Why is my dog being sick after eating
If your dog is being sick after eating, this can be quite worrying, especially if it becomes a consistent behaviour. There are several reasons your dog might be rejecting the food it’s eating or struggling to digest food properly. Most importantly, if your dog is frequently being sick after eating, speak to your vet and tell them about the symptoms.
This guide explains some of the reasons it could be happening and how to combat poor digestion, but for urgent cases, speaking to your vet is the safest option. In this article:
- Reasons your dog is being sick
- How to tell your dog is feeling sick
- Is it a concern that your dog is being sick?
- When to contact your vet
- Dealing with digestive issues
- FAQs
Reasons your dog is being sick
There are several common causes for your dog vomiting. Whilst a cause may be listed below, it’s still good to speak to your vet if you are unsure exactly what is triggering your dog to vomit.
Changing your dog’s diet
A sudden change in diet for your dog could cause them to be sick. If they are not used to the proteins they’re eating or the food contains an ingredient that triggers allergies or is difficult to digest, this could lead to vomiting.
When changing your dog’s diet dramatically, try to transition this over 1-2 weeks. You can then see if there’s anything your dog reacts badly too but also give your dog’s body more time to adjust.
Eating too fast
One of the most common causes of your dog being sick is eating food too quickly. Hungry dogs that are simply too eager to eat don’t realise the speed of their eating is not good for them. Their digestive system can’t keep up, the meal doesn’t break down properly, and sooner or later, it comes right back up.
You can find food bowls made to slow dogs down whilst they’re eating, which can be massively beneficial if this is the reason your dog is being sick.
Food poisoning
Some foods are poisonous to dogs and in this situation, being sick can be helpful to ensure these foods do not enter the digestive system and cause digestive issues, loose stools or more dangerous health problems. Some foods that are poisonous to dogs includes:
- Grapes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Nuts
- Raisins
- Chocolate
- Cooked bones
- Mushrooms
- Alcohol
- Xylitol
If your dog has consumed any of these foods, you should consult your vet. Vomiting may get the food out of your dog’s digestive system, but it should always be double checked to avoid a worse issue.
Eating grass
Dogs, especially puppies, have this very strange habit of eating grass. Whilst this is very frustrating for us owners, this is simply because they enjoy the taste of grass and it even provides some level of fibre. Your dog may think is very clever of them to eat some extra food, however, it can be a common cause for vomiting. If your dog has eaten too much grass, this could quite easily lead to vomiting.
Digestive issues
Whilst more common with dogs that already have sensitive stomachs, any dog can be prone to digestive issues. If your dog has digestive issues with their gastrointestinal tract being inflamed, blocked or processing food, this can lead to your dog being sick.
There isn’t once specific food that could do this, but undercooked meats, contaminated foods irritating substances and poisonous foods could all affect the digestive tract.
Food allergy triggers
Food allergies with dogs are not that common. However, it can typically be with common proteins such as chicken and beef. If you are aware of your dog having a good allergy, monitor their diet closely and ensure foods they are allergic to are never eaten.
Alternatively, your dog could have a food intolerance. Rather than an allergy this means your dog has a sensitivity to certain ingredients and shouldn’t eat too much of it, even if it’s acceptable in small portions. Both these issues could lead to sickness so again, monitoring their diet carefully is important.
Stress & anxiety
Stress and anxiety is not a common cause for your dog being sick, but it can lead to an upset stomach which could then trigger vomiting and diarrhoea. Additionally, an anxious dog could be more prone to eating food quicker. Especially if there are multiple pets, meal time could be seen as territorial to your pets. Having a calming environment for your dog to eat is important for easy digestion and reducing anxiety at meal times.
Serious illnesses
Vomiting can sometimes be a sign of more serious issues. This could be liver or kidney disease, infectious diseases from a lack of vaccines or issues with the pancreas, which can be more common in specific dog breeds.
If sickness is consistent and you do not feel like it is related to diet and what your dog has eaten, please consult your vet immediately.
How to tell your dog is feeling sick
Before your dog is sick, there are several common signs that they are feeling unwell or potentially about to vomit. This includes:
- Excessive licking, whether this is licking their lips, the floor or their fur
- Frantic swallowing, even if there is nothing in your dog’s mouth
- Lack of or too much energy, such as your dog pacing, whining or looking for somewhere to hide, or being very reserved and whining
- Excessive drooling and a quick build-up of saliva
- Repeated retching or gagging
- Suddenly eating lots of grass
More serious issues might be:
- Changes in your dog's appetite, such as eating less, refusing food or even seeing a gain in weight
- Your dog is lethargic, with lower energy levels, sleeping more and uninterested in physical activities
- Breathing changes, with heavy panting, coughing or noisy breathing
- Repeated vomiting and diarrhoea
Is it a concern that your dog is being sick?
Your dog being sick should always be treated carefully, however, it doesn’t always mean you need to be concerned. As with several of the causes we’ve mentioned, this can be a one-off, and once your dog has been sick, they may return to their normal happy self.
It may be more concerning if this is a regular occurrence or the vomiting is happening outside of typical meal and eating times. You should also check the colour of your dogs vomit. If your dog is regurgitating undigested food, this may not be as big of an issue. Vomit may also contain grass or bile, and whilst you should still contact you vet if unsure, this might not be an emergency.
If your dog’s vomit:
- Contains blood
- Resembles coffee grounds
- Has an usual colour such as green
- Is foam or froth with no food
This is when vomiting should be more of a concern and you should contact your vet immediately.
When to contact your vet
As mentioned, if your dog’s vomit is undigested food, grass or bile, you can monitor your dog at home if you think this is due to something they have eaten. For anything else, such as repeated vomiting, unusual looking vomit or you are still concerned even if it is linked to food, please contact your vet immediately.
Dealing with digestive issues
If your dog is vomiting, your vet should be able to provide a diagnosis on why. For dogs that deal with digestive issues and vomiting is related to their diet and what they eat, providing your dog with a natural, low ingredient diet could be the best option. Using only a small number of ingredients can help digestion and prevent allergy triggers.
Use 100% natural dog treats, try raw food and experiment with different proteins to understand which proteins your dog may have an issue with, and which ones they digest more comfortably.
FAQs
Why is my dog being sick straight after eating?
This could be due to eating too quickly, eating something your dog is allergic to or not digesting food properly, or changing their diet and eating something they’re not used to yet.
Is my dog vomiting or regurgitating food?
Vomiting happens when your dog is feeling sick and bring up what is in their stomach. This is common but could be sign of illness, typically when they have low energy or a reduced appetite. Regurgitating is when your dog has eaten, the food is not digested and your dog regurgitates the food they ate. This usually happens quickly after eating when your dog eats too fast. Whilst a one off can be normal, if this happens regularly you should see your vet, as your dog may not be eating and digesting food as they should.
What should I feed my dog after vomiting?
Feeding your dog plain food is a good option to prevent them vomiting again. Plain cooked white rice, plain fish or plain chicken breast are suitable choices, but feed this after their stomach has rested for at least a few hours. Feeding immediately could make them feel more sick especially if they have a sore stomach. Gradually providing food again between 4 hours (for younger dogs) to 12 hours (for adult dogs) is ideal, and if you’re unsure, please consult your vet.
Why is my dog being sick but acting normally?
Just because your dog has been sick does not mean they won’t behave as they usually do. Monitor your dog carefully after they have vomited for any issues whilst breathing or for excessive saliva, licking or eating grass. Commonly, they may just feel better after vomiting, but it’s better to keep your dog safe and take them to the vet if you are unsure.
