The joy of getting a new puppy can be quickly replaced with pain when your pup gets sick. It’s particularly worrisome when sickness occurs at night and you have no way to reach your vet. If you wake up to the sound of your puppy throwing up at night, don’t panic.
Vomiting isn’t always a sign that your puppy is sick or that he needs immediate vet care.
Occasional bouts of vomiting are not unusual for a pup. If your puppy is active and happy and doesn’t show signs of discomfort or pain, he could just have an upset tummy.
Puppies sometimes vomit when their food doesn’t agree with them or they eat too fast or swallow pieces of stuff they chew on like your bedroom slipper or a chew toy.
Vomiting is a programmed reaction in dogs to get irritating substances out of their stomach so they can feel better.
Puppies may regurgitate their food more often than vomit and that’s not the same. If your pup eats too fast and has trouble swallowing his food, he may regurgitate it right back up before the food ever has a chance to enter his stomach.
Vomiting is when undigested food, bile or other substances are ejected out of your puppy’s tummy due to not settling well and causing him indigestion or pain. Vomiting often involves abdominal heaving, which is a telltale sign that your puppy is throwing up.
Why Does My Puppy Only Vomit At Night?
There are all kinds of reasons why puppies vomit. If your puppy is only vomiting at night, however, it could be due to having an empty stomach. Puppies generally eat their last meal in the early evening, which means their food is fully digested by the middle of the night.
As your pup sleeps, his stomach may fill up with acid and bile due to lack of food. If the bile irritates his stomach enough, he may vomit to feel better.
Of course, this isn’t the only reason a puppy may vomit at night. Puppies are inquisitive, mischievous creatures whose actions during the day can have unpredictable consequences like vomiting at night!
If your puppy ingested something he shouldn’t have, like parts of a chew toy or unhealthy people food when you weren’t looking, he could throw it up during the night. Overeating can also cause your pup to vomit, so be careful not to put out too much food at one time.
New puppies may vomit due to feeling stressed or anxious about being in their new home. If your puppy is used to sleeping with his siblings at night and you leave him to sleep on his own, he may throw up at some point during the night due to fear or anxiety of being alone.
Worms can also prompt vomiting in a puppy, as can other diseases, although not necessarily just at night. When in doubt about your puppy’s health, schedule a video call with your local veterinarian to dispel any fears that your pup may be ill.
How To Help A Puppy Throwing Up At Night
A healthy, happy puppy that’s throwing up yellow bile at night could be suffering from bilious vomiting syndrome (BVS). That’s vomiting caused by acid accumulating in your puppy’s stomach during the night.
The easiest way to resolve this problem is to give your pup a snack before he retires for the night.
Food will absorb the acid as it passes through your pup’s stomach, enabling your puppy to sleep all night without feeling stomach discomfort or pain. Some puppy kibble or a slice of bread should be enough to keep bile at bay.
If your puppy looks and acts healthy, infrequent bouts of vomiting shouldn’t be cause for alarm. Granted, it’s a chore to clean up, but it’s par for the course for having a dog. Constant vomiting should be reported to your vet.
A dog that’s vomiting several times a day or night could have parasites or be suffering from a hidden medical issue.
Your pup’s food could also be the cause of his vomiting as it may have gone bad or he may be allergic to some of the ingredients. Putting your puppy on a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice (no seasonings) for a few days can help clear out his system to control vomiting.
Eating too quickly or too much at one time can cause puppies to regurgitate their food due to difficulty swallowing. If this is the case, feed him smaller meals more often or place a large rock in his food dish to force him to slow down by having to eat around it.
Should I Let My Puppy Sleep After Vomiting?
Waking up to puppy vomit in the middle of the night is no fun for either you or your dog. The sooner you can identify the cause of his vomiting and rectify the problem, the better.
In the meantime, your first order of business is cleaning up your pup and the mess before he starts to lick it up again.
While you’re cleaning, look through the vomit for signs of blood that could indicate a health problem or non-food substances (clothing, candy wrappers, rodent bait, etc.) that could be the source of your pet’s upset tummy.
Next, evaluate your pup’s behavior and actions. Is he having trouble breathing? Does he appear lethargic? Is he in pain? If your pup is looking and acting normal, there’s no reason why he can’t go back to sleep after vomiting, especially if vomiting is an infrequent occurrence.
Puppies that vomit due to stress will need love, attention and reassurance to help them feel more secure. If your pup’s thirsty, give him a little water to drink before sleeping so he doesn’t dehydrate.
Keep an eye on your pup for a few days after his vomiting to make sure he’s okay. Look for additional signs that could indicate your pup is not well, i.e. unusual lethargy or fatigue, diarrhea, bloated abdomen or respiratory troubles.
If your pup shows unusual behavior after throwing up, contact your vet for a checkup. Don’t take chances on your new puppy’s health.
Conclusion
A puppy throwing up at night is a cause for concern, but it’s not necessarily a sign that your pup is seriously ill. Puppies do throw up from time to time, as they’re constantly eating stuff they shouldn’t. If you’re worried about your puppy vomiting, don’t hesitate to call your vet. A vet checkup will put your mind at ease, so you can enjoy your new puppy to the full.
