Yorkie Throwing Up (Vomiting Causes, Treatments & Vital Info)

Few things are as scary as watching your Yorkie throwing up. You can see he or she is suffering and want to help them feel better. And in many cases, you can. Most instances of Yorkies vomiting are not serious and are something you can remedy yourself at home. But sometimes it is something serious that requires immediate medical attention. How do you know the difference? Keep reading to find out. We’ll also cover exactly what you can do to help your Yorkie feel better, plus preventative measures to avoid a similar issue in the future.  

Yorkie Vomit Types Can Help Diagnose The Issue

Seeing your Yorkie puke can be a terrifying experience. It is particularly true if you have a teacup Yorkie, because their well-being is more fragile. The fact that vomiting is such a vague symptom is the most concerning aspect of it. These dogs can suffer from many skin allergies and other health issues that are often accompanied by vomiting. It can be anything from gluten allergies to intestinal bugs. Then you need to add to that their propensity for eating the strangest things they come across. So how do you begin to diagnose why your Yorkie is vomiting? Fortunately, the vomit itself contains a wealth of information. Let’s take a look at the most common forms Yorkie vomit can take and what they usually indicate.  

Yorkie Throwing Up Undigested Food

This is usually a symptom of an issue with the passage of food through the gut tract. It is common in Yorkies with esophageal abnormalities, tumors in the gut, and various food intolerances. It can also occur due to food poisoning or motion sickness, for example if you drive after your pet has eaten.  

Yorkie Vomiting Yellow Bile

Bile vomiting is common is Yorkies with gastritis or pancreatitis. It usually happens on an empty stomach, with only bile and mucous in the upper gut segment. This type of vomiting is usually a vivid, uniform yellow and should not be confused with parvovirus vomiting.  

Yorkie Throwing Up Clear Liquid

Saliva, mucus, or swallowed water are the most common culprits. Clear liquid vomiting is usually the result of stomach inflammation. It is almost always gastritis.  

Yorkie Throwing Up White Foam

White foam usually occurs after a period of prolonged vomiting, when your dog has little left in its stomach to cough up. The dog begins to vomit frothy liquids that are mostly air and mucus from the intestines. White foam vomiting is common in cases of food poisoning, pancreatitis, and other conditions that cause excessive vomiting.  

Why Is My Yorkie Throwing Up?

As mentioned, there are a bunch of possible causes for your dog vomiting. Armed with the information we just covered, we can now narrow down the reason your pup is throwing up. Usually vomiting is accompanied by additional symptoms. Those can give a clue as to the underlying issue causing your Yorkie to throw up. Some common symptoms that accompany vomiting are:

• Excessive thirst
• The presence of white foam
• The presence of yellow bile
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Weight loss (seen in chronic cases)
• Drooling
• Lethargy
• Decreased appetite
• Refusal to drink
• Dehydration
• Restlessness
• Panicked behavior
• Panting
• Shivering, shaking

Now lets take a look at the most common causes of a Yorkie throwing up.  

Empty Stomach

The most common cause of a Yorkshire Terrier vomiting yellow liquid, with or without white foam, is an empty stomach. Acid in the stomach builds up and gets vomited out, without any food to act as a cushion. It is not a severe problem. To combat this, give your Yorkie some food. Find a snack it accepts and start with small amounts, gradually increasing them. Yorkies need at least three meals a day. If you have not been feeding your enough, increase this in the future. This applies to both puppies and adults. Snacks provided to prevent a dog from vomiting bile do not have to be significant. Sometimes, only a tiny mini-cracker or two, given 3 to 4 times per day between meals, will suffice.  

Indigestion

The most common cause of a Yorkie coughing up white foam is indigestion, also known as dyspepsia. This basically means an upset stomach. Yorkies suffer from indigestion in the same way as humans do, but they vomit even more often. Throwing up white foam is usually your dog’s body trying to get rid of something bothering its stomach. It is possible that your Yorkie ate too much grass, ate too fast, or ate and drank too much right after exercising. If your dog is not vomiting daily, it is probably just suffering from indigestion. You want to make sure you feed your Yorkie the right kinds of food and in the right amounts. This is especially true for puppies. We have an article on what and how much to feed a Yorkie puppy.  

