# Dog starves himself every AM, pukes up bile



## michavissar (Oct 8, 2007)

My dog is almost 1 yr old. He's been rebelling against breakfast lately and refuses to eat sometimes until late afternoon, but by then he will almost certainly puke up his excess bile in a foamy yellow puddle on the floor. I've pushed up his dinner and have tried giving him a snack before bed. I've even tried giving him a small biscuit in the morning to hold him over until he's ready to eat. But much of the time he'll just eat the biscuit and go without food until puking anyway. He has no problem eating his later meal and never goes to bed without eating it. If we add ANYTHING to his food, he'll eat it right away. But I don't want to be the kind of owner that bends to her dog's every whim and spoils him- he eats better than I do as it is (DVP's Natural Balance). It's become really stressful every morning knowing that he's going to totally ignore his food and puke - it can't be healthy. Yes, we went to a vet. She just said "nightly snack" and pepcid. We tried both. Great. Anyone?


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Have you tried changing his food? My vet always told me if my dog ever stops eating or drinking that something is wrong and to bring him in right away. My dog is a slow eater so I will be changing his food because I don't think he really likes what he is on right now. The yellow puke is from him having an empty stomach, my dog had that once when he hadn't eaten that much that day and he puked the next morning but the vet said it was from him not eating enough. Also since your dog only seems to want to eat at night I would add his breakfast amount to his dinner amount so he won't be starving in the morning.

Edit: I just reread what you said and if I was you I'd be finding a new vet that just put it off as "oh he just needs a snack at night". My vet would be doing test to see what is wrong with the dog.


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## tsorcus (Aug 24, 2007)

When I got my guy at six months he was on one meal a day with a biscuit for his other meal and so that's what I kept him on - he's never had a bile problem or anything. Maybe your guy is just trying to tell you that he only needs one big meal now? Or he might just not like his food... Will he eat it if you feed it to him as obedience treats etc? Because that might be a sneaky way to get food into him in the mornings without feeling that you're pampering him. As long as the vet thinks he's OK he can't do himself any serious damage by missing a meal - but I don't know if it's normal to throw up just because your stomach is empty?


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## michavissar (Oct 8, 2007)

Actually, the vet did do tests initially (we brought him in twice for this), for worms etc and found absolutely nothing wrong. So she said to give him a 1/4 pepcid AC every night, then later she said to add a midnight snack...it didn't work, or at least not well. The idea about one meal a day might actually make sense...but the problem is I'd have to give him more than one biscuit to prevent him from puking until his evening meal. The whole issue is that his tummy stays empty for too long at a time and that's what causes the bile to build up. Maybe I will try changing foods but for now I have a 35 lb bag to get through...so it'll take months...


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## Anela (Sep 8, 2007)

This is a new on me. 

Are there any other negative behavior issues? You mentioned that you took dog to the vet, but I think my main concern would be the long term effects of what is going on. If dog is bringing up bile as much as you say, this could cause complications with electrolytes and hydration.	

Perhaps you should skip a dinner and see what happens or cut portions. At this point, dog knows that it’s going to get a meal when breakfast is skipped. I would say something has to be done to break this cycle and skipping a dinner may or may not do the trick. I think I would also consult with vet again and state your concerns and ask about skipping a meal or two.

I have three large dogs. If they don't eat within about 10 minutes after I offer them meals (a.m. and p.m.) I take it away. If I have time I may offer it again a bit later, but usually that's it until the next meal time.

Anela


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Try doubling his evening meal and hopefully that will hold him over till the next meal and give him treats during the day in case increasing the amount of food in the evening isn't enough.


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## GreatDaneMom (Sep 21, 2007)

i dont think skipping a meal if he already isnt eating in the morning is the right thing to do. really, there has to be a problem. i would find a different vet. its not normal, and the problem really needs to be discovered.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

I would think that if he eats the same food in the evening and has no problem it's probably not the food. By cutting out his breakfast and doubling his evening meal you're not doing him any favors - that's too much food at one time, at least in my opinion. I would leave his evening meal just as it is. 

