Why Does My Dog Throw Up After Drinking Water?

As pet parents know all too well, our dogs will throw up — it’s just what they do. Maybe it happens after one too many treats, or after a walk in the park where they found something rogue to nibble on, or even, oddly enough, after simply drinking water. 

And there are actually many reasons why your dog may vomit after drinking water. It can be as simple as drinking their water too fast, especially on hot days or after hectic playtime. If this only happens every now and then, there’s most likely no cause for concern. 

But, if it’s happening all the time, there’s likely an issue with your dog's health. If your dog throws up clear mucus after drinking water, for example, you might want to call the vet. The sickness could be related to some disease, infection or condition that’s affecting your dog’s health. 

Let’s take a closer look at what could be causing this problem for your pup, what it means, and how you can prevent it from happening.

There are a few different reasons why your pup might be throwing up after hydrating:

• Esophageal dysfunction
• Bacteria from contaminated water
• Parasites
• Gastrointestinal blockage
• Exercise or stress

Esophageal dysfunction 

A condition called megaesophagus is a rare condition that affects the esophagus when it fails to contract as it normally would. Due to a weakness in the muscles, water and food can build up in the throat, and as your dog drinks more, it causes a reflex action which ejects anything sitting in the esophagus.  

Bacteria from contaminated water 

While your dog’s bowl may look clean, if you haven’t washed it for a few days it can become contaminated (especially outdoor water bowls). Additionally, stagnant pools of water, lakes, canals, or puddles can contain contamination from animal or human waste, which contains bacteria including Salmonella, campylobacter and Leptospira and can cause your dog to throw up after drinking.  

Another concern is the elevated level of toxic blue-green algae that may be present in these types of waters. So in short, it’s best to keep your dog from sipping random puddles of water on their walks and jumping into canals or lakes, no matter how much they may want to. 

Parasites 

These nasty species love living around water or may be in feces that have infected the waterway. Protozoans such as Giardia and cryptosporidium in particular can cause sickness. Usually, this particular issue shows up as diarrhea, but your dog may be extra sensitive to these parasites and may even vomit after drinking water. 

Gastrointestinal blockage 

Is your dog constantly vomiting after drinking, and not eating? This could be a sign of some kind of blockage. When your dog eats objects that cannot be digested, these objects can cause vomiting and stomach upset. Usually, if this is the case, your dog will be looking quite sick, and you may notice them vomiting or dry heaving to try and remove the object. 

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) can also cause difficulty breathing due to both compromised airways and gastrointestinal issues. If your dog suffers from this condition, it may be a reason behind their difficulty in keeping water down. 

Exercise or stress

After a full day of exploring and running and sniffing and jumping, your pup might have pushed themselves to the limit. Going for a drink directly after that might send them over the edge, and lead them to throw it back up. 

Even after bouts of separation anxiety, stress, or fear, their overwhelming feelings might cause them to not be able to handle eating or drinking anything for a while. 

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Depending on what’s caused your pup’s vomiting, there are different things you can try: 

Medication and antibiotics

If your dog has esophageal dysfunction, your vet will be able to advise on treatment for your dog. Treatment through drugs and antibiotics are focused on the management of the underlying disease. 

Clean water and bland diet 

Simpler cases of bacterial infections often respond to a 24-hour withholding of food (with clean water allowed) followed by a bland diet of white meat (ex. fish or chicken) along with boiled white rice. It can take around three days for your dog to return to normal.

It’s always advisable to check with your vet as some bacterial infections are nasty and will need antibacterial medications to clear them up. Leptospira, for example, can result in liver and kidney damage and death. 

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Immediate vet treatment 

Blue-green algae exposure needs immediate vet attention. While classed as a bacterium, they deserve special mention on their own as they produce colonies of blooms on the surface of ponds and pools of water, especially during the hot summer months. 

If your dog swims in this type of water, they may either get a few mouthfuls of bloom-infected water or ingest it when he is grooming himself. This algae can produce vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, collapse and death — unfortunately, it’s extremely serious. While there’s no antidote for the toxin produced by the algae, the sooner you can get your dog to the vet for supportive care the better the chance for survival. 

Parasitic control 

Parasites are one case that definitely needs vet assistance, as your dog will require symptomatic treatment and medications that can speed up their recovery. Most dogs will respond well to prompt treatment, supportive care and a course of antibiotics. 

Identify a potential blockage

Blockages of the digestive tract may need some investigation. Is it an external source causing the problem (a stone or toy part), or could it be a diseased tissue such as a growth that needs identifying? Your vet will find the source and treat accordingly.

It’s always better to take your pet to their vet as soon as you can before it develops into a serious, life-threatening condition. Removal of the blockage will be done under anesthesia via surgical means, with supportive care after that.

Help them relax

Luckily, stress or over-exertion is one of the simpler issues to tackle — once your dog settles down and is no longer anxious, they should return to normal. But keep an eye on them and make sure that if it happens again you contact your vet right away. 

If this becomes a regular occurrence, here are some things you could try to help your furry friend:

Helping your pup to drink slower can help avoid digestive issues; if your dog gulps their water in massive amounts, try putting ice cubes in their water bowl. If that doesn’t work, consider just giving them small rations of water at a time, but make sure they do get all they need. 

How much water should your dog drink per day? Find out to make sure they’re always well-hydrated. 

A good rule of thumb is to always discourage your dog from drinking from puddles, ponds, swimming pools (because of the chemicals) and other stagnant sources of water. You never know what kind of bacteria, parasites or poisons that could be lurking there.

When you’re out walking, be sure to take along a bottle of water so that your pup isn’t tempted to drink from other sources. Make sure your dog’s bowl is always clean, and change the water daily.

If this is a recurring habit for your dog, it could mean something more serious. To avoid high vet care expenses, secure pet health insurance today — give Wag! Compare a try. Compare top insurance plans and find the right one for you and your dog. The sooner you insure your pet, the more protection you’ll have from unexpected vet costs.

Throwing up after drinking water isn’t a great sign and depending on the cause, you might have to loosen the purse strings a bit to cover treatment for your pup. 

If they’re drinking too much too quickly, or over-exerting themselves before drinking, then there aren’t any formal costs involved — just a bit of pet management. Other conditions such as megaesophagus, can cost between $500 and $6,000 depending on the severity of the condition (average cost $2500), while gastrointestinal blockages can range from $800 to $5000 with the average cost being $2500.

Bacterial infection treatments range from $250 to $2000 with the average cost being $1,600.