My Doodle throws up a lot...but my vet isn't concerned??

[Samantha and Socrates]

Socrates throws up at least once a month, and I'm wondering if anyone else out there has experienced this same thing, because it seems really unusual. He's not sensitive about food, I've switched brands with no problems. It's usually in the middle of the night (and believe me, that's the worse sound in the world to wake up to!) and it's usually just goo.

 

Once in awhile he's thrown up some weird stuff, such as something that I would have thought came out the other end if I hadn't witnessed him do it. He does eat grass sometimes, but I haven't noticed him throwing up on the same days he eats the grass. I called the vet the last time this happened, because he was acting totally fine and suddenly just threw up all over my living room in the middle of the day. And it smelled like feces really strongly, but I know he hadn't eaten anything. My vet wasn't too concerned, she said some dogs just have sensitive stomachs. And I trust this vet, I think she's really good.

 

So...anyone else have issues like this? I just want to make sure I'm not dealing with anything rare and serious, Socs is my baby! (And if it helps, he's just shy of 14 months and weighs about 65 lbs).

 

Thank you!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I have found Murphy, now 20 months to have bouts of vomiting when 1. he eats too much, 2. eats too fast.3. eats and goes play rough and runs and 4. for absolutley no reason I can see.
It has been pretty undigested foods though as it usually has happened right after feeding. He has only vomited a few times when it is green goo, never any odor per se. That seems wierd. Once a month doesn't seem overly often and I'd be curious as to why the awful smell.
My daughters doodle still vomits about once every 2 months and he's 2 1/2 years old. Again for the same reasons as above and still no smell.

[BG and Gavin]

Our guy sometimes throws up yellow bile in the morning. I now try and give him a biscuit or two just before he goes to sleep (bedtime snack) and that has helped keep his stomache acid at bay. Not sure if this would help your situation, but may be worth a try.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Ditto! Same here word for word in our house. We throw up more than once a month though and usually after a lot of playing too. IMO, I wouldn't worry.....but that is just me.

[shelly]

My sister's dog did this every morning... the vet said he had acid reflux and to give him a mini bagel each night before bedtime.... same idea, BruceGirl!!!
:)

[Ellen]

Echoing BruceGirl's comment. Riley will throw up yellow bile really early in the morning if he has an empty stomach. So, I'll feed him 3/4 of his food in the morning and then the rest of it after 8:30 pm. Occasionally, he'll still vomit even if I feed him in the evening, but now it's once every 3 or 4 months rather than every month. It is horrible listening to him throw up, but my ears must be acutely tuned into the dry heaving sound because I will wake up instantly when I hear it happen. My vet also wasn't concerned, and she was the one who recommended giving him a nighttime snack.

[shelly]

Samantha - Tori had bouts of throwing up - a LOT! Many times, it was kibble that had expanded with water. I think this irritated her stomach... most of it came out whole and was much larger than the dry kibble - of course- and spongy. I think her tummy couldn't handle the expanding food. She now eats canned food and I give her kibble as a treat in her kong ball... she actually chews the pieces better this way. I think she took longer to develop her digestive system as she got sick very often... my vet too was not concerned.... I, on the other had was a wreck... now as far as the smell - I know EXACTLY what you are talking about! When Tori eats napkins, or paper towels, it comes back up twisted into a long log looking mass and it SMELLS bad... don't know if it's mixed with digested food, bile, the paper towel - or what. But - now this is sick... I always try to pull it apart to see what exactly it is... that's how I know it's the towels or napkins... (maybe he's getting into the garbage or grabbing napkins and you don't realize it??) these don't break down as tissues do... sorry to be so graphic! LOL

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I have heard of dogs throwing up and when the owners changed the height of the feeding bowls all the vomiting stopped. When I got Sasha I immediately ordered the feeding/water bowls that are the height of where she does not have to bend down to eat. I never had a problem with vomiting. Another friend of mine who has 2 doodles, she had the same problem with one of her dogs. Her vet suggested the raised bowl stands, she purchased them and the vomiting stopped. Look on line they have tons of different decorative bowls and the sights will also give you information on what height to get. Good luck and keep me posted.

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

My doodle Remington throws up all the time it seems. It use to be in the middle of the night also, but now it is just here and there. I think he just has a sensitive belly. I wouldn't worry... I think it will just be a fact of life for you guys. I know, it is no fun cleaning it up! BLAH!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

If it's only once a month, and the Vet is not concerned, I really wouldn't worry. Even my Murphy who has a "cast iron stomach" will occasionally spit up the "bile", or if he eats his kibble too fast he'll throw it up. I don't think it's abnormal.

[Erin]

Hershey gets to throwing up bile in the middle of the night periodically.... The vet suggested she get smaller meals during the day, and have her last small meal before bed time, usually around 10pm. No throwing up since!

[Meridith and Lola]

Any chance it coincides with when you put flea and tick medicine on. Lola who almost never throws up (except for the days she thinks she is a cow and eats tons of grass and throws up a grass ball!), threw up i2 different times n the middle of the night after giving her Frontline. I asked the vet and she said sometimes it can affect their digestion and to give her an antacid the day I give the FrontLine. Haven't had any more issues.

[Natasha]

Hi Samantha,

Rouser also throws up bile in the middle of the night on occassion - maybe once a month but it might be a little less frequent than that. Stranger, though, is that 60% of the time it is accompanied by a hair ball! Our vet didn't believe us and asked that we bring it in the next time (joy) which we did and she confirmed it was a hair ball. He's not the kind of dog that sits around licking himself and hair is supposed to make its way out but he doesn't ever have hair in his poop. Our vet thinks that there is something going on with him that prevents the hair from exiting the proper way, collects, and then needs to be removed in some other manner - hence the vomiting.

We have learned that when this is going to happen, he runs out and eats grass (not something he does otherwise). Our vet said it's fine to let him eat OUR grass (careful with others that might have chemicals on it) temporarily (so that he can throw up the hair ball) but to avoid allowing it to happen after he has thrown up as it can start a bad repetitive acid reflux cycle. Instead, if he throws up the hair ball and then the next day continues to eat grass, she asks us to elimiate all treats, stop him from eating grass, give him a Zantac 15 minutes before breakfast and dinner, and consider the chicken/rice diet for a few days, if he's avid about the grass eating (meaning, he runs out the door to eat it versus grazing a little). This has worked for us.

I have also taught Rouser to run into the bathroom (where there's tile) if he thinks he's going to get sick at 3 AM, which is always when this happens so there must be some kind of metabolic thing going on. Poor guy - for some reason he thinks he needs me to be with him when he's getting sick so I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night to see my dog running between me and the bathroom as he's trying to get my attention while not throwing up on the carpet.