Hello

One of my dogs is not feeling well.

He is vomiting right before mealtimes, sometimes clear fluid and sometimes food (one time it was poop - I noticed he started eating poop since this started).

He first threw up on Saturday night. I fed him his normal meals (twice/day). Which he ate all of. He was acting fairly normal except for reduced energy - he just laid around.

He had a poop this morning (Monday) which was normal-looking. (though I had given him a dose of Kaopectate last night.. so maybe it would have been diarrha, I don't know). THis morning I did not feed him. He did throw up some of his last night's supper this morning, and he vomited again about 1/2 hour ago.

He is acting uncomfortable, standing, sitting following me around really close (which he doesn't normally do), and he doesn't usually lay down but now, he will suddenly stop walking and lay down, then sit up then stand up then lay down etc. He started acting like this on Sunday afternoon.

He is not having unproductive vomiting. Colour looks good, I haven't taken his temp but his ears and snout do not feel too warm.

I have two other dogs and I switched them all over to Wellness recently. They have finished one 30 lb bag and are almost done the second. So I don't know if it is the food or not. There is a possibility he might have eaten some stuffing from his dog bed.

I called the rescue that owns him and they said since he pooped, it might be a partial blockage or a virus. Vet said same thing. They both said I can give Pepto Bismol which I did, and also Gravol (vet gave me the correct dosage). The rescue and vet both said that since he is still bright and will walk around when asked, that he will likely be fine until morning but I should monitor him. I am going to check his temperature when I get home. I plan on giving him a meal of boiled chicken and rice tonight just in case it is the food. Good idea?

This is an unhappy, uncomfortable dog. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make him feel more comfortable and get some sleep tonight?

Also he hasn't had anything to drink today (he did drink his normal amount yesterday.) Should I offer him some chicken broth or just let him be for now?

Angela,

I would take this dog in as it sounds like it could be "bloat" (similar to colic in horses), which is not a condition to mess around with at all. If your dog "twists a gut" while full of gas it could be fatal.

I would also after a check-up, feed some over cooked mushy rice and boiled white chicken meat. Sounds like Wellness may be causing the gas and you may have to go to a different food for him.

Also, if he possibly ate stuffing from his dog bed, he may be obstructed and that could prove disastrous as well (anywhere from an expensive surgery, long recovery to being fatal) if left go with out a visit to x-ray and confirm.

IMHO, a dog that is usually energetic and lively and comes down with these symptoms needs to go in. I would not rely on a phone call discussion at all.

Hi Carol,

I appreciate the reply. Thanks! If I or the rescue had money he would have gone in. As it is, the rescue and the vet thought it was probably not a true emergency - so I'm keeping an eagle eye on him in case he get any worse. I have read up on the symptoms of bloat and he isn't displaying real "emergency" symptoms like empty attempts to vomit, his colour is good too. We all think it is either a partial obstruction or a virus or possibly the beginning of bloat. His abdomen is NOT distended or hard-feeling. He's lost a little weight so a distended stomach would be easy to see, plus I've been watching. I've had someone with him all day giving me hourly updates.

I went to the store and bought some Gravol and also some stuff that you give babies who have colic. You give it with an eye dropper. He had vomited in his bed and was unhappy when I got home. I gave him the colic stuff and within ten minutes he was feeling better. He went outside (on lead) and peed and even tried to play with my other dog (but I didn't let him).

I've given him a 1/2 gravol and fed him his chicken and rice mash just now, which he was happy to eat. I think you were right about the gas and I'm going to watch him like a hawk.

OK do you have any experience with bloat? If so, what tests should I ask for if I do have to bring him to the vet tonight or tomorrow? They said they would do bloodwork to start and go from there. Now I'm not a vet but shouldn't they start with like a barium swallow or whatever they do with dogs?

mmmm, I do not have personal experience with bloat. There are several threads on it with great information in them and I know there are some who have experienced it.

I do no think there are any tests you can do for bloat, it is based on the dog and what symptoms they are displaying.

Deep chested breeds are more prone to bloat.

It might be better to do a search rather than me starting another bloat thread. But I am sure someone that has went through this will chime in here too.

angela, i don't have any experience w/a sick dog, but i'm wondering - if he's been vomiting and hasn't had anything to drink today - do you have sub-q fluids at home you could give him?

barium swallows are more expensive than regular xrays - i don't know if that's an issue for the rescue. some obstructions will show up on a regular xray, if there's a large mass or something, in my experience, it should, but i had a barium swallow used to diagnose mega-e in a foster cat and it definitely is clearer/more illuminating.

good luck! i hope he does better.

