Accepted Answer

Hello,

I'll start by saying that this won't hurt your little one, unless Sammy is taking medications with his food, and once regurgitated, is eaten by your little guy. It can certainly cause some stomach upset in the little one, but it won't harm him, it's just.. well, gross.

As for Sammy, it could be difficult to determine what's going on in a regurgitating older dog. This could be something as minimal as acid reflux, not uncommon, but could be the first symptoms of something more serious pertaining to his liver or kidneys or heart. It is always in the dog's best interest to have a geriatric vet appt and some bloodwork done to make sure proper steps are taken to give them best quality of life in their older years.

If everything else with him seems perfectly normal and you want to see if this is maybe acid reflux, do so with caution, and only if you know for sure everything else is in working order with him.

If ok with your vet, I would try giving some Pepcid (famotidine) at a dose of 0.25mg per pound of body weight just before the time of day he is fed, as long as he is healthy otherwise (no liver/kidney disease or on heart medications). You can repeat the pepcid in 12 hours as well if needed. You'll also want to start feeding more times per day in order to combat this built up stomach acid, say 3x's a day instead of 2. Feed late at night as well to better keep his stomach fuller during the overnight. The late meal along with the pepcid should make a big difference if this is acid reflux.

Here’s some more info about Pepcid. If any concerns, it is always best to check with your vet before giving:

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/famotidine-pepcid/page1.aspx

Best wishes,

Christine

Expert:	ChristineLVT
Pos. Feedback:	99.9 %
Accepts:	2278
Answered:	6/30/2009

Certified Veterinary Technician

Licensed veterinary technician (B.S. Mercy College), 10 yrs in animal medicine and training