My Dog is Throwing Up White Foam & Clear Liquid – Top 4 Reasons Why

Vomiting is a clear sign that something is troubling your dog’s digestive system. What makes vomiting even more worrying is when your dog throws up vomit with an unusual appearance, such as a mix of white foam and clear liquid. Here are some of the most common reasons.

1. Sign of acid reflux

Some dogs may throw up a mix of white foam and clear liquid due to acid reflux. Excess stomach acids and bile may cause irritations in the dog’s stomach and flow upwards into the esophagus. You may notice this happening more often in the morning when your dog has an empty stomach and has been lying down for a prolonged period of time.

2. Inflammation in the stomach

Dogs may also throw up white foam and clear liquid due to the discomfort of stomach inflammation. This may occur when the dog’s stomach is affected by a viral or bacterial infection. Also referred to as gastroenteritis, stomach inflammation may also lead to other symptoms like stomach pains and diarrhea. Parvovirus is one type of virus that may lead to stomach inflammations in dogs.

3. Exposure to toxins

The dog may have ingested something they shouldn’t have. For example, ingesting bleach or other cleaning supplies may lead to serious symptoms like the vomiting of clear liquid with white foam. Dogs may also throw up after eating grass and other types of plants but this isn’t likely to be the reason if your dog is throwing up clear liquid.

4. Respiratory symptoms like kennel cough

An infection in the dog’s respiratory system may also cause dogs to cough up white foam and clear liquid. Kennel cough, for example, is a respiratory disease that can make dogs vomit frequently. The forceful, hacking cough can be followed by a gag. This could be the reason if your dog was recently adopted from a busy rescue or if your dog has been spending time with other dogs in places such as a dog park.

What to do if your dog throws up white foam

Call the vet for advice. This isn’t a situation when you should assume your dog is fine, even if they act normal after throwing up white foam and clear liquid. Be prepared to answer questions like the type of symptoms the dog has developed and the frequency in which your dog throws up.

In the meantime, it may be in your dog’s best interest to have his diet temporarily switched to something basic like plain chicken and boiled rice. Make sure the dog always has access to clean drinking water as well.