Jen
As fur parents, nothing else in this world could compare to a mini-heart attack that our dogs give us when they start to retch. And no, they don’t vomit instantly; their vomits consist of about four or five times of consecutive retching, so you would feel your heart stop.
Endless questions will then flood your worried mind. What’s going on? Why does your dog throw up… especially after eating something cold?
Your dog throws up after eating something cold because it might have a stomach that is sensitive to cold food or drinks, it might have eaten its food quickly, it might have experienced brain freeze, or it might be suffering from a food allergy or intolerance from the food that they have consumed.
Now this concept might sound broad but fret not because this article aims to explain this topic thoroughly and let you know what to do when this happens again.
Can dogs vomit because of a cold?
Yes, dogs can vomit due to the ingestion of cold substances or exposure to cold temperatures. Cold temperatures can have several effects on a dog’s digestive system and overall well-being, leading to vomiting in some cases. Here are a few possible reasons why dogs may vomit after exposure to cold:
Cold-induced gastritis: The sudden intake of very cold substances, such as ice or cold water, can irritate the stomach lining, leading to gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. This irritation can trigger vomiting as a protective mechanism.
Rapid temperature change: Dogs that quickly transition from a cold environment to a warm environment or vice versa may experience a sudden change in body temperature. This temperature fluctuation can affect their digestive system and potentially result in vomiting.
Gastrointestinal sensitivity: Some dogs have more sensitive digestive systems and may be prone to vomiting when exposed to cold substances. They may have a lower tolerance for temperature variations or be more susceptible to gastrointestinal upset.
Eating too quickly: Dogs that eat or drink too quickly, including cold substances, can swallow air along with the food or liquid. This excess air intake can cause stomach discomfort and lead to vomiting.
It’s important to note that while vomiting due to cold exposure or ingestion of cold substances can occur, it is not the only possible cause of vomiting in dogs.
There can be various underlying reasons for vomiting, including dietary indiscretion, gastrointestinal disorders, infections, dietary allergies or sensitivities, and more.
If your dog frequently vomits after exposure to a cold or exhibits other concerning symptoms, it’s advisable to consult with a veterinarian for a proper evaluation and guidance specific to your dog’s situation.
Can cold food upset a dog’s stomach?
No, cold food does not upset a healthy dog’s stomach. As long as it is not ice cold or frozen, serving your dog cold food should not cause them to throw up.
If you have served your dog cold food on top of their kibble, or just gave them a piece of cold food that you are about to munch on and they got sick, there is a higher possibility that they got sick because the food has already gone bad, they might have consumed it quickly, or they are allergic to that specific food.
If your dog’s stomach got upset upon feeding him or her cold food and is vomiting nonstop, you should seek professional help immediately.
Why does my dog throw up after eating ice cream?
This has already happened to Matcha, my two-year-old Maltese-Shih tzu dog. She is a little over ten pounds, so she is tiny, and with that cute build comes a pretty tiny and sensitive stomach as well.
If your dog is like her, he or she might have also experienced throwing up eating ice cream, and there might be two reasons behind this: sensitivity to cold food or intolerance to dairy.
Sensitivity to cold
The abrupt temperature change, paired with their enthusiastic licking of ice cream to finish it immediately, can cause them to throw up. It is known that a dog, no matter what breed it is, has stomach linings that are sensitive to changes in temperature, which is why they might throw up when they eat ice cream.
Although their vomiting from cold food or drinks is quite alarming, this means that their immune response is still at work, and whatever is foreign to them goes back out.
Intolerance to dairy
Did you feed your dog Ben & Jerry’s, or your favorite ice cream because you want them to try how good it tastes? While your intentions are good, there is a high possibility that your dog is lactose intolerant.
Adverse reaction to allergens like dairy is quite rare for dogs. This is why a lot of people, and in fact, most manufacturers of dog treats incorporate cheese in their recipes. However, being rare doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Some dogs are still allergic to dairy, and your dog might be one of them.
To confirm if your dog is allergic to dairy, observe the frequency of vomiting when your dog tries to consume ice cream or any dairy products. You can also consult your trusted veterinarian so they can conduct an allergen test to give you a definite diagnosis for your dog’s condition.
Why does my dog throw up after eating snow?
We put paw bandages or even doggie boots around their little toe beans to protect them from stepping onto the cold snow. But no amount of dog muzzle could ever stop them from sniffing or ingesting it.
If you have observed that your dog throws up after eating snow, here are the possible reasons for it:
Winter Blap Disease
There are not a lot of academic studies that deal with Winter blap disease, but this occurs when you have a dog that has consumed a lot of snow while walking outside. This is when your dog will feel sick and would start vomiting from not just the volume of the snow that it has consumed, but with the chemicals like anti-freeze and ice-melting substances that most people use to melt the snow in the driveway.
To prevent this from happening, closely monitoring your dog during his routine walks could be very helpful. Limiting the use of liquid substances that could be ingested by dogs is also strongly advised.
Cold-induced gastritis
Eating a large amount of snow can cause a sudden change in their stomach’s temperature, potentially leading to gastric irritation or inflammation. This condition is known as cold-induced gastritis and can result in vomiting as a protective mechanism.
