Lab throwing up undigested food

Stub · #1 21st March 2012, 01:45 PM

One of my friends has a 10-yr old lab who has recently been regurgitating his food 2-3 hours after eating. The food is undigested and then he re-eats it and is fine. He's had x-rays and bloodwork, both of which were negative. He's pooping normally, it would appear not to be a blockage. It seems to me I read about dogs with similar problems on here, but when I did a search it was all puppies who needed a food change. George is 10, as I said, and has been on the same food for all his life, as far as I know. She tried to give him some kind of wet food (I'd guess SD from the vet) and he refused it. She is going to try chicken and rice, and I said maybe the bag of food was bad or formula had been changed, but I haven't heard back from her yet if it was a new bag of food. Any ideas??
Thanks!
p.s. he does get a lot of rawhides, and often throws up chunks. I've warned her about them but she thinks he likes them too much to stop. Could it be a bit of rawhide stuck in his belly sometimes blocking off the passage out?

Gatorblu · #2 21st March 2012, 04:42 PM

I would try giving him a pepcid a day. He might just be getting some acid reflux. Lord knows as I have gotten older I have had to deal with it more often. If continues after that then I would probably change to a limited ingredient diet. It wouldn't hurt that is for sure.

As for the raw hides, if she won't give them up suggest the ones that are ground up and then pressed back together. That would avoid and big chunks, and he coudl still enjoy them.

Hope George feels better soon!

Stub · #3 22nd March 2012, 05:08 PM

The vet gave her famotidine (pecpid) and she gave it to him for awhile but it doesn't seem to be helping. She said he threw up his chicken and rice this morning, several hours after eating again. I feel so bad for the poor guy, but more for her as she is worried about him and the vets don't have any answers! That is always so frustrating and worrying.

Roge · #4 23rd March 2012, 02:00 AM

My 10yrr old terrier has been doing this on and off for the past year. But i have seen a pattern to it. He is a picky eater and doent always eat what he is given, I have to take the food away if not eaten as he will gaurd it and it tends to cause the odd set to with Roge.So by the next meal he is hungry and wolfs it down and about 15 mins later its back up,so now when he doesnt eat a meal I give him a small portion for next and feed him another small bit again before bed. With him it seems to happen when he eats a full meal very fast I dont know if its the air taken in from wolfing it down or just sometimes his tummy just cant take the volume of food he is taking in at speed ( he is usually a slow eater )
It might be an idea for your friend to try the reducing the volume of food per meal and feed more often and se if it helps.
By the way this was not the vets idea its just something I came up with when I saw the pattern emerge.

Gatorblu · #5 23rd March 2012, 09:11 AM

Has the vet checked for pancreatitis? When Thor first got pancreatitis our vet at the time ran tests for everything but pancreatitis.

Stub · #6 23rd March 2012, 12:06 PM

Helen, I thought about telling her to offer him smaller amounts at mealtime! Maybe I'll go ahead and suggest that.

Pam, I don't know if they tested for pancreatitis. I'll ask her. Did Thor have any symptoms aside from throwing up? George is definitely not in any pain, he runs and plays like normal. Once he re-eats the thrown up undigested food he is fine, according to her. (so gross, makes me shudder!)

Stub · #7 18th April 2012, 07:44 PM

Sadly, George the lab has been diagnosed with lymphoma of the stomach. Not sure if my friend is going to decide to treat him or not. In just a month it grew so much he can now keep only water down. She was understandably very upset on the phone today.

Roge · #8 19th April 2012, 01:45 AM

Oh poor George that is so sad . your firend and George have a tough time ahead .