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How worried should I be (dog puking)
Background: Our boxer/pittie mix has a very delicate tummy and has gone through occasional unexplained puking issues/dehydration in the past. Our vet has said boiled chicken + rice during these periods to reset him. I don't have any chicken in the house today, but I plan to pick some up in the morning.
Last night, Noodle was moping around and wouldn't even look at his food (Canidae), which never happens, even if he isn't feeling 100%. I did coax him to eat some rice and a few treats and got him to drink when I held water up to his mouth in my hands. Pooped and peed just fine last night. This morning, we took it easy on the morning walk, but he puked up what looked like every bit of what he ate last night, undigested, more than 8 hours after he ate it. Pooped and peed fine this morning. He wouldn't eat breakfast, so I left more rice in his crate with him. My neighbor checked on him all day, and he didn't eat the rice until several hours later. So far that rice has stayed down. I fed him a bit more rice/chicken broth tonight (he would eat the rice only after I added the broth). He's drinking water today voluntarily, so I think we aren't going down the dehydration route this time.
Any chance this is bloat/blockage if he's still pooping? I plan to call the vet in the morning if he ignores his breakfast, but I don't know that I'll get an appointment tomorrow. The only thing that makes me think it might not be like his other episodes is that it didn't look like he digested any of what he ate last night over 8 hours. Is there another explanation for that other than a blockage?
Any suggestions or other signs of blockage I should look for? He's not into his walks like he normally is. Still happy to go out, but not BSC if I even look at the leash or say a word that happens to start with "w."
Re: How worried should I be (dog puking)
I'm not too sure, but since my grandparent's dog died from twisted gut I've been really paranoid about it and I would probably be taking my dog to the vet all the time if he was acting like yours. But like I said, I could be paranoid.
Here's a link for Gastric Torsion and Bloating. But since it's been going on for a while and he's still taking in some food and water, I don't think it's that. But keep an eye on it?
Not digesting food after 8 hours is definitely strange and something is wrong. I'd certainly take him to the vet. Better safe than sorry. Good luck.
Call and make an appointment. A blockage is a medical emergency and they will fit you in if they suspect it in the slightest.
And to answer your question, yes dogs can still poop if they have a blockage. A lot of times as it progresses it turns to diarrhea.
IBD typically has diarrhea as the primary complaint not vomiting.
If anything this sounds more like pancreatitis or a foreign body (blockage)
No pooping last night, probabaly because he's eaten so little.
He has had diarrhea with his problems in the past, but poop has been normal with this one so far.
I think the vet's given us pills once, but normally just recommends chicken and rice. It happens once every 9 months or so, but every time it freaks me out.
ETA: 2:45 appointment today. He didn't seem into taking a walk, so we haven't gone yet, but no vomit so far. He did eat a cookie.
It's good that you are seeing the vet today. A couple years ago my dog had a blockage. She was vomitting every 10 minutes and it smelled horrible.
With bloat they typically look like they are trying to throw up but they can't get any vomit out.
What your describing also sounds like pancreatitis which my dog also had. She was vomitting up undigested food 8 hours later. When the pancreas are inflammed they don't produce the enzymes needed to digest the food. I hope your guy is feeling better soon!
BFP 12/31/12 ~ EDD 9/13/13
BFP Chart
Oh my goodness, I know EXACTLY how you feel. I have a husky/lab mix, and the first few months were hell trying to find out what works for her.
It sounds like it could be his diet. Do research on what is good for doggies with sensitive tummies. We have gone through alot of ultra-holistic brands, but what has worked for us is the Blue Basics Turkey and Potato Recipe for puppy {this one is hard to find, but we see the one for adult dogs at almost every petco, so if he's over a year, I'd try this}
But you can't just change a dogs diet overnight. It's a long process, please research on this as well.
Here's what works for us when she had warer diarreah and throwing up and vet couldn't do anything.
- For the first 24 hours, fast your dog of anything but water. Water ONLY.
- For the next 24 hours, introduce white rice. Do not add any salt or butter or any kind of flavoring.
- For the next 24 hours, we add in a tsp of pure canned pumpkin {this helps balance stool rather its constipation or runny} and just a tiny bit of the new puppy kibble. They say you can add blan chicken, but I have skipped this step from the fear of her getting sick from chicken.
- Make sure that he's drinking lots and lots of water.
- Keep doing this adding a little more kibble each time, until he's just on kibble.
Good luck.
Noodle is feeling much better. Actually, as I typed that sentence, he ran in the house to yack on the rug again
But it was just a tiny bit and it was grass. He hasn't tossed any food in several days. The vet found nothing wrong besides a fever; blood work was almost perfect. The IBD might make sense. One Web site I read said upper intestine IBD can be caused by stress and can cause vomiting? He's had diarrhea in the past, which the Web site says is more common in lower intestine IBD. It also says IBD can be aggravated by stress and can cause a fever. Noodle was crated more than usual this week b/c DH was out of town. I was suspecting it might be stress-related, so that would make sense to me. And the cyclical symptoms seem to make sense with the web's description.
I'll mention all the listed possibilities to the vet in two weeks when we have another appt. Until then, I'm hoping having DH (his best bud) back in town will help clear it up.
I can't remember if you mentioned this in original post or not, but if he just started getting sick after he left, then this is probably the reason why. Dogs do get anxious when their environments change - that includes when their owner leaves for an extended period of time that they aren't used to.