Hi HA Team!
I am looking for some extra support in helping my dog heal from bilious vomiting syndrome. It's been a major journey trying to get to the bottom of it for the last 16 months since I adopted her. I've looked throughout this forum to see what others have been doing to help but haven't come across much so wanted to start a new thread dedicated to this topic as I know SO many others are dealing with this too.
Here is our info:
1. Mulan
2. 5 years old
3. Female
4. Spayed
5. Indian Pariah / rescued street dog from India
6. ~50 lbs (should be about 45 lbs)
7.
Behaviour: Anxious, reactive, easily startled
Energy: Low, doesn't like to do much exercise unless we go to the forest
Appetite: Insatiable
Mood: Sweet and affectionate but seems like she's not feeling well and a lot of her personality is hidden under that. A bit down in the dumps. Doesn't play with any toys or me but will get a bit playful with the couple other dogs she feels safe with.
8. Diet: Raw lean pastured chicken + bone, steamed sweet potato, wild blueberries, papaya, banana, small amounts of honey, fresh herbs, coconut water, aloe water, greens: dandelion stem/greens, spinach, barley grass juice powder, spirulina. I'd say we're at about 50/50 plant foods to meat/bone ratio.
We incorporate about 1/4 recipe Medical Medium Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie most days and a little bit of celery juice when she'll let me sneak it in her food.
She doesn't do well with organ meats other than grass-fed beef heart.
For supplements we mainly include Fera Pets Algae EPA/DHA, lemon balm, cat's claw, licorice root, nettle, milk thistle, vitamin C, magnesium, GABA, zinc, b12, turmeric, kelp
9. Vaccination History: I know all the puppies got the regular parvo/distemper and rabies before they left India but I am unsure what she had with the family she was with for her first 3 years of life before she was re-homed to me. Toxic exposures: No major ones that I know of directly but I do know her mom was likely exposed to a lot of toxicity in her life on the streets of New Delhi. Medication: She was previously on Fluoxetine and Trazodone daily as there were some unavoidable stressors in her life. We were able to wean her off slowly when she came to live with me and occasionally need to use small amounts of trazodone or gabapentin for unavoidable situations that she experiences as very stressful.
10. Primary Problem: Bilious Vomiting Syndrome
Her symptoms fit under Bilious Vomiting Syndrome although to me it seems more just like gastric acid than bile. Her previous family did say she had a very sensitive stomach and they stuck to one specific Acana kibble that seemed to work for her. When she came to live with me I noticed this early morning vomiting of yellow gastric juice/acid a few times before I transitioned her to a fresh food diet and that's when it really became more frequent. I've heard this a lot from other pet parents that the kibble seems to mask symptoms as it stays in the stomach longer and this vomiting tends to occur only when the stomach is empty.
For Mulan I've noticed that the vomiting happens mostly in the early morning around 4-5am, it is exasperated by fattier meats but also if she doesn't have a meal with protein in it right before bedtime. She seems insatiably hungry throughout the day but to me it seems more to be about having something in her stomach at all times, preferably protein. I've played with her diet a lot and it seems that fruit/veggies do not relieve the discomfort she is feeling the way that protein does. On days where I've tried doing a "morning cleanse" to give her liver a break and some healing time, doing plant foods like sweet potato, banana, blueberries etc. in more than enough calories to satiate her she get significantly more anxious than normal and her car anxiety specifically goes through the roof. I put this down to her feeling nauseous and yucky in her stomach. If instead I start the day with protein she seems to feel better and the hunger/asking for food seems to be a little bit less but still way more than it should be.
And to note here, the asking for food is not ordinary begging that I know from other dogs. She is so persistent that it can't be ignored and I know that she is actually desperate for something to settler her stomach and make her feel better. This has resulted in her gaining about 5 extra pounds which is a lot for her and something that I'm trying really hard to reverse now but it is so complicated with this condition as if I try to even slightly reduce calories for the day it results in her feeling unwell and vomiting. It gets to the point where she can't sleep because she's feeling so bad and that results in me not sleeping well either.
11. Yes this condition is made worse by fattier foods like marrow bones or really even most beef products. I ordered lean grass-fed stew beef and even with me trimming off any excess fat, her vomiting and digestion was way worse than normal. She seems to do best with pastured chicken, skin removed. And it does seem to be worse at night. Nighttime is when her asking for food gets to be the worst because I think she knows if she doesn't eat enough before bed she will be feeling sick.
12. I have asked my local vet about this and she asked if I wanted antacids which I declined. I haven't gone further with any diagnostics.
