Vomiting Bile

[Guest JJGrey]

My boy vomited stomach bile on our walk this morning and I'm wondering if it warrants a trip to the vet? I read another post in which someone had a similar problem when feeding kibble with lamb it in. I started my boy on Holistic Select Lamb and Rice Saturday PM per the vet's recommendation. My dog has had mushy poo issues and the vet said that the beet pulp in HS will help with this issue. He gets 2 cups twice a day so I've been giving him half a cup of HS at each feeding to change him gradually. Previously I was feeding Nutro high energy and before that (when I got him) he was getting Purina Pro Plan Lamb and Rice, which leads me to belive that the lamb isn't the issue because he never vomited bile before today. He also got a rib bone yesterday, which I got at the specialty pet food store where I bought the HS. I let him chew on for a bit yesterday. Could the rib bone be the issue? Is it more than likely just an upset stomach? Should I stop feeding the HS? In hindsight, it was very foolish of me to give him a new treat while introducing new food as well and I'm very upset with myself! I appreciate any help/advice you can provide!

[greytpups]

If it's thick yellow bile, no blood in it, he's probably fine. It's usually related to hunger and can be easily solved by feeding a small snack before bedtime to hold him over. Try this first and then if it continues, you should visit your vet. You're doing the right thing by switching him over slowly. I think the big D would be more of an issue than vomiting bile so I doubt it was the bone. However, you may not want to switch both food and treats at the same time. Keep feeding the same treats as long as he doesn't have the big D until he's used to the change in food and then introduce new foods.

[Guest RichardUK]

I've found it depends on the frequency - Once or twice not a problem - more often it indicates a possibility of illness so a vet visit is indicated. Gradual diet changeover is the way to go.

[XTRAWLD]

We had the hardest time trying to stop this problem. We tried variations of feeding schedules, amounts, etc. Out of pure frustration of trying everything we took him to the vet and he was prescribed Cerenia - an anti nausiant. It was a pill given orally for 4 days, and it was enough to break the cycle. He's thrown up only once since, and it was because we forgot to give him a bed time snack. We find half a slice of bread before bedtime does the trick, but it was not so easy before the Cerenia. Poor dude is just hungry all the time and anticipates when he will be fed and develops extra acid to try to break his food down. His internal clock was off a couple hours all the time though. Very relieved it's fixed. Try to fix it on your own with a late bedtime snack, oatmeal, bread, half of his dinner, etc. You might need a trip to the vet if it doesn't work though - lord knows I tried everything to avoid that, but the meds finally worked.

[TheFullHouse]

As Jan said, most of the time when a hound vomits bile it's from being hungry. Not sure how big your pup is but two cups might not be enough depending on his weight. My smaller guys get 3 1/2 cups a day and my bigger ones get 4 cups a day. I feed twice a day also and give them a cookie before bed so I don't usually have problems with greyhounds vomiting bile.

[rschultz]

one of my dogs (not a grey) use to have that problem. The vet said to give a small piece of bread at night. It worked wonders.

[Guest d0ggiem0mma]

Could be that he wants an extra snack, or it could be the new food not agreeing with him. Give it a while and see if it stops. (Of course if he's puking several times a day he should see a vet.) You could give him Pepcid to help with the extra stomach acid.

 

My cocker spaniel used to vomit bile about 3-4 times a week. We tried feeding an extra snack, switching food, and Pepcid but it kept happening. After we switched him to Iams RX Fish & Potato it stopped happening! Now as long as he stays on this food and doesn't get too many treats, no puke!

[Guest BlueCrab]

 

 

My cocker spaniel used to vomit bile about 3-4 times a week. We tried feeding an extra snack, switching food, and Pepcid but it kept happening. After we switched him to Iams RX Fish & Potato it stopped happening! Now as long as he stays on this food and doesn't get too many treats, no puke!

 

Our bridge boy Duke did this, too. Couple times a week, just yellow bile. Vet never found anything wrong. We switched to Canidae for some forgotton reason and voila! it stopped. So long ago, I can't remember what brand we were feeding prior that - apparently - was the cause.

 

Boy, it's hell getting old. Can't remember why we switched...can't remember what we fed...

[Guest KsFrets]

Magnus did this when we were feeding Nutro. Feeding him a large milk bone before bedtime helped, but not always. When we stopped Nutro, the problem vanished, and has never returned.

[Guest Figmama]

Our Grey, who has always been a picky eater, has done that on and off for years. If he doesn't eat his dinner I can just about guarantee he is going to throw up bile the next morning. If I see him eating grass, I expect him to throw that up too. I've had other dogs and cats that would do that on occasion.

Since our Vet put him on daily Pepcid (for the renal issues), I think he has only thrown up once.

If he is a good eater, and this is not happening all the time, I'd try feeding him early or maybe a *small* snack at bed time or ask your Vet about possibly trying a low dose of Pepcid (generic is cheap and the same thing at the drug store).

 

I have never had good results (my own experience) with lamb based foods. When I had my Shelties, it was not unusual for them to be throwing up or have loose stools.

 

I've been feeding Ranger the Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato and he has been doing well on that and stools are normal. I used to feed him the Pro Plan for Senstiive Stomachs and he did well on that food also.

