You love your dog as much as a family member. This is the sentiment of any pet parent. When something out of the ordinary happens to your furry friend, it can trigger a feeling of worry and concern. One such case is when your dog makes hacking and coughing noises like they’re about to vomit.
It happens, and soon enough, you notice white foam coming out of their mouth. While an unsettling sight, the question you’re asking is: Why is my dog throwing up white foam? We will answer this question to determine the potential reasons that aren't as alarming, or if veterinary attention is necessary. Let’s discuss what you’ll need to know right now about white foam vomiting.
What Is White Foam Vomit?
The white foam will appear as a substance that is bubbly and frothy. Sometimes, the texture will either be thick or runny. One thing to note is that no food has come up as well, meaning that your dog’s stomach will be empty. This means that what they’ve thrown up was digestive fluids like bile and stomach acids, which can be mixed with air, mucus, or both.
As for why your dog is throwing up white foam, this could be a physical reaction to numerous situations. It could be irritation, emptiness in the stomach, or an imbalance. What could cause this at the outset? Let’s dig a little deeper into the mystery.
Why Your Dog Is Throwing Up White Foam: The Common Causes
Next, it’s time to pinpoint the common causes to why your dog is throwing up white foam. It’s also essential to read this section carefully, as each cause may determine if monitoring or treatment is necessary (including a possible visit to the vet). Let’s go over the list of causes right now:
Empty Stomach (Bile Reflux or Hunger Pukes)
There may be times when your dog can feel nauseous if they haven’t eaten anything in quite some time, resulting in a type of vomit that will have no food particles. The same applies to us humans. However, dogs will vomit white or even yellow foam if it’s been several hours since they last ate or even the morning after (assuming you haven’t fed them the previous evening).
That’s why you’ll want to look out for any possible signs of an empty stomach, including:
- Vomiting occurs early in the morning or between meals
- The vomit comes up as just foam without the presence of food or debris
- Your dog exhibits normal baseline behaviors during regular activities like playing, drinking, etc.
One of the best solutions is to feed them more frequent meals, but with smaller portions. Don’t worry, you’re not overfeeding them. You are reducing the portions considerably to help accommodate a more frequent meal schedule. Be sure to measure those portions accordingly based on your dog’s weight, lifestyle, and so on.
If the idea of frequent meals with smaller portions doesn’t sit well with you, that’s understandable. Another alternative that we recommend is a light snack they can have prior to bedtime. Under The Weather has plenty of treats for your dog that are made from natural ingredients and something they cannot get enough of. Our recommendation is the calming chews, which will make them sleep a lot easier since they contain L-tryptophan.
In this situation of white foam vomiting, there is no cause for alarm or to contact your vet. All you need to do is one of the two suggestions we’ve mentioned above. Be sure to monitor any issues that may arise the following morning to ensure that it is not anything else.
Indigestion or Mild Stomach Upset
Dogs can indeed have a sensitive digestive system. There are plenty of things that can trigger an upset stomach that could lead to vomiting and other gastrointestinal issues. This includes eating too fast, food being too rich in texture, or even minor food changes (especially to something unfamiliar to your dog). As such, the possible triggers to include are:
- Human food scraps
- New and unfamiliar treats and food
- Drinking too fast after an exercise session
The stomach itself will settle on its own, especially if your dog is active and alert. However, it may be ideal to consider the idea of refraining from feeding your dog human food scraps. Not only can it cause an upset stomach, but it might trigger other health issues because of certain ingredients it might have. You might not even know what ingredients are harmful to dogs.
However, if you are planning to make diet changes, it may be a good idea to consult with your vet first. While not an emergency, it’s better to think ahead and anticipate any potential issues that could arise. If you’re looking for any recommendations, Under The Weather’s bland diet lineup is certainly worth a look. They contain natural ingredients that are focused on keeping your dog healthy, no matter what stage of their life they’re in.
Eating Grass, Dirt, or Foreign Material
If you notice your dog eating grass or dirt, it could be a sign of an upset stomach. Even if they’re not dealing with such issues, they could eat it or something else they shouldn’t, which can trigger irritation in their stomach lining. The result could be your dog vomiting a combination of white foam and mucus. Vomiting is common to ensure that the body expels the irritant as much as possible.
Your dog could eat grass, dirt, or odd items when it is not supervised. Be sure to monitor your dog during outdoor time. While they might lick or even eat small amounts of grass or dirt, you may want to pay attention to any potential issues that could arise. Also, keep their outdoor roaming area free of any foreign objects that they could eat.
If you treat your lawn regularly, residual residue from the treatment you’ve used may remain. This residue can contain ingredients that can cause serious reactions and may warrant emergency veterinary attention. If your dog typically goes outdoors, it would be best to accompany them outdoors to ensure they are supervised and allow you the opportunity to say “no” whenever they eat grass, dirt, or something else that may upset their digestive tract or worse.
Kennel Cough or Other Respiratory Issues
There are situations where your dog may be coughing up (not vomiting) foam. This will likely be a sign of a respiratory issue. If your dog has recently been in a crowded environment like a dog park or a kennel, there’s a good chance that those places may be the origin. With this in mind, look for:
- Honking or hacking coughs
- Gagging up foam after coughing
- Lethargy
- Nasal discharge
Kennel cough is typically mild but still a valid health concern. However, don’t rule out the idea of consulting your vet for further instructions or possible medical attention. It is highly recommended that you isolate your dog from other pets to ensure that no other infections occur.
Pancreatitis
An inflammation of the pancreas and vomiting are considered early warning signs. Other things to look out for include loss of appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. Pancreatitis may only be diagnosed by a vet. If you notice these signs, you’ll want to schedule a vet visit as soon as possible to confirm if it is pancreatitis or another condition and get the treatment options that will be the best fit for your dog.
Bloat (Gastric Dilation-Volvulus)
This is an issue that is typical in large or deep-chested dog breeds. Excessive gas or food can cause their stomach to twist. If your dog throws up white foam without vomiting any food along with it, this is a medical emergency that you’ll need to address immediately. However, there are other signs to look out for, including:
- Restlessness and pacing (or other potential signs of distress)
- Non-productive retching
- Drooling or additional signs of pain
- An abdomen that is hard and distended
If these signs of bloat appear to be present, do not wait any longer—not even for any additional symptoms that might occur. This is a serious medical emergency that a vet will need to treat as soon as possible, as it might be a life-threatening condition.
When Should You Be Concerned?
If there is an isolated episode of your dog throwing up white foam, knowing when to be concerned is key. Seek veterinarian care immediately if the following happens:
- Persistent vomiting for more than 24 hours
- If diarrhea, fever, or signs of dehydration are present
- Blood in the vomit or stool
- Signs of lethargy, refusing food, or unusual behavior are present
- Unproductive retching
- A possible ingestion of a toxic substance, plant, or a dangerous foreign object
- If your dog is a puppy or unvaccinated, as it could be a sign of health conditions like an infection or illness (e.g., Parvovirus)
Treatment options will be available depending on your vet's diagnosis for a specific medical condition.
Do Not Panic, But Do Not Ignore It
Under The Weather always keeps the well-being and health of your pets at the forefront. We highly recommend that you keep an eye on the symptoms that may be accompanied by your dog throwing up white foam. It’s also important to know when to act accordingly, including notifying your vet as soon as possible if there are potentially severe symptoms that accompany such vomiting. Do not ignore situations where your dog is throwing up white foam, and take action as soon as possible.