As others said, the yellow bile is from having an empty stomach. 

How about offering him something really great in the am - to try to jump start his morning appetite? You said you feed him NB - how about a small amount of the NB canned - until he get in the habit of eating in the morning. You might try adding a digestive enzyme to the food as well. 

If he tested fine at the vet, maybe you can break this routine with a little time and a lot of patience.


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## FriendsOfZoe (Aug 7, 2007)

I agree with Renoman...you mentioned if you add something to it in the morning, he will eat? You could try adding a bit of canned food, or even adding something cheaper that's healthy--like canned pumpkin, green beans, or cottage cheese. Giving him a little something extra in his morning meal to get him to eat isn't necessarily a bad thing--and those foods I mentioned are fairly inexpensive but healthy foods that can add flavor and variety to the dog's diet without adding tons of calories or fillers...and without breaking the bank. You'd be surprised what dogs will see as "treats"--green beans, for instance. You might have to force a kid to eat them, but lots of dogs think they are a scrumptious treat!

Obviously, there could be further health issues, but if the problem solves itself by him eating breakfast (with a little something extra mixed in to encourage him to eat), then that would be a lot easier all around, right?

Edit: if he's vomiting on a fairly predictable schedule, you could try giving him a "lunch meal" instead of a morning meal? Have you tried putting down his first meal like an hour before he normally vomits? Perhaps he's not ready to eat right away, but would be willing to a few hours later...you may have already tried this, but just figured I throw it out there.


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## michavissar (Oct 8, 2007)

Well I gave him a small amount of plain yogurt in his kibble this morning. Of course he chowed down right away but he didn't chew a single piece of kibble, he just swallowed each one, i guess the yogurt lets it just slide down his throat- terrible. He even made this choking sound a few times, basically he was inhaling the food, not a good solution. Next I'll try just giving him the one big meal at night and replace breakfast with a couple of small biscuits. I can't see how this would actually work but it's worth a try, I'm pretty much desperate. For now, hasn't puked for about a week because we've been jumping through every hoop just to get him to eat in the morning. We've been playing games with the food, giving it as treats, keeping him in his crate with it until he eats (this can be hours) etc... I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all the great input!!


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

My dog always inhales his food. In fact, pretty much every dog I've ever owned has inhaled their food. I'm not sure how big a problem that really is. Kinda gross, maybe, but isn't that why we call them "animals"?


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## michavissar (Oct 8, 2007)

FilleBelle said:


> My dog always inhales his food. In fact, pretty much every dog I've ever owned has inhaled their food. I'm not sure how big a problem that really is. Kinda gross, maybe, but isn't that why we call them "animals"?


Chewing prepares the stomach for digestion and this kind of inhaling of food can lead to bloat. We've just alway encouraged him to chew it up a little. So it's a little disconcerting to watch him swallow it all. I guess it's not the biggest deal. We're going to try the one meal thing today and see how that goes.


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## lizbethc38 (Sep 13, 2007)

I had the same problem with my small mixed breed male. I eventually realized it was because he didn’t like his food. He loved steak, bacon, etc, but not dog food. He would go as long as he could & would throw up bile before eating strictly out of necessity. I went to several vets re his not eating issues as well as itching & hot spots. None had a solution.
I finally found a food combo he likes & I feel good about (Castor & Pollux Organix dry w/a bit of organic meat, buffalo or chicken) but even still he doesn’t like eating the same thing all day. I alternate his breakfasts, sometimes some egg & Uphaus organic treats, sometimes a slice of Natural Balance’s turkey roll, or sometimes a bit of Castor & Pollux Organix canned turkey & brown rice. His skin issues have resolved themselves also.
Do I spoil him? Maybe, but he brings me much happiness, so he is certainly worth it.


