developing. As a result, they can lose vital electrolytes and dehydration extremely quickly.
As a result, when you notice your puppy throwing up, you need to act quickly. You need to discover why your puppy is throwing up so that you can help them. The reason a puppy may be vomiting isnt too dissimilar to why an adult dog may be throwing up.
This can be caused by your puppy eating something they werent supposed to, swallowing any kind of dangerous object, food allergies, stress, anxiety, eating too much fat or poisonous substances.
Apart from all the causes we have mentioned above, puppies are known to develop infectious vomiting. For example, if your puppy begins to throw up, then it can be a sign that your puppy is suffering with a canine distemper virus. This is more prone if they hadnt had all of their vaccinations.
Both of these diseases can cause a lot of vomiting. Which can then cause other health issues that are quite serious. This can include dehydration and intestinal problems, all of which can lead to death if not properly treated.
- Adrenal gland diseases,
Why Is My Dog Throwing Up Undigested Food 4 Possible Causes
June 16, 2022// by Estrella Bolton//
It is not the most appealing sight when your dog vomits up the food they ate a few hours ago. If you have never seen it before, it can be startling. When your dog eats, the food is swallowed and goes to the stomach, where it is immediately churned. This is the process of digestion. All of the important bits are absorbed for their nutritional value while the rest is pushed out as fecal matter, so the question is: Why is my dog throwing up undigested food hours after eating?
The first thing to note is the difference between regurgitation and vomiting for dogs. Regurgitation is when the dogs food is returned to the mouth even after swallowing. For regurgitation, it is when the food your dog ate is coughed up, entailing undigested food, saliva, and water.
It is often expelled in cylindrical shapes considering the regurgitated items come from the dog food and the matter within the esophagus. The action of regurgitation is easy without muscle contractions. On the other hand, vomiting is more active. It tends to cause the muscles to contract so that the whole body is tense. The food comes from the dogs stomach or the upper parts of the small intestine. It sounds very uncomfortable, and the food appears to be partially digested.
Article Summary
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When Should You Ask Your Vet About Regurgitation
Usually regurgitating undigested food isnt anything to worry about. But there are rare times when regurgitation is a sign of a more serious condition. Here are some situations when its best to check with your vet.
Chronic regurgitation is when your dog cant keep any food or fluids down for more than a few seconds and it happens more than once or twice a week. If your dog consistently regurgitates fluids, check with your vet. It can be due to an abnormality in the esophagus or narrowing of the canal. Dogs can also have blockages and cancers of the esophagus.
In some cases, regurgitation can lead to a condition called aspirated pneumonia. This means your dog inhales food particles into his lungs. Its common in short-snouted dogs like Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers. Normally, the flap or sphincter that separates the esophagus and stomach keeps regurgitation from happening. But sometimes, this flap can be forcefully opened by the stomach or your dogs reflux reaction. This causes inflammation and deterioration of the mucosal lining.
Addisons disease can cause chronic regurgitation. Addisons is an autoimmune disease where the adrenal glands cant produce the correct amount of the hormone cortisol.
If your dogs regurgitation is accompanied by loss of appetite, lethargy, constipation or diarrhea, see your vet.
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Discourage Your Dog From Eating Leftovers And Garbage
It is best to avoid your dog having access to scraps or garbage wherever possible. If your dog is a repeat offender, then the use of secure trash bins is recommended. If your dog is very bad for scavenging for dead and rotten things on walks, consider using a basket muzzle to prevent them from eating things they shouldnt.
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Obstruction As A Possible Reason For Dog Throwing Up Food Hours After Eating
Sometimes, you find that there is an obstruction somewhere in the dogs gastrointestinal tract.
Therefore when the dog eats, the food doesnt move along the gastrointestinal tract the way it is supposed to move.
This can at times lead to the dog throwing up food hours after eating.
In some cases, it may take 3 hours for the dog to vomit, if it has an obstruction somewhere in its gastrointestinal tract.
Thus if you had the why does my dog throw up 3 hours after eating question, you need to know that this may be the reason behind it.
If your dog threw up undigested food 2 hours after eating, it may be due to an obstruction too.
Generally, if a dog keeps throwing up food hours after eating, it may be due to this sort of obstruction.
Depending on the obstructions location, it may lead to the dog vomiting food undigested. Thus you find that the dog vomits undigested food due to the obstruction.
If the obstruction is high up the gastrointestinal tract, it prevents the food from reaching the stomach, where it can be digested.
