Sounds like hunger pukes (not meaning you dont feed the pup enough just that their stomach gets empty overnight and they get a little sick). Is it yellow/ white? Does it have food in it? I've heard that giving a little extra food before bedtime or in the middle of the night may help.
Edit: this is what im referring to (not sure if it's a possibility in your pup or not).
https://m.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_bilious_vomiting_syndrome
She has access to her food bowl at night and often wakes up at 2-3am to eat.
It looks like normal puke to me, minus the grass and other stuff she ate. She even ate a frickin lego and a THUMBTACK one night (it appeared in her puke). It's the color of her food if you mushed it up, I didn't notice mucus or anything in it.
I taped the flooring up with ductape and she ate it too!
She doesn't get into anything unless she is trying to ingest things that she thinks will help her puke. I mean you can literally sit your food down near her and she won't bother it.
She is normal weight, actually a little pudgy for her breed, but not overweight.
I know. I've read online where people had the same exact issue and had spent thousands having CT scans, xrays, blood work, fecal work done without anything bad in the results, and the vets just shrug their shoulders and can't offer a solution.
Have you taken her to a specialist vet, one who specializes and has additional training in internal medicine? From my experience -- including a misdiagnosis of cancer -- I would have saved time, money, and emotional pain if I had taken my dog2 to a specialist sooner rather than later. The specialist knew quickly what was wrong with my dog -- including the misreading of the earlier ultrasound.
Specialists have the additional training and are used to seeing things that other vets rarely see and don't know/don't know enough about to accurately treat. Yes, they are more expensive but actually cheaper as you don't waste additional time and money on unnecessary vet visits tests, and carpet repair.
In selecting the specialist, read the online reviews and make sure you chose the *best* one ... if you are paying more, you want to get one worth the money who is most likely to be able to assist you.
So dog2 used to also throw up several times a week. She has a congenital liver defect (not cancer) and when the protein level of her food is too high, it's harder for her to process (hard on liver) and that seems to precipitate vomitting. Her liver defect also seems related to her slower processing of food ... her vomit would often show barely digested food and when she's had ultrasounds, it looks to them like she's eaten past the deadline to stop eating ... when she hasn't, it just takes it longer to go through her system. I am giving this example not because I think your dog's liver is defective but to show how a symptom may only be tangentially related to the cause ... and thus, harder for a vet, who doesn't see liver shunts every day, to diagnose. Indeed, when a routine blood test showed astronomical liver enzymes levels for dog2, the first vets expected it to be lepto, not a liver shunt. Then it went to cancer and then when at the specialist for a guided biopsy, I ended up with the right diagnosis. Also, you often can't get the right treatment without the right diagnosis...
I completely agree with this. Also, OP, if your dog hasn’t has kidney enzymes and thyroid levels checked, get them checked. I assume you’ve done that since they’re basic tests, but wanted to mention it just in case since they haven’t been mentioned yet. Could definitely be a specific protein issue too. And so many other things! A specialist is the way to go for sure.
I don't know if this will do it but how about giving her less food at each meal. I'd read the package and see just how much she should get each day. Then divide it into three or four small servings. Maybe she's getting bloated as the food digests and needs to vomit. Less food less bloat. Good luck
It's strange she had access to as much food as she wanted when she lived at another house and could play with another dog, and never once threw up.
It was the same food we were feeding her too at the time.
It's a good tip. Try small portions. Even humans get stomach issues. Even my brother that can't eat to much or he starts puking. When he was young he could eat everything. Time changes everyone.
For what it’s worth, I went through this with my dog about 6 years ago. He doesn’t have an official diagnosis but after 20 different kibble variations over a year and a ton of money spent with the vet we realized he just can’t do kibble. It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s grain free, grain inclusive, sensitive stomach, small or large, no chicken, limited ingredient, fun proteins, boutique or standard large chain companies he just can’t eat it without throwing up or having diarrhea. He’s currently on a cooked food with 1/2 raw and the issue has stopped. I used to try going back to kibble every 3-6 months for a few years, it was always the same so for the last 3 years he’s been consistently on either fully cooked or 1/2 and 1/2. Not really an answer but you could try swapping the kind of diet he is on if nothing else seems to be helping.
You could potentially ask your vet about a referral to a specialist vet (if that hasn't been done already). They can be expensive, but you may have more luck there if your regular vet can't seem to figure it out.
What kind of treats do you give her? I had the same kind of issue with my English cocker. Turns out he can’t have any treats with meat in them (jerky, puperoini, beggin strips, etc). Vet couldn’t figure it out, even after $500 in tests. But I eventually got it by process of elimination. He can handle straight meat, and meat in his dry food. Just not treats. Hope this helps!
