As a pet owner, failing signs of health from your dog can be a major cause for concern. Vomiting in dogs can be a fairly common phenomenon. However, the frequency and nature of occurrence need to be considered for further diagnosis. You are rightly worried if you have witnessed your dog throwing up copious amounts of a yellow substance. This yellowish liquid is bile and can indicate various problems. We look at the reasons behind this and provide a list of symptoms and treatment options.
Why is My Dog Throwing Up Yellow?
Are you worried about why is my dog vomiting yellow? There are several reasons dogs throw up. Below are some of the most common causes of dog puking bile.
Presence of Bilious Vomiting Syndrome
Bile is produced by a dog’s liver to aid digestion. However, this bile may leak into the stomach. This is generally observed in dogs who haven’t consumed any solid food in a long while or drank abnormally large amounts of water. Dogs can also sometimes chew on things like leaves and grass. The body cannot digest excess bile, which is generally removed by throwing up.
Presence of Gastrointestinal Disease
Your dog vomiting bile may also indicate a preexisting gut issue in it. It can point toward a number of issues affecting the digestive system, such as the presence of parasite infections and inflammation. Ulcers which are fairly common in dogs, can also be a reason. Sometimes, if a dog keeps throwing up bile, it can indicate a much more serious issue, such as stomach cancer. If left unchecked, this acidic bile accumulates in your dog’s body. This, in turn, leads to other issues like wearing down the esophagus. Some species of dogs are highly susceptible to this, such as terriers and bulldogs.
Signs of Pancreatitis in your Dog
If your dog ingests fatty or calorie-rich foods, there is a high possibility of endocrine disorders. One of these could be pancreatitis which occurs when the pancreas gets swollen. This generally occurs a couple of days after your dog has consumed the food and seeks relief by throwing up. The vomit, in this case, has been found to contain large amounts of bile. This is sometimes followed by intense abdominal pain and diarrhea. In the case of severe cases, the symptoms may start showing much earlier.
Indication of Intestinal Blockages
Given dogs’ propensity to chew and bite on things, they often swallow some of them. These get stuck in the gut and can often create blockages. These are generally quite serious, and the first signs of trouble looming are through your dog throwing up yellow foam. Even if the stomach has been emptied and continues to throw up yellow bile, it may have ingested some foreign object.
Caused Due to Allergies
Sometimes dogs may react to changes in their diets or other factors by vomiting bile. They can be caused due to any number of factors. Either they are not used to the new brand of dog food, or the floor cleaner used to mop their surroundings has triggered an allergic reaction. So such allergies could become the causes of dog vomiting.
How to Know if Something is Wrong with Your Dog?
Vomiting is a fairly common phenomenon in dogs. However, keep a lookout for the following symptoms to understand why my dog is vomiting yellow.
- Your dog is exhibiting symptoms of stomach heaving. This is generally characterized by the visible movement of the stomach and chest cavity in a repeated, forced fashion.
- Your dog might also be drooling excessively and all over the place. If your dog drools in general, you will notice more saliva the normal.
- Your dog might also look like they are swallowing quite often. It may seem as if they have something lodged in their throats and are trying to get rid of it.
- Your dog may also exhibit increased signs of nausea and retching. They may also try to alleviate the discomfort by chewing on grass. They will look like they are gagging and heaving.
- Your dog might generally look low on energy. They will not exhibit the usual patterns of behavior that they usually do. They might seem lazy and exhibit symptoms of being depressed.
- They might also exhibit a general apathy towards food. You would observe your dog not eating for extended periods and drinking a lot of water to feel better.
What to Do If your Dog Throwing Up Bile?
- Schedule your dog for an appointment with the vet immediately if your dog throws up yellow. Afterward, please keep your pet under an observation period where you note the number of times they have thrown up and the frequency. Noticing whether the vomit contains partially or undigested food is also a useful record
- The next step would be to get your dog physically examined by the vet. A series of tests, such as blood count, blood and chemical profile, etc., would follow this. A urinalysis can follow this to understand the cause of the problem.
- In case of the issue persists, further analysis can be done in the form of an ultrasound to look at the abdomen. Sometimes a biopsy might also be carried out if the vet suspects a larger issue with the liver.
- Ensure that the surroundings are optimal to prevent future occurrences. Ensure you keep away houseplants and flowers from their chewing range. Also, ensure that there are no toxic materials nearby that they might be tempted to lick or chew. Ensure proper hygiene when it comes to dog toys by cleaning them regularly.
Dog Vomiting Yellow Foam Treatment
- If your dog is throwing up bile due to pancreatitis, the first course of action would be to get it on an IV drip. Excessive vomiting often leads to dehydration, which ensures that the much-needed electrolytes are supplied.
- Prescribing painkillers and anti-emetic medication can also provide much-needed comfort to your dog.
- In case of internal blockages, the vet will hospitalize your dog and perform surgery to remove the object.
- If the vomiting occurs due to overfeeding and digestion issues, the vet will suggest putting your pet on a diet. They may be urged to follow a low-carbohydrate, and best low fat diet for canines.
- The vet might also prescribe probiotics and immunosuppressive drugs to provide some relief.
- For vomiting originating from gut issues, it is recommended to provide smaller meal portions but increased frequency. It is also imperative to keep them from having an empty stomach overnight.
- In case of your dog puking bile due to infections, getting your pet started on a course of antibiotics is recommended.
Conclusion
While vomiting is a fairly common phenomenon in dogs, it is a cause for concern when you notice dog throwing up bile. While the prognosis can be very simple, like providing your dog with too many treats, it can soon become serious. The best action in such cases is always getting your dog checked out by the vet. A general checkup for dog vomiting yellow foam treatment will soon alert your vet if the issue is much more serious. Timely and effective diagnosis is the key to tackling the issue here. Fortunately, canine healthcare has come a long way and can almost immediately identify and arrest the problem.