Excessive Stomach Acid question

[conchitaroja]

Problem: I have a 5 year old pit bull with stomach issues; these started when he was about 6 months old. Every couple of weeks I can hear his stomach juices churning, and he has no appetite until after he throws up those juices.
Our Vet has no explanation; he's been tested for bacteria & parasites etc. without conclusion... he's been given broad spectrum antibiotics, but there is no change...
My question: Is it possible that at some point he swallowed something that he cannot pass & the excessive juices are trying to disolve it?
This silly dog will eat anything if he's not being closely watched. He's eaten all manner of crazy stuff... paper being his favorite... he has a pretty normal appetite most of the time, I feed him Pedigree, (two cups for breakfast & two for supper) & he has (I guess) fairly normal bowel movements... but it just bothers me that he will not eat from time to time...
His energy level is good, he loves to play tug & keep away with his favorite purple nubby bone...
Anyone with any ideas? Your help will be most appreciated. Thanks

[aTailOf2Kitties]

what does the vomit look like? Clear or yellow? Wondering if it is something like recurring pancreatitis. My first dog (a beagle mix) had problems with it from time to time. Her barf was clear and foamy

[kokopup]

Koko has similar issues from time to time. She will start eating grass while we are on our walk. She will then throw up the grass and yellow mucus from her stomach. i will give her Pepto and she will usually perk up after that. I can usually tie her upset stomach to something she ate the day before. We found that eating any meat, that we normally eat, will upset her stomach. If she gets into the cat food it has the same result. We just have to watch her very carefully because she will eat anything. I have had to pull cotton out of her mouth, that she was trying to eat, where she had pulled the stuffing out of one of her stuffed toys. I feed her a Nutro food that has oatmeal as one of the ingredients. Oatmeal is suppose to help dogs with sensitive stomachs,

[Seravieve]

Zeke has an issue with throwing up yellow bile if he goes too long without eating. We've talked to the vet about it and they say give him 1 Tums tablet a day to try and help it.

Its not an everyday occurrence, but it sure is annoying trying to rush him out the door so I dont have to get out the carpet cleaner all the time.

I doubt with your dog that it'd be something he ate a long time ago. Thats 4.5 years of being stuck in there? And with no signs of the problem worsening. And he still eats, drinks and pottys fine. I highly doubt a blockage.

Have you ever tried changing foods to see if that helps?

[conchitaroja]

Hello again;
My dog's vomit varies; sometimes it's clear & sometimes it is yellow.
He also likes to eat grass while on walks, usually goes for the rough crab grass. Sometimes he pukes up the just eaten grass & sometimes not.
I've tried to give him pepto & tums tabs but he spits them out... kinda weird for a critter that's "part goat" & will eat anything if left to his own devices... I am happy to hear that you don't think it to be any kind of blockage Thanks for your input...
Oh, about the food change... I do sometimes give him something else; he kind of likes Beneful & doesn't give me problems about that change, but if I put something in his dish he's not familiar with he'll look up at me as if to say "what's this stuff?" LOL

[Seravieve]

Well you could try changing foods to a higher quality food than Beneful (Not trying to be rude). Maybe he'd do better on a kibble that has no fillers or corn and is easier to digest.

If he's not interested in the tablets, you could always get him his own jar of peanut butter and dip them in right before you gave it to him.. It'd probably go over easier. Or you can always sick it in the back of his mouth, like with regular meds.

[bckrazy]

Gonzo used to vomit up bile on a regular basis, too. I was very confused by it... I got him checked out for allergies, ulcers, etc, etc.

Now that he is fed a premium, grain-free diet Gonzo no longer gets bouts of upset tummy. Not only that, but his skin, fur, itching, ears, teeth, breath, eyes, poops, EVERYTHING has drastically improved. My guess is that your dog's body is pretty toxic - lots of low quality fillers and dead/dying/diseased meats aren't good for anyone, and he probably has an excess of stomach acids trying to digest all of that stuff. Instead of spending more money on Vet bills and medication, invest that into a species appropriate diet. I used to feed grain-packed foods (Nutro Natural Choice, Biljac, etc) because I believed they were nutritionally complete and I wasn't aware of the many better kibbles available. I didn't know, or even consider, the fact that feeding my dog a diet high in grains/fillers/indegestibles was not good for his digestive system nor for his overall health.