Parvovirus

Parvovirus is a highly contagious and potentially fatal virus that often affects puppies and young dogs. Parvovirus can kill puppies and young dogs in as little as two or three days. It should go without saying that a dog infected with the parvovirus needs to see a veterinarian right away. Wondering what to do if you can’t afford emergency vet care? Follow that link for a list of options available to you. The symptoms of parvo are:

• White foamy vomit
• Bloody diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Fever

 

Acid Reflux

Is your Yorkie throwing up white foam before feeding in the morning? He or she may have acid reflux, also known as reflux gastritis. After not eating for too long a period, bile in your Yorkie’s intestines flows backward into the stomach, causing this disorder. This bile irritates your Yorkie’s stomach, causing acid reflux. Acid reflux can cause Yorkies to vomit white or yellow foam. Bilious vomiting syndrome is the official name for this disorder.  

Kennel Cough

Your Yorkie might have contracted kennel cough if it has recently been in close quarters with other dogs coughing white foam. This upper respiratory infection is highly contagious, but it is generally mild and usually resolves in 7 to 10 days. Here are the primary symptoms of kennel cough:

• A pronounced coughing or honking cough that can create white foam
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Lethargy
• Lack of appetite

Before boarding your dog, please bring it to the vet to get the Bordetella vaccine. This prevents infection by the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica, which causes kennel cough. It is not a core vaccine, but it should be on any Yorkie vaccine schedule for a dog that may spend time living with other strange dogs.  

Pancreatitis

This health condition is an inflammation of the pancreas, a crucial organ in mammals for proper digestion. Pancreatitis causes dogs to vomit their food regularly, and this vomit can contain white foam. Other symptoms of pancreatitis include:

• Hunched back
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• Lack of appetite
• Fatigue
• Dehydration

Get your Yorkie to the vet as soon as possible, if it experiences any of these additional symptoms.  

Bloat

Bloat is a severe illness that often affects deep-chested adult and senior dogs. Bloat causes a Yorkie’s stomach to expand when it fills with gas, fluid, or food. A Yorkie coughing up white foam is one of the first signs of the disease. Bloat causes several other symptoms in Yorkies, in addition to a bloated belly and vomiting white foam.

• Failure to defecate
• Pale gums
• Frequent drooling
• Coughing

Bring your Yorkie to the vet right away if you think it has bloat. Yorkies will die from bloat if they are not treated. The swollen abdomen restricts blood flow to the heart and puts pressure on the lungs, making breathing difficult.  

Treating A Yorkie For Vomiting

We will go into what to do if you have one of the top causes of vomiting. If you suspect some of the more serious reasons, you should see your veterinarian right away.  

Treating The Vomiting

Follow these steps to treat the vomiting itself. Hopefully your Yorkie will stop vomiting within a day or two. If not, it is time to see a vet.  

1. Withhold Food

For 12 to 24 hours, do not let your Yorkie eat anything. Any additional food would almost certainly trigger another episode after a dog has already vomited. Furthermore, if there is also diarrhea, resting the digestive tract may be very helpful. This is why it is ideal to not let your dog eat for at least 12 hours. You can withhold food for up to 24 hours, depending on when you start and your Yorkie’s sleeping habits. Just make sure your pup is still drinking plenty of water. Read about the best home remedies for Yorkie diarrhea for more.  

2. Maintain Hydration

Keeping your Yorkie hydrated is absolutely crucial. But it is best for it not to drink too fast. Give it a little bit of water at a time, to ensure it drinks consumes water slowly. Try to serve filtered or spring water rather than unfiltered tap water. Tap water contains more than 100 contaminants, including known carcinogens. Use a simple home water filter, like a Brita. It is an inexpensive way to keep water free of toxins. If you think your Yorkie is not getting enough water, try mixing some water with Children’s Pedialyte. It is considered safe for canine consumption when given in moderation. Children’s Pedialyte is a hydration solution that helps replace sugar and electrolytes lost during vomiting or diarrhea. Give Pedialyte to a Yorkshire Terrier in small amounts. Give 1/16 of a cup every 1 to 2 hours for a 5-pound dog.  