You may therefore end up with the dog not digesting food vomiting it whole.
If a dog vomited undigested food hours later after eating, it may be due to obstruction in its digestive tract.
You therefore find the dog vomiting whole pieces of food.
But it is not always that an obstruction leads to a dog vomiting whole food .
Adjusting Your Dog’s Diet
When treating vomiting in dogs, your vet may recommend a more digestible diet such as a fresh food meal plan made with lean meats like poultry and rice or potato. More digestible foods may help to prevent excess material from reaching the large intestine and stimulating the process all over again.
Wed be remiss if we didnt mention that fresh dog food can also help a dog with a sensitive stomach. Check out success stories from happy Nom Nom pups like Jordy and Harold.
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Why Is Your Dog Vomiting Hours After Eating Their Food
On average, it takes your dog around 2 to 3 hours to properly digest and empty their stomach. Ideally, it should never take longer than 4 to 5 hours.
As a result, if your dog is still throwing up food that has not been digested after 6 to 8 hours, then there is something wrong.
There is a very high chance that maybe they have a GI issue, which is causing a delay in their stomach emptying their contents into their intestines.
Just as we did above, there are different reasons why your dog may be throwing up their food several hours after eating, and the reasons are different for vomiting and regurgitation.
The Stomach Gets To Work
Inside the stomach, the food is dropped into extremely strong acids. Its churned out thoroughly before it passes down to the intestines. The nutrients are derived from the food here and then passed throughout the body. The food that is left is then passed through the intestines and is pooped out by the dog.
This is the ideal situation, and its mostly seen in healthy and normal dogs without any problems. However, if things dont work properly, its going to cause problems. Ideally, it takes anywhere between two to three hours, but in some situations, it could take upwards of four to five hours. However, it shouldnt take more than five hours.
If your dog is throwing up undigested food after six to eight hours of eating, then theres a problem. Its obvious that the stomach is not being cleaned out properly. If food is being thrown up just a few hours after eating, then its likely to be a problem with the esophagus. Its also important to note that there is a difference between vomiting and regurgitation. Here are some simple reasons why your dog might start throwing up food.
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When Should I Be Concerned About My Dog Vomiting
As you can see, there are all sorts of potential causes for your dog throwing up undigested food. And it’s entirely possible that your dog doesn’t have anything wrong with them at all they might just have a sensitive stomach. So, what should dog owners do if their dog is vomiting or regurgitating food?
If your dog regurgitates or vomits once and doesn’t continue to expel food, keep an eye on them for the next few hours. If no further vomiting or regurgitation occurs and they seem fine, it was probably just an isolated incident. You can try giving them a bit of water or a handful of kibble to see how they react. You might also try feeding a bland diet of boiled chicken and white rice for a bit. This can be soothing for your dog’s digestive tract.
If the vomiting or regurgitation continues, or if you see symptoms like those described above, it’s time to call the vet. And if you know your dog ate a foreign object, you should take your dog to the emergency room for veterinary attention. Your dog might have a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract, and it might require emergency surgery to correct.
Here’s the bottom line: If you’re concerned about your dog’s regurgitation or vomiting, or if you’re seeing chronic vomiting, it’s time to call your vet’s office. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Soak Kibble Before Feeding Your Dog
Dry kibble can induce vomiting because it absorbs moisture in your dogs stomach and expands its size, causing regurgitation. If your dog is throwing up whole kibble after eating it, this could be the reason.
Before feeding your dog dry or compressed food, consider adding warm water and allowing it to soak for a few minutes.
You can also add bone broth to make it more nutritious.
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Your Dog Ate Too Quickly
Another possible reason may have to do with the dogs eating behavior. He may be either eating too much or too quickly. The dogs digestive system may have trouble processing if too much food comes in at once so this may potentially lead to your dog throwing up the undigested parts.
If you notice that your dog is eating too quickly then there are things you can do. First, get a slow-feeder dog bowl. These bowls have specific designs and features to stop your dog from chowing down the food too quickly. Also, rather than feeding your dog a big meal, you can break that down into smaller meals throughout the day.
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Common Reasons Why Dogs Vomit
Lets review the most common reasons why dogs vomit:
- Eating too quickly If your dog is eating too fast, try giving smaller amounts more often. If you have more than one dog, they may be eating too quickly because of competition. Try feeding them in separate places.