[Guest JJGrey]

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone for your replies. I had the dogwalker come yesterday at lunch and she said he was fine and did #1 & #2. I took him for a walk around 600PM and everything was fine. I fed him dinner with 3/4 made up of Nutro and 1/4 made up of hollistic select and made sure he got a snack around 830. Well at 1130, he woke me up to go out and went #2 again. It was a little soft but that's not abnormal for him. I gave him a small piece of bread thinking he had an acidic stomach. Well he woke me up AGAIN at 330AM and this time it was the big "D". BIG TIME! After I took him out, I gave him an immodium. Well at 545, he woke me up again and he had the big D and then he had it again when I took him out at 730. Then I was torn - do I withhold food and give him a sour stomach or feed him and possibly cause the bid D to flare up again? I decided to feed him but did not give him any of the hollistic select. The dog walker is coming again at lunch time and then I guess I'll see if we need to take a trip to the vet. Poor pup!

[Guest d0ggiem0mma]

I have had HORRIBLE experiences with Nutro and I know several other people who have too. They were under FDA investigation for a long time due to a string of unknown illnesses associated with their food. Might be worth getting off that all together and seeing what happens.

[XTRAWLD]

If he has a lot of D, watch out for dehydration - that's my only suggestion. The food is likely the same problem associated with the D and the bile. Might wanna switch. I find that a cup of rice has always worked on my boys when their tummies aren't right and to get them back to normal. Good luck.

[Guest Figmama]

I have had HORRIBLE experiences with Nutro and I know several other people who have too. They were under FDA investigation for a long time due to a string of unknown illnesses associated with their food. Might be worth getting off that all together and seeing what happens.

Oh, I won't feed Nutro. Tried it with my Shelties years ago and the stools were horrible. What a mess!!

[EllenEveBaz]

Not a vet, nor do I play one on TV, but I agree with you that combo of the change of food plus a cooked rib bone might be enough to cause all this digestive havoc. But don't beat yourself up about it.

 

With diarrhea, I follow the school of having them not eat for 24 hours to let their system rest. While trying to get them to drink as much as possible. Then very gently start with small amounts of of non-fatty solid food.

 

Some of my dogs have been able to change food brands with no problems; others have had to be slowly switched over a week to prevent stomach upset.

 

Hope your boy feels better soon.

Edited May 25, 2011 by EllenEveBaz

[greytpups]

You may want to feed him a bland diet for a bit now too. I think some folks here feed their pups plain chicken breasts and rice for a bit until their gastrointestinal system calms down. Hopefully some others will chime in with what worked with the big D. I know there are a few threads here about acute diarrhea if you do a search. It also sounds like the Nutro never agreed with him.

[Guest BrianRke]

I would try feeding him 4 times a day if thats possible so that his stomach is never empty. My vet told me that but he also knows my office is in my house and Im able to do it.

[Guest JJGrey]

I thought I'd update in case this info is valuable to anyone in the future. Long story short, I took him to the vet Thursday bc diarreah persisted and he had hooks. Yesterday was his last day of panacure but his poo is still soft. Vet instructed to feed rice and ground beef until poo firms up. I had his anal glad expressed about 3 weeks ago and now he's at his rear again licking incessantly. Would the poo issues have caused a need to get the AG expressed again?

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

what was the reason for having his glands done? i have had dogs my whole life and only had one that needed her glands done and she was pretty old when that was needed.

 

I would keep your hound on the same food he is used to until all this clears up, to help with the bile just give more small meals a day or just do the bread thing like you have tried. Vegas gets the bile issue when he is hungry and we just give more food or bread and he is fine.

[Guest JJGrey]

I had it done a few weeks ago because he was licking his rear constantly and frankly driving me nuts. 

 

the vet tech said it was full. Same thing happened about a year ago and I seem to remember the vet saying that poo issues can cause the AG to fill up but I'm not positive

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

Once you get him with some nice firm poops you wont have to worry about anal glands, i used boiled sweet potato for my old girl and it worked well.

[TheFullHouse]

I thought I'd update in case this info is valuable to anyone in the future. Long story short, I took him to the vet Thursday bc diarreah persisted and he had hooks. Yesterday was his last day of panacure but his poo is still soft. Vet instructed to feed rice and ground beef until poo firms up. I had his anal glad expressed about 3 weeks ago and now he's at his rear again licking incessantly. Would the poo issues have caused a need to get the AG expressed again?

 

You may want to have him checked again. Hook worms are hard to get rid of and he may need another round of medication to get rid of them.

[Guest JJGrey]

Ugh last time it took me 6 months on and off to get rid of them. he takes interceptor and I thought that prevented hooks too but apparently not. I saw another brand mentioned in this forum that does prevent hooks so I'm going to get that when I take him back for his 3 week check up

[JJNg]

If he's on Interceptor, and you have a good purchase history with your vet, the company that makes it (Novartis) will pay for the treatment and recheck fecal. Your vet would need to contact them for the required protocol - I think it was 3 days of Panacur, retreat in 3 weeks, and then recheck fecal a certain amount of time after the next dose of Interceptor. Interceptor does prevent hooks, but it's not 100% (none of them are) and the company covers breaks in protection with their guarantee. This is true for any of the heartworm preventative products made by major manufacturers.

[Guest mayapep]

My dog is vomiting bile 2-3 times a week. I am going to try to switch to candidae because it was recommended. He is now on natures domain salmon and sweet potato. He is on zantac 2x a day also. But it is mostly overnight that he will puke in the morning if he goes longer than 8 hours! Just not normal! Very frustrated!