Why is my Beagle constantly looking for food

Why Does My Beagle Throw Up? 8 Reasons + White Foam Vomiting

If theres one thing thats guaranteed, its that you will have a puking Beagle at some point. Beagle puppies are prone to throwing up a variety of colored puke including yellow or white foam, undigested food, clear liquid, mucus, bile, slime and many other weird and wonderful vomits.

But whatever the age of your dog, when your Beagle throws up its going to be worrying. It might be due something as simple as them eating too fast. Alternatively, you might have a Beagle that vomits up sick all the time, which could signal a serious health problem.

I am not a vet, but I am a dog owner who has a lot of experience with vomit. Nice, I am sure you would agree! The bottom line is; if you are worried then please do consult with your vet. But before you do that, heres what I personally know about the reasons why your Beagle throws up, and what the different types of vomit and sick could mean.

Why your Beagle is vomiting and puking

There are multiple types of vomit and regurgitation that can affect Beagles. Ive consulted with my own vet and read professional forums to give you an idea of what they could all mean, and what action you should take.

Why does my Beagle throw up white foam?

The reasons your Beagle keeps throwing up white foam so much are very varied. In the majority of cases it wont anything serious, but for peace of mind seek professional advice.

The first thing you need to do is to check what has been thrown up by your Beagle. It might not actually be vomit but could be them clearing their airways. It might instead be some saliva that they need to regurgitate.

Vomiting and regurgitating are two different things, and I will explain the differences at the end of this article. But for simplicities sake, I am going to address both things as the same thing; throwing up.

Causes of white foam vomit

1. Indigestion and stomach upset

Your Beagle could be throwing up white foam just because they have an upset tummy. The most common reason is gastroenteritis where they have an empty stomach and then puke up a white foam vomit.

This condition is also known as bilious vomiting syndrome. The bile produced can not only be white but also have a yellow color. Sometimes its smelly too.

Handy Hint: Heres a list of the foods that are known to be most toxic to Beagles, and can lead to them throwing up.

2. Puking up something they ate

Beagles love to put anything in their mouth they can get their teeth around, particularly during the teething phase. It might be that they ate something their stomach disagrees with.

If your Beagle hasnt eaten in a while, they wont have any food to puke up, so the foreign objects they ingested can get puked back up as a white foamy or slimy material.

3. Kennel cough

One of the more common reasons Beagles throw up white foam will be kennel cough. Its not actually vomiting but instead is where your Beagle coughs so hard they expel white foam out of their mouths.

Kennel cough can be contracted when your Beagle has been exposed to other dogs, usually in kennels as the name suggests. It is an upper respiratory infection that your vet can treat, typically being treated in a week to 10 days.

Handy Hint: Here are all the things that young puppies can get sick from when they stay in boarding kennels for the first time.

4. Bloat

Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus) is one of the most serious reasons for Beagles puking up white foam and slime. They can become sick very quickly and will need to be seen by a vet quickly.

It occurs when their stomach becomes twisted after expanding. The stomach can expand when filled with food, fluid, or gas which then puts pressure on their internal organs. If not treated quickly it can stop blood flowing to your Beagles heart so it is potentially fatal.

White foam will be vomited up when the nothing can get in or out of the Beagles stomach. Its more common in elderly dogs.

You can reduce the chances of bloat and white foam vomit by making sure your Beagle doesnt over exercise after eating. Some vets recommend you wait a good 30 minutes after their meal, even with light walks.

Handy Hint: Heres how long and why you should wait to walk your dog before and after they have eaten.

5. Pancreatitis

Another serious health condition that results in your Beagle throwing up white foam is pancreatitis. This is an inflammation of the pancreas, which is an organ that aids digestion of food.

Your vet will need to diagnose this condition, but other signs to look out for include your Beagle hunching his back up, being in obvious pain around their abdomen, having diarrhoea, not eating properly, being listless, and becoming dehydrated due to not drinking enough.

6. Kidney disease

Another serious possibility related to white foam vomit can be kidney disease. Other symptoms to look out for can include increased urination or pooping the house when your Beagle was previously house-trained.

White foam puking can be an early indicator of the disease. However, with early treatment, Beagles can go on to have a good life with a reduced chance of any further complications.

7. Parvovirus

Parvovirus can be contracted through exposure to other dogs, in particular contact with faeces. Its a viral infection that will become apparent within a week of contraction, with white foam vomiting and blood in diarrhoea.

