Almost every dog throws up now and then. A dog who gulped breakfast, ate grass, or got carsick may vomit once, shake it off and go back to normal. Other times vomiting is the first sign of something serious. The hard part is telling the two apart at 10 p.m. Here is a simple way to sort it.
If your dog is trying to vomit but nothing comes up and the belly looks swollen or tight, treat it as an emergency and go to the nearest emergency vet now. In deep-chested breeds this can be bloat, which can turn fatal within hours.
Go to the vet now if
- Your dog retches repeatedly with little or nothing coming up, especially with a swollen belly or restlessness.
- There is blood in the vomit (red, or dark like coffee grounds), or blood in the stool.
- Your dog may have eaten something toxic or a foreign object, like a sock, toy, bone or corn cob. See what to do if your dog ate something toxic.
- Your dog is weak, very sleepy, collapsing, or has pale gums.
- Vomiting comes with obvious belly pain, like hunching, whining when picked up, or a "praying" stretch they hold.
- They are vomiting again and again and cannot keep water down.
- Your dog is a young puppy, a senior, or has a known health condition. These dogs dehydrate faster and have less margin.
Call your vet today if
- Your dog has vomited more than once or twice in a day.
- Vomiting lasts more than about a day, or keeps coming back over several days.
- It comes with diarrhea, fever, refusing food, or less energy than normal.
- You see signs of dehydration, like dry, sticky gums or less peeing.
- Your dog is losing weight or vomiting has become a regular thing.
Probably okay to watch closely if
Your adult dog vomited once, is bright, wants to play, is drinking normally, and there is nothing worrying in what came up. Keep an eye on them for the next day. Make a note of the time, what the vomit looked like and anything they might have eaten. If anything on the lists above shows up, or your gut says something is off, call.
Vomiting or regurgitation?
Vets will ask, so it helps to notice. Vomiting usually comes with warning signs, like drooling, licking lips and heaving from the belly, and the food is partly digested. Regurgitation is more passive: food or a tube shape comes up with little effort, often right after eating. Both are worth mentioning, and regurgitation that keeps happening needs a vet visit.
What to tell the vet
- When it started and how many times.
- What it looked like: food, foam, yellow bile, blood, objects. A phone photo helps.
- Anything new: food, treats, trash raids, toys, plants, medications.
- Energy, appetite, water, pee and poop.
- Age, weight and any health conditions.
Not sure which list your dog fits?
Many nights land in the middle. One vomit, then another an hour later, and your dog seems a little quiet but not sick. Your clinic is closed. If you want a professional opinion before deciding on the emergency room, you can ask a veterinarian online on JustAnswer, send the details above, and get help deciding what to do next. An online answer cannot examine your dog, so if the vet says go in, or your dog gets worse, head to an emergency clinic right away.
What not to do
Do not give human stomach medicine or any pills from your cabinet unless a vet tells you to. Some common ones are dangerous for dogs, and they can hide symptoms a vet needs to see. Ask your vet before changing food or withholding meals, especially for puppies, small breeds and dogs with health conditions.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it does not replace an exam. When in doubt, call your vet or an emergency clinic.