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An English Bulldog throwing up white foam can be caused by various different conditions. The conditions that could be causing your English Bulldog to throw up white foam are heatstroke, acid reflux, toxin exposure, indigestions issues and more.
When trying to understand why your English Bulldog is throwing up white foam, it's important to think about all the possible causes and understand if this is the issue with your bulldog.
Potential causes of my English Bulldog throwing up white foam
Heatstroke
As a brachycephalic breed, English Bulldogs are at high risk of suffering from heatstroke. Heatstroke will occur when your bulldog is exposed to high temperatures for an extended period of time.
Symptoms of heatstroke in English Bulldogs
If your English Bulldog is suffering from heatstroke, then it's important that you spot the signs as quickly as possible to help minimise the risk and potential issues. The symptoms of heatstroke in English Bulldogs are:
Heavy Panting
Excessive Drooling
Bright red tongue and gums
Collapsing
Vomiting, including throwing up white foam
Treatment for heatstroke in English Bulldogs
If your English Bulldog is suffering from heatstroke, then you urgently need to start gradually reducing their body temperature. To do this you can:
Move your bulldog out of the direct heat, and place it in a cooler/shaded area
Poor cool water over your bulldog to start reducing their temperature. Ensure that the water is cool and not cold, cold water can lead to your bulldog going into shock.
Place wet flannels on your dog to help reduce their temperature
Allow your dog to drink small amounts of cold water, but don't let it drink a whole bowl of water.
Once your bulldogs body temperature has started too cool, take them to the nearest vet as a matter of urgency to get them checked over.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis occurs when your dogs pancreas becomes inflamed. The pancreas is the organ that sits on the right side of the dog’s abdomen, right next to the stomach. It’s responsible for producing various enzymes that regulate digestion and multiple hormonal functions.
Symptoms of Pancreatitis in English Bulldogs
If your dog is suffering from Pancreatitis, this can lead to your English Bulldog throwing up white foam, as well as their food due to digestive problems. Other symptoms of pancreatitis include:
Vomiting
Eating Less
A painful stomach
Diarrhoea
Weight loss
Pancreatitis can range from mild to severe. If your bulldog does have Pancreatitis, it may not suffer from all the symptoms.
Treatment for Pancreatitis in English Bulldogs
To treat your English Bulldog for Pancreatitis, you will need to seek professional help from your vet. They will need to run tests that will include blood tests, x-rays and an ultrasound scan.
If your dog is suffering from mild Pancreatitis, the treatments include:
Anti-sickness medicine
Strong pain relief
Rest
Tempting them to eat small, low fat meals given throughout the day.
If your English Bulldog is suffering from severe Pancreatitis, the treatments include:
Staying a few days in a veterinary hospital
A drip to give lifesaving fluids
Nursing care
Careful feeding (if they aren’t eating on their own, it’s sometimes necessary to place a stomach tube).
Indigestion
Gastrointestinal distress due to indigestion is one of the leading reasons why English Bulldogs throw up white foam. English Bulldogs are known to suffer from Gastrointestinal distress.
Symptoms of Indigestion in English Bulldogs
If your English Bulldog is throwing up white foam, then it may be suffering from indigestion. Other symptoms of your bulldog suffering from indigestion are:
Weight Loss
Lip Smacking & Gulping
Stomach Bloat
Diarrhoea
Bad Breath
Gas
Treatments for Indigestion in English Bulldogs
There are several home remedies for treating your English Bulldogs indigestion. These include:
Canned Pumpkin: Canned Pumpkin is one of the best holistic remedies for pet indigestion. To find our more about how Canned Pumpkin can help your dog, head over to Pet MD.
Diet Change: If the digestive problems are the result of gastric acid buildup, you may want to change your dog’s diet. Withhold food for a day or two, and then feed them small and regular meals of low-fat, low-protein foods, since fats and proteins are often the cause of an increase in gastric acid.
Bone Broth: One of the best ways to soothe the stomach and hydrate your pup involves feeding them a bone broth soup. This can take up to 24 hours to make, but once you’ve done it, you can freeze it and then break it out whenever stomach issues crop up. For a recipe, check out the one provided by Brindleberry Acres.
If your dog’s digestive problems are worsening or not subsiding, then we recommend seeking professional advice from a vet.
Bloat
When your English Bulldogs stomach becomes full with a combination of water, air & food, it becomes distended.
Symptoms of Bloat in English Bulldogs
As well as your bulldog throwing up white foam, other symptoms of bloat can include:
A swollen, hard belly
Retching but not able to vomit
Drooling
Pain in the abdomen when touched
Other signs of distress such as panting and restlessness
Treatments for Bloat in English Bulldogs
If your English Bulldog is suffering from bloat, then we recommend visiting a vet immediately. Bloat can progress into something much worse in a short period of time and become potentially fatal for your bulldog.
Bulldogs are known for gulping their food down, this is a common cause of bloat, to prevent this you should look too slow down your dogs eating.
Poisoning
Exposure to toxic substances can lead to poisoning your English Bulldog, which can lead to your bulldog vomiting white foam. The toxins will cause your dog to suffer from gastrointestinal irritation, which triggers the dog to salivate intensely, which can then progress into the vomiting white foam.
Symptoms of Poisoning in English Bulldogs
As well as your English Bulldog vomiting up white foam, other symptoms of poisoning can include:
Sickness
Diarrhoea
Tremors
Drooling
Pale gums
Treatments for Poisoning in English Bulldogs
If your English Bulldog is suffering from poisoning, then we recommend visiting a vet immediately. Depending on what has caused the poisoning, your vet will decide on the necessary treatment.
