Key Takeaways
- One vomit in an otherwise bright, hungry dog is usually not an emergency. Repeated vomiting, blood, weakness, a swollen belly, or a suspected swallowed object or poison needs a vet right away.[1][2]
- Retching with nothing coming up in a large, deep-chested dog can be bloat (GDV), which can kill within hours. Go to an emergency vet immediately.[3]
- Color gives clues. Yellow is usually bile from an empty stomach, white foam is often stomach fluid and air, and red, coffee-ground, or black vomit can mean bleeding.
- Vomiting is different from regurgitation. Vomiting involves heaving. Regurgitation is effortless and brings up undigested, tube-shaped food. The causes are different.[1]
- Don't make your dog vomit or give human stomach medicines unless a vet or poison control tells you to.[4][8]
Go to a vet now if your dog:
- Is retching or trying to vomit but nothing comes up, especially with a swollen or tight belly, drooling, or restlessness. This is the classic sign of bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), most common in large, deep-chested breeds such as Great Danes, German Shepherds, Standard Poodles, and Weimaraners.[3]
- May have swallowed something toxic or an object: a sock, toy, bone, corn cob, string, xylitol gum, grapes or raisins, chocolate, medications, or rat poison. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.[4]
- Vomits blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.[2]
- Vomits repeatedly or can't keep water down.
- Is weak, very tired, collapsed, or in pain (hunched, restless, or yelps when the belly is touched).[2]
- Is a puppy, especially one not fully vaccinated (parvovirus risk), a senior dog, or a dog with diabetes, kidney disease, or Addison's disease.
- Has signs of dehydration: sticky or dry gums, sunken eyes, or skin that is slow to fall back when gently lifted.[2]
Dog vomit color chart: what it means
The color and texture of vomit can hint at the cause. Use it as a clue, not a diagnosis, and take a photo for your vet.
| What it looks like | What it usually means | How worried to be |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow liquid or foam | Bile, which flows into an empty stomach. It's common in the early morning or when a meal is late. If it keeps happening on an empty stomach, it may be bilious vomiting syndrome, which often improves with a small late-night snack.[5] Can also occur with gastritis, pancreatitis, or a blockage. | Usually mild Vet if repeated |
| White foam | Stomach fluid and saliva mixed with air, usually from an empty or irritated stomach. A dog that coughs and then brings up white foam may have kennel cough or another airway problem. Repeated unproductive retching of foam in a large dog can be bloat. | Often mild Emergency if retching with a swollen belly |
| Clear liquid | Water or stomach fluid, often after drinking quickly or while nauseous. See dog throws up after drinking water. | Vet if it can't keep water down |
| Undigested food, soon after eating | Eating too fast, exercise right after a meal, or regurgitation (see below). Food that comes up hours after a meal suggests slow stomach emptying or a partial blockage. | Vet if frequent |
| Brown | Usually partly digested food or kibble. Brown vomit with a fecal smell can mean the dog ate feces or, rarely, an intestinal blockage. Dark brown granules can be digested blood. | Look closely Vet if it smells fecal |
| Green | Grass, or bile mixed with stomach contents. Bright blue-green vomit can be some rodent poisons, so call poison control if exposure is possible. | Usually mild Emergency if poison is possible |
| Red streaks or pink | Fresh blood from irritation of the mouth, esophagus, or stomach, often after forceful vomiting. See dog vomiting blood. | Call your vet today |
| Coffee grounds or black | Digested blood, which can mean a stomach ulcer, a tumor, a clotting problem, or a reaction to an anti-inflammatory drug. | Emergency |
| Slimy mucus | Swallowed saliva and mucus from an irritated stomach. | Usually mild |
| Worms | Roundworms can be vomited up in heavy infections, especially in puppies. See types of dog worms. | See your vet for deworming |
Vomiting vs. regurgitation
Telling these apart helps your vet, because they have different causes.[1]
Vomiting
- Starts with nausea: drooling, lip licking, swallowing
- Heaving with belly contractions
- Partly digested food, bile, or liquid
- Can happen any time after eating
Regurgitation
- Little or no warning
- No heaving. Food just comes up
- Undigested food, often tube-shaped and coated in mucus
- Usually soon after eating, and may come with coughing
Regurgitation points to the esophagus (the food pipe). One cause is megaesophagus, in which the esophagus is weak and enlarged. Dogs that regurgitate are at risk of breathing food into their lungs (aspiration pneumonia), so frequent regurgitation needs a vet visit.
