Dogs have a tendency to vomit and there are multiple causes that can cause this reflex, in addition to illnesses. In this article on our site we will focus on explaining what may be happening when our dog vomits green. We will see the most frequent causes that can explain vomiting of this hue and, also, what may be the treatment of choice.
A punctual vomiting is not worrying, but if our dog spends hours vomiting, shows other symptoms or the vomiting becomes chronic, we should consult our veterinarian. Read on and find out why your dog vomits green to gather all the information possible and quickly go to the specialist.
The dog's digestive system
To explain why a dog vomits green, we need to know the functioning of his digestive system This begins in the mouth and ends in the anus. In addition to the esophagus, the stomach, the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine, the small intestine, and the large intestine or colon, there are other organs that play a role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, such as the pancreas, the gallbladder and liver. The pancreas and gallbladder empty their secretions into the duodenum, where they help break down food.
As its name suggests, the bile is going to be the liquid that eliminates the gallbladder, where it is stored after being formed in the liver. Its color varies between yellow, brown and green. The bile comes out of the gallbladder when we eat but, also, frequent vomiting that completely empties the contents of the stomach causes the bile to be secreted in it and, thus, it is normal to observe that our dog vomits foamy green if he continues to vomit even with his stomach empty. Therefore, the important thing is to find out what is causing the vomiting.
Green vomit in dogs due to grass intake
Now, apart from the above, the first thing we should do when talking about a dog that vomits green is to distinguish if the vomit is a liquid of that color or if what has green they are fragments. This last case is the result of eating grass, which is not digested and will cause gastric irritation.
If we see that our dog is eating plants, it shouldn't surprise us that shortly afterwards he vomits them up. It is not worrying and to avoid it we just have to prevent our dog from eating grass. And if what you want is to know the reason for this behavior, don't miss the following article: "Why do dogs eat grass?".
Green vomit in dogs due to gastric problems
In the first section we have seen that if our dog vomits green it may simply be because he cannot vomit anything else because he already has an empty stomach. This situation often causes our dog to vomit green and not want to eat, since he feels discomfort. Also you may vomit green and have diarrhea, since vomiting and diarrhea are the classic symptoms of gastric disorders that can be caused by infections, indigestion, very important infestations of parasites, tumors, etc.
Also, if the dog vomits green and trembles we could be facing intoxication, with digestive and neurological symptoms. This is a veterinary emergency that requires immediate attention.
What to do if a dog vomits green?
In principle, if our dog vomits green what we can give him is rest, that is, Leave him without eating or drinking while he is vomitingUpon remission of the chart we can start offering water, a small amount and, if he tolerates it, that is, if he does not vomit it, we can start giving him food that is easy to digest and in small portions, such as cooked chicken or specific wet food that we can find in clinics or specialized establishments. This is if it is a he althy adult dog.
In the case of puppies, older dogs or those that are debilitated, we should always contact the vet, as it is easier for them to become dehydrated if they cannot replenish the fluids they lose through vomiting. Of course, if the hours go by and the dog continues to vomit or presents other symptoms, we must go to our veterinarian to make a diagnosis, since, as we have seen, the causes can be various and waiting can seriously complicate the picture.
Other causes of green vomit in dogs
We have seen that our dog can vomit green due to digestive causes, but there are many other conditions whose symptoms are vomiting that can take on a green or yellow hue. Generally, pathologies such as liver diseases, pancreatitis, diabetes or kidney disease cause vomiting but also other symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the mucous membranes), changes in the intake of food and water or the emission of urine, etc., which can guide the diagnosis and should make us go to the veterinarian who, through tests such as blood tests or ultrasound, will determine the origin of the vomiting.
Finally, it could also be a obstruction. So, we should not delay in seeking veterinary attention, since some of the aforementioned pathologies endanger the life of our dog.
