Why Do Dogs Eat Their Vomit? 6 Reasons & When To Worry

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As if dog vomit isn’t already enough to turn an owner’s stomach, what about those precious pooches who consider their vomit as another chance at a second meal? Just the sounds alone (retch… spew… slurp) can cause some pup owners to dry heave without even witnessing the repulsive event.

As unpleasant as it is to watch, this behavior is actually more common than many dog owners realize. In many cases, it’s driven by instinct rather than a sign that something is seriously wrong. Understanding why dogs eat their vomit and knowing when it could point to an underlying health issue can help you decide whether it’s simply gross or something that warrants a call to your veterinarian.

Fortunately, my pup isn’t one to partake in his throw-up as an exciting new meal, but many dogs do. Of course, this begs the question: why do dogs eat their vomit? Perhaps less revolting, why do dogs eat the vomit of their furry siblings? And ultimately, is it harmful for our furry friend to eat throw-up? If so, how can you stop this behavior?

Why Dogs Eat Vomit — And When You Should Worry

Dogs may eat their vomit or regurgitated food because it still smells like food and because dogs naturally display scavenging behavior. Eating freshly regurgitated food isn’t necessarily dangerous by itself, but repeated vomiting or regurgitation can indicate a medical problem. Contact your veterinarian if episodes recur or your dog develops symptoms such as lethargy, pain, blood in the vomit, dehydration, or inability to keep water down.

Vomiting vs. Regurgitation in Dogs

Before you can figure out why your dog is throwing up, it helps to know whether they’re vomiting or regurgitating. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they describe two very different processes with different causes. Recognizing the difference can help you determine how serious the problem may be and whether your dog needs veterinary care.

What Is Vomiting?

Vomiting occurs when food or fluid is forcefully expelled from the stomach or upper intestines. Because it originates deeper in the digestive tract, it usually involves noticeable retching, heaving, and abdominal contractions before anything comes up.

Vomiting can happen within minutes or several hours after eating, depending on the underlying cause. Learn more about the common causes of vomiting in dogs.

What Is Regurgitation?

Regurgitation is different because the food never reaches the stomach. Instead, it’s expelled from the esophagus (the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach). Unlike vomiting, regurgitation is passive. Your dog won’t retch or strain; the food simply comes back up, often with little warning. Regurgitation usually happens immediately or shortly after eating.

One common cause is eating too quickly. If your dog tends to gulp down meals, consider using a slow-feeder bowl to help reduce episodes of regurgitation.

Why Do Dogs Eat Their Vomit Or Regurgitated Food?

Dogs are more likely to eat their regurgitation versus vomit, but some eat both. In many cases, it’s just our furry friend being, well… a dog.

For canines, eating throw-up is often a natural instinct. Why? Although it’s not a well-researched area of dog behavior, veterinarians and dog behavioral experts have several theories about the instinct.

However, other experts say some of the reasons could be a behavioral problem. In no certain order, here are the most noteworthy theories behind dogs eating their own barf.

1. It Smells Tasty

While we’re repulsed by the odor of vomit, dogs are not, or so the thinking goes. Remember that dogs have a much stronger (10,000X-100,000X) and more refined sense of smell than humans. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that they can still pick up the scent of yummy food morsels, even in partially digested vomit.

This scent factor helps explain why dogs are more likely to eat regurgitated food rather than vomit. It’s another tasty-smelling meal right at their feet!

2. It’s What Mom Gave Them As Puppies

When puppies are being weaned off of their mother’s milk, sometimes the mom dog will regurgitate her food for her puppies to eat. Why? For a puppy’s developing digestive system, this form of solid food can be easier to digest. Many animal species, such as wolves, birds, and bats, use regurgitation to feed their young.

If your dog learned to eat vomit as a baby, it could be a behavior that’s simply carried over from puppyhood.

3. It Lets Them Chill Out

Some dogs can develop anxiety without enough mental and physical stimulation or from being left alone in the house for long periods of time. Stress can lead to undesirable behaviors, such as chewing on furniture or ingesting foreign objects. It’s possible that eating their own vomit has become a habit born from a dog relieving boredom or anxiety.

It’s always important to ensure that your dog is getting the stimulation they need. Plenty of exercise and providing interactive dog toys can help.

