Dog Won't Eat

scp_ok · #1 Dec 25, 2005, 11:38 AM

This morning my 4.5 year old black lab threw up. He is an outdoor dog, but sleeps in his crate inside at night and when we get home from work he comes inside with us. Usually he sleeps the entire night, but this morning he got us up at 2:30 am (I let him out and back in). Then around 4:30 am again he paw'd on his crate (never does this) so I let him out to roam the house, but after roaming for 20 mins he threw up about (5 or 6 cups of liquid). I let him out cleaned up the mess (noticed it had some green chunks in it, rubbery feel). Around 8:00 am could not get him to play, drink, or eat. He usually eats his food as soon as it goes out, and LOVES to play ball, frisbe, catch, etc. It's now 1:32 pm and he has not eaten anything, but have got him to drink some water and also play a little. I've even tried treats and some rawhide too, but no luck. It was encouraging that he finally did play, and would drink some water. I did walk the yard this morning and saw he threw up a couple times more and the green chunks in the vomit. I don't know if something was thrown in our yard and so he ate it (he eats almost anything) or what it is. I plan to bring him to the vet tomorrow if he doesn't improve as he ate last night and was a very healthy dog. Thought I'd check with this echo and see if anyone has tips or similar experiences with dogs or labs. Thanks all...

labman · Dec 25, 2005, 01:54 PM

It sounds like he has some even bigger chunks of the green rubbery stuff caught somewhere which won't go either way. This is a serious problem which happens to Labs and other strong chewers. Chances are he will be OK until you can get him to a vet tomorrow. In the mean time, you should offer him his regular meals and water. Do not give him rawhide. It occasionally causes problems too. The dog can rip off a piece and swallow it, and then it swells, choking the dog or blocking the intestines. Do not give him a laxative. Just give him attention if he wants it, and get to a vet when you can. A day or 2 without eating won't hurt any dog.

It is hard to guess where the green thing came from. Some kids may have lost a ball, or some trash blown in. Somebody may have decided to be kind and give him a dog toy. Unfortunately, many common dog toys aren't safe for many dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not
there to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a
close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive
chewers such as Labs.

Ropes from the pets' store quickly turn to hazardous shreds. Ones I made
lasted much better. Go to a hardware or home center that sells rope by the
foot. Buy 2' of 3/4" poly rope. Melt the ends, and tie knots in it. Get
them as tight as possible, put it in a vise and pound it with a hammer. Watch
carefully, and be ready to discard when it comes apart.

scp_ok · Dec 25, 2005, 07:56 PM

Labman,

Thanks for the feedback. We have been watching him all day and he still has not eaten. One item I think this green thing might be is a Greenie that I gave him the day before. That's my best guess, but the vet opens tomorrow at 7:30am sharp and I'll be there waiting for them. He has urinated a couple times today, but no bowel movements so my concern is that something is stuck. I'll post how things go after the vet checks him out.

labman · Dec 25, 2005, 10:00 PM

You need to be skeptical about what you read on the net. I have read a couple of bad reports on Greenies from people I considered reliable. I do not give my dogs any consumable treats because of what I have read. The highly experienced dog guide school I raise puppies for has not banned consumable treats, but has banned rawhide for years. The obstructed bowel is a serious problem needing veterinary care. However, as far as I know, you can wait until office hours with it.

scp_ok · Dec 27, 2005, 04:39 PM

My dog is recovering and doing much better after his visit to the vet yesterday. They put him on an IV and gave him some meds to hydrate and help with the vomiting. They told us to stay away from Greenies due to this latest incident and we had already decided to do that. We were also given some meds to keep him from vomiting and antibiotics along with some food. All and all, things turned out well. Thanks for your feedback Labman....