Dog Vomits Blood sometimes

[tazmania799]

My 18-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel occasionally does violent dry heaves; then vomits frothy mucus, and then finally vomits about a teaspoon or two of bright red blood.  This happens maybe twice a month.  He never vomits food and does this on an empty stomach.  It is always in the morning soon after I get up and he gets out of his crate. I assume the blood is from the violent retching he's doing.  I've never found a foreign body or anything to indicate why he's doing this.  He does have a habit of licking his front legs excessively (nervous habit).  Is he vomiting hair balls like a cat?  After vomiting, he refuses to eat for about 8 hours and then goes back to normal eating until this happens again.  He is really happy and comforable in is crate at night.  His leg licking occurs out of his crate.  He even licks when he's cuddled up in my lap.  Any ideas?

[Margot49]

Agree with ginger.  He should be evaluated by a Vet.  It may be that possibly just some daily Pepcid will help but I'd certainly have him checked out.

[ginger899]

It's very possible he ruptures tiny blood vessels probably in his throat with the retching. But a refusal to eat for hours afterwards shows he must feel some nausea or pain. The best plan I think is to take him to a vet, and schedule a gastroscopy (where they put a camera down his throat to take a look at esophagus and stomach etc.) Of course he'll be asleep while they do this.
At least, if this is done, and nothing is wrong, then you will be able to approach his problem from a different angle.