It is a fatal disease but should be rare as long as your Beagle has had the correct vaccinations as a puppy. Parvovirus should only be contracted by an unvaccinated Beagle so its an unlikely cause of throwing up white foam for responsible dog owners.

8. Rabies

Another unlikely reason for white slimy foam can be rabies. Its going to be very rare in countries such as the UK and United States, but it still a possibility.

Dogs with rabies will foam at the mouth.

Why does my Beagle throw up yellow foam?

Yellow foam sick can also relate to many of the possibilities Ive already listed under the white foam section, but it can sometimes differ if its a yellow bile and liquid.

A Beagle that throws up yellow liquid and bile could have:

• Bilious vomiting (the most likely):in simple terms, a stomach upset.
• Bowel problems:an irritation in the GI tract.
• Pancreatic problems:an inflammation of the pancreas.
• Intestinal blockage:your Beagles meal cant get to the stomach.
• Stomach ulcers:can also result in weight loss, fever, and pain.
• Liver problems:your Beagle may not be able to digest food properly.

Why does my Beagle throw up brown liquid?

Brown bile and vomit will often smell like dog poop and that can actually be what it is in some cases. Puppies, Beagles included like to eat dog poop for a variety of reasons including:

• Seeking out nutrients that arent getting their diet.
• Simply due to hunger as gross as that sounds.
• Sometimes for attention knowing it will get a reaction.
• Sometimes due to boredom or stress (for example, kennel stress)

Brown vomit wont always be dog poop though, it could be blood that has become browner inside of the mucus and bile being thrown up. It could result from:

• Blocked intestine.
• Bleeding ulcers.
• Something that they ate.
• Possible gum disease or tumors where the brown color signifies bleeding.

Why does my Beagle throw up clear liquid?

A clear and foamy slime or foam that doesnt include any undigested food could be related to a range of medical issues. If theres no food in the clear liquid, it probably isnt due to anything your Beagle has eaten.

Doctor Jeff Werber, awell-respected vetbased in Los Angeles, explained to PetMD.com that clear liquid vomit could indicate something other than a reaction to food:

Fluid means we are looking at some other reason, such as kidney, liver, pancreas, or severe gastritis, where the cause is not food or an irritant. It could also indicate oesophageal reflex which is like our heartburn.

However, its key to not panic if your Beagle is throwing up a clear liquid as there could be a far simpler explanation.

On another vet website I read a comment from a professional. They said that dogs who are distressed will often start to drool heavily. That can often be mistaken for vomit when in fact if no food comes up, its not actually puke, and could be just excessive drooling.

Why does my Beagle throw up green liquid?

Green bile and vomit shouldnt be viewed as seriously as some of the other sick colors. For example, dogs love to eat grass and weeds and so anything they throw up will be of a natural green color sometimes even lime green in appearance.

Heres a breakdown of what green foam or liquid could mean in your Beagles vomit.

• Plants or grass:dogs will eat grass to sooth their stomach, clean their insides, make up for a lack of minerals, or due to boredom and anxiety. When the organic material is ingested the chlorophyll in the grass will stain the vomit a green color. If you can see plant-based matter in your Beagles vomit, its not a cause for concern but do try to discourage them eating grass.
• Green bile:green vomit could signal bile being thrown up. Bile is stored in your dogs gall bladder and is designed to absorb fats and breakdown other nutrients. Green bile can reflux into your Beagles stomach, but that color also means its fresh. But it might also mean there is something stuck internally, so consult with your vet.

Why does my Beagle throw up pink or red foam?

A Beagle that throws up pink foam could have a tummy bug. The act of vomiting hard can actually burst some of the smaller blood vessels in your Beagles stomach, which then dilutes into the vomit and mucus to create a pink tint.

Alternatively, it could be a stomach ulcer. However, as soon as you see any signs of pink sick it almost certainly means there is a degree of blood in their vomit, so should be checked out by a vet as soon as possible.

Small ulcers or damage to the stomach lining can be treated with medicines and your Beagle should normally respond very well to treatment in a few days.

Other reasons why your Beagle could be sick

Aside from the serious possibilities regarding Beagle puking Ive already detailed, there are some other occasions where your Beagle could be sick. Ive listed those below, giving examples of when your Beagle might throw up vomit and why.