3. Give Ice Cubes If Water Causes Vomiting

Give ice cubes if drinking water causes your pup to vomit more. As before, it is best to make the ice cubes with filtered or spring water. You can also combine it with Children’s Pedialyte or a 50/50 mixture of water and pure apple juice.  

4. Bland Food After 12 To 24 Hours

Start your Yorkie on a bland diet after 12 to 24 hours. It can consist of one protein and one starch. Plain, skinless, white chicken breast diced small, and plain white rice is one of the most well-tolerated combinations. Lean beef and sweet potato are also excellent choices.  

5. Transition to Regular Diet After 3 Days

Start transitioning back to a regular diet after three days. Vomiting should have subsided by now. If not, call your vet. In most cases, however, the body should be well-rested by the third day. This means it is time to return your Yorkie to its regular daily diet. You may transition to a new, better food if you want. In general, you’ll want to remove whatever was triggering the vomiting from your pet’s life.  

Resolving The Trigger

If a specific trigger was causing your Yorkie to vomit, you want to ensure that trigger no longer occurs in the future. Here are steps you can take for the most common triggers.  

Car Rides

Try the following in order to help keep your pet’s stomach from becoming upset during a car ride.

• Keep your Yorkie in an elevated booster car seat.
• Avoid feeding a meal before a car ride.
• Offer a small dry snack before leaving.
• Give a bit of sugar or ginger snack.
• Keep the temperature down.
• Have windows partially open.
• Stop often before nausea sets in.

 

Diet

If diet is the issue, you will want to change the food you feed your pet. It is always best to make thins change in foods gradually.

1. Do a 3/4 old to 1/4 new mix for the first week.
2. 1/2 and 1/2 the second week, 1/4 to 3/4 the third week.
3. Complete change-over the fourth week.

If you have made a sudden lifestyle change for your Yorkie, you might be able to undo it. Start by returning to your old food and starting again with this more gradual transition.  

Food Allergies

To diagnose a food allergy, a thorough examination of the diet will be necessary. When a dog is allergic to a particular food or ingredient in dog food, it usually develops skin problems. Most notably, these skin problems present as itching or a rash. However, a disturbed stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea are also typical symptoms of food intolerance. Additives are the most frequent offenders. Chemical preservatives or artificial flavoring, for example, are very hard on a dog’s system. Strong grain counts, soy, corn, or by-products, may also trigger vomiting. Generic dog food meats are also always a source of concern, since these meats can contain parts from any number of species. This includes road-kill or euthanized dogs and cats at shelters. Finally, some dogs may be allergic to a particular protein, but this is uncommon. If you are not sure about the food you are feeding your Yorkie, you should seriously consider switching to a better brand. If you think your Yorkie has a chicken allergy, you should try lamb, beef, bison, rabbit, or fish as alternatives. You must closely monitor you pet if you suspect a bacterial or viral infection. It usually clears from the body in a few days, and many dogs can recover quite well at home. A vet visit is necessary if your Yorkie has been vomiting for more than three days.  

Other Preventative Measures

In addition to removing the triggers that cause vomiting, you can also take the following preventative measures to reduce the risk of future incidents.  

Ensure Plenty Of Sleep

All living things need sleep. This is when the body recovers. Ensure that your dog gets enough sleep, so that its body has time to rest and combat toxins.  

Feed High-Quality Dog Food

While you are at the supermarket, do not just grab whatever is on the bottom shelf, unless it is a financial necessity. Always choose a quality dog food for your yorkie that is well-liked by many people and has positive online feedback. The nutrition facts should take precedence over all else. You will also find diets designed especially for small dogs or dogs with food sensitivities! Also, make sure you know what Yorkies should and should not eat.  

