There can be different explanations to your dog throwing up yellow foam, but this usually happens when your dog's stomach is empty of food. To digest food, the liver produces digestive fluid called bile that is stored in the gall bladder and released into the small intestine to digest food. The yellow foam your dog is throwing up could be that digestive fluid.
If your dog looks healthy but throws up yellow foam, you may consider reducing the time in between his meals. Instead of giving your dog more to eat, you should divide the same meal into several smaller meals. The idea is to feed him frequently to prevent the bile buildup in his stomach.
Why Does My Dog Throw Up Yellow Foam?
The most common reason of why dogs vomit yellow stuff is their empty stomach as explained above, but there are some other reasons as well. For instance:
Your Dog Has Eaten Grass
You may see your dog throw up yellow foam may be because he has eaten grass. He cannot digest grass and eats it because he wants to vomit.
Your Dog Has Done Strenuous Exercise
Exercise is good for your dog, but eating or drinking after strenuous exercise is bad. Be sure to limit his water intake and don't offer him anything to eat until your dog has cooled downcompletely.
Your Dog Has Eaten Rotten Food
Due to their highly developed sense of smell, you will often see your dog rummaging through garbage to look for something special. While doing it, they may even eat rotten food from the garbage bin, which will induce vomiting. Make sure to cover your garbage bin with a lid to ensure your dog doesn't end up eating something harmful.
Your Dog Has Eaten Hair during Grooming
Dogs lick themselves while grooming, but sometimes, they eat excess amounts of hair that can upset their stomach. Throwing up is good in this situation because they will feel better after they have expelled the hair from their stomach.
Your Dog Is Experiencing Motion Sickness
Some dogs may vomit while they are traveling. They may throw up stuff that looks pale white or yellow. You may consider giving Dramamine to your dog at least half an hour before traveling to alleviate motion sickness.
Your Dog Has a Heatstroke
If your dog is throwing up in hot weather, it may mean he's suffering heat stroke. Some of the most common symptoms of heatstroke are vomiting, elevated body temperature, and seizures. Don't leave your dog in a parked car. If you notice signs of heatstroke, use cool compresses and seek medical attention if symptoms persist.
Your Dog Has Inner Ear Infections
Your inner ear controls balance, and it works in the same way in dogs. Any infection of the inner ear will induce feelings of dizziness, which can cause vomiting.
Your Dog Has Parasites
If you have not treated your dog for round worms, you may notice him vomit yellow foam due to extreme infestations that irritate the stomach lining. You may even find round worms in the vomit. Similarly, dogs can suffer infestations of tapeworms that can also irritate the stomach and cause vomiting.
Your Dog Has a Liver Disease
Dog throwing up yellow foam could be a sign of a liver disease. You may also notice other symptoms such as the white part of your dog's eyes looking yellow. These symptoms indicate a malfunctioning liver.
What to Do If Your Dog Throws Up Yellow Foam
Now you know that there could be many different reasons of why dogs throw up yellow foam. But, the question is: What should you do when you have a dog throwing up yellow foam? Here's what you can do:
- Feed them more frequently: A simple way to resolve the issue is to feed your dog more often. Just divide their regular meal into three smaller meals and feed them more frequently.
- Give them zantac, pepcid ac, or tagamet: All these medications will regulate the production of stomach acids and bile that will alleviate stomach problems. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian before giving any of these medications to your dog.
- Give them hydrated kibble or wet food: Giving dry, dehydrated kibble to dogs can cause an upset stomach because it can absorb fluids in the stomach. If your dog eats too much of dry kibble, the food will expand after absorbing fluids in an already full stomach that will make him to throw up. The best thing is to add some warm water to the dog food so it could absorb water and expand before your dog eats it.
- Make their meals stress-free: Select a quiet, stress-free location to feed your dog. If you cannot provide your dog with a stress-free location, it will increase the chances of developing several stomach problems. It may also make existing problems worse. Make sure you are not around and there is no other pet close to your dog during his mealtime.
- Don't make them work immediately after eating: If you take your dog for a walk immediately after eating, it will lead to an upset stomach. Limit your dog's activity after he eats, especially if he is already throwing yellow foam. You should wait for at least a couple of hours following a meal to play with your dog or take him out for a walk to prevent vomiting.
When to Seek Veterinary Help
Although you can resolve the issue by taking simple steps, you may sometimes need to get in touch with your veterinarian for help. You should seek veterinary help if you've spotted something other than yellow foam in your dog's vomit. Take it to the vet for further evaluation. If it's just grass, just make sure to keep your dog inside and don't allow him to graze on the lawn.
You should also seek veterinary help if your dog has lethargy, a yellow tinge to his skin, diarrhea, yellowish eyes, or a loss of appetite. These symptoms indicate a serious underlying condition, and some of these conditions could be as serious as gastritis, masses, pancreatitis, food allergies, liver disease, toxins, intestinal obstruction, parasites, or even tumors. So, contact your vet for a dog throwing up yellow foam, especially when the symptoms persist after taking home-care measures.