13. Current treatment is basically me trying to support her with nutrition and supplementation. I am doing my best to support her liver function as what Anthony William explains in his book Medical Medium Liver Rescue, issues like GERD (which I believe is strongly connected to this issue) are caused by a toxic/sluggish liver that is no longer producing strong enough bile to properly break down fats and proteins, and in turn the stomach overproduces HCL for a period of time. Once it burns out of doing that, there is low hydrochloric acid which allows bad acids and bacteria to in the stomach to rise causing symptoms of acid reflux which often also includes nausea. There's a bit more to it but that's the gist.
I'm trying to incorporate more foods and herbs to support HCL and bile production as well as helping the liver cleanse and release toxins. I've also tried remedies like ginger and persimmon tea that are well known to help reduce symptoms of GERD but nothing has really helps us much so far. I realize getting to the root of this will likely take some time but right now I am looking to see if there are other natural remedies that can help us on her way.
14. Mulan also does limp from time to time. I've had her assessed by a distance myotherapy clinic and they've identified some pretty significant postural issues and say she's likely in some discomfort every day. We are working on doing some massage work at home that they've recommended. She also has some issues swallowing liquids, coughing and choking quite a bit. She's also had maybe 4-5 reverse sneezing attacks since I've had her, some of them pretty intense and seemingly brought on out of the blue, even once in the middle of the night. She also suffers with pretty major anxiety which is something that the entire litter deals with.
I also happen to have her littermate who is a male and other than some similar anxiety challenges, he has none of these issues. Occasionally he will vomit after a rich food but nothing at this level. And zero mobility issues. He was neutered after one year, wasn't on daily medication and has been on a raw diet since he was one year old so these things may have made the difference.
I'm looking for any extra insights you might have as well as any homeopathic or other remedies that might help us on our way. I know this rogue acid issue in the stomach may take time to heal but I'd love if there was something that could help soothe the stomach in the meantime. The three goals Anthony outlines to heal acid reflux include: build up hydrochloric acid, kill off unproductive bacteria and strengthen the liver.
I believe giving Mulan breaks from digesting protein/fat would be highly beneficial to accomplish all three of these goals, even if it was just for the day until dinnertime or even eventually plant-based days in place of actual fasting but we just can't get there as the absence of protein makes everything so much worse. I've really tried but it makes both of our lives so miserable that it's just not sustainable at this point. Additionally, I don't want to add any extra stress to her life than what she deals with internally already.
Lots of info here but hoping it gives a good picture of what we're dealing with. Thank you in advance for reading through it all and welcome your insights!
I am looking for some extra support in helping my dog heal from bilious vomiting syndrome. It's been a major journey trying to get to the bottom of it for the last 16 months since I adopted her. I've looked throughout this forum to see what others have been doing to help but haven't come across much so wanted to start a new thread dedicated to this topic as I know SO many others are dealing with this too.
Here is our info:
1. Mulan
2. 5 years old
3. Female
4. Spayed
5. Indian Pariah / rescued street dog from India
6. ~50 lbs (should be about 45 lbs)
7.
Behaviour: Anxious, reactive, easily startled
Energy: Low, doesn't like to do much exercise unless we go to the forest
Appetite: Insatiable
Mood: Sweet and affectionate but seems like she's not feeling well and a lot of her personality is hidden under that. A bit down in the dumps. Doesn't play with any toys or me but will get a bit playful with the couple other dogs she feels safe with.
8. Diet: Raw lean pastured chicken + bone, steamed sweet potato, wild blueberries, papaya, banana, small amounts of honey, fresh herbs, coconut water, aloe water, greens: dandelion stem/greens, spinach, barley grass juice powder, spirulina. I'd say we're at about 50/50 plant foods to meat/bone ratio.
We incorporate about 1/4 recipe Medical Medium Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie most days and a little bit of celery juice when she'll let me sneak it in her food.
She doesn't do well with organ meats other than grass-fed beef heart.
For supplements we mainly include Fera Pets Algae EPA/DHA, lemon balm, cat's claw, licorice root, nettle, milk thistle, vitamin C, magnesium, GABA, zinc, b12, turmeric, kelp
9. Vaccination History: I know all the puppies got the regular parvo/distemper and rabies before they left India but I am unsure what she had with the family she was with for her first 3 years of life before she was re-homed to me. Toxic exposures: No major ones that I know of directly but I do know her mom was likely exposed to a lot of toxicity in her life on the streets of New Delhi. Medication: She was previously on Fluoxetine and Trazodone daily as there were some unavoidable stressors in her life. We were able to wean her off slowly when she came to live with me and occasionally need to use small amounts of trazodone or gabapentin for unavoidable situations that she experiences as very stressful.