Potty Training And Hygiene

While it might not seem obvious, vomiting can be avoided simply by ensuring your dog has proper daily routines. You should begin potty training your puppy as soon as possible. And bathe it regularly using a quality dog shampoo. Training can be a lengthy process, but it is one that you will not regret.  

Train Your Yorkie To Not Eat Everything It Sees

Dogs have a hard time resisting the piece of food on the floor next to the dining table. It is understandable, given that human food is a rarity for many dogs. The problem is that they often eat something that causes them to be sick. Training your dog not to eat just anything might help with the vomiting issue.  

Update Vaccines

Getting your Yorkie vaccinated is one of the safest ways to keep them from vomiting frequently. Vaccinations will protect them from infections that make them vomit. Start getting them vaccinated at the age of 5 weeks.  

Yorkies Throwing Up White Foam Or Yellow Liquid

This is a common issue with this tiny toy breed, and it can happen to any age Yorkshire Terrier. It might happen at any hour of the night or day. However, it usually does not occur for at least one to two hours after a meal. The yellow liquid puke rarely contains any food particles and has a thin to dense consistency. The puddle of yellow fluid may be surrounded by white foam, or white foam may be vomited out separately. The yellow substance that your Yorkie is throwing up is stomach bile. This is a liquid material produced by the body to aid in the digestion of food. It is made up of a combination of water, salts, fats, and mucus. The most common cause of a Yorkshire Terrier vomiting yellow liquid, with or without white foam, is an empty stomach. It can build up and be vomited out without any food to act as a cushion. Inflammation of the stomach or intestine or gastritis is a rare but possible ailment. Here are the symptoms of gastritis:

• Reduced appetite
• Increased thirst
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Depression
• Blood in stools (or black tarry stools) or vomit

Some symptoms of a stomach or intestinal inflammation include:

• Vomiting undigested food with dried blood (looks like coffee grounds)
• Diarrhea
• Dark stools
• Stools with mucus
• Straining to force out a bowel movement
• Reduced appetite
• Weight loss
• Abdominal pain.

 

Treatment

If you suspect any of the aforementioned severe health problems, you should see your veterinarian right away. Since this is often caused by infrequent food consumption, providing more regular meals and snacks will cure it. Yorkshire Terriers require at least three meals a day, and this applies to both puppies and adults. However, this is often insufficient to keep bile at bay. Supplemental snacks during the day are often needed. Keep in mind that serving directions on kibble bags are merely suggestions. It is based on the premise that a dog will also receive regular treats. Furthermore, snacks provided to prevent a dog from vomiting bile do not have to be significant. Sometimes, only a tiny mini-cracker or two given 3 to 4 times per day between meals is enough to do the trick. Around 2 hours after a meal offer your Yorkie dessert in the form of a treat. If your Yorkshire Terrier vomits yellow bile first thing in the morning, give one to three treats right before sleeping. If your Yorkie is prone to waking up before you, keep a few treats by its bed. They should be easy to see and reach, so it can eat them as soon as it wakes up. If your Yorkie does not appear to be very hungry or is unwilling to consume any other food, you can:

1. Reduce the amount of food provided at mealtime to make room for snacks throughout the day.
2. You should give treats in exchange for good conduct, such as obeying an order. Many dogs will happily consume a tasty morsel of food if it is evident that it is being offered as a treat.
3. Make an extra-special effort to have extra-delicious treats. Food desirability is often linked to appetite. Find an all-natural treat that has no chemical preservatives or artificial flavoring. Most of them are crispy, mini crackers that are the ideal size for incentives and stomach padding. This post lists the best treats for Yorkies.

 

Yorkie Throwing Up Blood

If a dog is vomiting blood, in conjunction with bloody diarrhea or without, take it to a veterinarian right away. There is never a situation where you should not consult a veterinarian if your dog vomits blood. While you can often treat vomiting at home, the presence of fresh or dried blood in vomit or bowel movements indicates a severe or potentially life-threatening condition. The following infections are all possibilities.  