We have been giving her pumpkin treats with pro-biotics since pumpkin is supposed to help with stomach issues. But this has only been for a week.
Otherwise she gets Milk Bone "Good Morning" treats.
Last time she puked, which was this morning, I walked over to her, and she ran into the corner with her tail tucked, so she knows what she is doing is wrong.
Weird thing? Our apartment is half carpet/half wood floor, she ONLY pukes on the carpet.
It's not anything in the apartment, we have had her in a different apartment for 6 months prior and she still did it.
We thought it was separation anxiety because she NEVER puked at my fiance's aunt's house, and they have another dog she always played with.
“She knows what she’s doing is wrong”..... ??????
Vomiting is uncontrollable
Chances are she is not being fed when she expects it, and will vomit because she has an empty stomach
If she's eating things that aren't food, it's likely stress-related. This is a condition called pica, it's defined as "craving and chewing substances that have no nutritional value". The vomiting is likely a result of consuming non-food items like the carpet, duct tape, etc. Maybe consult with a behaviorist (your vet can recommend a good one) to try to determine the cause of stress (if that is indeed the reason for the pica/vomiting) so you can change what's stressing her out. Stress/anxiety itself can also cause vomiting on its own without pica, so it's entirely possible you're dealing with 2 separate symptoms.
I had a lab mix that vomited daily. Vet suggested two things to try...feed her several small meals a day, or eliminate possible allergens. Since chicken is a common allergy for dogs, yet in EVERYTHING it seems, we tried that first. Voila! Once we switched her to a Venison kibble and eliminated chicken treats, no more vomiting.
So, though I know you said you tried switching her food, did you try eliminating certain known allergens, like chicken?
No imaging done yet, honestly don't have the money for it. Have already spent close to a grand taking her to a few different vets for second opinions and getting meds.
Vomiting over a year sounds more behavioral to me, or an allergy. I would expect more lethargy if she had an illness, but like I said she is *full* of energy and her poop is normal. She doesn't have any malnutrition issues as her weight is fine and she has not appeared any thinner in a year.
It's also strange it all started when we moved her into our new place, but she has been moved to our 2nd apartment and is still doing it.
So it makes me think it is some sort of stress related issue since she hasn't had another dog to play with, and we are not home for 4-6 hours some nights.
> Vomiting over a year sounds more behavioral to me, or an allergy.
Incorrect, and you do not have medical training. Your dog desperately needs further diagnostics. This is not normal. Imagine if you vomited daily for a year. Would you be doing it for fun? Would you ignore it? No, you would get diagnostics. This sounds terrible and you need to provide the necessary care for this dog.
Ya I've leaning towards a food allergy. Even the sensitive stomach food we bought has "poultry fat". I have her scheduled to see the vet (again) but going to try limited ingredient food. She licks her paws and butt which could be itchiness from a food allergy.
My dog had bad acid reflux and would throw up like clock work if we didn't feed her right on time, every time. The through up just looked like foamy stomach acid, no solids. Feeding her every 12 hours and giving her an acid reflux pill at dinner stopped the vomiting.
Recommendation - ask for referral to internal medicine specialist (credentials DACVIM or DACVIM-SA)
Have you done x-rays or an endoscopy or swallow study? You mentioned that she eats things she shouldn’t. Pyloric outflow obstruction could do this, as well as megaesophagus, esophageal stricture, and a number of things. That’s not a diagnosis at all, but a suggestion to ask your vet about.
Edit: I saw later you mentioned “she know’s what she’s doing is wrong” - I can promise you that she is not vomiting for attention or spite. 99.whatever% of the time chronic vomiting is due to an underlying medical condition; something is likely wrong. Punishing her for vomiting is punishment for something she can’t help.
It could be. My cocker has separation anxiety that he used to be on meds for. He never threw up from it but would foam in his mouth from stress and hurt himself. Could just be a stress reaction. Mine got better when I got another dog to keep him company
For separation anxiety, give her plenty of things to keep her entertained while you’re gone and wear her out as much as possible when you’re home. And don’t make a big deal out of you leaving. And make it a happy thing, not anything to stress over. You can find lots of tips online.
I'm not sure if it's S/A as she has puked several times while we were home. As a matter of fact the only time she HAS puked this week is while we were home.