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## zettarose (Sep 28, 2007)

Perry lost interest in food earlier this summer, I know how discouraging that can be. 

His is a whole other story that you probably don't want to hear about.

I tried cooking for him, and he even lost interest in that. 

Good luck to you, I hope you can get your furry baby to eat.


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## michavissar (Oct 8, 2007)

Thanks for the supportive words. Suffice it to say, the one big meal a day thing doesn't seem to be working. Today he got only a biscuit in the morning and then at 5:30 I put down his meal. He ignored it and stood there just watching me while I did the dishes. Soon I hear the urka gurka sound of him wretching. Shortly after, I'm cleaning two puddles of yellow goo off the floor.  Then about 5 minutes later he starts nibbling at his food. Soon enough his chowing down. Then, after another 5 mins, it's all gone. Couldn't he have done that before he puked? Probably, the acid building in his stomach was not very appetizing. Jeez...this is so frustrating.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

michavissar said:


> Chewing prepares the stomach for digestion and this kind of inhaling of food can lead to bloat. We've just alway encouraged him to chew it up a little. So it's a little disconcerting to watch him swallow it all. I guess it's not the biggest deal. We're going to try the one meal thing today and see how that goes.


The one large meal thing is a huge invitation to bloat moreso than inhaling his food. A large amount of food at one time can cause bloat faster than smaller meals.

Try putting a large rock, a brick or some other object into his bowl which would cause him to slow down on his eating. 

ETA: Just read your last post. Having a dog with colitis, I have to be very on top of his food intake. Maybe 3 or 4 small meals a day would work for your boy. Just like a person with an ulcer who has to constantly have something in their stomach.... when the stomach is empty, the stomach acid takes over and the stomach becomes upset. Not condusive to wanting to eat. If there is constantly something in the stomach... no chance for stomach acid to build up and cause problems. 

I would be bringing this guy to the vet for a consult. I'm no vet but it sounds like maybe IBS or colitis or something very closely related may be at work here. 
Is the kibble large or small? Maybe if you need a larger kibble to encourage chewing.

I have 2 dogs that love their food. One is a slow steady chewer, while the other inhales. I have found that something as simple as cutting up an apple, which is good for them, slows down their eating time and is a healthier option than 1 meal a day. Just my opinion.....


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## meeegun (May 8, 2007)

my dog does something very similar to yours. have you tried one of those treat balls or squares? you put kibble in them and then your dog can push them around or pick it up and toss it and the kibble will fall out. my dog will frequently not eat in the morning either unless i add something to her food and sometimes not even then. and then, if she skips it, by about 4 in the afternoon she will sometimes puke bile or mucous. if your dog is doing this regularly, i would try one of those treat balls, my dog loves hers and i don't have to encourage her to eat either because its so much FUN for her she will go to it on her own. also, i don't see anything wrong with adding things to the food like the others said. i add salmon, chicken, or tuna (about a TBS) to my dogs food and she eats natural balance like yours. you can also try adding chicken broth. additionally, sometimes when my dog is really excited about something, like a friend stopping by or even after a really great walk she will go eat. i think when she is happy about something she is more likley to eat. also, i have tried a lot of different types of dog food, but she has always been very picky about her food and reluctant to eat. i really don't think that if your dog and mine are holding out until they are physically sick it is a matter of trying to get the "good" stuff. especially if it is happening regularly. it sounds to me like your dogs tummy is just too upset to want to eat and once he throws up he finally feels better and can eat. can you try the prilosec in the morning instead of at night, since you are having the problems in the AM you might get a better result. also, you may have to work to get your dog to adjust to eating in the morning. maybe he has learned over time that when he eats then he feels really yucky, so even after the meds he is reluctant to eat at this time even if he does feel good (in other words, he has been conditioned). start with a couple of snacks and then increase what your dog is eating over time until he is eating a full feed in the morning.