Although this condition typically resolves on its own, you should consult a doctor if this problem persists.
Ingesting foreign objects
If your dog’s stomach is not that sensitive and they suddenly vomit when they have ingested snow, there is a possibility that they have also ingested other foreign objects in the snow.
We all know that the ground is infested with different parasites, and sometimes, our lawns or the grass in the park is often sprayed with pesticides or herbicides, and these things might have gotten incorporated with the snow that your dog has swallowed.
Observing your dog’s condition after the first time that they have vomited; taking pictures of how their vomit looks like and taking notes of how often they have vomited could most likely help your veterinarian in diagnosing the condition that your dog is suffering from.
Dietary changes
I am not proud of the fact that I am a part of the Overly-protective Fur Parents’ Club, and you might be an honorary member too if you are the type of dog owner who sterilizes their dog’s food bowl and gives them purified water.
If you are one of us, ingesting snow might have upset your dog’s stomach, which is why he or she vomited after ingesting them. Dietary changes can alter the normal bacterial composition in your dog’s stomach, hence they try to expel the snow that they have ingested.
Underlying health conditions
This is not an attempt to add to the anxiety that you are already feeling, but if your dog has continuously vomited after eating snow, this may be a symptom of an underlying health issue, such as gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, or dietary sensitivities.
It is important to closely monitor your dog for any other signs of illness or changes in behavior and consult with a veterinarian if the vomiting persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms.
To determine the exact cause of your dog’s vomiting, we still strongly suggest that you consult with a veterinarian as soon as possible. They can evaluate your dog’s overall health, perform any necessary tests, and provide appropriate guidance or treatment to address the issue.
Dog throws up cold water
If your dog throws up cold water after drinking them, aside from the possibility of them having a sensitive stomach, there is a high chance that these are the reasons behind it:
It Went Down The Wrong Pipe
Yup, the answer might be as simple as the water going down the wrong pipe. You might have been worried that your dog has thrown up after drinking cold water, but you might have just over-elevated their water bowl, which may also cause bloating and vomiting.
Make sure that the position of your dog’s water bowl is not too high to prevent this from happening.
Regurgitation
If you observe that your dog does not retch or forcefully tries to throw up but passively expels the cold water that he or she just ingested, this might be a case of regurgitation.
Regurgitation in dogs refers to the passive expulsion of undigested food or liquid from the esophagus, typically without any preceding retching or effortful expulsion. It is different from vomiting, which involves forceful contractions of the abdominal muscles and is typically associated with the stomach.
Regurgitation can occur if your dog has quickly consumed large amounts of water or food, or if your dog has other underlying conditions that might cause them to regurgitate whatever they ingest.
Can ice make my dog sick?
Ice, in small amounts, is completely safe for dogs. AKC reports that ice cubes can be placed in dogs’ water bowls to slow down the ingestion of water for dogs that drink their water quickly.
Other veterinarians also encourage dog owners with fluffy dogs to add ice cubes in water, especially during the summer, to help lower their dog’s internal temperature and prevent overheating.
Ice cubes are also helpful for dogs who just underwent surgery and need to slowly reintroduce water and check if they can already drink on their own.
Therefore, ice will not make your dog sick, but the size and how clean the water is play a huge role in making your dog sick.
So for example, a huge block of ice can be a choking hazard over a tiny ice cube. Or ice from your fridge is much safer than the ice your dog could ingest outside from a hailstorm.
As dog owners, we should always be careful of what our dogs ingest, no matter how safe it is, especially if you own one who tries to eat whatever he or she sees.
Pancreatitis in dogs
Pancreatitis in dogs or canine pancreatitis is the condition where the pancreas of the dog, the organ responsible for producing digestive enzymes and hormones such as insulin, is inflamed.
This could happen when the dog is suffering from dietary indiscretion (eating high-fat foods), obesity, a side effect of certain medications, underlying undiagnosed health conditions, genetic predisposition, and more. In some cases, the etiology of canine pancreatitis may be unknown.
The reason why pancreatitis in dogs is brought up in this article is that one of the clinical presentations of this disease includes vomiting, aside from the long list of its signs and symptoms like anorexia, weakness, and abdominal pain.
However, dogs with pancreatitis can experience vomiting regardless of the temperature of the food they consume. While certain factors, such as high-fat foods or dietary indiscretion, can trigger or exacerbate pancreatitis in dogs, the act of vomiting is not specific to the temperature of the food. Vomiting in pancreatitis can occur due to inflammation and associated digestive disturbances.
If you suspect that your dog has pancreatitis or if they are experiencing vomiting, it’s important to consult with a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. They can conduct a thorough examination, perform diagnostic tests, and provide guidance on managing pancreatitis and addressing vomiting episodes.
In conclusion
In conclusion, dogs may experience vomiting after eating something cold for various reasons. These reasons include sensitivity to cold food, eating too quickly, brain freeze, food allergies or intolerances, and underlying health conditions. It’s essential to monitor your dog’s behavior, provide access to fresh water, and avoid feeding them large amounts of very cold food. If vomiting persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, it is recommended to consult with a veterinarian for proper evaluation and guidance specific to your dog’s situation.
