Reflux? Vet Visit and my Shih Tzu now on Pepcid AC and another ear infection ....

My dog has been vomitng bile and scratching her ear so after this has gone on for a few weeks on/off ..(just as I'm ready to go to the Vet she is fine) and $103 later we know she has a bacterial ear infection cause he swabbed/microscoped the ear and probably reflux that has been flared on by the ear infection.  I have to give her Pepcid AC at night (5.0mg) and make sure she goes to sleep with a treat or two so as not to sleep on an empty stomach!

I post a lot on the Ped GERD board .. but now my dog? Two of my 4 kids suffer from GERD .. now my DOG, too?  My daughter had her gallbladder removed in  January .. now my dog? LOL.

Yes, my dog has reflux now!

All kidding aside, she should be much more comfortable now with the Pepcid .. Vet said the smaller breeds get this bile reflux from the smallest upset in their GI tract which includes going without food/water for too long even if it is available to them sometimes they just are too distracted to think to eat, etc.

[peekawho]

I'm the queen mother of dog throw-up.  Jake (doberman) has been vomiting frequently for at least a year and a half.  
All blood work, stool, etc has come back normal many, many times.  Pepcid has not helped.  As you are finding, small frequent feedings do help some.  But not completely.

We are on the verge of getting a GI consult and scope, but the vet has said with all the blood work normal, we won't likely get much of an answer from furthur investigation.  

He said "puker dogs" are frustrating, and 99% of the time, no reason is ever really found even if you throw thousands of dollars at the problem.  

[peekawho]

We're trying a new med, Cerenia, for vomiting.  But curiously, Jake isn't throwing up this week.  Which is good, because 4 PILLS of Cerenia was $30.  Obviously, its not something we could afford to use often.

[ChitChatNine]

Thanks Peek!

Update:  It must have been her ears .. since starting the ear medication the bile has stopped and the licking of her paws has ceased!!!!  I never gave her the Pepcid AC as I only had Prilosec in the house and wasn't sure and the reflux is gone anyway ..

C~