Dog Vomit; Colors and Meaning

Vomiting is when the canine in question egests partially-digested food. You may notice body signs like abdominal contractions, a retching noise, active abs, or bent over licking his lips or drooling before or after vomiting. The vomit may also contain yellow bile.

Lots of things can cause sickness and diarrhoea in dogs, including:

• Worms
• Gastroenteritis and other stomach conditions
• Chocolate poisoning
• Eating mouldy food
• Ingesting a toxic plant

Dogs vomit for many different reasons and it can also come in many different colors and textures. This dog vomit color guide can help you understand more about dog vomit

Typical Guide to Dog Vomit Color

1. White vomit

It could either be vomit or foam that looks like vomit – which is the most likely outcome. White vomit may be the result of an upset stomach, which isn’t usually a cause for concern. 

Foam is more of a worry. White foam is a sign that your dog is suffering from bloat or gastrointestinal problems – they may be trying to vomit but not having any luck. If they’re vomiting up white foam, as opposed to white vomit, treat this as an emergency and contact your vet as soon as possible.

2. Black vomit

This is rare. Typically, black vomit could be a sign of mud or dirt that your dog digested accidently while they were playing. If black vomit has a similar appearance to coffee granules, look at it closely; if you find that it’s actually a very, very dark red, this may be a sign of a stomach ulcer or an undigested toxin.

3. Brown Vomit

Brown dog vomit can mean a few different things. Brown vomit can signify that your dog is eating dog poop which you can easily detect because the vomit will stink horribly.

This is called, coprophagia and is a trait some dogs have that is not really harmful, but is pretty disgusting for dog parents. Brown vomit can also be a sign of a blockage in the intestine for which I would recommend you contact your vet as soon as you can.

4. Yellow Vomit

Yellow dog vomit usually occurs because your dog’s stomach is empty. In this case, what you’re seeing is known as bile. Bile is a fluid the liver produces for digestion. It goes from the liver to the gallbladder, where it is released into the small intestine.

Bile can sometimes irritate your dog’s digestive system. When that happens, they may throw up. Yellow dog vomit is usually harmless. As long as your dog is otherwise healthy, you don’t need to be concerned. Maybe feed your dog a little more frequently, but don’t give more food. Just split the normal portions. 

5. Red Vomit

Red or dark red dog vomit can be alarming to many dog owners. Since it’s often associated with blood. Causes behind vomiting blood include stomach irritation, ulcers, HGE, and other serious gastrointestinal conditions that irritate the GI tract.

6. Green Vomit

When it comes to dog green vomit, there are several causes that make the dog vomit green.

If you have a backyard with grass, your dog may be chewing and eating some of that grass. If the grass doesn’t sit well with your dog’s stomach, he or she may throw up bright green dog vomit. If this is the case, you may be able to see small pieces of grass in the vomit since grass isn’t easily digestible.

Bile or digestive fluid is usually produced in the dog’s liver and if your pooch vomits on an empty stomach, the green dog vomit can be bile. Sometimes when your dogs have reflux, they may throw up green vomit.