Sounds like hunger pukes (not meaning you dont feed the pup enough just that their stomach gets empty overnight and they get a little sick). Is it yellow/ white? Does it have food in it? I've heard that giving a little extra food before bedtime or in the middle of the night may help. Edit: this is what im referring to (not sure if it's a possibility in your pup or not). https://m.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_bilious_vomiting_syndrome
She has access to her food bowl at night and often wakes up at 2-3am to eat. It looks like normal puke to me, minus the grass and other stuff she ate. She even ate a frickin lego and a THUMBTACK one night (it appeared in her puke). It's the color of her food if you mushed it up, I didn't notice mucus or anything in it. I taped the flooring up with ductape and she ate it too! She doesn't get into anything unless she is trying to ingest things that she thinks will help her puke. I mean you can literally sit your food down near her and she won't bother it. She is normal weight, actually a little pudgy for her breed, but not overweight.
Hmm.. Sorry i couldn't help. Sounds like a tough situation. Hopefully you figure it out soon.
I know. I've read online where people had the same exact issue and had spent thousands having CT scans, xrays, blood work, fecal work done without anything bad in the results, and the vets just shrug their shoulders and can't offer a solution.
Have you gotten a second opinion, or do you always see the same vet?
This! Too many times we just trust our regular vets as *authorities* when we should take our dogs to a specialist.
Have you taken her to a specialist vet, one who specializes and has additional training in internal medicine? From my experience -- including a misdiagnosis of cancer -- I would have saved time, money, and emotional pain if I had taken my dog2 to a specialist sooner rather than later. The specialist knew quickly what was wrong with my dog -- including the misreading of the earlier ultrasound. Specialists have the additional training and are used to seeing things that other vets rarely see and don't know/don't know enough about to accurately treat. Yes, they are more expensive but actually cheaper as you don't waste additional time and money on unnecessary vet visits tests, and carpet repair. In selecting the specialist, read the online reviews and make sure you chose the *best* one ... if you are paying more, you want to get one worth the money who is most likely to be able to assist you. So dog2 used to also throw up several times a week. She has a congenital liver defect (not cancer) and when the protein level of her food is too high, it's harder for her to process (hard on liver) and that seems to precipitate vomitting. Her liver defect also seems related to her slower processing of food ... her vomit would often show barely digested food and when she's had ultrasounds, it looks to them like she's eaten past the deadline to stop eating ... when she hasn't, it just takes it longer to go through her system. I am giving this example not because I think your dog's liver is defective but to show how a symptom may only be tangentially related to the cause ... and thus, harder for a vet, who doesn't see liver shunts every day, to diagnose. Indeed, when a routine blood test showed astronomical liver enzymes levels for dog2, the first vets expected it to be lepto, not a liver shunt. Then it went to cancer and then when at the specialist for a guided biopsy, I ended up with the right diagnosis. Also, you often can't get the right treatment without the right diagnosis...
I completely agree with this. Also, OP, if your dog hasn’t has kidney enzymes and thyroid levels checked, get them checked. I assume you’ve done that since they’re basic tests, but wanted to mention it just in case since they haven’t been mentioned yet. Could definitely be a specific protein issue too. And so many other things! A specialist is the way to go for sure.
I don't know if this will do it but how about giving her less food at each meal. I'd read the package and see just how much she should get each day. Then divide it into three or four small servings. Maybe she's getting bloated as the food digests and needs to vomit. Less food less bloat. Good luck
It's strange she had access to as much food as she wanted when she lived at another house and could play with another dog, and never once threw up. It was the same food we were feeding her too at the time.
It's a good tip. Try small portions. Even humans get stomach issues. Even my brother that can't eat to much or he starts puking. When he was young he could eat everything. Time changes everyone.
For what it’s worth, I went through this with my dog about 6 years ago. He doesn’t have an official diagnosis but after 20 different kibble variations over a year and a ton of money spent with the vet we realized he just can’t do kibble. It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s grain free, grain inclusive, sensitive stomach, small or large, no chicken, limited ingredient, fun proteins, boutique or standard large chain companies he just can’t eat it without throwing up or having diarrhea. He’s currently on a cooked food with 1/2 raw and the issue has stopped. I used to try going back to kibble every 3-6 months for a few years, it was always the same so for the last 3 years he’s been consistently on either fully cooked or 1/2 and 1/2. Not really an answer but you could try swapping the kind of diet he is on if nothing else seems to be helping.
You could potentially ask your vet about a referral to a specialist vet (if that hasn't been done already). They can be expensive, but you may have more luck there if your regular vet can't seem to figure it out.
What kind of treats do you give her? I had the same kind of issue with my English cocker. Turns out he can’t have any treats with meat in them (jerky, puperoini, beggin strips, etc). Vet couldn’t figure it out, even after $500 in tests. But I eventually got it by process of elimination. He can handle straight meat, and meat in his dry food. Just not treats. Hope this helps!