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## michavissar (Oct 8, 2007)

well i might have solved the problem in a very odd way. I've noticed that sometime Darwin will shovel his food on to the floor from the bowl and eat it off the floor - like he needs some greater challenge in order to eat. Ordinarily I discourage this because I don't want to clean dog food crumbs off the floor every day but then it got me thinking. My thoughts combined with some of the suggestions you all gave me led me to this idea. I took a big tray and spread his food all over the tray the next morning. He ate it immediately!! And he has been ever since (for about a week now)!! We'll see how long that lasts I guess.  Thank you all for your help!


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## Danny'sGirl (Jan 7, 2007)

Oh, I sympathize! My shepherd/lab mix, Danny, was nicknamed the "hurk dog" for a few weeks after I adopted him last January. The shelter had warned me he was a picky eater & would need wet food w/ dry to make him interested in eating. I was so glad during all the pet-food recall scares that I didn't give him anything canned afterall.

For a while I tried some home-made alternatives - tuna or good stuff in his food, feeding him in his crate - turned out he still wouldn't finish his food and I had a trail of ants from my 2nd floor deck into the house, into his crate - gross!

I tried giving him his food in a brown paper bag, so he had to rummage around for it. Kibble bits everywhere, sigh.

Took a few brands changes & experiments, but now he's getting 1.5 cups for breakfast & supper after walks, and I just leave it down for him to finish off when he's hungry. He totally loves the Purina in the green bag, and of course, it's the cheapest thing I've tried. Silly Danny.

I'm glad you got your pooch solved - the puking is SO frustrating!


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## laurah5107 (Jul 23, 2008)

My Std Poodle often behaved like that (refusing breakfast, puking bile every morning) for quite awhile. We did all sorts of blood tests, had internal ultrasound of liver, kidneys; scoped the intestinal tract. Nothing. 

Just a week ago, during an unrelated emergency surgery prep, it was discovered that she had metatastic lung cancer, no idea of the origin cancer. I can't help thinking that the vomiting bile and the lack of morning appetite might have been an early symptom.

I also have 3 "chow hounds" that hoover their food in seconds and tried many different "premium" brand dog foods to no avail.

Let us know if you find the reason for your dog's morning routine.


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## Sugar Daddy Otis (Jan 9, 2008)

laurah5107 said:


> Let us know if you find the reason for your dog's morning routine.


This is an old thread--the reason her dog was doing this is here  



michavissar said:


> well i might have solved the problem in a very odd way. I've noticed that sometime Darwin will shovel his food on to the floor from the bowl and eat it off the floor - like he needs some greater challenge in order to eat. Ordinarily I discourage this because I don't want to clean dog food crumbs off the floor every day but then it got me thinking. My thoughts combined with some of the suggestions you all gave me led me to this idea. I took a big tray and spread his food all over the tray the next morning. He ate it immediately!! And he has been ever since (for about a week now)!! We'll see how long that lasts I guess.  Thank you all for your help!


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

My male will gag and upchuck bile every morning unless he's fed something before bed. What works best is either plain, live culture yogurt, or cottage cheese. Feeding his regular food didn't prevent the bile, so tried the yogurt and cottage cheese. Both are easy on the stomach.


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## laurah5107 (Jul 23, 2008)

Poodleholic - How late in the evening do you feed the yogurt? We had tried feeding an evening snack (usually around 8 pm) but it obviously wasn't late enough as the Poo kept vomiting bile in the morning.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Try a snack an hour before you head off to bed so you can make sure the dog gets outside before bedtime. I give my dog with kidney insufficiency three meals a day 8 hours apart. Dogs getting grain seem to do better with regular meals like that.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

laurah5107 said:


> Poodleholic - How late in the evening do you feed the yogurt? We had tried feeding an evening snack (usually around 8 pm) but it obviously wasn't late enough as the Poo kept vomiting bile in the morning.


Around 30-45 minutes prior to bedtime (around 11:00 pm). He gets up around 8:45 am.


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