Dog Seems Healthy--Except for Vomiting

Q: I have a 14-year-old German shepherd/sheltie mix who vomits for no apparent reason. Some days she will vomit continuously, and then she might not have a problem for two weeks. I have taken her to our veterinarian, and she has been through a series of tests, including a complete blood work-up and X-rays using barium. There doesn’t seem to be anything physically wrong with her. She eats well, has a lot of energy, and, aside from this vomiting and a slight loss of hearing, she is a healthy pet. Her doctor did prescribe one medication called Metoclopramide that did not help ease the vomiting spells. Do you have any ideas or insight as to what might be the matter with her?

Antonietta Cappello, San Juan Capistrano

A: Unfortunately, vomiting is not specific to any particular disorder or disease. Determining the cause can be very difficult, and, in some cases, the mystery goes unsolved. It must first be determined if your dog is regurgitating or actually vomiting. Regurgitation generally occurs right after eating and contains mainly undigested food. Vomiting often occurs many hours after eating and may not be associated with meals at all. This distinction should help locate the source of the problem. Since your dog’s lab tests and barium radiographs were apparently normal, other diagnostic tests may become necessary.

You might try feeding a bland, hypoallergenic diet such as Prescription D/D or lamb and rice. This should eliminate most products that might induce a dietary allergy, such as wheat products. By adding specific products to this diet, you might be able to determine which foodstuffs your dog might be allergic to. Your veterinarian will be able to help you set up a diet.

Special tests such as an ultrasound examination may help determine if your pet has a gastrointestinal motility disorder that may not be readily apparent on X-rays. Surgery or multiple intestinal biopsies may be necessary to rule out certain diseases.