Why dogs vomit: common causes
Vomiting is a symptom, not a disease. Most single episodes come from something the dog ate, but vomiting can also be the first sign of a serious illness.[1]
Sudden (acute) vomiting
- Eating garbage, spoiled food, rich table scraps, or a sudden diet change
- Eating too fast or eating grass
- Swallowed objects such as toys, socks, bones, and corn cobs
- Poisons and toxic foods (xylitol, grapes, chocolate), and poisonous plants
- Gastritis or gastroenteritis
- Pancreatitis, often after a fatty meal
- Infections such as parvovirus in puppies, and intestinal parasites
- Bloat (GDV)
- Medications, especially anti-inflammatories and some antibiotics
- Motion sickness
Ongoing (chronic) vomiting
- Food allergy or intolerance
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Kidney disease and liver disease
- Addison's disease and diabetic ketoacidosis
- Stomach ulcers and stomach or intestinal cancer
- Bilious vomiting syndrome (yellow vomit on an empty stomach)[5]
- Pyometra (uterine infection) in unspayed females
- Partial blockages that let some food through
When to call the vet (non-emergency)
If your dog vomited once or twice but is bright, alert, and keeping water down, it's reasonable to watch closely at home. Call your vet for an appointment if:[1][2]
- Vomiting continues for more than 24 hours, or keeps coming back over days or weeks
- Your dog vomits more than once or twice a day
- Your dog has diarrhea too, and it lasts more than a day or two
- Your dog won't eat, or is losing weight
- Your dog is drinking or urinating much more than usual
- Your dog takes daily medication, or has a known health condition
Home care for mild vomiting
Use these steps only for a dog that has vomited once or twice, seems otherwise well, and has none of the emergency signs above. If your dog is a puppy, a toy breed, or diabetic, call your vet before withholding food, because these dogs can develop low blood sugar.
- Rest the stomach for a few hours. Skip the next meal or wait a few hours after vomiting before offering food. Long fasts are not needed. In a controlled study of dogs with severe parvovirus, dogs that were fed early recovered about a day sooner than dogs that were fasted.[6]
- Offer water a little at a time. Give a few tablespoons, or let your dog lick ice chips, every 30 to 60 minutes. Gulping a whole bowl can trigger more vomiting.[2]
- Feed small, bland meals. Try boiled skinless chicken breast or white fish with plain white rice (about 1 part protein to 2 parts rice), or a prescription gastrointestinal diet from your vet. Offer a few spoonfuls every few hours.[2] See rice for dogs with an upset stomach.
- Return to normal food over 2 to 3 days, mixing in more of the usual diet at each meal.[2]
- Call your vet if vomiting returns or your dog seems worse at any point.
What not to do
- Don't make your dog vomit with salt, mustard, fingers, or oil. Even hydrogen peroxide should only be used if your vet or poison control tells you to, because the wrong amount or the wrong situation can cause harm.[4]
- Don't give Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, or other human medicines without your vet's advice. Pepto-Bismol contains a salicylate, an aspirin-like drug, which can interact with other medicines. It also turns stool black, which can hide signs of bleeding.[8] See Pepto-Bismol and alternatives.
- Don't give fatty treats, bones, or rich food while your dog recovers, because fat can trigger pancreatitis.
What the vet will do
Your vet will ask what your dog might have eaten, how often it has vomited and what the vomit looked like, and about diet changes and medications. Then they will examine your dog, including feeling the belly. Depending on the findings, tests may include:[1]
- Blood tests and a urinalysis to check the kidneys, liver, pancreas, blood sugar, and electrolytes
- A fecal test for parasites, and a parvovirus test for puppies
- X-rays or ultrasound to look for blockages, bloat, or masses
- For long-term vomiting, endoscopy with biopsies of the stomach and intestine
Treatment depends on the cause. It may include anti-nausea medication such as maropitant (Cerenia), the first drug approved by the FDA to treat and prevent vomiting in dogs,[7] along with fluids for dehydration, a bland or prescription diet, and treatment of the underlying problem. Swallowed objects and bloat often need surgery.
What the Research Shows
- Digestive problems are among the most common reasons dogs see a vet. In a study of 22,333 UK dogs, intestinal disorders affected 10.4% in a single year, making them the third most common group of conditions.[9]
- Morning yellow vomit often responds to a bedtime snack. In 20 dogs with bilious vomiting syndrome, 60% improved with treatment, and 5 of 7 dogs given a late-night meal got better.[5]
- Early feeding may speed recovery. In a randomized trial of 30 dogs with severe parvovirus, those fed early improved about a day sooner and gained weight, compared with dogs that were fasted.[6]
- Bloat is deadly but treatable. Even with surgery, 20% to 45% of dogs with GDV die, and delays make it worse. Speed matters.[3]
Not sure if you need to go in tonight?
