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Vomiting After Eating in Dogs
Written By Darlene Stott
Published: 06/06/2017Updated: 04/28/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Michele K.
What is Vomiting After Eating?
Should your dog be vomiting after eating, there are quite a few things to consider. To begin, you will want to question if what you are observing is vomiting or regurgitation. Vomiting occurs when your dog expels the contents of his stomach through his mouth. When your dog vomits it will seem that his entire body is impacted as his stomach muscles will undergo strong and multiple contractions in the effort. Regurgitation is when the food comes from his mouth or esophagus, having not get made it to his stomach. Both of these can occur right after eating or several hours later. Often when your dog vomits not long after eating, the food will be undigested. Reasons that your dog may be vomiting after eating include:
  • Ingesting grass
  • Eating too fast 
  • Sudden change in diet
  • Eating something that is inedible
Whether your dog’s vomiting after having eaten is serious will depend on the cause.
Why Vomiting After Eating Occurs in Dogs
Ingesting Grass
Dogs will often eat grass when their stomach hurts in the first place; this means that a dog will often throw up not long after ingesting grass. Throwing up may or may not be related to eating the grass. It is thought that some types of grass can help your dog vomit in order to eliminate foods from his stomach. Some dogs also just like the taste of grass, and this may be normal for them.  
Eating too Fast
If your dog eats his food too quickly he may experience a mild case of indigestion, which can result in his vomiting. Other signs, such as bloating, can indicate that his condition may worsen.
Sudden Change in Diet
Introducing a new diet to your dog can lead to gastrointestinal intolerance and result in vomiting. This is often because he does not digest the food and in some cases, may have an intolerance to it. His body will then work to eliminate the food from his system.
Eating Something That is Inedible
In the case that your dog has eaten something inedible, the item will not be able to be broken down by his digestive tract and then absorbed by his body. His stomach muscles will contract as his body works to get the undigested item out of his body by vomiting.
Other reasons for vomiting, though not necessarily after eating, are numerous and include:
  • Pancreatitis or pancreatic tumors
  • Kidney failure (when the kidneys lack the ability to remove waste, the waste products will build up in your dog’s system, resulting in vomiting)
  • Liver failure
  • Bladder obstruction
What to do if your Dog is Vomiting After Eating
If you observe your dog vomiting once and he otherwise appears healthy, his vomiting may not be a concern. Should he vomit repeatedly, his vomit contains blood and/or he appears ill, you will want to contact your veterinarian and bring your dog in for an examination. 
When meeting with your veterinarian, you will likely be asked a variety of questions in order for your veterinarian to understand what is occurring. Be prepared to let your veterinarian know when the vomiting first began, what it looks like, if there is blood in his vomit and if your dog appears to be physically uncomfortable. He may also inquire as to whether your dog appears to want to vomit but is unable to get anything out, whether it is possible that your dog has eaten something that is toxic or could be poisonous and whether he has had diarrhea. All of these questions will help your veterinarian determine whether your dog is vomiting or regurgitating and whether he is doing so is because of gastric or non-gastric disease. Your veterinarian will consider the presence of other symptoms like fever, pain, dehydration, depression and weight loss.
Your veterinarian will conduct a physical examination of your dog, evaluating his heart and respiration, as well as checking his mouth, abdomen and rectum. Depending on what is observed during the physical examination, your veterinarian may recommend laboratory testing. A fecal flotation will test for parasites and if a bacterial infection is suspected a fecal culture and sensitivity test will be recommended. If other signs of illness are present, a complete blood count and chemistry profile may be recommended. Should your veterinarian have any concern about a tumor or foreign object he may request x-rays. Barium study, endoscopy, colonoscopy and ultrasound are other options that may be considered depending upon what is seen during the examination.
After determining if there is a health condition causing your dog’s vomiting, as well as what that condition is, your veterinarian will provide treatment recommendations. Often, your veterinarian will recommend not feeding your dog for about 24 hours and providing small quantities of water frequently. In some cases, a bland diet will be recommended going forward and if vomiting does not continue, you can slowly return your dog to his usual diet. In some situations, the diet will have to be permanently changed and certain ingredients avoided. Medication may be prescribed by your veterinarian for certain conditions.
If during the examination your veterinarian notices that your dog is dehydrated, he may administer intravenous or subcutaneous fluids.
Prevention of Vomiting After Eating
Feeding your dog a well-rounded, nutritious diet is important for helping him to maintain his health. In addition, you will want to ensure that he gets plenty of exercise and maintains a healthy weight. Annual veterinary examinations are helpful as this will allow for conditions that can lead to your dog vomiting to be discovered before the condition worsens.
It is also helpful to keep your dog from being outdoors where leftovers or garbage are available, or where he can ingest items that may be poisonous to him. Make sure to wash his food and water bowls each day and provide him fresh water on a daily basis. Should you decide to change your dog’s diet, you will want to do so gradually.
Cost of Vomiting After Eating
The cost of your dog vomiting after eating will depend upon the reason it is occurring. Should your dog be vomiting as a result of a dietary change or ingesting his food too quickly, the cost will be minimal if anything. Should he be vomiting due to pancreatitis, for example, the average cost for treatment is $2500.