Acid Reflux
Acid Reflux is characterised by the uncontrollable reverse flow of gastric or intestinal fluids into the tube connecting the throat and the stomach. When Acid Reflux happens in your English Bulldog, its gastric fluids flow upward into the oesophagus - which can lead to your English Bulldog to vomiting white foam.
While this can happen to all dogs, acid reflux is more common in brachycephalic breeds like English Bulldogs. Bulldogs have a shorter oesophagus compared to non-brachycephalic canine.
Symptoms of Acid Reflux in English Bulldogs
As well as your English Bulldog vomiting white foam, other symptoms of Acid Reflux are:
Bad breath
Constipation, diarrhoea and bloating
Burping, gagging, or minimal vomiting/regurgitation after a meal
Dry cough
Wheezing
Pain after eating, such as restlessness and hunching over
Inactivity or lethargy after meal
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Treatments for Acid Reflux in English Bulldogs
Most treatment is done at home, by withholding food for one to two days, and thereafter following a dietary regimen of low-fat, low-protein meals given in small, frequent feedings. Dietary fat and protein should be limited, as fat decreases the strength of the muscle between the stomach and oesophagus, while protein stimulates the secretion of gastric acid.
Medications are an additional option. Drugs known as gastrointestinal pro-kinetic agents improve the movement of stomach contents through the intestines and also strengthens the gastroesophageal sphincter. Regardless of any medications, a change in diet is advisable.
Parvovirus
Parvovirus is a dangerous virus that can be fatal amongst dogs. It's a virus that dogs are vaccinated against whilst they are puppies. However, your dog may end up catching Parvovirus before it has been vaccinated against the virus.
Symptoms of Parvovirus in English Bulldogs
When a dog contracts parvovirus, it will cause severe gastrointestinal upset. As well as causing your English Bulldog to throw up white foam, some of Parvovirus other symptoms include:
Bloody and severe diarrhoea
Vomiting
Mouth foaming
Poor appetite
Dehydration
Depression
Weakness and disorientation
Treatments for Parvovirus in English Bulldogs
If your English Bulldog is suffering from Parvovirus, then we recommend visiting a vet immediately. If your dog has Parvovirus and the virus is left untreated, your dog can die in a matter of days or weeks.
Parvovirus will reduce your dog’s ability to fight the virus because it decreases the white blood cell count. The decrease in your dogs white blood cell count can lead to your bulldog suffering from further infections. To combat this, your vet will provide your dog with antibiotic medication.
There is no treat for Parvovirus, however your vet will treat your dog to deal with the symptoms that the virus causes in your dog, as well as ensuring your dog gets the correct nutrition to ensure it can fight the virus.
Kennel Cough
Kennel Cough is a contagious illness that can cause your bulldog to vomit white foam. Dogs commonly catch kennel cough at places where large amounts of dogs are congregated, such as dog parks, daycare centres or training groups.
Symptoms of Kennel Cough in English Bulldogs
The symptoms of kennel cough are:
A strong cough, often with a “honking” sound – this is the most obvious symptom
Runny nose
Sneezing
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Low fever
Treatments for Kennel Cough in English Bulldogs
Mild cases of kennel cough can often be treated with a week or twos rest for you dog. A vet may prescribe antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection and cough medication to ease the symptoms.
To help prevent kennel cough, you can have your dog vaccinated.
Rabies
Rabies is known to cause a white mouth-foaming amongst dogs, and this can lead to your English Bulldog throwing up white foam.
Symptoms of Rabies in English Bulldogs
English Bulldogs infected with rabies will drool and foam from their mouth excessively. Other symptoms of rabies also include:
Seizures
Aggression
Staggering
Loss of balance
Difficult swallowing
Incoordination
Treatments for Rabies Cough in English Bulldogs
There is no treatment for rabies in dogs. Once your dog has contracted rabies, the only thing that can be done is to put the dog down, otherwise the virus will continue to spread through your dogs body and eventually be fatal.
A dog with rabies can spread this onto humans, and the disease is equally as fatal for humans as it is for dogs.
What should I do if my English Bulldog is throwing up white foam?
If your English Bulldog is throwing up white foam, then we do recommend visiting a vet to ensure the root cause is diagnosed correctly and the necessary treatments can be prescribed for your bulldog.
Although the causes of your English Bulldog throwing up white foam are often harmless and will not lead to further complications, some of the causes are potentially fatal so it is best to get your dog diagnoses by a professional.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for an English Bulldog to vomit?
English Bulldogs are more prone to vomiting than other dog breeds, however if your dog is vomiting frequently then this isn't normal, and you should seek professional advice.
Why is my dog vomiting yellow foam?
If your English Bulldogs vomit is yellowish or greenish, then the vomit contains bile. This substance is produced on the liver and plays an important role in digestion.
Can I give my English Bulldog Pepto Bismol?
Pepto Bismol is a medication for humans with an upset stomach and can be given to dogs in small amounts. The rule of thumb is to use only one teaspoon for every 10 lbs. of your dog’s weight. Before giving your dog any medications, it’s best to call the vet to ensure that it’s safe to use on your dog, especially if it has a lingering illness or taking specific medications.
Why does my Bulldog keep throwing up?
If your English Bulldog keeps throwing up, you should assess what has happened before the vomiting occurs. If your Bulldog is eating before throwing up, acid reflux or eating too fast might be the reasons why. However, if the vomiting isn’t abating, you must seek immediate veterinary care.
Conclusion
There are many potential causes to why your English Bulldog might be throwing up white foam. The best thing you can do for your dogs help is seek professional advise so that it can be diagnosed and treated according as soon as possible.
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