Seeing your dog vomiting, shaking, and refusing food is deeply alarming, especially when these symptoms appear suddenly or worsen quickly.
These signs often point to significant discomfort or an underlying medical problem that needs attention.
This guide explains the common causes of vomiting, shaking, and loss of appetite in dogs, what you can do at home, and when to seek veterinary help.
Dog Vomiting and Shaking and Not Eating: Why It Happens
A dog vomiting, shaking, and not eating is often a sign of acute illness, pain, toxin exposure, or an internal condition that is affecting multiple body systems at once. These symptoms commonly occur together because vomiting can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which then trigger trembling and make a dog too nauseous or weak to eat.
In other cases, shaking happens because the dog is in pain, has a fever, or is experiencing digestive inflammation.
Sometimes the problem comes from something simple like an upset stomach, but more serious causes include pancreatitis, poisoning, infections, and organ-related disease.
Dog Vomiting and Shaking and Not Eating: Common Causes
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is one of the most common and serious causes of vomiting, shaking, and appetite loss in dogs.
When the pancreas becomes inflamed, digestive enzymes begin to leak into surrounding tissues, causing severe abdominal pain.
This pain is often intense enough to make a dog tremble or shake, and the nausea associated with pancreatitis causes frequent vomiting and a complete refusal to eat.
You might notice your dog taking a “praying position,” with the front legs stretched forward and the rear lifted, as a way to relieve discomfort.
Pancreatitis often requires veterinary treatment because it can escalate quickly, leading to dehydration, organ involvement, and ongoing pain if not addressed.
Read more: Dog Shaking and Vomiting (What it means)
Toxin Ingestion
Poisoning is a major concern when a dog suddenly starts vomiting and shaking and refuses food. Many household items—including medications, cleaning products, human foods like xylitol, chocolate, grapes, or certain plants—can trigger these symptoms.
Toxins rapidly affect a dog’s nervous system and gastrointestinal tract, leading to trembling, uncontrolled vomiting, drooling, or weakness.
Because toxin ingestion can progress dangerously fast, the combination of shaking and vomiting should always raise suspicion, especially if you’ve noticed anything chewed, spilled, or missing in the home or yard.
Immediate veterinary care is essential because some toxins cause irreversible organ damage without urgent treatment.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis occurs when the stomach and intestines become inflamed due to infection, diet changes, spoiled food, or unknown irritants.
This condition frequently causes vomiting and nausea severe enough to make a dog refuse food for a day or more.
Shaking may develop if the dog becomes dehydrated or experiences abdominal cramps. Dogs with gastroenteritis may also have diarrhea, but some may only vomit and shake.
While mild cases can improve with rest, bland food, and fluids, more severe cases lead to continuous vomiting and require veterinary care to prevent dehydration and to rule out more dangerous causes such as obstruction.
Pain or Fever
Both pain and fever can make a dog shake and refuse food. When combined with vomiting, these symptoms often point to an internal issue such as infection, inflammation, organ disease, or an injury.
Fever may cause full-body trembling, while pain—especially abdominal or spinal pain—can lead to shaking, whining, restlessness, or hunched posture.
Dogs in pain often lose their appetite because eating increases discomfort or nausea. Without identifying the cause of the pain or fever, the symptoms are unlikely to improve, which is why persistent shaking and vomiting always need investigation beyond simple home treatment.
GI Obstruction
A gastrointestinal blockage is a medical emergency that can cause sudden vomiting, shaking, and refusal to eat.
Dogs often swallow toys, bones, fabric, or other foreign objects that become lodged somewhere in the digestive tract.
When this happens, food and fluids cannot move through, leading to repeated vomiting that may become frothy, bile-filled, or projectile.
Shaking develops due to pain and dehydration, and appetite disappears completely. GI obstruction worsens with time, so early recognition is critical.
Dogs with a blockage often appear extremely uncomfortable, may stretch into unusual positions, and may retch without producing vomit.
Anxiety
Intense anxiety, such as during storms, fireworks, car rides, vet visits, or sudden changes at home, can cause shaking and even vomiting in some dogs.
Stress affects the digestive system, leading to nausea, drooling, and appetite loss. While anxiety alone typically doesn’t cause prolonged vomiting, it can worsen symptoms in dogs who already have an upset stomach.
If your dog is shaking, vomiting once, and then refusing food after a stressful event, stress may be a contributing factor. However, ongoing or repeated vomiting combined with shaking always warrants medical evaluation to rule out more serious causes.
Read more: Dog Shaking and Not Eating (Important signs to watch)
What to Do If Your Dog Is Vomiting, Shaking and Not Eating
If your dog is vomiting and shaking and refuses to eat, start by observing their behavior closely and removing food temporarily to prevent further stomach irritation.
Offering small amounts of water or ice chips can help prevent dehydration, but avoid large gulps that may trigger more vomiting.
Create a calm, quiet environment where your dog can rest without stimulation. Dogs experiencing nausea and pain often prefer darker spaces and minimal handling.
It’s helpful to monitor their breathing, posture, and any attempts to vomit again, as changes in these signs can indicate worsening discomfort.
If your dog has vomited only once and seems otherwise stable, you may try offering a small amount of bland food—like boiled chicken and rice—after several hours. However, refusing this food, vomiting again, or continuing to shake suggests the dog is not improving and needs medical attention.
Avoid giving over-the-counter human medications unless a veterinarian has specifically directed you to do so, as many can worsen vomiting or cause toxicity. If you suspect poisoning, do not wait—contact a vet or an emergency clinic immediately.
When to Call or Visit Your Vet
You should contact your veterinarian right away if your dog continues vomiting or shaking for more than a few hours, because persistent symptoms can lead to dehydration and may signal a serious underlying issue.
Veterinary attention is especially urgent if your dog appears weak, is breathing rapidly, or cannot keep water down.
If your dog’s vomit contains blood or looks like coffee grounds, this indicates internal bleeding or severe irritation and requires immediate care.
Shaking combined with pale gums, collapse, or extreme lethargy suggests shock or toxin exposure and should be treated as an emergency.
A dog who has not eaten for 24 hours, especially while vomiting and shaking, must be evaluated for underlying causes such as pancreatitis, infection, or obstruction.
Delaying treatment can have serious consequences because many of these conditions worsen quickly without appropriate intervention.
If you know or suspect your dog swallowed a foreign object—such as a toy, sock, bone, or fabric—call your vet immediately. GI obstructions cannot resolve on their own and often need surgery. A dog who tries to vomit but nothing comes up is showing a red-flag symptom.
Finally, seek immediate care if your dog is elderly, very young, or has a chronic medical condition. These dogs become dehydrated more quickly and are at higher risk of complications.
Key Takeaway
Vomiting, shaking, and refusing food are serious symptoms that often signal pain, illness, or an emergency in dogs.
While mild nausea can improve with rest and gentle home care, persistent or worsening signs need veterinary evaluation to identify the underlying cause and prevent complications.
Trust your instincts—if your dog seems distressed or continues to vomit, seeking timely medical help is the safest option.