Morning sickness

Bilious Vomiting Syndrome (BVM) is a fairly common complaint experienced by dogs the world over. Your dog is his or her usual happy self. Eating well and perfectly normal and healthy in every regard except for that fact that he or she is sick every single morning. (For some dogs, this can also happen at night).

There’s no loss of appetite, no weight loss, no diarrhoea. No signs of ill-health except for this upsetting (for you) morning sickness.

Bile build-up

What your dog is vomiting is bile. It’s a foamy yellow liquid produced by the liver in order to aid digestion. And it’s a sign of too little food and too much acid in the stomach.

Bilious vomiting syndrome in dogs is caused by a bile build-up which is irritating the lining of what is likely to be an empty stomach. And the answer is surprisingly simple. Your dog, like most dogs, is going to bed with an empty stomach. It’s something that simply doesn’t suit some dogs. This is something which applies particularly to more senior dogs.

Simple solutions

There are a number of potential solutions. And they’re all pretty simple and straightforward.

Begin by giving your dog a small snack just before bedtime. Something easy to digest like boiled potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes or cooked and mashed butternut squash. Flavour it with a dog food topper to encourage your pup to eat it. Or perhaps try some scrambled egg or a spoonful or two of natural yogurt.

If that doesn’t work, change his or her feeding pattern. Feed first thing in the morning and, most importantly, last thing at night.

You could also try feeding smaller, more frequent meals. And if necessary reduce the amount of both fat and fibre in your dog’s diet.

Naturally, if this does not cure the problem after a few days, you should consult your vet. And remember, if your dog is vomiting regularly, this can result in dehydration. So make sure fresh, clean water is always available!