Throwing Up Everything He Eats in Dogs

Just like with humans, throwing up in dogs is a kind of defense mechanism for the body. It helps to eliminate any potential threat and empty out whatever could affect the overall health of the dog. There are a number of different triggers that can cause your dog to vomit, however, it is never normal for your pet to be throwing up repeatedly. If he is constantly losing his food after eating, it could be due to a number of different underlying issues. Throwing up can be a sign of illness or, perhaps, of a recent transition to something new. 

• New dog food 
• Eaten grass
• Eating too quickly 
• Gastrointestinal obstruction 
• Toxin ingestion 
• Pancreatitis 

Throwing up is a common sign of illness in dogs. It is important to pay attention to your dog’s behavior and symptoms. Vomiting can be accompanied by lethargy, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. While vomiting itself is not deadly, and can occur occasionally due to drinking water quickly or eating grass, the more serious issues as to why vomiting occurs will need to be treated by a medical professional; so it is important to get your pet a check up if vomiting occurs often.

There are a few minor, non-threatening reasons why vomiting can occur, such as switching to a new dog food, ingesting grass, or eating too fast. While these are situations that are not alarming and tend to cause dogs to vomit only occasionally, there are other situations that may cause your dog to vomit frequently. These problems, such as gastrointestinal obstruction, toxin ingestion, and pancreatitis, need to be addressed by a veterinarian immediately. 

New Food 

Even though dogs seem to be able to eat anything and everything, switching to a new food can really upset their stomach. In order to prevent this, the best thing to do is incorporate a little bit of their old food in with the new over the course of 7 to 10 days; that way, they can adjust slowly instead of all at once. If you notice these behaviors in your dog you may want to talk to your vet about the new food and perhaps come up with a new feeding schedule to reverse the problem.

Ingesting Grass

Dogs love to eat grass, and although we don’t know the reason why they find it so appealing, we do know that it often causes them to vomit. If you notice your dog vomits, observe the color and contents. This can tell a lot about what may be upsetting your dog’s stomach. The grass will most likely still be present in the vomit, which may be clear or slightly white. 

Anxious Eating 

If a dog eats too fast, such as in the case of anxiety or competition, it can cause the dog to vomit. Your dog may be throwing up everything he eats because he is simply eating it too quickly. When a dog eats too fast, the kibble pieces are not properly chewed and large amounts of air are also swallowed along with the food. This then leads to the food, and air, being regurgitated. If you have a dog that competes to eat all of his food first or has anxiety when it comes to eating, some things that you can try are types of puzzle toys or bowls that cause the dog to work at getting the food, thus slowing him down. If you have other dogs, try feeding the anxious one away from the group so that he doesn’t feel a need to protect his food. 

Gastrointestinal Obstruction 

Gastrointestinal obstructions cause food, fluids, and secretions to build up within the stomach and small intestine, causing a physical barrier to regular flow. When this happens, a large amount of pressure builds up on the blood vessels that supply the body’s intestinal tract with blood, oxygen, and other important nutrients. Because the stomach and intestines are rather sensitive to changes, it doesn’t take long for the entire system to begin dying from lack of necessary supplies. As time goes on, this problem can progress to something called peritonitis, which is when toxins and bacteria invade the tissue lining of the abdomen. Peritonitis can kill a dog quickly without immediate treatment, so you will want to visit a vet immediately if you notice your dog experiencing:

• Painful abdomen 
• Vomiting 
• Lethargy 
• Depression 

Toxin Ingestion 

There are so many different toxins in the world that can affect your dog’s health. A few of the most common ones are:

• Pharmaceuticals 
• Poisonous plants and flowers 
• Toxic/harmful foods 
• Chemicals 
• Garbage 

If you notice that your pet has ingested any of these items or more, you may want to contact a vet in order to determine what course of action will be best for your dog. Toxins, if caught soon enough, can be treated effectively. But, if left unattended irreparable damage can occur. 

Pancreatitis 

As an owner, it is wise to study up on pancreatitis as its symptoms are not easy to spot at first. The symptoms are often mistaken for something much less serious, which causes a problem considering that by the time pancreatitis is diagnosed, a lot of damage has already been done. This condition can be simply defined as the inflammation of the pancreas. While it is easy to define, it’s not to be taken lightly. Inflammation of the pancreas comes about by enzymes made in the pancreas actually beginning to digest the pancreas itself. This causes a lot of pain and discomfort for your dog. Common signs of pancreatitis are:

• Hunched back 
• Vomiting 
• Pain in the abdomen 
• Diarrhea 
• Loss of appetite 
• Dehydration
• Fever
• Lethargy 

If your dog exhibits one or more of these symptoms, you will want to schedule an appointment with your vet as soon as possible.

The most important thing to do when you notice that your dog is vomiting often is to monitor him carefully. If the vomiting is due to eating quickly or ingesting grass then it should subside on its own. However, if the vomiting continues and is paired with other symptoms such as lethargy and loss of appetite, a trip to the vet is in order. 

Once you have determined the underlying cause of the vomiting with your vet, follow their instructions carefully in order repair the issue. There are a few tricks that may help with less serious situations, but never assume to know the underlying issue to your dog’s frequent vomiting. Receiving a medical opinion is always the best way to ensure the health of your pet. 

Aggressive Eater

• Puzzle Toys
• Slow eating bowls 
• Move to another room away from other dogs 
• Hand feed 

Ingesting Toxins 

• Withhold food until vomiting ceases 
• Monitor carefully 
• Visit vet if multiple symptoms appear 
• Keep all harmful chemicals and food out of easy reach and in cabinets/containers 

New Food 

• Speak with your vet before switching food 
• Allow a slow change, over 7-10 days 
• Add old food in with the new to aid in the transition

In order to prevent vomiting, the best thing that you can do is monitor your dog. Dogs love to get into things that they shouldn’t, so substances such as chemicals and garbage should be put away in safe locations in order to prevent ingestion. If your dog eats grass, do not be alarmed. More often than not, dogs may be using it to help relieve their stomach of built up gas or remove unwanted material from their digestive system. Only if your dog continually eats grass and vomits repeatedly should you be concerned, as that means there may be a more serious underlying issue present. 

Never assume that vomiting will simply pass on its own within a few days. Vomiting should only occur every so often and for perhaps a day at most. If prolonged vomiting occurs, you may want to take your pet to the vet in order to determine what the problem may be.

The causes of vomiting can be expensive to treat. To protect your dog and prevent high vet care costs, start searching for pet insurance today. Brought to you by Pet Insurer, Wag! Wellness lets pet parents compare insurance plans from leading companies like PetPlan and Trupanion. Find the “pawfect” plan for your pet in just a few clicks!

Treatment cost will vary depending on the cause of your dog’s throwing up. For instance, if your dog is diagnosed with pancreatitis, the average cost of treatment is $2,200. If your dog is diagnosed with gastrointestinal obstruction, the cost of treatment can range from $1,000 to $4,000.