Symptoms :
Chronic vomiting (sometimes with bits of curdled blood), pain in the abdomen (especially shortly after meals), irregular appetite, dark to black feces (digested blood).

Causes :
Ulcers are caused by overproduction of gastric acid, for example during chronic gastritis and some backteria. The cause of tumors is still unclear, but chronic inflammations seem to predispose to tumors.

Effects :
Anemia as a result of steady loss of blood. Stomach bleeding, weight loss, perforated ulcer leading to acute peritonitis.

Professional help is required. Diagnosis through radiography or endoscopy, or exploratory surgery may be required. Stomach tumors are difficult to diagnose because they are usually lodged deep in the stomach wall and alter the lining only minimally. The vet generally prescribes a gastrointestinal diet and drugs. Sometimes surgery is required.

Follow up care :
After surgery, intravenous feeding is usually required because no liquids can be given for 2 days and no solid food for 3 days.

Prevention :
Treat chronic gastritis promptly and continue treatment long enough (a dog with a sensitive stomach may require special care for the rest of its life). Drugs that in nhibit the production of gastric acid can prevent ulcer if given on a permanent basis.