Why Do Dogs Eat Their Own Vomit?
Seeing your dog puke isn’t a pretty sight. Seeing your dog eating their vomit afterwards is much more shocking. But before you scrub the floor (and their mouths clean), let’s dive into how dogs puking, and then eating said puke can be a normal behavior.
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There’s More to Dog Vomit Than Meets the Eye
According to Rover, there’s two kinds of “dog puke”. First, there’s vomiting – an ejection of the contents of your dog’s stomach and upper intestine. Here, the food is partially-digested and often accompanied by yellow bile. Then, there’s regurgitation – an ejection of the contents of your dog’s esophagus. This happens often right after eating, and is composed of undigested food that never reached the stomach.
Because of your dog’s keen sense of smell, they can determine which kind of “puke” is still good to eat. If it’s too broken down, or composed of mostly bile, it won’t be so tasty anymore. If your dog is feeling sick, they probably won’t be interested in eating any more food.
Rooted in Childhood
PuppyLeaks agrees that dogs eat vomit because of its part of their nature. When puppies are being weaned, the mother dog usually chews up her meal, and then regurgitates it to serve as food for her puppies. This helps the puppies adjust to eating solid foods. While this activity is more common in wild animals, domesticated dogs sometimes do it too.
When To Worry About Dog Puke
Occasional instances of dogs vomiting, and then eating their vomit is acceptable. You can offer your dog water, and if they retain their energy and act normal, they’re fine. Frequent vomiting however, can be a cause of concern. If your dog acts differently, loses their appetite, or seems lethargic, it’s time for a visit to the vet. Possible culprits can be food sensitivity, gastrointestinal issues, or an esophageal condition.
Sploot View: Be on the Look-Out for a Puke-Out!
We understand that seeing your dog eat up their vomit can be gross. But hey, it’s just your dog seeing the puke as food! If you want to keep your dog from this habit, it’s best to just clean it up right away when it happens. While it can be tempting for some dogs, you can just try to offer them water, or a few more helpings of their food. Again, check with your vet if their vomiting becomes more frequent!
Have questions about dog parenting? Get answers from 50K+ dog parents on the sploot app! Ask Here