Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bilious vomiting syndrome in dogs early morning vomiting study
By Ferguson, Leah et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2016·From the Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Bilious Vomiting Syndrome in Dogs: Retrospective Study of 20 Cases (2002-2012).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A young mixed-breed dog was brought in for frequent vomiting, especially in the morning, which was identified as bilious vomiting syndrome (BVS). Treatment included changing the dog's feeding schedule to more frequent meals, giving late evening meals, and using medications to reduce stomach acid and protect the stomach lining. Out of the 20 dogs treated for BVS, 12 showed improvement with this therapy, while a few did not respond or were lost to follow-up. It's important for pet owners to know that BVS can sometimes be confused with other serious conditions, so a thorough evaluation is recommended if vomiting persists.
People also search for: dog vomiting bile treatment · bilious vomiting syndrome in dogs · why does my dog vomit in the morning
Abstract
Bilious vomiting syndrome (BVS) is a condition historically associated with early morning vomiting of bile, but it is otherwise poorly characterized. The vomiting is thought to result from a reflux of duodenal fluid into the gastric lumen causing mucosal irritation. Medical records from Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (CSUVTH) were searched for "canine" and "bilious vomiting syndrome" between 2002 and 2012. Visual inspection confirmed a diagnosis of BVS during the case history. The diagnosis remained BVS for the duration of the dog's contact with the hospital in 17 cases. Therapy involved frequent feedings, late evening meals, gastric acid reducers, prokinetics, and gastroprotectants. Twelve dogs improved with therapy. Five dogs did not improve or were lost to follow-up. The diagnosis of BVS was supplanted in three cases with gastric adenocarcinoma, dietary indiscretion, and hepatopathy. The patient most likely given a diagnosis of BVS would be a young, mixed-breed, castrated male dog with a chronic history of vomiting bile. Response to therapy suggests abnormal gastrointestinal motility, local gastritis, gastric pH, or stimulation of the emetic center may be important factors in BVS. Dogs diagnosed with BVS rarely received a diagnostic evaluation sufficient to qualify it as a diagnosis of exclusion.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27008323/