Help! Why is my Chihuahua throwing up?
No pet parent wants to utter these words ever. It is extremely distressing to see a Chi (or any dog for that matter) throw up.
Believe me; vomiting may actually do your Chihuahua a world of good. Given the number of putrid, disgusting, and rank things many dogs eat, this capacity to vomit out these offensive materials may actually save you and your pet many trips to the vet’s.
So not all vomiting in Chihuahuas is bad. And if your Chihuahua is throwing up; it may actually be a good thing.
Sometimes, though not always, the reason behind ‘why is my Chihuahua throwing up’ can be identified and either corrected, acknowledged, or addressed in an attempt to solve a more serious underlying health issue.
Let us find out the different answers to ‘why is my Chihuahua throwing up?’
Why is My Chihuahua Throwing Up?
To answer the question ‘why is my Chihuahua throwing up?’ you need to take a closer look at the vomit. As disgusting as that might sound, it is necessary to decide your next course of action.
Get one-on-one with the vomit and closely observe its color, composition, and volume.
Next, move on to your Chihuahua and make an observation of its health and body. Does it seem normal? If possible assess its abdomen. Is it swollen?
Take steps to rehydrate your Chihuahua. (If your Chi shows interest- let it sip water or give it an electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte®.)
Move on to the next section if your Chi has vomited all of its undigested food out. This is known as regurgitation. I have also covered in detail what different colored vomits mean and when to see the vet.
Why is my Chihuahua Regurgitating its Food & What to Do About It
Regurgitating is an act of emptying the stomach before the initial steps of digestion have occurred.
A) Examine your Chihuahua
In every case of regurgitation, you must examine your Chihuahua in the following manner:
- With your dog standing, kneel beside it.
- Place one hand, palm facing up, on its abdomen just behind its rib cage.
- Form a ‘U’-shape with your thumb on one side and four fingers on the other side and gently lift, squeeze, and slide your hand back and forth on your dog’s underbelly.
- Check for areas of tenderness, discomfort, or pain.
- Lift your pet’s tail and observe signs of intestinal parasite, diarrhea, or blood, or swelling.
- Also check your pet’s gums.
B) Check for lumps and bumps
- If your Chihuahua’s lymph nodes are swollen, you might feel them along the neck on the sides of its throat.
- If there is a bump/lump, it could even indicate an upper respiratory tract infection. Your Chi might need antibiotics so please consult your vet.
- If you felt lumps or bumps along the abdominal area, or your Chi flinches when you touch its belly, there could be an obstruction or blockage in its digestive tract. Please take your pet for an X-ray to the vet.
C) Check your pet’s vomit
- Do you see any inedible objects in the vomit? Are there any plants or animal matter or spicy substances in it?
- Your dog’s stomach might contain harmful objects or toxic foods which is why it may have vomited. Let your pet rest. Once the toxins are out, your Chihuahua will feel better. Do not feed it any solid food for a few hours. You can give your Chi some water and electrolyte solution to rehydrate it.
- As long as your Chi continues to act normal, s/he should be fine. If not, please see your vet.
D) Conduct an oral examination
- If your Chihuahua has pain, broken teeth, or a dental abscess, then these issues can also cause regurgitation.
- If your Chihuahua’s gums are pale to white in color, please see your vet immediately.
E) Observe if your Chihuahua is coughing
- In case of forceful coughing or even an infection like kennel cough, a dog might bring out its stomach contents.
- Seek treatment for the cough, and the regurgitation will also cease.
Why is my Dog Vomiting White Foam?
A) Causes
A Chihuahua throwing up white foam isn’t usually too serious. It could be stress-related or simply something bad that it ate. The white foam is just saliva and since there is no yellow in it, it indicates absence of bile.
B) What to do
Try to feed your Chihuahua small, frequent meals. The empty stomach may be causing acid reflux which may cause your dog vomiting white foam.
Check out our guide on ‘How Much Should a Chihuahua Eat a Day?’
Why is my Chihuahua Throwing up Yellow Foam?
This is usually seen in Chihuahua puppies. A Chihuahua pup under the age of 1 year old might regularly throw up yellow foamy vomit.
The first time it happens, it can be rather alarming to a Chihuahua owner. In most cases though, this type of throwing up is benign and does not warrant a trip to the veterinarian.
A) Causes
A number of reasons can cause Chihuahua throwing up yellow foam:
- Stress
- Upset stomach
- Fever
- Empty stomach for prolonged period – The most likely cause is that you need to feed your Chihuahua. Its stomach is empty and that can cause buildup of stomach acid and bile. Some Chihuahuas throw up yellow bile early in the morning. This is usually after ‘fasting’ through the night.
- Bilious vomiting syndrome – Often, Chihuahuas suffer from Bilious Vomiting Syndrome or BVS. It leads to a buildup of yellow bile in the stomach that causes the dog to throw up late at night or early morning (when its tummy is empty). Try feeding your Chi later at night and also smaller, frequent meals through the day to prevent this.
B) What to do
- Consider when and what you feed your Chi. Chihuahuas are very sensitive dogs. They could have food allergies and intolerance. Many types of foods could cause your Chi to vomit yellow bile since certain ingredients in its dog food irritate its delicate tummy.
- Find out more about the type of food your Chihuahua can safely eat. Remember: no two dogs are the same. Some Chihuahuas are even allergic to chicken.
Why is my Chihuahua Throwing up Regularly After Meals?
This type of vomiting occurs due to one or more of the following three factors:
A) Causes
- The type of food you serve your pet
- How often you feed it.