If your vet is closed and your dog has no emergency signs, you can ask a licensed veterinarian online now and describe or photograph the vomit. If your dog has any of the emergency signs above, go straight to an emergency animal hospital.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my dog throwing up yellow?
Yellow vomit is usually bile, a digestive fluid that flows into an empty stomach. It's common first thing in the morning or when a meal is late. If it happens often on an empty stomach, ask your vet about bilious vomiting syndrome. Many dogs improve with a small late-evening snack or smaller, more frequent meals.[5] See your vet if yellow vomiting is frequent or comes with lethargy, belly pain, or poor appetite.
Why is my dog throwing up white foam?
White foam is usually stomach fluid and saliva whipped with air, often from an empty or irritated stomach. If your dog coughs and then brings up foam, it may be kennel cough or another airway problem. If a large dog keeps retching up only foam and its belly looks swollen, treat it as possible bloat and go to an emergency vet now.[3]
Why is my dog throwing up undigested food?
The most common reasons are eating too fast and playing hard right after a meal. If the food comes up without heaving, it's likely regurgitation, which points to the esophagus and needs a vet visit if it keeps happening.[1] A slow-feeder bowl and smaller meals often help fast eaters.
When should I worry about my dog vomiting?
Worry, and see a vet, if your dog vomits repeatedly, can't keep water down, vomits blood or coffee-ground material, is weak or in pain, has a swollen belly, may have swallowed something, or is a puppy, a senior, or a dog with a chronic illness. Vomiting that lasts more than a day also needs a vet visit.[1][2]
How long should I withhold food after my dog vomits?
For a healthy adult dog with mild vomiting, waiting a few hours and then offering small amounts of bland food is usually enough. Long fasts aren't necessary, and research suggests early feeding can speed recovery.[6] Don't withhold food from puppies, toy breeds, or diabetic dogs without talking to your vet.
What can I give my dog for vomiting?
Small amounts of water and small, bland meals, such as boiled chicken or white fish with white rice, are the safest home options.[2] Don't give Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, or other human medications without your vet's advice.[8] Your vet can prescribe an anti-nausea medication such as maropitant (Cerenia) if needed.[7]
Is it normal for a dog to throw up after eating grass?
Many dogs eat grass, and some vomit afterward. An occasional episode in a healthy dog isn't a concern. If your dog eats grass and vomits often, or eats grass frantically, see your vet to look for an underlying stomach problem. Avoid grass treated with pesticides or fertilizer.
Why does my dog throw up after drinking water?
Gulping a lot of water at once, especially after exercise, can come straight back up. Offer smaller amounts more often. If your dog can't keep any water down, or is drinking much more than usual, see your vet, because this can be a sign of kidney disease, diabetes, or a blockage. See dog throws up after drinking water.
What does vomiting from kidney disease look like in dogs?
Kidney disease usually doesn't cause a particular vomit color. Instead, look for the pattern: vomiting that becomes more frequent over weeks, along with increased thirst and urination, weight loss, poor appetite, and sometimes bad breath. Blood and urine tests can check kidney function. See canine kidney failure.
My dog is vomiting and has diarrhea. What should I do?
Vomiting and diarrhea together lead to dehydration faster. If your dog is otherwise bright, follow the home care steps above. See your vet the same day for a puppy, blood in either, weakness, or symptoms lasting more than a day.[2] See vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
References
- Webb CB. Vomiting in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner Version). Updated September 2024.
- PDSA. Vomiting in dogs. Written by vets and vet nurses. October 2024.
- Winkler KP. Gastric Dilation and Volvulus in Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual. Reviewed August 2025.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Is It Ever Safe to Induce Vomiting? November 19, 2019.
- Bilious vomiting syndrome in dogs: retrospective study of 20 cases (2002–2012). Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. 2016;52(3):157-161.
- Mohr AJ, Leisewitz AL, Jacobson LS, Steiner JM, Ruaux CG, Williams DA. Effect of early enteral nutrition on intestinal permeability, intestinal protein loss, and outcome in dogs with severe parvoviral enteritis. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2003;17(6):791-798.
- Pfizer Animal Health. FDA approves first medication to treat and prevent vomiting in dogs (Cerenia). February 28, 2007.
- PetMD. Pepto-Bismol (Bismuth Subsalicylate) for Dogs and Cats. Medically reviewed by Carina Fung, PharmD.
- O'Neill DG, James H, Brodbelt DC, Church DB, Pegram C. Prevalence of commonly diagnosed disorders in UK dogs under primary veterinary care: results and applications. BMC Veterinary Research. 2021;17:69.
This guide is for general information and is not a substitute for an exam by your veterinarian. Dog Health Guide is owned and operated by Web Ventures of New York, Inc.