- Sudden change in diet including human food and/or new treats, rawhide treats, and more
- Food allergy or intolerance
- Motion sickness If you notice that your dog vomits when riding in the car it may be due to motion sickness. Most puppies will grow out of this, but some dogs experience it every time they take a car ride. Talk to your vet about medications that can help prevent nausea and vomiting due to motion sickness.
- Medication such as antibiotics or pain medication If your dog is taking any medications call your vet to find out if the medication may be causing your dogs upset stomach
- Parasites worms in the intestinal tract such as roundworms, hookworms, coccidia, or Giardia
- Obstruction from eating an object that cannot pass through the stomach/intestines such as a chew toy, childrens toys, socks, string, tennis ball, and more. If you know your pet has eaten a toy, sock, ball, or other foreign object, call your vet right away. These objects can lead to intestinal blockage and serious complications.
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Beware Feeding Your Dog Bones
If you like to feed your dog bones, then you must make sure that you offer them the right size of bone. Also, you should avoid giving your dog raw hides, cooked bones or edible chew toys.
All of these are awful for your dog and basically chew toys that contain dyes, chemicals, and preservatives that will hurt your dogs stomach and cause issues.
When Should You Be Concerned
You dont have to be concerned every time your dog throws up, if its only once in a while. However, you should keep an eye on it, as vomiting is a sign that is associated with serious or life-threatening illnesses and conditions. These diseases may require your dog to seek emergency treatment or care.
Below, we have put together some signs of when you should be concerned about your dog vomiting:
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Other Possible Reasons For Dog Throwing Up Food Hours After Eating
A dog with conditions such as cancer, liver failure or kidney problems may start throwing up food hours after eating.
Thus after ruling out the more obvious reasons for dogs throwing up food hours after eating, one then needs to consider these far-off causes.
Sometimes you may find an old dog throwing up undigested food. Yet none of the common causes seems to be at play. Then further investigation reveals that it is a manifestation of cancer.
Another case of an elderly dog throwing up undigested food hours after eating may be traced back to a liver or kidney problem the dog has.
You need to remember the dogs body is a complex web of systems that depend on and affect each other. A problem in the kidney or liver can therefore end up having the effect of a dog vomiting undigested food.
If your dog is throwing up undigested food hours later after eating, you need to know that the underlying cause may not be so obvious.
Often, in the case of a dog throwing up undigested food hours later after eating, you have to think further. Only then will you find the cause.
A case of a dog vomiting undigested food at night can be a manifestation of a liver or kidney problem the dog has.
And a dog vomiting undigested food hours after eating can be a sign of an underlying cancer: especially if it keeps on happening.
Causes And Treatments Of An Old Dog Throwing Up
After practicing as a veterinarian for more than 25 years and being chief of staff at Animal House of Chicago, I have treated my fair share of cases of elderly dogs vomiting. The cause of an old dog throwing up has ranged from something simple, like the dog eating too many dog treats, to more complex issues, like liver or kidney disease.
Senior dogs, like puppies, are not as resilient and may become significantly and more rapidly affected by vomiting compared with adult dogs. Therefore, its important to address the situation with your veterinarian if your senior dog is throwing up, and find the root issue.
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Other Reasons Your Dog May Be Vomiting
There are several other reasons your dog may be vomiting.
#1 Vomiting water occurs when dogs drink too fast or when theres too much moisture in the system.
#2 Bile based vomiting is usually associated with an empty stomach. Its often accompanied by lip smacking, eating dirt or an abdomen thats sensitive to the touch. Usually when this happens, the spleen and pancreas can get over stimulated and cause indigestion, burping and burning in the stomach. Youll usually see this vomiting first thing in the morning or the middle of the night. Ive found that feeding a small amount of food before bed helps stop this type of vomiting. Reach for chamomile and crab apple flower essence if this happens to your dog. Mix 1 tbsp in 1 cup of hot water, let it cool, then add in 10 drops of crab apple. Give 1 tsp for every 15 lbs of body weight.
#3 Some dogs vomit due to a nervous or what I call emotional stomach. This can indicate a depleted microbiome, so use probiotic treatments to help treat inflammation in the gut. Probiotic strains like Lactobacillus planetarum can help decrease food sensitivity and intestinal inflammation. You can also calm your nervous pup with catnip. This will treat and balance the nervous system and the stomach. To do this, use a tincture of catnip using 15 drops in 1 ounce of filtered water. You can also infuse 1 tbsp with 1 cup of almost boiling water. Give 1 tsp for every 15 lbs of body weight, 2-3 times a day.