4. They’re Guarding Their “Food”

Another possible motivation for some pups could be food aggression or resource guarding. Territorial dogs have an innate drive to protect what’s theirs — food bowls, beds, crates, toys, and yes, perhaps even their own puke. While any breed can resource guard, some have a predisposition for this behavior, including Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Retrievers, German Shepherds, and more.

5. Their Ancestors Were Scavengers

This theory originates from the time when wild dogs and their ancestors needed to search for food, often resorting to scavenging their own vomit or the regurgitated meals of other members in their pack. However, this behavior isn’t just about survival; it’s also practical. In the wild, food was scarce, and wasting calories wasn’t an option, so eating vomit ensured no nutrients went to waste. Even today, domestic dogs may instinctively do the same, despite having full bowls of kibble at their disposal.

One of our team members shares her experience with this theory (see below).

6. They’re Leaving No Evidence Behind

Another evolutionary reason why dogs might eat their vomit is to conceal their presence from potential predators. In nature, predators are adept at detecting sick animals, such as those that have vomited. While your dog is safe from predators at home, their instincts trigger a response that suggests leaving the vomit behind could attract unwanted attention.

Is It Bad If A Dog Eats Its Own Vomit?

In many cases, an otherwise healthy dog that occasionally eats freshly regurgitated food isn’t likely to suffer any ill effects. After all, regurgitated food hasn’t fully entered the stomach and is often just the same meal coming back up.

However, vomiting is a different story. Vomit may contain spoiled food, toxins, stomach acid, or other substances that caused your dog to become sick in the first place. Eating it again could expose them to the same harmful material and potentially worsen the problem.

Finally, remember that stomach acid is highly acidic. Regularly eating vomit exposes your dog’s teeth to that acid, which may contribute to enamel wear and dental disease over time.

Why Do Dogs Eat Throw-Up From Other Dogs?

You might identify with Canine Journal’s Co-Owner Michelle Schenker in her experience with her furry family members. “While my two dogs have never returned to eat their own vomit, if Lily is sick, our younger and hungrier dog, Barley, is happy to follow behind her to ‘clean up’ the mess,” she shares.

There’s not much scientific research into why dogs eat other dogs’ vomit. It’s likely that the reason is that you have one dog who’s determined to eat everything within scent that seems like a tasty treasure. After all, some pups are majorly food-driven, and they may think vomit or regurgitated food is any chance for another meal.

How Do I Stop My Dog From Eating Vomit?

Stopping your dog from eating their vomit often requires a combination of management, training, and addressing the reason they’re vomiting in the first place. Here are a few strategies to help curb this habit. Some methods focus on quick changes in their environment, while others may require more extensive training efforts. You may also want to discuss this with your veterinarian. Try these tips:

• Clean it up quickly: Remove vomit as soon as it’s safe to do so to eliminate the opportunity for your dog to eat it. If possible, calmly move your dog away while you clean the area.
• Separate multiple dogs: If you have more than one dog, keep them apart after one vomits. Dogs may be tempted to eat another dog’s vomit, which can also increase the risk of spreading parasites or infectious diseases.
• Slow down fast eaters: Dogs that gulp their food are more likely to regurgitate. Feeding smaller meals or using a slow-feeder bowl, puzzle feeder, or snuffle mat can help.
• Supervise mealtimes: Watching your dog during and shortly after meals allows you to intervene if they vomit and may help you identify patterns or triggers.
• Teach “leave it”: Train your dog to respond to commands like “leave it” or “drop it” so you can quickly redirect them away from vomit.
• Reward good behavior: Reward your dog with praise and treats when they ignore vomit or respond to your commands. Positive reinforcement is much more effective than punishment.
• Avoid punishment: Never scold your dog for vomiting or trying to eat it. Punishment can increase stress and won’t address the underlying cause of the behavior.
• Monitor recurring vomiting: Keep track of how often your dog vomits, what they ate beforehand, and any other symptoms. Frequent vomiting isn’t normal and may signal an underlying health problem.

If your dog vomits repeatedly, can’t keep food or water down, appears lethargic, has blood in their vomit, or shows any other concerning symptoms, contact your veterinarian promptly. Frequent vomiting may indicate an underlying illness that requires diagnosis and treatment.

What Should You Track If Your Dog Is Vomiting?

