Vomits immediately after eating - Page 2

I spoke with the vet this morning.  He said give him Pepcid AC before his meal.  There was a lot of hair in his vomit for some reason.  He said he could have an inflammation in his gut so to try that.  He is not an overly fast eater at all.  He kind of takes his time which is  why I knew he couldn't be feeling all that bad because eating is the first that goes on this dog if he gets really ill.  He still wants to eat, he just pukes it up and then wants to re eat it.   No weight loss, no lethargy.  I just think it's odd that it started like a week ago on and off and now had become almost every meal.  I will split up his feedings and let it warm up some before feeding him it so cold as well.  Thanks for all the advice it's much appreciated. 

Karmen and Bodie

"Sunsilver...Why would you ask the Vet??? Vets know nothing about nutrition, there is little risk with perforations or blockages as you state with a raw diet"

It's clear she meant that BONES CAN SPLINTER, and BIRD BONES and PORK bones are often swallowed (not chewed) and known for this.

Noone should be feeding bird bones or even pork.  They're too dangerous.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but this symptom is also a prime indicator of mega-esophagus (A VERY common gentic disorder in GSDs) – a very serious and possibly deadly genetic disorder.  You should get the dog to a vet ASAP for an X-ray with barium contrast to rule out MegaE, which I would guess is very likely the case - otherwise you'll potentially be starving the dog to death and exposing it to contracting inhalation pneumonia.  Before you get to the vet (if you have to wait a couple of days for an appointment) you can lift the dog by it's front shoulders (so it's hind feet are still on the floor) and hold him there for a minute or two - this will let the food pass into the stomach if the problem is mega-e.

Mega-e is a horrible issue to be afflicted with and the life long prognosis is poor (meaning the dog has a significant chance of NOT living a full life span) due primarily to multiple contractions of inhalation pneumonia from accidently inhaling vomit.  It is an expensive, difficult issue to live with for both human and dog - but with proper care the dog can lead an otherwise normal life.  Search for it online - there is tons of info and it an issue VERY prevalent in GSDs. There are 2 forms, one where a “pouch” develops off of the esophagus due to a bulge and the second where the esophagus is malformed from birth and bells out to the same diameter as the stomach with a huge sphincter between the 2. In either case the area ahead of the stomach acts like a “false” stomach and holds the food until the dog vomits it back up. The net result is often no food enters the stomach at all. There is a corrective surgery that reportedly has marginal success.

Sorry for you dogs condition and my hope is it's nothing serious.

I think it would be rather strange to appear in an old dog of 8, but if it's not really "vomiting" but "regurgitating" right on eating, I'd think about Megaesophagus.  I just don't think you'd get the problem so late.

Also, note if you have hair in the vomitus each time.  Is he licking/biting himself alot, and has a good healthy amount of hair (undercoat)?  Perhaps he's getting hairballs.

My old GS had a good healthy coat, but unfortunately, every time she groomed herself, it built up hairballs.  She was a FREQUENT "vomiter", which drove me crazy, but it was all because she had all this hair in her system.  She was soooo much like a cat it's not funny!  (My current dog never seems to hold onto much undercoat, though she's beautiful; she doesn't have that kind of vomiting problem ever.  Probably the fact that she's allergic and always scratching as well as biting/licking, and never has quite enough hair to hurt inside!)

Mega-E was the first thing that came to mind also...you should take your pup to the vet and get him checked just in case...its manageable...but it can make life a little difficult.

~Cate

Esgd, I DO know what I'm talking about. I used to work for a vet, and saw a dog spend 10 days in the clinic while a piece of bone worked it way through its gut, helped along by lots of laxitives. The vet told me he'd had to operate to remove bones in the past, and had seen perforated bowels due to bone fragments.

I've also known several people whose dogs have beocome severely ill from the bacteria that are found in raw chicken due to them being raised in such usanitary conditions in modern factory farms. The bacteria are in the bird's fecese, and the meat becomes contaminated during processing, so it doesn't matter if you feed it when it's still fresh, your dog can still get sick from it. I've heard people say your dog will only get sick if the meat is left out too long...NOT TRUE!

Some dogs are immune to the bacteria, and act as carriers. Just as with people, dogs that are old or ill, or very young can get quite sick from them.

One of the commonest bugs in raw chicken is Camplyobacter jejunii, a common cause of  traveller's diarrhea in humans. I contracted this lovely little bug from undercooked chicken in a pasta dish I ate in London, England. It totally ruined the last couple of days of my vacation there. By the time I got home, I was badly dehydrated and running a fever of 103 F. Not fun. And if your dog eats raw chicken, YOU can pick up this bug from handling his food, or handling his feces. You could even pick it up from letting him lick you after he's licked his butt, or maybe eaten some of his own poop.

Sorry, folks, maybe you've been doing this for years, and have had no problems. But IMO, there is a risk, and it just ISN"T WORTH IT! Ihave heard of people losing their dogs, both to bowel perforations/obstructions and bacterial or parasitic infections. WHY TAKE THE RISK??  The dog will benefit just as much from the meat if it is cooked long enough to kill the bacteria and parasites. And bones are NOT an essential part of a dog's diet. I just heard this week from a lady on another dog-related board whose dog cracked a molar on a bone. If the tooth needs treatment, it could cost her up to $3,000!  Sorry, I don't have that sort of money to throw away, so I dont give my dogs bones!

Sunsilver...Of course a dog can choke...humans choke in restaurants...some dogs are not cut out for bones at all...If you consult a professional before staring to feed raw they will hopefully tell you this.....Overall you have no idea what your talking about. I cant type a page right now to educate you, you just dont get the big picture here. Ol rebel...dogs actually do quite well on chicken bones.... your another preacer of false statements...

Karmen,

Megaesophagus imediately came to mind for me when reading your post.

There is a congenital Mega that appears around weaning but also an aquired form seem in adults. There is a long list of diseases (many are immune system related) that can cause the aquired form of Mega. 

I had a Great Dane that first presented symptoms at 3 years old. The diagnosis was per Barium Swallow test. Despite attempts to control the problem, the result was an Aspiration Pneumonia and significant rapid weight loss that eventually a decision had to be made to euthanize my boy. Gastric feeding tube is a possible option but one must also consider quality of life when making those decisions. 

 Like cledford mentioned there is alot of information available on the internet.

I truely hope that it isn't Megaesophagus and that everything turns out OK. Take care,

Deb