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My dog vomits orange, won't eat dog food, vet says fine. What now?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 2 months old | 7 lbs

Our dog will not eat dog food and is vomiting a translucent orange substance once every few days. I took him to the vet for this a couple of weeks ago and the vet said he was in good condition and was probably just being picky. He gave us a prescription, which the dog has finished. Yet we're still having the same issue. Otherwise he seems fine. He's energetic, pooping like normal, will eat human food and treats and drinks plenty of water with no issues. I'm not sure what we do next now.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on August 24th, 2017

I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. This dietary trial is based on the fact that most of the times these episodes are dietary related. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhoea, lethargy or inappetence. In this case more investigations will be required including blood test and abdominal ultrasound. Persistent infections or inflammation (there is a long list of causes for it) are possible. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    Small breeds due tend to be finicky eaters and are quite adept at "training" their pet parents to feed them the "good stuff" (table food, treats, etc.) If he is still vomiting, he should be rechecked by your veterinarian. Blood work should be submitted to assess major organ function and abdominal x-rays should be done to rule out foreign body or masses. Advanced imagery such as endoscopy, ultrasound or even CT/MRI may be indicated based on baseline results. Withhold all food for 24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. No more than 2 tablespoons every hour. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts. Begin with 1 tablespoon every hour and gradually increase the amount as long as Pepe is not vomiting. Feed bland until there is no vomiting for 24-48 hours then gradually transition to a quality dog food. This will be the tricky part but you will need to be firm and consistent. Prepare Pepe's food at the same time every day/night. Dogs thrive on routine and he will come to expect mealtimes if he doesn't already. Prepare his food (you can mix in the bland diet, warm water or a teaspoon of baby food to stimulate his appetite) and leave it down for 15-20 minutes. Pick it up afterwards whether Pepe has eaten or not. Repeat this at the next meal time. Do not offer any other food or treats between meals. He is going to beg, whine and give you "puppy eyes" but do not cave in. Table food is not an appropriate or balanced diet for a dog. He will eat the dog food when he is hungry. He will not starve. A bland diet can be plain white rice mixed with one of the following: cottage cheese, boiled boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cooked/drained ground beef or cooked/drained ground turkey. A his weight, he should need more than 1/2 cup of food daily. The general rule is one cup of dry food is fed per 30lbs body weight. Remember, be firm and be consistent.

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