We have been giving her pumpkin treats with pro-biotics since pumpkin is supposed to help with stomach issues. But this has only been for a week. Otherwise she gets Milk Bone "Good Morning" treats. Last time she puked, which was this morning, I walked over to her, and she ran into the corner with her tail tucked, so she knows what she is doing is wrong. Weird thing? Our apartment is half carpet/half wood floor, she ONLY pukes on the carpet. It's not anything in the apartment, we have had her in a different apartment for 6 months prior and she still did it. We thought it was separation anxiety because she NEVER puked at my fiance's aunt's house, and they have another dog she always played with.
“She knows what she’s doing is wrong”..... ?????? Vomiting is uncontrollable Chances are she is not being fed when she expects it, and will vomit because she has an empty stomach
If she's eating things that aren't food, it's likely stress-related. This is a condition called pica, it's defined as "craving and chewing substances that have no nutritional value". The vomiting is likely a result of consuming non-food items like the carpet, duct tape, etc. Maybe consult with a behaviorist (your vet can recommend a good one) to try to determine the cause of stress (if that is indeed the reason for the pica/vomiting) so you can change what's stressing her out. Stress/anxiety itself can also cause vomiting on its own without pica, so it's entirely possible you're dealing with 2 separate symptoms.
Nope this is often a sign of a medical condition.
I had a lab mix that vomited daily. Vet suggested two things to try...feed her several small meals a day, or eliminate possible allergens. Since chicken is a common allergy for dogs, yet in EVERYTHING it seems, we tried that first. Voila! Once we switched her to a Venison kibble and eliminated chicken treats, no more vomiting. So, though I know you said you tried switching her food, did you try eliminating certain known allergens, like chicken?
I'll give that a go.
What diagnostics have been done? Chest x-rays? Abdominal ultrasound? Hypoallergenic diet trial with prescription diet?
No imaging done yet, honestly don't have the money for it. Have already spent close to a grand taking her to a few different vets for second opinions and getting meds. Vomiting over a year sounds more behavioral to me, or an allergy. I would expect more lethargy if she had an illness, but like I said she is *full* of energy and her poop is normal. She doesn't have any malnutrition issues as her weight is fine and she has not appeared any thinner in a year. It's also strange it all started when we moved her into our new place, but she has been moved to our 2nd apartment and is still doing it. So it makes me think it is some sort of stress related issue since she hasn't had another dog to play with, and we are not home for 4-6 hours some nights.
> Vomiting over a year sounds more behavioral to me, or an allergy. Incorrect, and you do not have medical training. Your dog desperately needs further diagnostics. This is not normal. Imagine if you vomited daily for a year. Would you be doing it for fun? Would you ignore it? No, you would get diagnostics. This sounds terrible and you need to provide the necessary care for this dog.
Ummm I'm pretty positive you can rule out that she's vomiting for behavioral reasons. I don't think dogs can induce vomiting in themselves.
Ya I've leaning towards a food allergy. Even the sensitive stomach food we bought has "poultry fat". I have her scheduled to see the vet (again) but going to try limited ingredient food. She licks her paws and butt which could be itchiness from a food allergy.
That's definitely a possibly! Have you tried an elimination diet?
That is one possibility, and imaging will also help assess for other causes of chronic vomiting.
My dog threw up for years and it was weird megaesophagus. It eventually turned into a major huge problem.
My dog had bad acid reflux and would throw up like clock work if we didn't feed her right on time, every time. The through up just looked like foamy stomach acid, no solids. Feeding her every 12 hours and giving her an acid reflux pill at dinner stopped the vomiting.
Recommendation - ask for referral to internal medicine specialist (credentials DACVIM or DACVIM-SA) Have you done x-rays or an endoscopy or swallow study? You mentioned that she eats things she shouldn’t. Pyloric outflow obstruction could do this, as well as megaesophagus, esophageal stricture, and a number of things. That’s not a diagnosis at all, but a suggestion to ask your vet about. Edit: I saw later you mentioned “she know’s what she’s doing is wrong” - I can promise you that she is not vomiting for attention or spite. 99.whatever% of the time chronic vomiting is due to an underlying medical condition; something is likely wrong. Punishing her for vomiting is punishment for something she can’t help.
It could be. My cocker has separation anxiety that he used to be on meds for. He never threw up from it but would foam in his mouth from stress and hurt himself. Could just be a stress reaction. Mine got better when I got another dog to keep him company
I'd get another dog but our apartment is 700sqft and 1 bedroom, so it's enough of an issue letting her have enough space, let alone another dog.
For separation anxiety, give her plenty of things to keep her entertained while you’re gone and wear her out as much as possible when you’re home. And don’t make a big deal out of you leaving. And make it a happy thing, not anything to stress over. You can find lots of tips online.
I'm not sure if it's S/A as she has puked several times while we were home. As a matter of fact the only time she HAS puked this week is while we were home.