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Vomiting After Eating Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Pit Bull
Five Months

6 found this helpful

6 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Throwing Up Slime
my puppy simply does not want to eat and when force fed he throws up after 10min he chewed on some wood and other stuff as he always did but since Saturday he started loosing his appetite what should i do
Sept. 29, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
6 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. Puppies are quite prone to parasites, infectious diseases, and eating things that they shouldn't and causing GI upset. If this is something that has been going on for more than a day, and it seems to be getting worse, it would be best to have your puppy seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will be able to examine your puppy, see what might be causing this problem, and let you know what treatment options are available. I hope that everything goes well and your puppy feels better soon.
Sept. 29, 2020
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White Shepherd
Three Months

5 found this helpful

5 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
my dog keeps throwing up.
Sept. 28, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
5 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. Puppies are very prone to parasites and infectious diseases like Parvo virus. It would be best to have your puppy seen by a veterinarian if he is continuing to vomit, as they will be able to examine him and see what might be going on. I hope that he is okay.
Oct. 7, 2020
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Australian Shepherd
One Year

7 found this helpful

7 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
A problem I have had and the previous owner had. He does fine on a dog food about 10 days, After that he can’t hold it down. Sometimes it comes up undigested and sometimes it is partially digested. It doesn’t seem to matter what food we put him on, once he starts doing that he won’t stop until we change the food.
July 27, 2020
Answered by Dr. Ellen M. DVM
7 Recommendations
Hello, thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear that your dog has issues with vomiting - I'm sure that is very frustrating! Without examining your dog, it is very difficult for me to know what might be going on. Frequent changes in diet can actually cause vomiting and diarrhea because frequently changing foods is hard on the stomach and intestinal tract. Another possibility is intestinal parasites, so I would recommend having a stool sample checked for those. Some dogs have very sensitive stomachs and may need to be on a prescription gastrointestinal diet long term (my own dog is one of those dogs). I recommend talking to your veterinarian about what is going on. They may recommend checking a stool sample, and may even recommend taking an x-ray to make sure there is nothing going on that may be causing the vomiting. You can also inquire about trying a prescription gastrointestinal diet, which you would have to get a prescription for through your vet. I hope that your dog starts feeling better soon!
July 27, 2020
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JRT?/Chihuahua
Casey
11 Years

3 found this helpful

3 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Throwing Up Kibble After Eating
My 11 year old JRT/Chihuahua mix threw up whole undigested kibble. He usually chews his food but there were pieces not chewed. Could that be the reason? He is fine otherwise. He has had issues in the past so I know when he is like really sick. He is eating chicken and keeping it down. But I wanna know if I am correct in being a paranoid pet parent right now? If it continues I know to call my vet and get him in.
Sept. 17, 2018
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Chiweenie
Misty
1 Year

4 found this helpful

4 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
My dog vomits about 2-3 times a week about 3-10 mins after eating. She eats her food at a moderate pace. I have tried about 3 different types of kibble and that has not seemed to help. She still has a lot of energy even after she throws up and does not appear to have any physical discomfort. I have already taken her to the vet and they have taken x-rays to check for any type of esophageal abnormalities. There were no abnormalities. Would it be better to switch to a wet dog food to help with digestion?
Aug. 16, 2018
4 Recommendations
There are many causes for regurgitation/vomiting in dogs and it is good that an x-ray was already taken to rule out esophageal disorders including strictures, megaesophagus among other issues; you should try to feed Misty a restricted ingredient dog food to see if there is any improvement, also small regular portions may help. If Misty eats quickly you might want to try a bowl which restricts access to good so that she isn’t eating too quickly. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Aug. 16, 2018
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Churros
12 Months

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

This happened Yesterday at 11am i was waking up to feed my 2 dogs "Churros the one in danger"" Babies" so i feed them and like 2 hours later my Small dog Churro was throwing up all of his food. I don't know why but now its been getting more worse. Do I take him to a vet? or... My mom told me to give him milk, but i don't think that would work he is getting very skinny to the point he can barely walk or lick.. He wont open his mouth either he has like "White see threw Saliva Stuck in his mouth.
French Bulldog
Memphis
1 Year

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Throwing Up
My one yr old Frenchie has had her share of issues from allergies to occasionally throw up Bouts she is on a freeze dried kibble diet for all day access and Raw beef store bought medallions mixed with bovine colostrum & omega 3 in the evening 5pm 9 hours later she was throwing up slim bile 5 times .what could be wrong with my girl ?
Pit bull
Luke Anthony
9 Years

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
I have an 8 to 9 year old black lab pit bull mix. He showed up at my back door about 5 years ago. He used to be able to eat anything but the last year or so if I give him too big a piece of hot dog or a partial slice of bologna within a minute or two he will throw up. If I chew the hot dog or bologna up for him there's no problem. Now if I give him a bite of a hamburger, even if I chewed it up he will throw that up. I asked the VET at one time about it and he said it was intestinal worms but he was treated for that. I know he tends to eat his food fast and whole. I've tried to get him to chew even going so far as to try to show him how to chew. Some stuff he will chew other stuff just swallows it. Any ideas on the vomiting or the getting him to chew? :)
Bullmastiff
Goliath
14 Years

