Why does my dog's kibble clump in her stomach and get gagged up?

Poor girl. She may have a condition that is causing this such as megaesophagus. I am not sure if your vet has ran any tests yet, but I would recommend starting with thoracic radiographs and perhaps even a barium series will need to be done to detect a possible megaesophagus. Form there the vet will prescribe medication if this conditon is confirmed. The main concern with a pet that regurgitates is aspiration pneumonia. This is why they suggest to elevate the food bowl to allow gravity to help keep the food down. However most owners have to make a gruel (water mixed with food and then puréed) and also give pro-motility drugs (i.e. Metoclopramide) in addition to help manage this condition. Here is more information on megaesophagus if this is confirmed to be the cause of your pet regurgitation episodes. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3480 I hope this helps you with Cozy’s regurgitation episodes. Best wishes and take care.

Since he is so young and this isn't the first time he has regurgitated I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Oliver. There are congenital issues that can actually cause an animal to regurgitate. Your veterinarian may want to do some chest X-rays to rule in or out these abnormalities. I would just make sure that he is actually regurgitating not vomiting since the list of differentials would be different for both. In the mean time you can try watering down Oliver's food so he has to chew it more and potentially sit him up after he eats. You can also add some wet food to the dry food to see if that helps. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Some puppies can make noises while they eat, which can be normal, and if Bojangles is eating too quickly he could be choking a little which is causing the gag. Trying to get him to slow down in his eating and drinking with a slow-down bowl (or placing a few tennis balls in the bowl) or feeding smaller meals more frequently may help. If he is choking a lot, acting like he can't breathe or is painful, is vomiting or can't keep anything down, or seems in distress from it, a vet visit to rule out anything is always best.

Hello. Unfortunately, many dogs are greedy eaters & do not chew their food, but even so, most do not vomit it back up. I would definitely give a wet food a try & see how he does with this. You might also try using Science Diet Sensitive Stomach. If he continues to vomit weekly, which is just too frequently to be ignored, you really should consider having Marco examined. You do not mention his age, but there are certain conditions & problems that may be at fault here, such as a condition called megaesophagus, or even a hiatal hernia. This may also be a true food allergy, so trying a hypoallergenic diet consisting of hydrolyzed proteins may help. See how he does with the wet food & go from there. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am very sorry to hear that Maggie is experiencing these problems, There are a number of potential causes of such clinical signs, including pancreatistis, parasite infestation, infection, and ingestion of a toxin or poison, or even an gastrointestinal obstruction. It is also possible that Maggie is simply eating too much too fast. If the episodes continue over a 48 hour period, Maggie seems dull or depressed, in pain, ha sprifuse diarrhoea or vomiting, I would take her straight tot wh vet. Your vet will be able to perform a physical exam and run diagnostic tests such as bloodwork to determine the cause of Maggie's vomiting. In the meantime you can continue to monuitir her at home. Rest her stomach for a few hours. Then try smaller meals three times a day. Try a bland diet of boiled chicken breast and white rice for a few days and provide plenty of fresh water. I hope that answer was helpful and more importantly that Maggie feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I think it is a coincident that a part of her stool looked like a kibble. I cannot imagine that a whole kibble went through her gastrointestinal tract without being digested. Please, keep an eye on her stools and if you see more of potentially undigested food, Chloe may need a blood test to check her pancreas function.

Thank you for your questions about Bindi. Some older dogs can develop a gagging/coughing after eating or drinking possibly due to fibrosing of the soft tissue but I'm not sure that an exact cause is identified. Since there can be many causes of coughing and gagging in general, having Bindi examined by her veterinarian will just make sure that everything sounds and feels normal. I do not suspect the gulping of the food causes the coughing. The weight can contribute to breathing difficulty (as well as other health issues) but I wouldn't pin all the signs on just her excess weight. Certainly getting her weight to a healthy level is better for her in general. There are special bowls you can find that have large, tower like objects build into the bowl that force the pet to eat around them and slows things down. Dog food that has a doughnut shaped kibble can also slow down eating. Try a special bowl in combo with the special shaped kibble. I hope this helps to lead you in the right direction. Please post with any additional questions!