Self-treating 7yo dog with stomach ulcer is getting worse

[llombardo]

At this point, this is NOT a simple food issue! Playing around with foods may give short-term relief, but will not remove the problem. The best it can do is prolong her pain.

The question about meds is a good one. Did you give your dog any meds recently? Did you change her heartworm or flea meds? Some dogs are allergic (but then you should see the allergy signs.)

Call a vet. Request just an x-ray, first. Who knows what she may have eaten - a small toy, a bottle cap ... a sock. If an x-ray shows nothing, then consider an MRI.

One step at a time, but at this point, they need to be bigger steps than just playing with food.

No it's most likely not a food issue, but foods and the ingredients in foods can aggravate and feed whatever might be wrong. It's always best to fix a dog from the inside out. Strong gut and immune system and diet will aid in recovery. A blockage is a good possibility too.

I am interested in knowing about heartworm and flea medications. Some out there have killed dogs, it seems to be hit or miss, but Bravecto and Trifexis come to mind as possible issues. I would look at the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

I just hope it can be figured out and soon.

 

[QChickieMama]

Have you had an x-ray done? We were treating my old Border Collie mix for an eating issue. We changed foods, tried meds, did all sorts of things. A single, simple x-ray turned up a nasty mass in his throat and stomach. The poor old man had stomach cancer. I wish we had done that x-ray earlier. It would have saved him a world of silent suffering.

We put him down that day. It was so hard, but it was the right thing to do. Six months later, I still have a Border Collie shaped hole in my heart. It'll probably be there for the rest of my life.

Please keep us posted on your furbaby,

And Rest in Peace, my dear, sweet Tag.

So sorry about your Collie.

Our dog has had a negative xray and an ultrasound that only found the 2 swollen lymph nodes.

 

[QChickieMama]

Oh - and she isn't vomiting because she's eating grass, she's eating grass because instinct tells her that she needs to vomit. I know that sounds backwards, but what it boils down to is that her stomach hurts. A lot. Poor baby.
Good Luck - and please keep us posted.

I think I understand it. Hoping the Pepcid is helping sooth her tummy.

 

[QChickieMama]

Check out Monica Segal.

https://www.monicasegal.com/Why-Do-Dogs-Eat-Grass.html

I would remove the food inmediately. I worked as a vet tech for a long time. That food is garbage.

I would request an X-ray, then an ultra sound. I would go to a completely different vet. A holistic vet would be best.

Do you give any heartworm or flea medications? Did they check the pancreas?

Tell me why you think ID is "garbage." Not that I doubt you--I just need reasons.

She's had a negative x-ray and the ultrasound only showed 2 swollen lymph nodes.

 

[lazy gardener]

Tried probiotics?

 

[MROO]

No it's most likely not a food issue, but foods and the ingredients in foods can aggravate and feed whatever might be wrong. It's always best to fix a dog from the inside out. Strong gut and immune system and diet will aid in recovery. A blockage is a good possibility too.

I am interested in knowing about heartworm and flea medications. Some out there have killed dogs, it seems to be hit or miss, but Bravecto and Trifexis come to mind as possible issues. I would look at the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

I just hope it can be figured out and soon.

You're absolutely right about keeping the inside strong - and eliminating everything but the meat and rice is the best way to start and definitely needs to be done. My concern is that, while waiting for a visible response from the food change, something else is going on and the poor pooch is still in pain. The little buggers hide it too well! And food ... any food ... will aggravate a blockage or a tear. Those need to be determined, up front.

As for meds, I never did figure out which ingredient my BC mix was allergic to, but the vet seems to think there were several. Tag not only reacted to something in most flea and heartworm meds, but also to OTC flea collars and shampoos. We had one looooooong, bald summer, that year! We tried pretty much everything we could in every combination we could create until we hit on the old Revolution combo that treats fleas, tick, heartworms and some other internal parasites. It didn't work for my other dog, but it was Tag's miracle fix! He stayed on it for the remainder of his 17 years.

{{Sigh}} I miss my boy!

 

[QChickieMama]

No it's most likely not a food issue, but foods and the ingredients in foods can aggravate and feed whatever might be wrong. It's always best to fix a dog from the inside out. Strong gut and immune system and diet will aid in recovery. A blockage is a good possibility too.

I am interested in knowing about heartworm and flea medications. Some out there have killed dogs, it seems to be hit or miss, but Bravecto and Trifexis come to mind as possible issues. I would look at the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

I just hope it can be figured out and soon.

She's on Heartgard, has been her whole life.

She was on Frontline Plus until a few months ago when all 3 big dogs got fleas. We switched to Bravecto at that time, but she had already been sick since March.

 

[QChickieMama]

Tried probiotics?

No. I gave her yogurt one day. What kind of probiotics is good for dogs? I have 5 kinds in the house right now.

 

[PirateGirl]

Did the vet offer a possible cause for the swollen lymph nodes? Was any blood work done to rule out infection or failure of any of the organs?

 

[MROO]

If she already had an issue, the Bravecto may have aggravated it, but I'd still get that x-ray.
If my responses sound cold or accusing, I totally apologize. That's not the intent, I promise. It's just how text comes across, sometimes. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. It's hard when our pets are sick. I understand. Truly, I do!