As the proud parent of a new puppy, one of the most worrying things that can happen is your pup experiencing illness. If you find that your new puppy is throwing up, you could be concerned that there is something wrong.
There are a lot of reasons why your puppy might be vomiting, ranging from mild, self-limiting causes to serious, life-threatening causes that need veterinary intervention immediately.
Why is my new puppy throwing up?
There are many potential reasons for your puppy to be vomiting. These include (but are not limited to):
Stress
New foods
Intolerance to ingredients in food
Eating too quickly
Ingesting something they should not have or even something dangerous
Infection
Parasites
Stress
As carefree as they may seem, being a young puppy can be stressful. Not only was your puppy separated from their parents and littermates, but they're also getting used to living in an entirely new home with new food and potentially other pets as well.
You can try to reduce the stress for your puppy by setting up a routine for feeding times, playtime, and downtime so they know what to expect. It's also a good idea to provide them with a space they can escape to if they need some quiet time on their own.
New foods
A new food could also potentially cause vomiting if it's not introduced gradually. Try to get some of the same food the breeder is feeding when you initially bring your puppy home. If you're introducing a new food, slowly start to transition it into their current food over about 7-10 days. This can help prevent an upset gut and also reduce stress levels. Adding a probiotic to the food can also help balance the gut bacteria and make the adjustment to a new food easier.
Intolerance to ingredients in food
Your puppy might be intolerant to certain ingredients in the food or they might just find it difficult to digest due to their digestive system still developing.
Food intolerance is a relatively uncommon reason for vomiting in young puppies and is more frequently seen in adult dogs. It's recommended to talk to your vet if you suspect a food intolerance, as they will want to rule out more common causes for vomiting first.
Eating too quickly
Puppies often get very excited when they get fed and tend to eat very quickly. Especially for pups that were part of a big litter, eating rapidly can be a learned behavior. This can cause gagging, vomiting, and even choking, so it's important to try to slow down their eating as best you can. Invest in a puzzle feeder, distribute their food in different sections of a muffin tin, or start feeding them smaller meals multiple times a day. A vet can also point you in the right direction.
Ingesting something potentially dangerous
Curious young puppies have a way of getting their paws on things they shouldn't. There are certain human foods that can be toxic to dogs and potentially cause vomiting. Your puppy might also get hold of cleaning products, poisons or even human medicine. In this case, call the Animal Poison Control Hotline right away and bring them to the vet.
Puppies also tend to chew on anything they can find and will sometimes swallow objects that cannot be digested. If these objects cause damage to the intestinal tract or get stuck in the gut, it can lead to repeated vomiting.
Infection
Puppies do not have fully developed immune systems yet and are prone to picking up viral and bacterial infections. These conditions will often also cause lethargy, poor or no appetite, and diarrhea. If you see a combination of these symptoms in addition to your puppy throwing up, it's best to get your pup to a vet as soon as possible, as they can potentially deteriorate rapidly if not treated promptly.
Intestinal Parasites
Young puppies can pick up intestinal parasites from their mother and other pets. Worms are the most commonly known intestinal parasites. These parasites can potentially cause vomiting and/or diarrhea in puppies. It's important to have your puppy’s stool examined by your vet so they can check for the presence of intestinal parasites.
Treatment for a vomiting puppy
If your puppy is throwing up, the first step is to talk to a vet so they can recommend the best course of action.
A puppy that is vomiting, has diarrhea, is lethargic, and is not eating should not be treated at home, as they can deteriorate very quickly. You should take your puppy to a vet as soon as possible if you see a combination of these symptoms.
Bland diet
In the event that your puppy has vomited once or twice and has no other symptoms, you can withhold food from them for about 6 hours to allow their gut time to rest and heal. It's not recommended to withhold food for longer than this from young puppies, as they have very specific nutrient requirements for growth.
Once the 6 hours have passed, you can offer them a bland diet. The diet should consist of a single protein like boiled white meat chicken or lean beef without salt. You can add some rice, sweet potato, and pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) to the diet. You can also consider adding some broth to the diet to increase the water consumption, as dehydration is one of the potentially serious complications of vomiting. The broth should ideally not contain salt or otherwise be a low-sodium broth. It's ideal to use the broth from the meat you boiled for this purpose.
Feed small amounts of the bland diet at first to see if your pup can keep the food down. You can slowly increase the amount of food if your puppy is tolerating it well.
The bland diet should not be fed for longer than 24-48 hours in a young puppy. Transition them back to their normal diet over 24 hours. If you have to use a bland diet for longer, you can speak to your vet about getting a fully balanced prescription intestinal food for your puppy.
Probiotics
Probiotics are great supplements to add to the diet. They help to balance the gut microflora (bacteria), and in that way, can help prevent vomiting.
Water
Encourage your puppy to drink as much water as possible. You can feed them ice cubes or add water to the food to increase water intake.
Should I go to the vet if my puppy is throwing up?
It's understandable to be concerned when you notice that your pup is vomiting. In fact, vomiting (along with diarrhea) is one of the most common reasons why pet parents bring their dogs to the vet for emergency care.
A puppy that has vomited once or twice, but has normal energy levels, a normal appetite, and no other symptoms might just need to be monitored, but if the vomiting is accompanied by symptoms such as lethargy, inappetence, or diarrhea, it could be more serious and might need veterinary treatment. If you're worried your puppy has a combination of these symptoms, it's always better to take them to the vet for a physical examination and treatment.
Your vet will be able to perform a physical exam as well as other diagnostic tests that might be needed. These can include stool tests, blood tests, x-rays, and ultrasound scanning. The treatment will depend on the cause for the vomiting, but can include fluid treatment, anti-nausea medication, antibiotics, anti-parasitic treatments, and surgery.
Vaccination
Vaccination in a young puppy is extremely important, as it's one of the most effective ways to prevent some of the serious causes for vomiting and/or diarrhea. Contact your vet as soon as you bring your new puppy home to schedule a wellness check and discuss the best vaccination schedule for your puppy’s needs.
If you have concerns about your puppy throwing up, reach out to the team of experts at Pawp—we're here to help 24/7 and no appointment is required.
Reviewed and fact-checked by
Dr. Mari, DVM at Pawp