Vomiting: Dog Food or Something else the problem?

WorriedMom · 02-13-2011

I've had my guy on blue buffalo since the day I brought him home. It had started getting a little expensive, yet I wasn't willing to put him on Iams or anything like that. I switched to Canidae (which I've heard is as good as Blue) about 2 bag ago. (Cheap on amazon + free shipping).

(I have a 102 lb, GSD mix, he just turned 1 yr a week ago). When I first got him, he had fleas, diarrhea, giardia, you name it. After about 4 months, all of his symptoms finally cleared up and he was fine. Recently, after the switch, he has been vomiting randomly. I don't know if it is correlated or not. I would just like some input. I am not saying Canidae is a bad food product, but perhaps it doesn't agree with his stomach? Does anyone have any input on this subject?

I'm not sure if hes just playing too hard and then throwing up like a puppy might do....(although he just threw up 2 minutes ago after only 10 to 15 mintues of running around the house and up and down the stairs with me playing with tennis balls)..... or if the food doesn't agree with his stomach? I've been told he eats pretty fast for a dog.. but he's done that since he was 7 weeks and I never thought anything of it. I never don't let him finish his food, or take it away from him, I don't think he has any reason to rush through eating. He also doesn't always eat all of his food, he stops eating when he is full. He has done that since he was a puppy. Even if I add boiled chicken or rice to his food he will even leave that in there if he doesn't feel like eating it right away.

I can't think of anything else that could be the cause. Any input is welcome because I want to be sure the food is not negatively effecting him in any other way... if it is the food at all.

Thanks!

cigwyllt · 02-13-2011

If he was mine I would start by slowing down his eating. You can buy special bowls to slow them down but you can replicate the same effect by putting his food in a larger bowl with several large rocks (too large to swallow) so that he has to eat around them. That can often be enough to slow them down that little bit and stop the food from bouncing when it hits the stomach!

WorriedMom · 02-13-2011

Very interesting idea. When you say "rocks" you literally mean rocks right? Something he won't eat......?

I will have to try this.... hopefully it helps! Do you think there is a reason for the vomiting? He hasn't vomited in months and it just started while i started bag 2 of canidae? Or perhaps try your method, if it doesn't improve, then switch food? I'm just afraid to leave him on a potentally harmful food!

cigwyllt · 02-13-2011

Yes - rocks/bricks - anything he can't lift. With Jack Russells it is usually enough to put a couple of tin cans in the bowl but I guess he is big enough to lift those out if he felt inclined. You know your own dog and as you said he has had stomach trouble in the past but it could be that he prefers this food and so is eating faster. One of my dogs will do it from time to time so if I notice she has eaten and been sick straight away for a few days I make sure she eats more slowly. I have got a couple of bowls that are double walled and hollow - not sure how else to describe them - so if Ojo is being a piglet I turn the bowl upside down and put the food into the deep sides of the bowl and she has to take her time to eat then.

ThreeLittlePitties · 02-13-2011

Rocks? In my 35 years of dog ownership, I never thought of that one, and I've had some fast eaters. What a great idea.

I have two questions about the throwing up dog. Does he run around and throw up 20 minutes after eating or longer? Just wondering if he's being playful earlier after eating than when he was on the other food. The other question is did you gradually change his food or just start the new when the old bag was finished. Either of those could make a difference.

Just my thoughts.

WorriedMom · 02-13-2011

Moved gradually. I know that is very stressed so I made sure to do that. (people had him on diamond something before the blue....no idea what that was but I couldn't find any so I did a direct switch when he was a pup... this time i did it the right way). Also when I say 2 bag ago... I'm talking about 55 lb bags of food... you really think he could still be "adjusting"?

His energy level has not seemed different to me at all. He does seem calmer these days than when I first got him, but I think his obedience training, age, and more understanding of what I want from him are the keys there. (he listens much well and knows when to be calm... for the most part! still a pup!). I really don't think its due to him feeling ill.

I haven't noticed a pattern in when he throws up. Once he threw up twice in a day... once early in the morning... (no access to food at night so i don't know if it's food related?).... today it was about 20 minutes after eating... we were playing BEFORE he ate... then he ate... watchdoogied at the window for 20 minutes... threw up a little... and licked up and went on his way. It does not SEEM to be correlated to the food... but I didn't want to assume he'd eat and immediately be sick as the only way to connect it to the food.

I have a double walled bowl as well but it would take forever for him to eat 2.0-2.5 cups out of that! I'd have to refill it almost every .25 or .5 cups!

I'm afraid the rocks idea may/may not work-which I only thought of after you mentioned that he could just take them out. He's pretty smart so I'm almost 100% positive he will do this by the 1st or 2nd feeding with rocks... and hes strong enough to drag me across the floor if he pulls a blanket I'm sitting on.... I doubt the rocks would stay in there for very long....I will give it a try though. Any other ideas on helping him eat slower? Someone told me to give him the food in portions by hand.... but in the morning when I need to be out the door by 7am I don't have time / energy to wake up at 5am to feed him his food by hand and sit there while he eats.....

