What to do when your French Bulldog throws up and when to call the vet

why does my frenchie vomit in the morning

It is important to note that vomiting is not an unusual occurrence from time to time. There are several causes, which may be mild, moderate or severe. Ensuring that your Frenchie enjoys a fulfilling life involves providing a loving and caring environment. 

Throwing up things that range from food that has not been properly digested to yellow bile is a scenario that no one wants to witness but these are some of the realities of having a furry friend. Being aware of your dog’s character traits and general health makes it easier to notice any changes that might require a vet’s professional assistance. 

Why does my French Bulldog vomit in the morning?

One of the reasons why people take their Frenchies to the vet is frequent vomiting. There are various circumstances that may lead to your French Bulldog throwing up in the morning. These include hunger, consuming plants, gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, esophageal issues, pharyngeal dysphagia, brachycephalic syndrome and intestinal parasites. 

What made my Frenchie throw up?

French Bulldogs are generally known for having sensitive stomachs, which is evident in their reactions to various meals over time. However, in order to gain a better understanding of why your dog is throwing up, it is important to ask yourself some pertinent questions. These questions should ideally cover aspects such as when the problem started and whether it is ongoing or has been happening for weeks.

Once you address these issues you can move on to the next step of consulting your vet who will physically examine your dog and assess its medical history. There are different instances and reasons that make it possible to figure out why a Frenchie is vomiting.

Since your precious companion does not have the ability to tell you what is going on, getting to the root of the problem will require some investigations. You can expect your vet to find out whether your dog has been refusing to eat, ingesting plants, retching or gagging without anything actually coming out, vomiting bile or food and when the vomiting began. 

Chronic vomiting can go on for a couple of weeks, which is why many people do not seek professional help when their dog throws up a few times during the week and continues to behave in a normal manner. However, if the situation is continuous, it is advisable to get in touch with your vet promptly. Bloodwork is often useful for diagnosing a variety of conditions as well as other tests that are essential for figuring out the underlying cause of the problem. 

If your dog tried out a new treat recently or you suddenly made some adjustments to their diet, these are factors that can lead to vomiting. A French Bulldog’s digestive system is sensitive and it is common for this breed of dogs to experience an allergic reaction to processed oily food. It is also a good idea to keep them away from food that contains substantial amounts of dairy products and eggs. You also need to consider aspects like your Frenchie’s lifestyle habits and age. 

Other triggers for vomiting that you should keep in mind are changes within your dog’s surroundings such as exposure to chemicals or toxic substances. 

Assessing Different Scenarios

Esophageal Issues

French bulldogs typically have esophagi that are not properly formed. Consequently, this may result in challenges when they eat and swallow along with digestive problems and taking in excessive amounts of air while eating.

Esophagitis is a disorder that consists of the esophagus being inflamed because of acid reflux or a food allergy. Symptoms of this disorder include extreme pain during eating, pain in the neck and back, loss of appetite, avoiding lying down, excess drooling, constant coughing and weight loss. 

Other esophageal disorders and problems include dilation in the esophagus, which manifests as a weakened system that is unable to transport food to the stomach. The food remains inside the esophagus and this usually occurs among older dogs. 

Exercising after Eating

Frenchies and their fragile stomachs cannot effectively handle rigorous activities immediately after eating. It is important to ensure that your dog has lots of time to digest their food before they exercise or start running around. 

Eating too fast

The unique shape of a French Bulldog’s face and jaws that so many people are fond of has a downside. Unfortunately, their distinct features make them susceptible to inhaling a lot of air when they eat their food too fast. This may lead to straining their intestines and causing them to vomit. 

You can address this challenge by providing small but regular meals that will enable the dog to chew slowly while making sure they do not plough through their food due to hunger. 

Food Allergies

A sensitive stomach is usually prone to food allergies, which is often the bane of a French Bulldog’s existence. You can expect your pet to develop various allergies as time goes on, which means they are likely to become allergic to food that you have been serving them for years. Vomiting regularly after meals is among the key symptoms of food allergies in Frenchies. They also tend to diarrhea and other symptoms such as loss of fur, watery eyes and itchy skin may also occur.

If you suspect that your Frenchie has food allergies, it important to monitor them closely and avoid any items that they react negatively to. In case any of the aforementioned symptoms worsen, you should take your dog to a vet as soon as you can.

Tips for handling a vomiting French Bulldog

If your Frenchie is vomiting in the morning, keep a close eye on them to make sure that they are breathing normally. After throwing up suddenly, they might be scared and require you to sit next to them to provide comfort and assurance. 

When vomiting occurs after a distressing period in their lives, becoming overheated, playing too much or eating too fast, you probably do not have to be concerned. However, if it happens suddenly or often, you may need to take your Frenchie to the vet for thorough observation. The following are some worthwhile tips for giving your French Bulldog tender care after vomiting:

One of the priorities when caring for a vomiting Frenchie is to do your best to stop them from throwing them up anymore. You can achieve this by keeping them sufficiently hydrated with water throughout the day. Since vomiting means that something has disrupted your pooch’s stomach, avoiding food is the next logical step. Taking this approach will help to prevent them from throwing up continuously. 

After at least 12 hours of fasting, you can give your dog a small portion of bland food such as boiled carrots and rice. Rather than providing their regular diet, it is advisable to keep it simple and stay away from oily red meat or fish that contains a lot of fat. As time goes on you can slowly increase the portions while your pooch’s stomach recovers. Re-introduce the usual diet after the problem subsides.

It is essential to monitor your pet even when they start eating their usual diet again. This enables you to determine whether there are any underlying problems. Vomiting may be the result of consuming a poisonous substance or being seriously ill. If your dog is vomiting repeatedly, the responsible thing to do in this situation is visit a vet. 

Minimizing vomiting in French Bulldogs

There are food bowls that are specially designed to help Frenchies eat their food at a slower pace or to eat without taking in a lot of air. Giving your dog a minimum of 20 minutes to digest their food before allowing them to go out and play can minimize the risk of vomiting. You should also dissuade them from being active right after their meals. 

If your dog has food allergies, it can be helpful to purchase dog food that is specifically formulated for their sensitive stomachs and intolerance levels. However, you may also consider talking to a vet before making dietary changes, especially sudden ones. 

In summary

There are numerous reasons for vomiting, which is why it can be challenging to obtain a conclusive diagnosis. Along with keenly watching your pooch, it is important to gather enough information regarding how frequently the vomiting happens, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss and lethargy. When a Frenchie vomits once and continues eating normally with regular bowl movements, this can probably be classified as a rare incident.

Consulting your vet is an opportunity to examine your Frenchie for different issues. In case your dog has any physical or underlying problems, the vet will be able to recommend the most ideal treatment solution to get the doggie back on track. 

French Bulldogs are vulnerable to digestive issues and vomiting due to various reasons. While vomiting is not an unusual occurrence, you can take a number of precautions to reduce the risks but in most situations, you have nothing serious to be concerned about. 

If vomiting in the morning happens constantly without a clear cause or your French Bulldog is miserable, taking them to the vet for assurance and a professional diagnosis will give both you and doggie peace of mind. 

Mother of Frenchies

I’m Sarah-Jane White, an Animal Behaviourist and Trainer and one of my degrees is specifically in Canine Behaviour and Training. I’m a supporter and occasionally foster for the Phoenix French Bulldog Rescue and French Bulldog Saviours. I have grown up with bullbreeds and currently have one fawn pied French Bulldog called Dolly, her nickname is Po, after Kung Fu Panda because she loves noodles and has some great ninja moves.

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