Angela,

I'm neither a vet or a tech but I saw a few cases of bloat come through our hospital.

Standard x-rays are what DVMs use to diagnose bloat. Barium takes time and time is of the essence in a bloat case. It is an emergency.

Barium is used when a standard x-ray can't pick up an obstruction...depends on what is doing the obstructing.

Our DVM's GSD had a splenic torsion, which in this case did not involve the gut (bloat), but it is equally serious and shares some of the same symptoms. Google splenic torsion and see if your dog has any of the symptoms.

Also, check the dog's gum color. Should be healthy pink.

 Quote: Carol Boche

IMHO, a dog that is usually energetic and lively and comes down with these symptoms needs to go in. I would not rely on a phone call discussion at all.

I'm afraid that I agree completely.

How is he now? Is he drinking? Still restless?

How do his gums look, and is his skin good?

I'd be giving liquids only. Yes to the chicken broth qustion, but unsalted.

Sorry, I don't remember what breed his is, but regardless, I agree with getting the dog in to be checked. And more importantly, watch him very carefully until the vet can determine the problem or he seems to improve on his own. An episode of bloat can come on suddenly and be fatal within a couple hours. There is really no consensus on the cause of bloat. You can search/Google "GVD" or "gastric dilitation and volvulus"

I have only one experience with bloat, having lost my last GSD to it. He was about 7-yrs, had been raw fed for about 5 yrs, not very active due to bad hip. So the widely accepted beliefs of exercise after eating, too much water/kibble or whatever had no part in this. Besides being a GSD (deep-chested breed), what I do believe was a major contributing cause (or at least partial) was stress, and I've also read this since then. (I think there is also some belief that it may be hereditary.) I would think any dog experiencing what you're describing now must certainly feel stressed by both his own body's actions and by picking up on your own concerns as well, hence my advice to watch him closely.

Briefly, my experience was that my dog had several good sized nose bleeds over a few days. Took him to the vet, but nothing found on an x-ray. He was scheduled to go back in a day later for a biopsy to look for something in his nasal/sinus area. He ate normally that night and had no symptoms of distress or discomfort. He died between the last time I checked on him about 12:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. The vet had no explanation; no necropsy done. It was probably some kind of (cancerous?) tumor. Certainly none of these symptoms apply in your case, but I'd just advise keeping a close eye on him for a while.

For anyone else reading this, I've learned to know exactly where the 24-hr. emergency vet is located. If your dog develops bloat, you'll need to go to one immediately or else know how to treat the dog yourself. You literally only have a few hours to get treatment.

Mike

Angela,

Forgive me as I am not real familiar with rescues. How does it work when a dog gets ill and needs treatment?

I am really only curious as I would be really frustrated at not being to take this dog to a vet. I agree it should not be an out of pocket expense for you at all. And if you did have to pay for something like medical expenses, would they reimburse you, or do you have to accept financial responsibility for the dog you foster?

Isn't there a vet that would donate or at least offer services at a reduced rate?

I ask these questions in general, they are not directed at this situation at all.

To everyone,

I really appreciate all the replies and I have read them all carefully.

To Mike and Carole: he is a Catahoula Leopard Dog mix, http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/ON270/ON270.9250499-3-x.jpg - is he considered deep-chested? I am not sure.

To Jennifer and Sarah: Thanks for the tips, I'll be sure to ask for an x-ray.

To Connie: He seems to be feeling much better, a little groggy from the Gravol but he has kept his food down. He is obviously more comfortable and is no longer "fidgety". He was even chewing on his bone earlier and tried to play with my other dog. Right now he is laying beside me and pretty alert. He's moving around freely like his tummy isn't uncomfortable anymore.

He has drank some water. I'd say he's had about a cup today. I have low salt broth on hand just in case. And I do happen to have sub-q fluids on hand.

So I'm relieved but I'm still watching him closely.

I've looked at splenic torsion and gastric torsion and bloat just now. He doesn't seem to fit the criteria as his abdomen is not distended (nor has it been) and his stools have been pretty normal as far as I can tell (he was in the yard unsupervised on Saturday and part of Sunday). He isn't gagging or retching. His gums are pink. I really appreciate all the advice.