Dog Throwing Up Only In Middle Of Night – What Should You Do
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It can be terrifying to notice your dog throwing up in the middle of the night. Aside from worrying about if your dog is feeling ill, it’s also easy to wonder if the symptom indicates a much scarier underlying health problem. And unfortunately, the possible causes of a dog throwing up in the middle of the night vary in severity.
Sometimes, vomiting in the middle of the night happens when a dog gets an upset stomach from eating something they shouldn’t have. In other cases, serious health conditions like pancreatitis and bloat can cause the symptom to appear. To figure out how to treat your dog, you’ll need to consider all the other symptoms.
Should I Be Concerned About My Dog Throwing Up in the Middle of the Night?
You don’t always have to be concerned about your dog throwing up in the middle of the night, but the symptom is always worth investigating. One of the most common things that causes a dog to throw up in the middle of the night is indigestion. Generally, this issue is resolved when your dog throws up whatever was bothering their stomach.
There’s a lot more reason to be concerned if your dog frequently throws up in the middle of the night. Sometimes, this can be because your dog’s food might have a severe allergen as an ingredient. If you notice your frequent vomiting in the middle of the night, consulting a veterinarian is essential.
Possible Causes of Dog Throwing Up Only in the Middle of the Night
Your Dog Is Having Indigestion
The most common thing that causes a dog to throw up at night is eating something they shouldn’t have. In many cases, throwing up from indigestion is a one-off incident that won’t reoccur as long as you make sure any toxins your dog might eat are safely tucked away. You can usually look at your dog’s vomit to determine if they might have eaten something unusual.
If you don’t notice anything unusual in your dog’s vomit, it’s worth noting that some behaviors can also cause indigestion. These are the four common causes of indigestion to look for.
- Wolfing dog food down too quickly
- Drinking water excessively fast
- Eating something indigestible or toxic
- Eating grass
Your Dog Went Too Long without a Meal
While infrequent feedings aren’t one of the most common causes of vomiting in dogs, it is a significant factor in many cases involving vomiting overnight. Because your dog has a long gap between when they’re fed dinner, sent to bed, and offered breakfast, they can often vomit due to an acid buildup in their stomach. Vomiting white foam results from infrequent feeding.
Your Dog Is Suffering from Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is another common issue that causes dogs to start throwing up in the middle of the night. This issue occurs when the digestive yellow bile from your dog’s intestine makes its way into your dog’s stomach. As a result of bile reflux, your dog will throw it up. It often results in a greenish-yellow and empty vomit. If you believe your dog is suffering from acid reflux, investigating why is essential.
Your Dog Has a Food Allergy
There’s no shortage of possible strange food allergies that dogs can have. Dog owners frequently find that their furry best friends have intolerances to protein sources like wheat gluten, chicken, fish, and beef.
It’s also common for dogs to have dietary intolerances to specific types of vegetables or grains. Luckily, there are plenty of diets to choose from for your dog — and switching to a dog food that doesn’t contain allergens can make a tremendous difference.
Your Dog Has an Underlying Health Condition
While there are many comparatively less severe causes of vomiting, it’s always worth keeping in mind that your dog’s vomiting could result from a serious health condition, like an intestinal blockage, inflammatory bowel disease, or even heart disease.
This possibility becomes significantly more worrisome if your dog has chronic vomiting or exhibits other alarming symptoms, such as vomiting blood, lethargy, abdominal pain or stomach pain, or unexplained aggression.
If you believe your dog might be suffering from an underlying health condition, visiting a veterinarian as soon as possible is essential. With the right help, you will have the opportunity to find a diagnosis and treatment plan for the health issue that is hurting your dog. As a result, you can rest easy knowing that your dog is thriving again.
How to Help a Dog That Throws Up in the Middle of the Night
Providing extra care to a dog who frequently throws up in the middle of the night is essential. While the cause of the vomiting isn’t always serious, identifying and addressing the underlying issue will ease your worries and allow your dog to live much more comfortably.
If you notice that the vomiting is frequent and doesn’t seem to have any clear causes, a veterinary visit is well in order. Likewise, if you notice any other alarming symptoms like unexplained aggression appearing, taking your dog to the veterinarian for treatment is essential.
As you investigate the cause of your dog’s vomiting, it is also worth considering investing in the right tools that will allow you to keep your dog’s stomach healthier. If you notice that your dog wolfs food down, it’s worth considering purchasing a bowl that will slow their eating habits down or using a tool like a snuffle mat to slow down their consumption.
Keep Your Dog at Their Best Health with Regular Vet Visits
It’s not always indicative of a severe health issue if your dog throws up at night. You can often consider the frequency of the vomiting and the appearance of the vomit to guess what the cause of the issue might be. But if you have any doubts about the seriousness of the situation, consulting a veterinarian is essential.
Frequent vomiting or the appearance of other alarming symptoms can often indicate a serious health issue. The only way to diagnose and treat these potentially serious health issues is to work with a qualified veterinarian.
Sara is an experienced veterinarian with a history of working in Veterinary Medicine, Client Education, Dogs, Pet Care, and Surgery. She is a strong healthcare services professional with a graduate degree from St. George's University. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.