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Weight Loss
Weakness
Vomiting
Drooling
Bad Breath
Excessive Saliva
I have a 14.5 years Bullmastiff/ Boxer mix named Goliath. Buckle up because this is a lot and I'm looking for help and suggestions before I have to make a hard decision. In February Goliath starting vomiting up meals about 4-5 times a week, I thought we were overfeeding him/ eating too fast, so we trimmed his portions and thought it seemed to be working. Also, Goliath would have excessive clear drool after eating and at random times, not always followed by vomiting. So some time passed and the vomiting started again. It wasn't until April where he started vomiting just about every meal and the weight loss was beginning. I took him to vet where they examined him and took 5 xrays- chest and abdomen. The vet said he didn't see any mass or obstructuion and thought maybe the season change has affected his stomach and made it "sour". He gave him a steroid shot and prescribed -Cimetidine and flagyl, also with Goliaths other medications that he's been taking for years- Gabapentin and tramadol. I took goliath home and medicated him. I laid with him for about two hours rubbing him because it seemed to help him control the hacking and vomiting, as if it were helping to push the food down by the touch sensation. Anyways, we both fell asleep and when I awoke he had vomited up everything. Through out the whole night vomiting and hacking took place, so much that I ended up taking him to the emergency vet. I took the CD of the x-rays taken at the other vet. This vet examined him, took vitals, and reviewed the x-ray....so this vet said they saw some type of mass and that he may have some type of obstruction that would need further testing with ultrasound. SOOOO they gave him fluids and serenia, also faxing their findings to the previous vet office. I took goliath home and then received a call from the vet once they opened and saw the fax, they called me in for an ultrasound. the exam was done and the vet even called me in to talk me through the ultrasound. he said he doesn't believe there's an obstruction because he can still see gas and stool throughout the intestines. he said we could be dealing with a pyloric sphincter issue or some type of mast cell cancer or cancer with the lining of stomach. he then prescribed sucralfate and gave him a shot of Benadryl. at this point Goliath was bad off, considering the 4 different car rides in and out and the lack of hydration/ nutrition. so we called a surgical vet and took him in to get blood work and an ultrasound. Suprisingly his labs were normal and even his kidney function, which was one of my suspicions as well. at the end of this the "probable" diagnosis is that his stomach just isn't working like its supposed it and that we could start him on reglan 10 mg twice a day-to promote gastric motility and a bland diet of grilled chicken and broth/rice. wouldn't even believe it, this dog we were planning on putting down and pretty much seemed to have no chance left, he turned around in about a day and a half. he stopped vomiting, he perked back up and it was like he was a puppy again. so this worked for about 2 wks and the vomiting returned. vet advised me to increase the reglan dose to 20 mg/ twice a day. this worked for about a wk and vomiting returned. vet then said let try cisapride. started it May 15th and still vomiting so we added Benadryl and Pepcid per vet, which seemed to help some. he has had good days and bad days but not gaining any weight. Goliath is still peeing and pooping, and shockingly all formed stool, no diarrhea, he still has the urge the eat as well. NOW, let me inform you on his back story from 2017. May 2017- we pretty much thought he was going to die then. his belly was super distended and he was lethargic/ not wanting to eat much. took him to vet and got an XR, they said they believed he had an hemangiosarcoma on his spleen and that he could die in a couple of days or a month. they recommended putting him to sleep that day or sometime soon. well we weren't ready and we took him home. I figured well if hes going to die lets try everything. I researched this cancer and found a study on dogs who received turkey tail mushroom treatment. I started him on this and in about a week he started to heal. the swelling decreased and he was able to walk again. he pretty much returned to normal, if not better. so for two years Goliath received 4 turkey tail tablets/twice a day, 300 mg gabapentin/twice a day, 5 glucosamine(3 in AM and 2 at PM), and PRN 50mg tramadol. Goliath thrived from Mid June2017- Feb2019. I'm at a loss, I mean I understand he won't live forever but I feel as if I don't have a clear answer from his current situation and thinking what if there is something we didn't try- like pancreas? and considering that he still wants to eat and is still able to make stool. any answers or suggestions. Goliath is very resilient. oh yeah and Goliath also had heartworms in 2014 where he received that expensive treatment and was cured. well I think that pretty much covers everything.
Black lab/german shepard
Duke
12 Years

0 found this helpful

0 found this helpful

My pet has the following symptoms:
Vomiting
Laziness
Anxiety
Sleepiness
Contraction Like
my dog eats poop, leaves, grass anything he can find and usually later throws it up. This morning he threw it up with his food in full pieces and a piece of his hair. is there anything that we can give him for his digestive system? What should we do? He's a outside dog and we try as much as we can to prevent him from eating those things but its to hard. What can we do other than bring him in? thx-Ruby
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