Why does my dog throw up bile once a week? Here’s What to Do Next

Diagnosis of Vomiting with Bile in Dogs

Schedule a visit with the veterinarian promptly for a diagnosis of vomiting with bile because you do not want the problem to lead to even more serious consequences, such as severe dehydration or excessive weight loss.

As soon as you feel that you may be seeing your dog vomiting often or to excess, contact the veterinarian for an appointment and begin a vomiting record. Important points to note are how often the dog vomits, and whether the vomit is bile only, occasionally mixed with bile, or sometimes containing partially digested food. This information can help to lead the veterinarian to a quicker diagnosis. Give the veterinarian as much knowledge to work with as possible, including clues to your pet’s daily well-being. Does he act normally at times other than the vomiting episodes? Is the problem a chronic one or did it come on suddenly? Is the vomiting persistent or does it occur intermittently?

It is important to note that sporadic vomiting may show a normal test result in the diagnostic stage. That is one reason that a vomiting record is a valuable tool for the veterinarian. After a thorough physical examination, the veterinarian may order a blood count, blood profile, and chemical profile. A urinalysis is often included, and it may be helpful to the veterinarian to have a sample of the vomit. A fecal smear may be done to verify if there are parasites present.

Further diagnostic tools may comprise of radiograph or ultrasound of the abdomen to look for the presence of an obstruction or foreign body. An endoscopy, which will require your pet to be put under general anesthesia, may be performed. An endoscopy is used to evaluate the abdomen. A biopsy may be performed at this time as well. MRI, CT scan, and abdominal contrast studies can be explored as diagnostic methods if necessary. Serious cases of vomiting may need to be studied through the use of exploratory surgery in order to view the stomach and other organs such as the liver.

What is bile?

Bile, a fluid that helps the digestion process, is “produced in the liver, stored in the gallbladder and released into the bile duct,” says Dr. Barry Kellogg, a senior veterinary advisor for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA). Bile breaks up the fats that your dog eats, which makes it easier for them to digest fatty foods.

Symptoms and types:

Vomiting yellow bile is quite common and occurs when does have no food left in their stomach to throw up. Therefore, throwing up yellow bile is normally accompanied by other symptoms of stomach upset, including:

  • Vomiting, usually seen with abdominal contractions, heaving
  • Nausea (drooling, licking lips)
  • Decreased appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Your veterinarian will start with an examination. They will assess your dog’s hydration status, as well as looking for signs of abdominal pain and checking their temperature. If they have concerns about your pet, they may suggest some tests.

  • A blood test will often be advised to look at your dog’s kidney parameters, blood sugar, and liver values. Blood work can also check for signs of anemia as well for markers of infection and inflammation in their white blood cells. An additional test called canine-specific lipase may be performed, which assesses for a condition called pancreatitis – a possible cause of vomiting and abdominal pain in dogs.
  • Diagnostic imaging may be recommended to screen for foreign bodies (obstructions), and tumors. X-rays give an overall view of your dog’s abdomen, with ultrasound being a way of focusing in on specific organs in more detail. Endoscopy can also be used in vomiting cases, whereby a camera is passed down your dog’s esophagus (food pipe) to look at the inside of the stomach. This technique can also be used to remove foreign bodies sometimes or to take tissue samples for analysis.
  • There are multiple causes of vomiting in dogs which includes the following –

    Hypoadrenocorticism is hormonal/endocrine issue that can cause changes in your dog’s electrolyte levels and very severe vomiting and diarrhea.

    Cancer could affect the stomach lining creating irritation or ulceration, or it could be because of a mass that has caused a blockage somewhere in the intestines (guts).

    Dog’s that raid the garbage bin, eat poop, or discarded food items found on walks could get digestive upset.

    A sensitivity to certain food ingredients can irritate your dog’s digestive tract, with some animals requiring special hypoallergenic diets.

    Indigestible items, like bedding, toys, bone, or corn-on-the-cobs could become lodged in your dog’s digestive tract causing vomiting

    An emergency condition where the stomach bloats and then twists on itself called gastric dilatation-volvulus can cause dogs to make repeated attempts to try and vomit but not bring anything up.

    Help! My Dog is Throwing Up Yellow Foam | Ultimate Pet Nutrition – Dog Health Tips

    Animal experts suggest dietary changes you can make to reduce these bouts of throwing up in dogs.

    Do you often find your dog vomiting bile? While this can be a very scary situation, there are many things you can do to reduce these bouts of sickness. Most importantly, you can make a number of changes to your dog’s diet to keep their stomach and digestive system in tip-top shape.

    Here’s an overview on chronic bilious vomiting and how you should manage your suffering dog’s diet.