What To Do If Your Dog Is Vomiting White Foam

Jolly

Most long-time dog owners already know that dog vomiting isn’t something unusual and is part of the process of owning a dog. However, in some cases, dog vomiting can lead to serious health problems that require immediate health attention.

Determining the type of vomit and its cause is very important for knowing if your dog’s state is something to be worried about. So, yes, sometimes it is necessary to go through your dog’s vomit just to learn more about what caused it and if you need to take additional action.

In today’s article, we are focusing on white foam vomiting for dogs and find whether or not it is something to worry about and how to treat it.

What Causes for Dogs to Vomit White Foam?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a pre-defined rule about what causes vomiting white foam for dogs, but there are a few potential reasons where you can start. In most cases, white foam vomiting isn’t a cause for concern, and the reason for such a state is due to an upset stomach from eating something.

If your dog has been nibbling on grass, chewing on something irritating, or licking something bad, it can cause a reaction in their stomach, leading to white foam vomiting.

On the other hand, there are some cases where vomiting white foam can indicate a more serious illness, especially if the vomiting is frequent. Here are some potential unwanted conditions that should raise a concern.

Indigestion
Gastrointestinal obstruction
Pancreatitis
Acid reflux
Other gastrointestinal inflammation
Toxin exposure
Rabies (very rare)
Bloat
Infectious disease

Even though most types of grass and plants don’t contain any harmful toxins that can damage your dog’s health, they can be difficult for dogs to digest. This leads to building up gastric juices that stir up and appear white and foamy when dogs vomit. The same thing happens if dogs eat something they shouldn’t.

Kennel cough is another reason why dogs might vomit white foam. Kennel cough is a respiratory problem that causes dogs to cough up foamy white liquid. This is much different than vomiting, but in most cases, the process looks very similar, but the truth is it is actually mucus and fluids from the respiratory system.

In some cases, dogs might swallow the fluid and mucus from the respiratory issue, which will lead to vomiting.

You should observe your dog and see if they have any difficulty breathing or retching and coughing. If the issue doesn’t go away in a day, it is time to get the assistance of a professional vet.

Things to Do If Your Dog Is Vomiting White Foam

As we mentioned earlier, occasional vomiting isn’t a cause for concern. However, if your dog’s vomiting doesn’t go away, it is time to do something about it. The most common causes of a dog throwing up white foam are pica or mineral deficiencies, chloride deficiency and iron overload. One of the ways to determine if white foam vomiting is a cause for concern is to look for other symptoms like weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, signs of illness, lethargy. If your dog has some of these symptoms and it might be a more serious issue at hand, and you should immediately contact your local vet.

Otherwise, if your dog seems normal and full of energy, you should continue to watch for more vomiting. If the process continues with the next meal, skip one or change its standard diet. If the vomiting still continues, you should get professional help.

Make sure you give your dog plenty of water since vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration and more serious health issues.

How to Prevent Vomiting in Dogs

In most cases, white foam vomiting is normal for dogs, and there are plenty of ways to prevent such issues. The first rule is to keep your dog away from anything he shouldn’t eat, chew or lick. Unfortunately, there are times where you cannot prevent vomiting in your dog. Such illnesses can occur with no known cause or action. Fortunately, there are a few methods that can help you lower the risk of getting such a disease.

Make sure you maintain a healthy diet and include vitamins and minerals that will improve your dog’s health
Take your dog to the vet for regular check-ups every year
Prevent your dog from eating grass or plants
Since most dogs are happy eating anything that they will find on the floor, keep objects that may become foreign bodies.

Treatment for White Foam Vomiting in Dogs

The first step that your vet will take is thoroughly to examine your dog. Your job is to provide your vet with all the necessary information and details about your dog’s condition, long-term medical history, and recent problems. This information will help your vet determine the cause for such an issue and possibly prescribe the right treatment as soon as possible.

In some cases, your vet may recommend further diagnostics like blood and urine testing, ultrasounds, or X-rays just to further diagnose the issue. Most treatments start by administering anti-nausea medications and gastric protectants that are given by injection to avoid further vomiting.

If you still have some questions, read this article written by a vet nutritionist on the subject: https://whatthepup.spotandtango.com/dog-throwing-up-white-foam/

Conclusion

White foam vomiting isn’t something to be worried about if it happens occasionally. Just make sure your dog’s immune system is in great shape just to be able to fight off any bacteria that might cause further complications.

You should monitor its situation, and if the vomiting continues, you should make an appointment at your local vet and get some professional help.