You might also like this awesome infographic on the reasons for vomiting.

After drinking water

There are a few different reasons why your Beagle could be vomiting after drinking water, including:

1. They could have drunk the water too fast which will stimulate the dogs gag reflex.
2. It could look like water but actually be a mix of gastric juices, saliva, and water.

In the second example, it might be because your Beagle hasnt eaten for a long time, has a digestive blockage, or even one of the more serious conditions listed further up this page.

As with all vomiting, for peace of mind please call your vet if you dont think its related to your Beagle drinking too much too quickly.

In the morning or late at night

Beagles that throw up in the morning or late at night will usually do so due to their eating habits. If your dog has gone a long time without eating, when the food hits their stomach it can irritate the bile reflux.

Morning sickness can also be just that; related to pregnancy. Heres a list of more possible reasons your Beagle could be sick in the morning:

• Colitis.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Pancreatitis.
• Pregnancy.
• Reflux gastritis.

Stress, excessive excitement or anxiety

I have never met a Beagle who doesnt get excited, especially when its feeding time. They still have their competitive pack mentality from puppyhood, so will try and eat their food as fast as possible to stop anybody else getting a look-in.

Handy Hint: Has your Beagle not calmed down yet since the puppy months? Heres when you might expect the hyper behavior to end!

When dogs eat too fast, they can throw up. The same happens with humans, so its not really that surprising.

However, Beagles can also be sick when they get excited outside of mealtimes. This can be due to being stressed and anxious. Its because their stomach muscles become tense and their bodies react with vomiting.

After over-eating or eating too fast

Coming back to the quick eating now, and theres a good reason why your greedy Beagle will be sick and puke up;

• They dont give themselves enough time to chew larger pieces of food.
• They can swallow lots of air which will then be regurgitated back up.

When on car rides

Just like humans, dogs can suffer with car sickness. Motion sickness isnt the only reason your Beagle pukes in your car though it could also be due to the stress of not liking car journeys.

If you have a puking Beagle in your car, try to introduce them to smaller car journeys at first so they learn theres nothing to be worried about.

After exercise or on walks

Imagine for one moment that you ate a huge dinner and then immediately went for a 10-mile run. Can you imagine what would happen? I think we all know

And its the same with Beagles. If they eat heavily and then exercise or over-exert themselves, that food can quickly get puked up.

I would recommend that you dont walk your Beagle for at least 2 hours after eating. Some vets say that exercise so soon after eating can lead to bloat, torsion, or GDV (gastro dilation-volvulus) all of which can make your Beagle throw up.

After the exercise, let your Beagle cool down for at least 30 minutes before letting them eat. These two tips should in theory mean your Beagle no longer vomits after exercise or walks.

When you should call the vet

There are a lot of scary reasons why your Beagle throws up in this guide. But I dont want you to panic, in most of the cases listed here, the slime and bile will just be due to a stomach upset and something your Beagle ate.

I am a firm believer in letting the professional decide, so when our dog has vomited, in most cases weve called the vet if we cant see any undigested food in the sick.

Here are some signs that you should definitely call the vet after vomiting:

• Your Beagle throws up all the time and vomiting last more than 24 hours.
• Your Beagle is in obvious signs of pain or lethargic.
• Your Beagle also has blood in their stools.
• Your Beagle is projectile vomiting.

Is it vomiting or regurgitation?

I mentioned earlier that these are actually two different things. They can also have very different causes. Heres a quick explainer:

• Vomiting:this is when materials coated with bile come up from the stomach. Your Beagle will start to retch, hunch, lick his lips, and drool. It will probably be a mix of digested food coated in a yellow bile.
• Regurgitation:this is when your Beagle throws up undigested food covered in saliva, mucus, and slime. It comes up from the oesophagus or pharynx so wont have actually reached as far as the stomach.

Conclusion

I hope Ive given you some insight into why your Beagle is vomiting or keeps throwing up his food.

With most Beagles it wont be an indication of a serious health problem, but I would always err on the side of caution and speak to your vet. I would especially say this if you are wondering why your Beagle puppy keeps throwing up these young pups need a closer eye looking at them at all times.

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Theres a wealth of helpful information on this blog about looking after Beagles. Heres a selection of the most recent.

Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/pet-dog-animals-cute-animal-dogs-3635985/