Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

Why is my dog throwing up apple chunks and what should I feed her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 9 years and 3 months old | 4 lbs

Precious threw up when I left the room. Yesterday she had some apple & there are chunks of it in it. It doesn’t seem to be much liquid. Why did this happen? Could it have been that the apples weren’t as fresh as they could’ve been? I tried to find the freshest one for her. She threw up a few days ago & that also smelt fruity & I think it was either apples, her treats, or both because she ate a lot that day. She’s acting normal, eating, & drinking. She was spayed & has a bump removed the 18th.

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 27th, 2018

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. There are many causes of vomiting, so it is difficult to say for sure what this could be from. I suspect the vomiting is due to dietary indiscretion or something she ate. About 65-70% of vomiting / diarrhea cases can be directly linked to the diet or an imbalance of the normal intestinal bacteria. I would recommend discontinuing apples, any treats and her dog food and feed her a bland diet as outlined below. Once the vomiting has resolved, I would continue feeding the bland diet at least 3 days beyond the resolution of the vomiting and then transition back to the dog food only. I would discontinue any treats and apples / fruit as it may be hard for her to digest these. I hope this helps! If she continues to vomit or worsens, then I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. GENERAL INFORMATION A bland diet is a diet that is soft and highly digestible. It is low in fiber, fat and protein and is high in carbohydrates. Bland diets are generally composed of a single carbohydrate source and a single lean protein source. The most common bland diet is boiled rice and boiled lean chicken breast, without skin and bones. Since bland diets are low in fiber, stool production slows and defecation is less frequent. Bland diets are fed to rest the gastric system and to help promote normal stool formation. Animals that are physically sick should not be fed bland diets as a method of treatment. PRIOR TO FEEDING A BLAND DIET Pets should be fasted for 12 to 24 hours. Young animals should not be fasted for more than 12 hours. Fasting will allow the intestinal system to relax and minimize acid secretions that may irritate and inflame the intestinal lining. During the fast small amounts of water or ice chips may be provided. Never fast a sick animal, it may cause disease progression and death. BASIC BOILED RICE AND CHICKEN BLAND DIET RECIPE CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE: Boiled white rice LEAN PROTEIN SOURCE: Chicken breast, no skin and bones BOILED RICE: 1 part white rice with 3 parts water boiled for 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is easily crushed. BOILED CHICKEN: De-fat chicken breast and boil in water for 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken meat is easily pulled apart and cooked all way through. MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Finely chop the lean protein and mix 2 cups carbohydrate source and ½ cup lean protein source. STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Bland diets can be premade and stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 48 hours. The bland diet can be cooked in a batch and frozen in feeding sized portions to minimize preparation time. Thaw and warm the frozen diet prior to feeding. PERMITTED LEAN PROTEIN SUBSTITUTIONS Pork loin, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese. 7% low fat hamburger, plain low fat yogurt. PERMITTED CARBOHYDRATE SUBSTITUTIONS Boiled potatoes, boiled spaghetti, Minute rice. PERMITTED COMMERCIAL BLAND DIETS Science Prescription Diet I/D, Eukanuba Veterinary Diet Low Residue, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Intestinal HE. FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS Estimate 25% of your animal’s diet and feed that amount of the bland diet every 6 – 8 hours. Smaller animals will require less and larger animals will require more adhering to the same carbohydrate to lean protein source ratio. The bland diet should be fed for 4 -5 days with no treats or other food sources until stools are firm. TRANSITION BACK TO A NORMAL DIET Never transition back to a regular diet rapidly. Transition back to the regular diet over a 1 week period. Start by adding 25% of the regular diet to 75% of the bland diet and feed that combination for 2 days. If stools continue to be firm then continue substituting the regular diet in 25% increments and feeding the combination in 2 day time intervals until 100% normal diet.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

  • Image profile

    Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 21st, 2018

    Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. The vomiting certainly could be from eating the Apple. This could have caused a dietary indiscretion leading to the vomiting that occurred. I would recommend starting a bland diet of chicken and rice and feed this at least 3 days beyond the resolution of the vomiting. If the vomiting continues or worsens then I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate Diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope she feels better soon! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns and I will be more than happy to help you further.

    Vote icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Image profile

    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 27th, 2018

    It is quite possible. Don't let her eat any more apples if you think that is the cause. Throwing up can have many causes such as food over sensitivity, eating something that does not agree with the dog, intestinal parasites, an intestinal blockage, bacterial infection, viral infection, the weather, food change, stress, etc.  I would fast Taffy for 24 hours and then put her on bland food for two days, such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken meat, fed in small quantities over several feeds and then transition back to regular food slowly over a few days. If this does not clear up the vomiting or if the vomiting increases, or if your dog gets lethargic, she needs to see a veterinarian for an exam as there may be something more serious such as an infection going on.

    Vote icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

See More Answers
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Sponsored