A dog can only digest and gather nutrients from, at the most, 25% of vegetable matter. Foods like Pedigree and Beneful are primarily made up of low quality corn, which is one of the least digestible of all vegetables, as it is. All of that is VERY taxing on a dog's digestive system. An opportunistic carnivore, whose body is built for the consumption of meat, is just bound to react badly to a nearly meat-free diet. Some dogs will live a long life on a diet that is packed with fillers... other dogs are very sensitive to fillers.

I highly, highly, highly recommend checking out Dog Food Project and Dog Food Analysis. Educating yourself on the topic, learning what to look for in a dog food, and finding a dog food that works for your pup will save you a LOT of time, money, and worry. A couple of my favorite grain-free foods are Taste of the Wild, Innova Evo, and Orijen... and they're pretty widely available. If you have a feed store or a pet specialty store (not Petsmart/Petco) near you, check out what they carry and get a bunch of samples. I also recommend giving him a few tablespoons of plain or greek yogurt, to build up good flora, or buying this digestive enhancer. It's great for switching foods and calming an upset tummy. Good luck! Keep us updated.

Also, he sounds a bit bored and understimulated, as far as eating goes. Dogs crave the ripping and chewing that goes along with eating meat. Raw meaty bones are VERY healthy for dogs and VERY stimulating and tiring, as well. Turkey necks/wings, chicken backs, and beef knuckle bones are healthy, fairly easy on the tummy, and will give your dog an outlet for his desire to chew. If you're uncomfortable with raw meaty bones, bully sticks, tendons, and lamb/pig ears are safe and fun for your pup. You might also make him work for his kibble, by putting it in a dog puzzle/treat ball, like a Buster Cube or a Tug-a-Jug.

[conchitaroja]

Hey BCKrazy; thanks for the info. That digestive enzyme sounds interesting. I am a little confused though about Turkey necks/wings, chicken backs... I thought that they were unsafe & would cause a choking hazard; or is that just in people? I'll check out the digesive stuff... but for now I must continue with the pedigree etc cuz I'm unemployed & get VERY LEETLE as far as UC compensation goes
I have another question: I've heard other breeders feed a raw diet; the very SOUND of that scares me. What is it exactly? A neighbor down the street from me feeds his pit bull raw meat & I just "LOOKED" at him like he was from outer space... I thought that sounded dangerous to me ... but of course, his version of raw meat is probably not MY version... hehe...

[bckrazy]

Turkey and chicken are completely safe to be fed... raw. Cooked, the bones are brittle, devoid of moisture, and can definitely hurt a dog. But raw bones are soft and pliable, and easily digested. No, feeding a balanced raw diet is not as simple as tossing a raw steak at a dog. You have to feed a variety of meats, you HAVE TO provide a source of calcium that is balanced to the meat intake (either through whole prey raw bones and all, or measured amounts of bone meal or crushed egg shells), and depending on where your meat source comes from it's usually a good idea to feed supplements to ensure that your dog is getting all of the nutrients and vitamins that are found naturally in wild game. It can be weird and scary at first, but if you think about it, until 50 years ago this is what dogs and their relatives have been eating & thriving on. Their bodies are designed for a diet primarily consisting of raw meat and bones, so if you are able to provide a replica of that diet, it's clearly the most appropriate diet for them.

I buy my dog's food and I'm a po' student, too. While cheaper foods SEEM more cost effective, if you put two and two together, it's not that simple. When I buy kibble, it's usually Taste of the Wild, which is under $2/lb (30 lbs = $40). Pedigree is what, $1/lb? Even if it's less than $1/lb, it's 200-250 calories per cup. TotW is double that in calories, plus, it is grain-free... so your pup will be digesting much more of it. I would expect 1 cup of TotW or a similar food to equal 3 cups of Pedigree, so in the end, Pedigree is the rip-off. You're feeding double or triple the amount of food (with most of it coming out the other end) and not paying that much less. That's not even counting the elimination of Vet bills for gastro issues. I totally understand buying what you can afford... but, really, a price tag is only a very small peice of the puzzle.

