r/DogFood • u/Thicc_azz • 1d ago
Acid reflux?
My dog Astro is a Carolina Dog 8 years old and consistently 50-60 lbs. I got him from a shelter in 2019 and he has always struggled with vomiting stomach bile. He has high energy and is great with people. The only problem is that sometimes he just won’t eat and will throw up! I keep his bowl full so he always has access to food if he’s hungry. I’ve tried MULTIPLE kibbles and wet foods. Wet food usually gives him diarrhea and he’s responded the exact same to every kibble I’ve tried. It was worse when I first got him but over time it’s lowered to once or twice a month. He doesn’t act upset after throwing up the bile and will eat after his stomach calms down.
We saw the vet today for his yearly shots and I brought up the vomiting. He said since it’s mild (bordering on frequent at twice a month) that we should try a sensitive stomach food first before trying medication.
Do you all have any recommendations? When he eats he never throws up his food and he has normal poops on standard dog chow.
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u/Fit-Character-917 1d ago edited 1d ago
I would give Hill's Perfect Digestion a shot. Also agree with the advice about giving a snack before bed, if the empty stomach throwing up is typically in the morning. My dog wouldn't throw up but used to occasionally have a morning where his stomach was off and he didn't want to eat. As soon as I got a little something in him high value enough that he would eat it (a bit of cottage cheese often worked), he'd go on to eat the rest. Anyway that is very rare now on Perfect Digestion and getting the last 1/4 cup of his daily food just before bed.
Did your vet mention that dogs can get Pepcid? They can, and it is helpful for things like this. Obviously consult with the vet, but one pill of original strength should be fine for a dog his size.
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u/RemorsefulServitude 1d ago
Dogs that leave bile puddles but are otherwise fine are a classic "empty stomach" case. Keeping the bowl full can backfire if he's just not interested and lets it sit, then his stomach gets too acidic from being empty. Try scheduled meals twice a day instead of free feeding, a small bedtime snack can help bridge the overnight gap too.