Why do dogs throw up?
First, we need to distinguish between 2 separate conditions. While dogs do vomit, they also regurgitate, and these aren’t the same thing – nor do they have the same causes.
Why do dogs eat sick?
Dogs may eat either vomited or regurgitated material – although it is more common for them to re-eat regurgitated material, fresh vomit is also sometimes consumed. There are a number of reasons for this.
As we discussed above, most (although not all) dogs are monumentally unfussy in what they eat! In fact, some people have said that dogs eat stuff to find out whether or not it is actually food… Their sense of smell is much better than ours, and so they can detect viable foodstuffs in the material, it isn’t masked by the “ugh” factor that we experience.
It is normal for wolves and other wild canines to regurgitate food to feed puppies. In fact, one study found that 60% of domestic dogs are reported to do so when there are puppies in the household. It is possible that your dog is regurgitating in front of you because they love you and want to give you food… but when you don’t want it, they gobble it up again so it doesn’t got to waste!
Not from us, of course, but it is possible that dogs eat their vomit to conceal from other animals that they’re unwell. This is, for example, why dogs eat their placentas after giving birth, and the same instinct could be relevant here.
Why Do Dogs Eat Their Own Vomit
While eating vomit is definitely gross to people, to dogs, it’s a perfectly natural behavior. Dogs will eat their own vomit because it is a food source. There may also be an instinctive element to the behavior, as eating vomit may hide traces of the dog from predators. Vomiting can signal that a dog is unwell, too, so hiding the evidence increases their chance of survival. Regurgitation, which can appear similar to vomiting to the untrained eye, can even be maternal behavior. A study on Swedish dogs found that more than 60% of breeders saw regurgitation amongst their dogs. This behavior is part of the natural weaning process. As such, it is normal for puppies to eat regurgitated food!
Lastly, some dogs may eat their own vomit due to anxiety. If your rescue dog was previously scolded for having accidents in the house, they might eat their feces or vomit to avoid punishment. It goes without saying that you should not punish your pup for having accidents indoors – instead, redirect them! Interrupt your dog when you catch them in the act and immediately take them to their bathroom spot. Praise them and give them a treat if they finish in that spot. Punishments can encourage undesirable behaviors like eating vomit and feces and cause anxiety in your pup.
How To Treat Vomiting at Home? | Vomiting dog?
I recently shared an article on dog vomit, taking a closer look at what different colors, textures, and smells actually mean. Plus, we went over when dog vomit is cause for concern. (If you haven’t read that article yet, you can check it out HERE.) After publishing that read, I received an email with a really great question: “Why does my dog eat vomit?”
While the thought of throwing up partially digested food, taking a whiff of the chunky mess, and then lapping it back up sounds quite disgusting to us, it’s actually perfectly normal for our dogs.