Dog mildly sick - suggestions until the vet opens

[pbjmaker]

Tucker is a 15 month old cavalier king charles X bichon. Neutered and was just at the vets two weeks ago for updated shots. Healthy except for a few fleas. Well about Tuesday of this week he threw up three times in the middle of the night, then he threw up Wednesday morning and again on Thursday morning. He is throwing up mostly partially/undigested food. I switched foods on Wednesday - same brand (diamond naturals) but got chicken instead of the beef. He did not throw up again until today. On Thursday I did not give him any regular food but some turkey mixed with cottage cheese ( that stayed down). Friday I gave him Cottage cheese with some soft puppy food (pedigree) and yesterday my husband gave him pumpkin mixed with the soft food because he was constipated and couldn't poop. Of course I start thinking obstructed bowl, except he was no longer throwing up. Today he got pumpkin mixed with the diamond naturals at about 8:30 am and he just threw it up (it's 3:50 pm here)
He did poop this morning and though it was a little on the hard side, it was normally formed BUT I did think I saw a tape worm in it.

Any ideas on what is going on?

I thought about the chicken vs. beef being the problem but he threw up originally the day before I switched foods.

Our vet is closed tomorrow ARGGGG!

Otherwise he is acting completely normal.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I'd feed white rice and cooked ground beef until the vet can see him. Its very easy to digest.

 

[WIChookchick]

I would have done NO feed for 12-24 hours, access to LOTS of water, and then after 12-24 hours start your dog on boiled hamburger (VERY DRY, NO FAT) and rice, with some probiotics or yogurt.
You can give a dog Kaopectate if they are throwing up or Pink stuff.
But give your poor dog's tummy and esophagus a rest. A vet would make sure the dog is hydrated, perhaps by doing sub cutaneous fluids, prescribe something to coat the stomach, tell you to not feed for 12-24 hours...and then do the boiled rice and hamburger or boiled chicken.
Also.. DO NOT quickly switch foods, that can cause major tummy upset in animals.
Even if its the same brand. You need to switch any food you give your animals slowly over a few weeks time. IE you fed cottage cheese and turkey, then cottage cheese and pedigree, then pumpkin and the chicken diamond brand... you never gave the poor dog a chance to recover from the first upset, you actually probably made it mildly worse.
DON'T feed for 12 hours, and then do a simple, easy to digest food like the boiled hamburger and rice

Hope this helps.

 

[pbjmaker]

Ok I knew not to switch brands quickly but did not think it would hurt to switch "flavors". They were out of the beef. It was more than 12 hours between feedings. And he didn't throw up any of those days. My husband tried the pumpkin because he was acting constipated and read that is what to do. I was out of town yesterday. But he did supervise all potty breaks ( big feat since we have 5 dogs and they are usually all let out at the same time )

They ALWAYS have plenty of water access. We just don't free feed the dogs as a couple have "issues" with that style of feeding. Everyone has their own bowl and own spot to eat.

 

[gritsar]

Poor Tucker.

Was he given access to any of the excessively rich (human) foods over the thanksgiving holiday?

 

[pbjmaker]

No - we knew his tummy was upset then - so no treats, he was very sad

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Steph, I asked about the rich foods because I was afraid of pancreatitis. My other thought is an obstruction. I too think you should rest his stomach, no food for at least 12 hours, then the hamburger and rice thing. Hope he gets better soon.

Also, KiKi had a horrible tapeworm infestation when we first got her. I was able to tell by the little bits around her anus after she used the litter box. The bits look like grains of rice.

 

[pinkfoxfarm]

if the white things looked like rice grains its tape, if it looks like a white worm however its likely roundworm...roundworm i know for fact can cause vomiting but usually causes diahrrea rather than constipation...
id do 12 hours fluids over then bland diet and see what happens, but id have a vet check as soon as its conveinient too, if hes not acting otherwise odd, lethargic ect i woudlnt call it an emergency as such, but id definatly get him checked.

 

[pbjmaker]

One of my local Animal Rescue people just stopped by for a hen I was giving her and she also said that sometimes they have dogs get a stomach flu. Husband is on strict orders to watch him tomorrow for throw up and I am making him the burger and rice tonight that he can feed him in the morning when I'm at work.

ETA: I have seen tapeworms in the cats, it was dark out when I was examining the poop so couldn't be sure, plus I caught him chewing a piece of plastic so thought maybe he ate something weird and pooped that.

That is my biggest concern with a possible obstruction, but AC lady said if he is pooping then probably not it.

 

[redhen]

Steph?? Is he okay?? Just saw this thread....