One of my puppies (now 6 months old) has been vomiting every night (around 3 or 4 a.m.) ever since the new owners took him home at age 10 weeks.  While the litter was with me (meaning the first ten weeks of his life), this most certainly did not happen.  I do not believe that the new owners have done anything wrong.  They love him to pieces and have followed my instructions about feeding and so on.  I recommend gluten-free, for one thing.  Now he has been operated on (a sort of exploratory OP, I guess) in order to rule out many things which might have been causing the constant and regular gastro-upset, but the diagnosis seems pretty unclear.  Apparently it is nothing life-threatening, though I wonder...

I have come across a lot on the internet, people on forums describing this problem (regular vomiting always in the early morning hours) and asking for help.  But it is mostly based on what foods to feed, and I am more interested in experiences with such SYMPTOMS.  What can they mean? 

Now I am asking you (!) if anyone can tell us about experiences with this phenomenon.  I myself have never encountered it with any of my dogs ever!  I'd appreciate any experiences and advice as soon as possible.  The people and my former puppy are worrying me.  Many thanks.

How often do they feed him? What time is the last feed?
What he throws up is it food or is it bile or something else

How was the exploratory op carried out, and what where the findings?

I would ask the same questions as Suejaw. If it is a bile type, yellow or white, frothy sick then it is most likely to do with feeding/time of last feed etc. When switching to RAW people are advised with regards to 'hunger pukes' that occur when the dog's stomach is empty in the early hours of the morning due to the gap between feeds.

Could it be as simple as that?

I had one we'd bred (and kept) who'd do this - bile, around 4 am.   Eventually I found switching him to Winalot 'complete' (of all things) stopped this.  It's cereal based and NOT what I'd normally have used.   It's also only 19% protein which may or may not be significant with this problem?   It was a nuisance to have to keep him on a different food to the others but .....

The one I have now occasionally has the most horrendous tummy growling in the early hours, and would sometimes go to vomiting bile too.   I now feed him just a small amount of tinned Chappie (and I do mean a small amount - weight increase!) just before he goes to bed and this has stopped the actual vomiting although occasionally his tummy will still growl.    He is inclined to go to colitis when stressed.    This lad, who had Giardia when he came to us at 4 months, has ever since tended to have a sensitive tummy mind you.  

You might find a late feed will help?   Not sure about the Winalot however!

Pretty much all my dogs will vomit bile or froth/spit in the morning, if they are not given a handful of kibble before bed.  They are more likely to do it if we have a lie in, and they have to wait longer for their breakfast. 

I do think carbs stay in the stomach longer, and dry food stays there being digested longer than wet - the kibble we use was Bob and Lush potato/duck.

The exploratory op sounds a bit extreme!!!  Not sure I'd have wanted that, if there were no other symptoms.

> The exploratory op sounds a bit extreme!!!  Not sure I'd have wanted that, if there were no other symptoms.

Interesting, and I'd be the same, but we had big problems with our second-last homebred bitch which started by frequent bouts of UTIs.   Medication would 'cure' but it kept returning.  She had scans (bladder, bowel, liver, kidneys etc etc.), full bloods but in the end our then vet said he could 'do no more' other than refer us to the local Vet College (specialist - for what!!).    In desperation, I contacted my previous vet of 13 years (we'd moved to the other side of the country) and she said by that time, she'd have probably opened her up!  But she'd have also x-rayed which was also said by a vet I took a second opinion from, again out of desperation.  Finally the Sen.Partner appeared did the x-ray and found by then she was riddled with cancer- any number of tumours in her chest cavity.  Obviously secondaries although we never really discovered the primary source - could have been in her bladder.

I'm not suggesting for a moment this is what's going on with the dog you bred of course.   But just an eg of 'opening up' and when to.

I just now found out by accident where my original post and appeal for help wound up two days ago.  I was told where it was, but  I didn't know how to find this forum. I am glad to see the usual names here.  Anyhow, I'm sure I will figure it all out eventually.

It turns out that there is now a diagnosis:  it is a helicobacter infection of the stomach and a chronic irritation of the intestine.  Where this came from, we will probably never know.  But at least something can be done.  I had helicobacter myself once.  A very dangerous stomach bleeding put me in the hospital.  Nearly 30 years ago.

Now to go try to find out how I can find this forum next time....

Oh yes, I should mention the following:  there was for the puppy only one operation (not two), and this was performed to rule out an obstruction of the intestine.  Then, a few days later in a special clinic, there was another full anesthetic for the endoscopy to take biopsies, and this is how they discovered the helicobacter.  Pretty rough - right or wrong - for a 6-month old puppy (small breed).

The owners have been wonderful.  Willing to do anything.  I have given them all the support I can.

Happy to report that I discovered "Dog Boards" and therewith the route to all the different forums.  Oh frabjous day! 

Hopefully it will be easy to resolve. Probably some weeks of antibiotics which is usually effective for h pylori.  It seems cure is usually complete.the intestine ly irritation probably  is an effect of the bacterium . Much like gastritis in humans which can be associate with h pylori

I find this thread so interesting. My Border Terrier bitch has episodes of this early morning vomiting which moves on to colitis. There is no rhyme or reason to the episodes and they're getting more frequent. I've had her xrayed and scanned which showed nothing. It's treated with Zantac and Prokolin. Both work well. Now I'm wondering if it could be helicobacter and will ask vet next time she has to go.

Have u tried feeding a bedtime snack and a something small in the morning.  .ut helps some and might prevent it moving on.  Most say it's tje first time I have heard of a vet testing for hb .something to remember for the future if necessary