My dog is sick every single morning

What’s the poo like? My old dog used to be sick, but for him it was after every meal... he had pancreatitis. So, all fat was strictly off-limits – it was all chicken breast, rice, veg, or 5% fat beef mince, or dry food with the lowest fat content possible. But he’d vomit and his stools were like jelly.

Hi there, As well as the foam, there seems to be quite a lot of water... Do you know how much water he drinks every day? Have the vets run any tests to check if everything is okay with his kidneys?

Hello and thanks for your reply. As I mentioned above, I’m switching his dry food because he just stops tolerating it after a while. Everything goes well for a few weeks, and I’m always really optimistic because his stools are perfect and he isn’t being sick, but it never lasts long. There always comes a point where his condition starts to deteriorate. I read a theory about dogs suffering from IBD, which said that their digestive system is so damaged that you should use a "sacrificial" protein for a few weeks while their system stabilises: "The concept of feeding a 'sacrificial protein source' during the initial phase of therapy is currently being studied to minimise the likelihood of the animal becoming sensitive to the new protein source while the gut is still inflamed and more permeable to undigested dietary proteins. The first novel protein offered is called a 'sacrificial protein' because it is introduced while the intestinal mucosal barrier is abnormally permeable, which increases the likelihood of the patient developing an allergy to that protein. The sacrificial protein is fed for about 6 weeks, after which a second novel protein source is introduced. This change in diet would coincide with tapering the prednisone dose from immunosuppressive levels to anti-inflammatory levels." As you're a vet, what do you think of this?

Hi there, First of all, I don't understand why you keep switching his dry food if it makes him sick every time. Stick to a brand he tolerates and don't change it again. I’d suggest looking into veterinary brands that offer "hyper-digestible" or "gastrointestinal" ranges, which are usually very well tolerated by dogs with stomach issues. When a dog throws up white foam like yours is doing, it’s usually down to food poisoning or gastritis. This white foam is simply bile or gastric juice, so if he’s vomiting like that, it means his stomach is empty. Some common causes for vomiting white foam include: - Swallowing a foreign object - A parasitic infection - Gastritis - Chronic bowel inflammation - Unsuitable dry food – I’d really recommend those special digestive ranges since your dog seems to have a sensitive stomach. Since the vomiting is happening quite often, I can only suggest that you see a vet to at least give him some relief and try to find the underlying cause. If it is a foreign object, for example, it needs to be removed quickly. It’s even more important to see a vet if your dog shows other symptoms like diarrhoea, lethargy, or a loss of appetite... You could also try fasting him for 12 to 24 hours, while making sure he’s still drinking fresh water regularly. After the fast, gradually reintroduce his usual food. If the vomiting carries on after 24 hours, you’d better get him to an emergency vet. Best regards, Doriane