Taming Rover · 02-13-2011

How long has he been vomiting for? when he does is it actually food that comes up or is it just like a white/yellowish foam?
One thing I do know is that dogs shouldn't run around or play to much right after eating, it can upset their stomach or worse, with large especially barrel chested dogs it can cause a condition known as twisted stomach which is potentially fatal and very painful. Not to scare you but just know that really you should wait 2 hours after eating for any heavy exercise or play.
As far as the food, it does seem strange that it would be after 2 large bags that he would be throwing up, I would think after this amount of time he should be adjusted to this food. And also as you said he had thrown up in the morning before eating any food so it makes me think it may be something else.
If it continues you may want to bring him for a checkup, better just so be safe... But also, could he be eating grass or something when he's outside? I'm not sure where your from but I know on the west coast spring is a lot faster coming that where I am buried with snow in the east.

cigwyllt · 02-13-2011

Quote:

and hes strong enough to drag me across the floor if he pulls a blanket I'm sitting on

Sorry, nothing to do with the problem at hand but that brings back such lovely memories of our golden retriever when our son was little. He would sit on the blanket and call her and she would grab the corner and tow him around the house! I'm hooked on terriers but big dogs are just as quirky and fun!

WorriedMom · 02-13-2011

I never get a chance to look at he always throws it up as easily as a human would spit and then licks it back up... i remember seeing one that seemed yellow-ish. But that's not a 100% positive.... and it's usually a VERY small amount... you could probably fit it into one of those liquid medicine cups that come with it.

Yes, I usually do not play with him after eating and if he gets riled up I try to calm him down with a sit down play toy like a bone. I don't know why but he poops right after he eats everytime without faill... BUT this for some reason makes him REALLY hyper! He gets back in the house with a bounce in his step like he literally feels lighter.... so I usually have to be stern with him after his 2x a day dumps. This has nothing to do with it but I think it's kinda weird/funny.

I'm also a east coaster (midwesterner @ heart) so we're still snowy around here and he has not had a chance to eat grass so I can safely eliminate that as the issue.

His health seems to be in order otherwise. He plays, runs around, sleeps normal through the night and a few doggie naps during the day.

And @ cigwylit...... big dogs are so much fun! And some of them are just great with kids! I'm excited to see how Jackson fares when I have my own!

Taming Rover · 02-13-2011

[QUOTE=http://www.i-love-dogs.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=96891

I'm also a east coaster (midwesterner @ heart) so we're still snowy around here and he has not had a chance to eat grass so I can safely eliminate that as the issue. [/QUOTE]

Are you east coast US or Canada? (Just curious

I'm from Newfoundland)

Hmm well don't know what else to say and the throwing up. My only concern would be that he ingested something poisonous or something of the nature but it doesn't sound like that's the case. We had a cat that ingested antifreeze (we're pretty sure) and sadly since we were unaware until it was too late he never made it. He had thrown up a couple times before, white/yellowish foamy type, not just like throwing up his food or grass or something it was different. That's why I asked about it, and also about how long he had been throwing up and the frequency as well. It was pretty quick though with our cat, within a day or two I think. If it has been days or a week and he has thrown up a few times during that period I'd say he's fine but keep an eye on it and if anything else starts to look weird at all then bring him to the vet.

Other than that, I know sometimes they just... well... puke... lol if it were my dog I probably wouldn't worry about it unless it was ongoing or something felt weird about it... Go with your gut and if everything else seems to be in working order than I'd say it'll pass...

CorkyMax · 02-13-2011

German Shepherds are the main breed of dog that can have a problem--Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency. Whether you think this could be part of the problem here or not-- (I am thinking there could be a connection)This is still good for you to know about! Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in the German Shepherd
Please ignore the ad for the dog food in this following link--the info otherwise is good. Personally I believe a raw food diet would be best but you would have to study a lot to know what you were doing!---->
EPI in the GSD - Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency in the GSD

Here is one more that is important to read on this subject: Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (Maldigestion Disorder) in Dogs

There is a lot more info on this --- If you put-- German Shepherd exocrine pancreatic insufficiency---in your browser.

ThreeLittlePitties · 02-14-2011

Hi there WorriedMom. If I got this right now, your dog throws up, but not in much volume and then eats it back up. This doesn't sound like a food issue at all but just maybe it has a bit to do with digestion itself. Has he been on antibiotics or any other medications since the tail end (cute) of his old food or the beginning of his new food?

Here's my thinking. Antibiotics kill ALL bacteria not just the bad. Bacteria is needed to digest food properly. Once all the bacteria in the gut has been destroyed, the good bacteria must rebuild, which takes quite a while.

CorkyMax · 02-14-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreeLittlePitties

Hi there WorriedMom. If I got this right now, your dog throws up, but not in much volume and then eats it back up. This doesn't sound like a food issue at all but just maybe it has a bit to do with digestion itself. Has he been on antibiotics or any other medications since the tail end (cute) of his old food or the beginning of his new food?

Here's my thinking. Antibiotics kill ALL bacteria not just the bad. Bacteria is needed to digest food properly. Once all the bacteria in the gut has been destroyed, the good bacteria must rebuild, which takes quite a while.

Note that the links I gave above tell about the problems some---mainly German Shepherds--have with being able to digest their food properly so this is like 'double trouble!'