Dog vomit color guide discusses what you can tell by the color of your dog’s vomit and when it’s necessary to call your vet…
“When your dog vomits, it means something is wrong, just like it does with humans. Many diseases can induce vomiting, and determining the specific cause can be challenging.
Checking the color of the vomit itself might help you figure out what’s causing your dog to vomit – as nasty as it sounds!
Table of Contents
Firstly – are they vomiting or regurgitating?
“The distinction between vomiting and regurgitating isn’t immediately evident to everyone – or even that there is one at all, but there is. They’re distinct events that might indicate a variety of issues or illnesses.
The difference between vomiting and regurgitation is that vomiting involves a dog fetching up partially digested food, but regurgitation involves a dog fetching up undigested food; this generally happens after they’ve eaten and without notice.
Retching noises and constricted ribs/tummy are common warning signs that a dog is about to vomit.
So, what do the different colours of vomit mean?
Green
This might be the result of a lot of grass or bile. Green is typically not a reason for concern on the Dog Vomit Color Scale unless your dog is vomiting excessively. Do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian if they are vomiting often or for an extended period of time.
Yellow
Bile is frequently present in yellow vomit, but not as much as in green vomit. Yellow vomit, like green vomit, is nothing to be concerned about until it occurs frequently.
Black
It’s difficult to get rid of black vomit. It might be a symptom of an ulcer or an undigested poison, or it could be intestinal mud/dirt (nothing to be concerned about) (definitely something to worry about). The secret is to take a careful look at it — what color is the vomit? If it resembles coffee granules or is tinted with crimson (even extremely dark red), consults your veterinarian.
White
It might be vomit or froth that looks like vomit, with the latter being the more likely. An upset stomach can induce white vomit, which is typically not a cause for concern.
Foam is a bigger issue. White foam indicates that your dog is suffering from bloat or gastrointestinal issues and that they are attempting to vomit but failing. Treat this as an emergency and contact your veterinarian as soon as possible if they’re vomiting white foam rather than white vomit.
Red
It’s because blood is involved 99 percent of the time when vomit becomes crimson.
Fresh blood is most likely present if the vomit is a bright crimson color. This might be due to a problem with your dog’s stomach lining, potential inflammation, or a reaction to a harmful chemical eaten.
Dark crimson vomit indicates that the dog is vomiting up blood that has been digested and has been in their system for some time. If your dog vomits blood on a regular basis, you should call your veterinarian as soon as possible.
brown
It’s all about the scent! Dark brown vomit is most usually caused by your dog eating too much (you guessed it) feces.
A blockage of the intestines in your dog might also be indicated by dark brown vomit. Contact your veterinarian straight away if the vomit smells extremely bad and occurs frequently. If not treated promptly, a plugged intestine can be deadly.
Vomit is typically nothing to be concerned about if it occurs only once. If it occurs frequently or you are worried, call your veterinarian as soon as possible.”