If your dog vomits more than once, keeping a few notes can help your veterinarian identify the cause more quickly. Be sure to track:

• How often your dog vomits and whether it’s becoming more frequent.
• What the vomit looks like, including undigested food, bile, blood, foam, or foreign material.
• When it happens, such as immediately after eating, several hours later, or overnight.
• Any recent changes to food or water, including a new diet, treats, or sudden increase in water intake.
• Possible access to trash, toxins, toys, plants, or other foreign objects your dog may have eaten.

The more details you can provide, the easier it will be for your veterinarian to determine what’s causing your dog’s vomiting and recommend the appropriate treatment.

Our Personal Experience

I adopted a street dog, Tom, when he was about 7 years old. Tom had a rough history before I adopted him, which caused him to exhibit some problem behaviors. One of these was being incredibly food motivated, to the point of scavenging. Tom’s scavenging crossed a very gross line when I realized he would eat his own vomit.

I made this horrible discovery after Tom had been living with me for about a week. He always gobbled his food up very quickly, as if he were afraid he would not have any more food. One morning, he ate too quickly and vomited. Before I could even grab the broom and dustpan, Tom had started eating his own puke. I was, of course, horrified. I was even more horrified when the behavior was repeated the next day.

It was clear I had an issue on my hands. It took quite a lot of effort to get Tom to turn this behavior around. I started feeding him smaller meals throughout the day to keep his belly full and used a slow feeder bowl so he would not gobble everything down at once. I also had to carefully watch him if he did throw up and get him physically away from it as soon as possible. I would remove him from the room or yard first and then clean it up so he would not be tempted to eat it.

– Danielle DeGroot, Rescue Dog Mom, Researcher & Writer for Canine Journal

Frequently Asked Questions

Naturally, owners have so many questions related to dogs eating vomit. Here are just a few to shed more light on this subject. If you don’t see your question here, please hit me up in our comments.

Is Recurring Regurgitation In Dogs Bad?

If your pup regurgitates more than once every two or three weeks, it’s time to check in with your veterinarian. Recurring regurgitation could be caused by an underlying medical condition, such as acid reflux, an inflamed esophagus (esophagitis), enlargement of the esophagus (megaesophagus), Addison’s disease, hypothyroidism, pancreatitis, and other disorders.

What Causes Chronic Vomiting In Dogs?

Chronic vomiting is defined as vomiting that occurs continuously or intermittently for a minimum of 7 days. Many problems can cause chronic vomiting, including gastrointestinal sensitivity, food allergies, parasites, repeated dietary indiscretion, liver or kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and more. If your pup is suffering from chronic vomiting, it’s crucial to see your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause.

What Other Nasty Or Harmful Things Do Dogs Eat?

If your furry friend is a puke connoisseur, that may not be the only inappropriate thing they get into. After all, dogs are notorious for consuming grass, sticks, dirt, plants, garbage, poop, socks, toys, crayons, and almost anything else their delicate noses and insatiable curiosity find appealing. Find out which plants and human foods are dangerous to dogs.

When Pet Insurance Makes Sense

If you suspect that your dog has a penchant for consuming items they shouldn’t, you may want to consider getting pet insurance to help cover a considerable portion of vet bills. Treating a dog for toxicity can cost up to $3,000 in severe cases. Ingesting something as simple as a sock can cause a severe bowel obstruction that could require surgery, which could run you as much as $8,000. See my colleague’s expert article on the best pet insurance providers to learn more and find out which insurers she recommends.

Learn More About Your Dog’s Digestive Health

If your dog’s vomiting or regurgitation is becoming a pattern, figuring out the cause is more important than the gross habit of eating it afterward. Our dog vomiting guide covers common causes, symptoms, and when veterinary care may be necessary. You can also use our dog vomit color guide to learn what yellow bile, white foam, blood, undigested food, and other types of vomit may mean.

If your pup tends to bring food back up shortly after meals, see our tips for dogs that eat too fast. And because vomiting can sometimes happen after a dog swallows something they shouldn’t, familiarize yourself with the signs of a dog intestinal blockage and which foods are dangerous for dogs.

Does Your Dog Eat Their Vomit? Share Your Story!

Have a dog who treats vomit like a second helping? Share your story in the comments below — including what happened, whether you figured out the cause, and what helped stop the habit.