10. Primary Problem: Bilious Vomiting Syndrome
Her symptoms fit under Bilious Vomiting Syndrome although to me it seems more just like gastric acid than bile. Her previous family did say she had a very sensitive stomach and they stuck to one specific Acana kibble that seemed to work for her. When she came to live with me I noticed this early morning vomiting of yellow gastric juice/acid a few times before I transitioned her to a fresh food diet and that's when it really became more frequent. I've heard this a lot from other pet parents that the kibble seems to mask symptoms as it stays in the stomach longer and this vomiting tends to occur only when the stomach is empty.
For Mulan I've noticed that the vomiting happens mostly in the early morning around 4-5am, it is exasperated by fattier meats but also if she doesn't have a meal with protein in it right before bedtime. She seems insatiably hungry throughout the day but to me it seems more to be about having something in her stomach at all times, preferably protein. I've played with her diet a lot and it seems that fruit/veggies do not relieve the discomfort she is feeling the way that protein does. On days where I've tried doing a "morning cleanse" to give her liver a break and some healing time, doing plant foods like sweet potato, banana, blueberries etc. in more than enough calories to satiate her she get significantly more anxious than normal and her car anxiety specifically goes through the roof. I put this down to her feeling nauseous and yucky in her stomach. If instead I start the day with protein she seems to feel better and the hunger/asking for food seems to be a little bit less but still way more than it should be.
And to note here, the asking for food is not ordinary begging that I know from other dogs. She is so persistent that it can't be ignored and I know that she is actually desperate for something to settler her stomach and make her feel better. This has resulted in her gaining about 5 extra pounds which is a lot for her and something that I'm trying really hard to reverse now but it is so complicated with this condition as if I try to even slightly reduce calories for the day it results in her feeling unwell and vomiting. It gets to the point where she can't sleep because she's feeling so bad and that results in me not sleeping well either.
11. Yes this condition is made worse by fattier foods like marrow bones or really even most beef products. I ordered lean grass-fed stew beef and even with me trimming off any excess fat, her vomiting and digestion was way worse than normal. She seems to do best with pastured chicken, skin removed. And it does seem to be worse at night. Nighttime is when her asking for food gets to be the worst because I think she knows if she doesn't eat enough before bed she will be feeling sick.
12. I have asked my local vet about this and she asked if I wanted antacids which I declined. I haven't gone further with any diagnostics.
13. Current treatment is basically me trying to support her with nutrition and supplementation. I am doing my best to support her liver function as what Anthony William explains in his book Medical Medium Liver Rescue, issues like GERD (which I believe is strongly connected to this issue) are caused by a toxic/sluggish liver that is no longer producing strong enough bile to properly break down fats and proteins, and in turn the stomach overproduces HCL for a period of time. Once it burns out of doing that, there is low hydrochloric acid which allows bad acids and bacteria to in the stomach to rise causing symptoms of acid reflux which often also includes nausea. There's a bit more to it but that's the gist.
I'm trying to incorporate more foods and herbs to support HCL and bile production as well as helping the liver cleanse and release toxins. I've also tried remedies like ginger and persimmon tea that are well known to help reduce symptoms of GERD but nothing has really helps us much so far. I realize getting to the root of this will likely take some time but right now I am looking to see if there are other natural remedies that can help us on her way.
14. Mulan also does limp from time to time. I've had her assessed by a distance myotherapy clinic and they've identified some pretty significant postural issues and say she's likely in some discomfort every day. We are working on doing some massage work at home that they've recommended. She also has some issues swallowing liquids, coughing and choking quite a bit. She's also had maybe 4-5 reverse sneezing attacks since I've had her, some of them pretty intense and seemingly brought on out of the blue, even once in the middle of the night. She also suffers with pretty major anxiety which is something that the entire litter deals with.
I also happen to have her littermate who is a male and other than some similar anxiety challenges, he has none of these issues. Occasionally he will vomit after a rich food but nothing at this level. And zero mobility issues. He was neutered after one year, wasn't on daily medication and has been on a raw diet since he was one year old so these things may have made the difference.
I'm looking for any extra insights you might have as well as any homeopathic or other remedies that might help us on our way. I know this rogue acid issue in the stomach may take time to heal but I'd love if there was something that could help soothe the stomach in the meantime. The three goals Anthony outlines to heal acid reflux include: build up hydrochloric acid, kill off unproductive bacteria and strengthen the liver.
I believe giving Mulan breaks from digesting protein/fat would be highly beneficial to accomplish all three of these goals, even if it was just for the day until dinnertime or even eventually plant-based days in place of actual fasting but we just can't get there as the absence of protein makes everything so much worse. I've really tried but it makes both of our lives so miserable that it's just not sustainable at this point. Additionally, I don't want to add any extra stress to her life than what she deals with internally already.
Lots of info here but hoping it gives a good picture of what we're dealing with. Thank you in advance for reading through it all and welcome your insights!