- The size of the meal you feed.
B) What to Do
- Chihuahuas are small dogs with small stomachs and they rapidly burn energy, especially a Chihuahua puppy. That is why a young Chihuahua might do better with three to four small meals instead of one or two large meals.
- Avoid feeding ‘large’ meals to your Chihuahua all at once, as that could be the reason behind its vomiting.
- Consider food allergies. If needed make gradual dietary changes like switching to hypoallergenic food or try rotating the protein in food.
Why is my Chihuahua Throwing up Without Warning Multiple Times?
A) Causes
Intermittent vomiting or acute vomiting has many reasons:
- Sudden change in your Chihuahua’s diet
- Eating too much dried food, too fast
- Medical emergency (if your Chi also has diarrhea and other symptoms)
- Venomous bites/stings – If your Chihuahua has been bitten or stung by a bee, insect, spider, snake, or other venomous critters, that too could be the cause of solitary or repetitious vomiting.
B) What to do
- If it continues for more than two episodes and your pet starts becoming dehydrated, please take it to the veterinary hospital right away.
Why is my Chihuahua Vomiting Blood?
A) Causes of blood in vomit in dogs
Dogs vomiting blood can occur due to numerous reasons (cancer, stomach ulcers, gastroenteritis, or clotting disorders). Some of these are treatable while others are a bit more serious. Further tests can tell you the exact cause.
B) What to do
Do not wait. Call your vet right away. Since there is no clear cut solution, it is best not to speculate and let your vet give you the best possible advice as soon as possible.
Why Is My Chihuahua Eating Grass and Throwing Up?
A) Causes
- Chihuahuas often eat grass when they have an upset stomach or indigestion.
- Eating grass aids digestion and sometimes dogs regurgitate partially digested or undigested grass to bring out the stomach acid, bile, and other irritants from their digestive tract. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
- Sometimes, Chihuahuas eat fresh grass after rains as a pre-meal salad.
B) What to do
Make sure that the grass it eats is not treated with any harsh chemicals or pesticides. Check with your vet if your Chihuahua’s grass eating gets obsessive.
Why is my Chihuahua Throwing up At Night?
A) Causes
- Yellow vomit means its stomach is empty for long periods than it can handle.
- Regular vomiting after every meal could also mean food allergy.
- If it regurgitates undigested food, then maybe you are feeding it too much.
- Alternatively, your pet might be eating too fast.
B) What to do
- If your Chihuahua throws up every night, observe the color of the vomit.
- Make dietary changes like switching to hypoallergenic food. Try protein rotation.
- Feed smaller more number of meals. Try switching to a slow-feeder like this one to reduce its speed of eating.
Summary of Why is my Chihuahua Throwing Up
As a quick recap, here is a table showing different colors of dog vomit and their possible causes and solutions.
| Chihuahua Vomit Color | Possible Cause/s | What to do |
| Brown | Your Chihuahua might have ingested dog poopIt might have an intestinal blockageViral infections like canine parvovirus can also cause it | See your vet |
| Yellow | BVS or bilious vomiting | Feed small but more number of meals. Try and feed later in the day. |
| Red | This is a serious issue.Could be a stomach ulcer or clotting disorders, or hemorrhagic gastroenteritis | See your vet right away |
| White | This is vomit consisting of saliva and little bit of bile. Happens when there isn’t much food in your pet’s tummy | Feed your pet smaller meals. |
| Black | Intestinal obstructionPossible internal bleedingToxin ingestion | See your vet immediately |
| Green | Possible ingestion of grass or some other inedible object | If it recurs and pet is not normal, see your vet. |
| Undigested food | Pet eats too fastFood allergy/intoleranceEating something that does not agree with it | Make dietary changes. See a vet if pet is not acting normal otherwise. |
How to Make Your Chihuahua Feel Better After Throwing Up?
Here are some steps to take to make your Chihuahua feel better after it has throw up:
1. For single vomit
Let your pet rest and withhold food for at least 6 hours. If your Chihuahua shows interest, let it sip on some bone broth.
2. Re-introduce meals slowly
Once your Chihuahua has not vomited for over 24 hours, you can feed it bland foods like baby food, rice and broth, chicken and vegetable stew, plain yogurt, etc. you can also feed it canned pumpkin or pureed pumpkin as it helps regulate your Chihuahua’s digestion and stops diarrhea. Feed it a tablespoon of canned pumpkin mixed with some rice.
3. Keep your pet hydrated
If your Chihuahua has vomited several times, give it some ice cubes to lick. You can also give it some electrolyte solution to rehydrate it.
FAQs on Why is my Chihuahua Throwing Up?
1. What does parvo vomiting look like?
If your Chihuahua is exposed to canine parvovirus and hasn’t been vaccinated, then it might start vomiting or also have bloody diarrhea or runny dog’s stool.
Parvo vomit is yellow or brown in color. Your dog might also have an eye discharge and it might drool excessively. Your pet might appear lethargic and could run a fever. It will also refuse food. Please see your vet immediately.
2. Can Chihuahuas get stomach bug?
Yes, stomach flu/gastroenteritis or stomach bug is prevalent in dogs and it causes vomiting, fever, bloody diarrhea, and lethargy. Your pet will need antibiotics/antiviral medicines. Please see your vet immediately.
Conclusion
Why is my Chihuahua throwing up?
Many issues can cause dog vomiting. Often, it helps bring out undigested food or something your pet has eaten that does not agree with it. White or yellow vomit usually means your Chi’s stomach is empty. Brown and red colored vomits are serious and you must not wait to see your vet.
