Reflux/Pica/Vomit ??

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Postby ParisStreetPitCrew » January 20th, 2010, 10:39 pm

Sidney has been having some sporadic stomach issues.
This has happened a couple times, that she will have episodes (like hours at a time) where she begins licking the air and swallowing over and over. It seems like acid reflux and I can hear her tummy gurgling. She does vomit usually some food or foam.
When this happens, she goes nuts trying to eat everything she can find on the floor-- like a nervous habit when she has an upset stomach. Normally she does not eat non-food items, but when she has these episodes, I find her vacuuming the floor. She was chewing on a rug, then the broom, then my shoelaces, for instance. If I take her outside, she quickly tries to scarf up any pieces of bark or leaves she can find. I'm guessing she thinks putting something in her belly will make it feel better?

So-- anyone have ideas of what could cause this or what I should do about it?

Sid is fed pre-made, ground raw. I cannot find a correlation between protein source and the reflux/upset stomach problem, but if I could switch her to kibble I would. This doesn't happen often, but it is very upsetting for both of us when it does.
Help, please!!
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Postby TheRedQueen » January 21st, 2010, 12:25 am

My dad's doberman has done this all of his life, whenever he gets an upset tummy...though it cleared up for the most part on a food/kibble change to a low-allergen food. I'll be curious to see the responses too...

Kramer would suck up anything in his path when he got like this, furballs on the floor from the other dogs, his blanket, put him outside and he'd eat the bark off the trees too...or mulch and leaves. :nono: Odd.

He's old now, and can barely stand...so he hasn't done this for a while.
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Postby maberi » January 21st, 2010, 8:23 am

Does this happen during a particular time of the day or night?
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Postby Marinepits » January 21st, 2010, 10:27 am

How often is she fed? Katy will sometimes do this if we wait too long between feedings, so we try to give her some of her food mid-day if we know her supper will be later than usual. Seems to help. Her bloodwork is all normal for a senior dog, so the vomiting doesn't appear to be illness-related.

We did have an older dog, Samantha, who had kidney disease/failure. She would do the air gulp and the pica and vomit quite often, but it seemed to be worse when she had a lot of protein. I know there is some debate as to whether or not protein contributes to kidney disease, but in Sam's case it was definitely related. The more protein she had, the more she vomited. Once we switched her to a home cooked version of pasta/rice and vegetables, the vomiting episodes virtually disappeared.

ParisStreetPitCrew wrote: I'm guessing she thinks putting something in her belly will make it feel better?


Could be, or maybe she's trying to make herself vomit quicker. Does she seem to feel better after she vomits?
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Postby iluvk9 » January 21st, 2010, 5:04 pm

When Harleybird (my Perpetual Puker) needs to puke, he has the same 'let me eat everything in sight" method. I once saw him going for the curtains. :rolleyes2:

After many attempts at diagnosis, he seems to have a stomach emptying problem. It comes and goes, even though his food isn't changed.

SO.....Vet has me use REGLAN to help empty stomach. I give Proenzyme (brand name) with each meal.

When it gets real bad, I revert to boiled chicken and white rice.
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Postby ParisStreetPitCrew » January 21st, 2010, 7:19 pm

Sid is fed twice a day, nearly 12 hours apart. Her episodes seem to happen in the evening/night, a little while after her dinner.
I will start adding a little more fiber to her meals and see if that helps. The dogs don't usually get snacks, but if it helps I will try it-- suggestions?

She does vomit sometimes when she does it, but it doesn't make the episode stop.

I fed her some bread last night when it happened and it seemed to help, I think. I'm just usually of the mind frame of NOT feeding a vomiting dog. Maybe I need to, in this case.

Thanks for the ideas.
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Postby Marinepits » January 21st, 2010, 7:28 pm

Is she a "gulper" where she'll inhale her food in 2 seconds? Is she more gassy than your other dogs? And the obvious question that I should have asked first, LOL, has she been to the vet to rule out anything REALLY wrong?
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Postby ParisStreetPitCrew » January 22nd, 2010, 6:59 am

She eats quickly, but she's not really "gulpy" :)
No gas issues
And no, she hasn't been to the vet about it since it happens so sporadically--- should she been seen by a vet because of it? I guess I'll probably first discuss with the vet(s) at work and taker her to her her doctor if they think I need to. :)
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