Puppy vomit smells of feces

by Jenae
(Ohio)

My puppy has been vomiting for the past two days and it smells very strongly of feces and is brown in color.

Should i be concerned?


Hi Jenae
Puppies (and dogs) vomit for all kinds of reason, from eating too fast, gobbling up forbidden stuff, illness and so on.

It's difficult to tell why your pup's vomit is the way you describe, and this may sound simplistic - but is he a 'poop eater'?

Coprophaghia, or poop-eating, is fairly common in puppies and can make them vomit. Obviously what's coming back up IS feces, and can look and smell as you describe. I guess that you would notice if he does this and then vomits later, but if he's running around in your yard unsupervised, you may be unaware of his 'habit'.

If you think this may be the case, check out my Why does my dog eat poop page for more information and tips on dealing with this nasty habit.

However, if this isn't likely, you definitely need to find the reason for your pup's vomiting, and the sooner the better. Puppies get dehydrated very easily, and their blood sugar levels can also drop quickly, when they vomit repeatedly. Is he drinking okay? If not, then he needs to see a vet immediately.

Things that would indicate an emergency veterinarians visit are -

• Vomit that contains fresh blood (red streaks) or something that looks like coffee grounds (digested blood).



• Persistent vomiting where the puppy can't keep food or water down



• Vomiting accompanied by diarrhea and/or lethargy



• If there are worms, or any kind of foreign objects - such as plastic, string, rocks etc. in the vomit



• If she's retching, or heaving, but not actually vomiting and is her tummy is swollen or extended (this could indicate a blockage)

Vomiting that lasts more than a few hours in a puppy, should definitely be seen by a veterinarian on an emergency basis.

Parvo and some of the other common, contagious dog illnesses have vomiting as one of their major symptoms. If your pup seems unwell, is excessively tired, unable to keep down food or water, has diarrhea and so on, it's vital to take her to a veterinarian right away. These diseases kill, and quickly, so don't delay. Better safe than sorry.


Overall, I would strongly recommend that you take your puppy to see the veterinarian tonight if she's still vomiting and seems at all unwell. If she's not vomiting anymore, and can keep water down, you can probably wait until the morning. But I would definitely call then and make an appointment to take her in asap.

Even a bad case of worms can cause persistent vomiting and there are other significant health risks associated with that.

Anyway, I hope this has helped to make it clearer to you what it is that you should do, but remember, if in doubt - see the vet!

Best of luck and I hope your puppy is doing fine very soon.