[Seravieve]

When I buy kibble, it's usually Taste of the Wild, which is under $2/lb (30 lbs = $40). Pedigree is what, $1/lb? Even if it's less than $1/lb, it's 200-250 calories per cup. TotW is double that in calories, plus, it is grain-free... so your pup will be digesting much more of it. I would expect 1 cup of TotW or a similar food to equal 3 cups of Pedigree, so in the end, Pedigree is the rip-off. You're feeding double or triple the amount of food (with most of it coming out the other end) and not paying that much less. That's not even counting the elimination of Vet bills for gastro issues. I totally understand buying what you can afford... but, really, a price tag is only a very small peice of the puzzle.

This is really a good way to look at it. I've never actually broke it down that far. I've always known you'd feed less of a higher quality food.. but didn't do the math. Good post! =)

[Morag Bates]

Hello there,

I thought you might be interested to know that Snowdrop also has this problem every now and then.

However, I have only fed her on home cooked food, meats like well cooked chicken, beef and lamb, mixed with a little pasta, potato, or sometimes fresh bread. In addition to this she also gets a tablespoon of Pedigree Small Bite Mixer, which is dry. She also drinks plenty of water.

We went through a terrible period of three and a half years of far worse vomiting up blood prior to this, and were referred to The Small Animal Hospital in Edinburgh twice, but they were unable to diagnose the problem and prescribed Steroids, which she had to take on and off during this period, until it eventually disappeared, just as strangely as it started, with no change in diet at any time. Now we are just left with the occasional yellow bile sickness, always in the morning, when her stomach is empty.

It is therefore a bit of a mystery.

However, one thing that we were advised was that to feed three small meals a day rather than one or two larger meals, just to keep something in the tummy, and of course to drink as much fresh water as possible too.

I hope this helps.

With best wishes,

Morag

[king2005]

My Digi doesn't have the same issues, but she does have an Extremely Sensitive Digestive System. Her triggers are anything from Mammals & Shellfish..

I spend about $30/month to make her food. I use whole Hens (chicken), & whole Fish (100% uncleaned.. meaning it has all its guts, scales, head, fins, etc.)...

I pressure cook it into mush, blend it into paste, add blended cooked veggies, divide the meat & veggies accordingly & then use all the left over liquid to help form gelatin so it stays together so its easier for Digi to eat.

Before I left on a 3hr trip I added warm water to some food to make a soup so Digi would have a lot of water in her system as it was HOT outside last weekend. She pee'd a lot but felt fine as she wasn't dehydrated.

So if you dog is having food issues, try fish & chicken kibbles. But the good kibbles not that LOW quality Iams & Pedagree stuff... <-its not food in my opinion, its stuff.

[conchitaroja]

wow, it's been a while since I came here to visit...
I took Guerrero off the pedigree & beneful, & started to feed him Iams... the problem didn't quit all together, but still exists a little bit. So, You're saying that Iams isn't any good either? What else is out there?
I will say this about Iams, is that my boy's got som BAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDD breath & smelly farts now...
I've never brushed his teeth... mostly cuz I'm warey he'd try to chew the brush, LOL... could THIS be part of the problem? I give him milk bones for treats... any suggestions there?

BTW, thanks for all your good comments

[king2005]

wow, it's been a while since I came here to visit...
I took Guerrero off the pedigree & beneful, & started to feed him Iams... the problem didn't quit all together, but still exists a little bit. So, You're saying that Iams isn't any good either? What else is out there?
I will say this about Iams, is that my boy's got som BAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDD breath & smelly farts now...
I've never brushed his teeth... mostly cuz I'm warey he'd try to chew the brush, LOL... could THIS be part of the problem? I give him milk bones for treats... any suggestions there?

BTW, thanks for all your good comments

A good rule of thumb to follow. If you can buy cat/dog food in a human store, or a pet store, its LOW grade no matter the cost & "brand name". Look for a store called Global, or Ryan's, or Global Ryan's (the companies merged, but not all signs have been updated) or any of their sister companies or companies they recommend you to use in your area.

At Global Ryan's (the new name) you can buy the cheapest food they have & KNOW its safe for your dog. The worst thing the cheap stuff has is grain.

gotta run.. at work...

[Seravieve]

Personally, I wouldnt feed Iams to my dogs. I wouldnt feed any food carried by Walmart or Target.. they're all just too low grade for me. We feed Nature's Recipe from Petsmart. Petco has it too, but its generally cheaper at PM. I'd consider NR a middle grade food. No corn, fillers, byproducts...

We rarely brush our dogs' teeth, but if we notice some plaque-build up, J will scrape it off with a pick.