Vomiting...need advice

[Sabrina and Bentley]

Hey everyone,

 

We've been having some challenges with Bentley throwing up lately.  They have all had a different scenario surrounding it, so I can't quite pinpoint it.  Don't know if I should wait it out a little longer or bring him in to the vet.  Here's what's been happening...

 

Background:  He's on Diamond Large Breed Puppy Food.  I know there was a recall on it about five years ago, but that's what the breeder had him on and he hasn't had any problems with eating it and he's now six months old. But this is a new bag that we purchased right around Halloween so, part of me feels like maybe it's a bad bag of food.  He seems to sniff at it in the morning and walks away, but eventually he goes back to eat it.

 

Nov 1-10 somehwere in this time frame, he vomited on our bed and then in his kennel.  Also during this time, we found out he ate part of a foot of one of his dog toys.  In the morning time, he was eating his food, but then he would join us upstairs and get very rambunctious (as he always is in the morning) and at least twice he threw up his food.  We thought it was because he was jumping around alot, but he always does this, so for a couple of days, we locked him in the kitchen during breakfast for an hour so that he could eat and stay calm.  Well, we'd open the door and the food was still there.  Then one night he slept with us and we woke up to vomit on the floor.  So, in this 10 day period, he threw up at least four times.

11/13 his first tick was found.  yuck!  threw this in here because I didn't know if ticks caused vomiting. 

11/15 the toy foot was found...when he vomited again. We were so happy because we figured this is why he was throwing up and not eating like he normally did.  I was out of town this week, but my fiance said he ate normal both morning and night for the rest of the week.

11/19 went to take him on his morning walk and saw two throw up piles in his kennel

11/20 found his 2nd tick after playing at the dog park...guess it's time to get him on a tick medication.

11/21 ate morning breakfast like usual.  gave him his sentinel (hw pill) with a treat.  took him with me to pick up lunch around noon.  Heard a hack and sure enough there was a pile back there.  I've ruled out car sickness because he did this when we first started taking him out, but he hasn't in over a couple of months and he's in the car 4-5 times a week.  I also make sure that he doesn't go for car rides unless it's at least an hour after eating.  then eating lunch in the living room and hear a hack in my office.  There goes another pile.  I put him in the kitchen while I cleaned up.  I go to my desk and I smell it which was weird because I didn't smell it after I cleaned up.  Then I saw the huge pile on his sofa in my office and on the floor.  Was thinking it's the sentinel but he's been on it for three months with no problems.

 

So that's pretty much it.  I don't know if it's the food, toy foot, ticks, heartworm pills or what, but he's never thrown up like this before.  Throughout all of this, he's been very playful and his poops are big and firm.  I checked for foreign objects and the only thing I could find were leaves.  He does seem a little lethargic right now, but he did tthrow up three times in the past hour.

 

any thoughts, opinions, suggestions?

 

Sorry for the long story, but at least I can print this out for the vet if/when I bring him in. :-)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sabrina, he needs to see the vet. This much vomiting for this long can be dangerous for him. Rather than trying to guess at causes, I would get him in to see the vet ASAP.

I hope it isn't anything serious, good luck!

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I would recommend a visit to the vet at this point. The vomiting has been going on for so long and it doesn't seem that there is a resolution in sight at this point. I think it is time to bring in the professionals! Sorry that he is having this issue. :( Good luck and please keep us posted!

[Jennifer and "Cooper"]

I agree.  I think that it's been going on too long for him not to be seen by a vet at this point.  Hoping it isn't anything serious.  Keep us updated.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Take him to the vet and tell them exactly what you told us with the dates. It could be any combination of these things but you need to try to find out so he can feel better and not get dehydrated. Good luck and keep us posted!!!!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Yes, he needs to see a vet - he may be seriously dehydrated.  Let us know what they say.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

take him to the vet. this is not normal. It's great that you kept a log.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Poor Bently, I hope he feels better...I think a vet visit is in order.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I would suggest a Vet apt also. They will probably want to sell you their "special"  food and there is plenty of info in the Food Group on this. I would start with cooked rice and chicken for several days , plus whatever the vet suggests for medication, if they do, which, I'd be surprised if they don't.

The special food they sell is not anything special at all had the chicken and rice will digest easily and rest his belly.  Please read about vet recommended foods before going if you have time. It will save you tons of money and your cooking will be much healthier for him. Keep us posted?

 

[Sabrina and Bentley]

Sue, I'm hesitant on the cooked rice and chicken only because I don't want him to get used to it and not want to eat his dog food, but I see that alot of folks on here give their dogs that when they have an upset belly.  Will he transition back to his regular food after that?  Thanks for the advice!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Sabrina, I have read where some dogs have a preference for the homecooked foods and will refuse to eat dry kibble after that. I have never had this problem and about 20 dogs I know in our family and with friends from our doodle romp, have not had this issue either.

The cooked food helps them, so to me it's no different than giving  the canned SD crap that they probably love too and then going back to dry food.

I do both homecook and kibble, I usually add some yogurt or some leftovers from fridge if I have it, but otherwise, they get dry kibble. They might hesitate for 10 seconds and look at me like  "Hey, where's the real food". But this is what they get, eat it or not. Bella did leave her breakfast one time, until about 2:00 pm, but I do believe a healthy dog will eat when it;s hungry. It's not like her food isn't good quality and I should feel bad that it's not homecooked.

So I would s uggest do what you can to help with the vomiting now, and gradually go back to adding kibble to it and see what happens. In my eyes, it shouldn't be a problem, but I;ve never had a picky eater .

 

[Chelsea and Bailey]

I agree with a trip to the vet... I would want to make sure at the least that he is not dehydrated, and 3 times in one hour is a quite a lot I would be quite concerned. Another thing I would like to suggest is changing the food, try homecooking a few meals as suggested and then I would change the brand of food he is using slowly, maybe add some pumpkin.  We had our dog on Orijen for awhile and she did great then all of a sudden started to throw up after almost every meal.  The only thing that worked was changing the food. We went back to TOTW which she was eating prior and there was no problems with vomiting after. Hope he is ok!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

How's Bentley doing?  Did you take him to the Vet?  I sure hope he's feeling better.