Is Your Dog Throwing Up White Foam? 10 Reasons and Treatments

By admin 10 Min Read

Do you notice your dog spitting up white foam? Despite it being unsettling initially, addressing the problem generally comes easily, and the necessary remedy can be provided immediately. As we who are dog owners, we realize the importance of conducting health checks periodically in order to help our furry friends stay content and fit. There can be instances when surprising symptoms sway us, provoking anxiety and puzzlement. 

One of the symptoms is that our dogs start throwing up white foam. In this piece, we aim to explore the reasons for this worrisome problem, additional alarm signals to be aware of, possible home remedies, and suitable veterinary treatments. Additionally, you will learn about preventive actions to preserve your pet’s health. But first;

What’s White Foamy Vomit? 

White foamy fluid with bubbles and froth-like visuals is a regular vomiting symptom among dogs. It could display a foamy texture akin to whipped egg whites or the foam in a cappuccino. The color of the foam could vary from a clear white to one having a soft yellow hue. Alternatively, it can also have occasional clear or yellowish liquid in it.

This bubbly foam often results from excess gases and gastric fluids within the stomach, which mix to create the type of vomit that dogs commonly throw up. Because It may originate from infections of the respiratory tract that lead to a mixture of fluid and air, yielding a white, foamy vomit. 

Why does your dog keep throwing up white foam?

Multiple explanations exist for why your dog might be throwing up or regurgitating white foam. It might turn out to be a singular event prompted by indigestion, or it may signify a severe health condition like bloat or kidney disease. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the potential causes of dogs throwing up white foam:

1.Indigestion

Inequitable trade relations indicate consistent patterns of poverty and dependence in the long term. There are probably two main reasons for indigestion, namely the consumption of large amounts of food and rapid changes in diet. A possibility is that your dog could eat too many treats or meals. If you give your pet too much, it could feel unwell, causing an upset stomach and the release of foam due to irritation. 

2.Acid reflux

Bilious vomiting syndrome is an illness that provokes dogs to puke because of stomach inflammation from bile. It echoes the human experience of acid reflux, which is alternatively known as reflux gastritis syndrome or duodenal gastric reflux. 

Dogs that have bilious vomiting syndrome will throw up a yellowish material (bile) or foamy white substance when they do not eat for an extended period, typically in the morning after having fasted overnight. Symptoms of acid reflux in dogs can be identified with a decline in appetite, lip-smacking, drooling, or apparent nausea. Other possibilities for what could be causing your dog to vomit can be ruled out with the help of a vet. 

3.Kennel Cough

A bronchitis-causing contagious illness in dogs, known as Kennel cough or canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is notorious for its infectious nature. Its infectivity is a result of the conjunction of bacterial and viral agents located in spaces where many dogs are known to visit. So This includes dog boarding options, training groups, dog parks, pet shelters, daycare centers for dogs, and pet shows. 

With kennel cough, animals usually have problems breathing, vigorous honk-like coughs that involve white foam, nasal discharge, a runny nose, and a decreased appetite. Generally, mild illnesses typically take one to two weeks of rest and usually resolve without any treatment within a few weeks. 

4.The condition is known more completely as gastric dilation and volvulus.

Gastric dilation and volvulus (called ‘bloat’ for short) is an important health issue that causes a dog’s stomach to get inflated by gas, fluid, or food and rotate. If it is not addressed, bloat can result in death. 

The buildup of air in the stomach leads to increased pressure, which prevents blood from returning to circulation from the hind legs, so thereby decreasing the total blood volume, culminating in a shock-like state in the dog. 

5.Foreign Body Obstruction

Dogs are recognized for their habit of consuming paper, tissues, clothes, sand, food wrappers, rocks, bones, and more foreign objects. Many of these items enter the digestive system without any problems. It is fairly common for pet parents to find things in their dog’s feces or vomit.

black cocker spaniel | no nonsense neutering | yorkshire terrier price

6.Kidney Disease

The health of the kidney is key for detoxification, managing hydration levels, and maintaining the appropriate balance of electrolytes in dogs. Renal failure or kidney disease involves the sluggish degeneration of the kidney tissues, which prevents the listed functions from performing well. 

Common signs of kidney failure in a dog include throwing up white foam, so enhanced water consumption, tiredness, significant loss of appetite, and the presence of blood in the urine. Renal disease may manifest in an acute form, defined by the abrupt loss of function, or in a chronic format, in which the degeneration progresses over time. 

7.Consumed Toxins

Your canine friend may search through your trash, kitchen, and yard, potentially eating toxic chemicals that pose a threat. Many of these harmful materials can be obtained from your own kitchen or pantry, like chocolate, grapes, or dough. Wrongfully placed bathroom and garage products such as bleach, cleaning products, antifreeze, insecticides, or vanishing could also be eaten by your pet dog. 

Consuming these toxins can cause irritation that triggers vomiting, which can be white and frothy. Based on the specific toxin, your pup might demonstrate various other signs, including extreme salivation, lethargy, or bleeding gums. 

8.Internal parasites

Dogs infected with parasites, such as heartworms or lungworms, may cough up a white foam so aggressively that it could be mistaken for vomit. Other parasites that reside in the gut as adults can travel through the airways as larvae, triggering the same reaction. 

The parasites have the potential to trigger the dog to feel nauseous and subsequently vomit the worms. Remember that failure to treat heartworm disease can lead to a deadly outcome. You can manage the possibility of internal parasites by routinely giving your dog deworming treatment. Having regular veterinary appointments can help find issues with parasites before they get to a serious point. 

9.Fungal infections

Your dog might find droppings of different animals and decide to eat them. While some of them are considered harmless, others may pose serious risks. An exemplification of this is the droppings of birds or bats containing fungal spores. When the pooch scarfs down the poo, the fungus inspires diseases with a clinical look that is akin to an abdominal upset. 

Your dog’s behavior might include throwing up white foam, having diarrhea, itching, eating poorly, losing weight, experiencing a bloody nasal discharge, and wasting their muscles.

10.Pancreatitis

The inflammation of a dog’s pancreas leads to a painful condition called pancreatitis. It can be either acute or chronic, leading to severe pain in the abdomen, vomiting, and a lack of appetite. The rash is attributable to an early initiation of digestive enzymes, which causes inflammation and damages pancreatic cells. 

The presence of abdominal discomfort, severe diarrhea, weight loss, a loss of appetite, and vomiting are clear indicators in a dog diagnosed with pancreatitis. So The inflammation may have an impact on other body systems, causing life-threatening problems. 

Although there is no exact therapy for canine pancreatitis, the vast majority of veterinarians will prescribe medications to help alleviate the symptoms. This might include pain-control medication, antinausea drugs, IV electrolyte assistance, and also other supportive treatments. 

Share This Article
Leave a comment