Parasitic Infection

• Roundworms
• Hookworms
• Tapeworms
• Whipworms
• Coccidia

 

Bacterial Infection

• Salmonella
• E. Coli
• Clostridia
• Campylobacter

 

Viral Infection

• Parvovirus
• Canine Distemper

 

Additional Possible Causes

• Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE)
• Stomach ulcers
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Tumors of the esophagus or stomach
• Clotting disorders
• Poisoning

Bloody vomit, with or without bloody diarrhea, should be treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Do not try to handle it at home. If it is a mild case of diarrhea, read “My Yorkie has diarrhea.” Worms especially are extremely common in dogs, which is why you should deworm puppies multiple times and adult dogs regularly. Learn when to deworm puppies and how to do it yourself in that article.  

When Do You Need To Worry That Your Yorkie Is Throwing Up?

It is never a good thing when your Yorkie needs to puke. But most of the time, it is nothing serious ad not a cause for concerned. It may be something as simple as motion sickness, or your excited little pooch overeating or eating too quickly. Both are very common problems with this breed. However, if your Yorkie has been vomiting a lot, you should take quick action. This usually means contacting a vet. These are some of the scenarios in which you would want to consult with a professional.  

Vomiting Is Accompanied By Other Symptoms

Vomiting due to fundamental problems such as overeating is often followed by no other symptoms. However, if your Yorkie is exhibiting any other symptoms in addition to vomiting, you should be worried. Take action as soon as possible. Fever, trembling, diarrhea, excessive moaning or howling, and various other symptoms are among the ones to be worried about.  

Your Yorkie Starts Shaking

This is usually a symptom of a serious issues. Even if it is not something serious, it is a scary sight that leaves you wondering: why is my Yorkie shaking. The most serious problem is excessive fluid and electrolyte loss. Continued and uncompensated losses, if not addressed immediately, could have significant, and even fatal, consequences. If your Yorkie starts vomiting and shaking, take it to see a veterinarian immediately.  

Bloody Vomit

Blood in the vomit is never a positive indication and could point to anything, from severe gastritis to parvovirus infection. None of these issues is the wait-it-out kind. Get your doggy urgent medical attention before it loses too much blood.  

Nothing You Do Seems To Help

Nothing you have done, from teaching your dog not to eat random items to swapping out its dog food, has worked. You may be dealing with more complex and long-term problems. Get professional help.  

Foods To Feed Your Yorkie When It Is Sick

Once your Yorkie has stopped vomiting and you are ready to begin feeding it full meals again, consider adding some of the following to its diet to help promote a healthy digestive system.  

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is rich in fiber, which aids in the digestion of dogs. Below is a list of nutrients your Yorkie can get when eating pumpkin.

• Vitamin E
• Thiamin
• Niacin
• Vitamin B6
• Folate
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorous
• Dietary fiber
• Vitamin A, vitamin C
• Riboflavin
• Potassium
• Copper

 

Bone Broth

Bone broth is a mild, liquid meal that fits well in the stomachs of upset dogs. It’s also a safe and tasty way to add moisture and taste to dry food. At the same time, it also encourages dogs with low appetites to feed. Both bone broth and pumpkin are also great to ease a dog’s constipation.  

Chicken And Rice

Many dog foods have chicken and rice as main ingredients, and these soft foods are gentle on dogs’ stomachs. Only boneless, skinless chicken breasts and rice are needed.  

Shredded Chicken

Plain, unseasoned, boiled, shredded chicken is easy to digest and high in essential vitamins, minerals, fats, and amino acids. It makes it an excellent snack for dogs who are sick.  

Baby Food

Baby food is a perfect way to offer oral medicines because it is easy to chew and digest. Stage II meat-based baby foods, such as chicken, lamb, and turkey, are recommended by veterinarians. Just make sure the baby food you choose does not contain garlic or onion powder.  

Yorkie Vomiting: Conclusion

You can try different approaches to help minimize the issue or, at the very least, alleviate your dog’s distress. It all depends on what you’re dealing with. Home remedies work well in many cases, but I suggest rushing your dog to the vet right away, if you notice any of the red flags we discussed.