You may remember that I pull dogs from the animal control, nurse ‘em up and then try to find them homes. I’ve gotten hooked up with a couple of good rescues so they have helped us place a ton of dogs – but I’m struggling with one I’m personally fostering.
Stewie is about an 8 month old dog of the American Shelter Dog breed. We have had him on our home for about 3 months after he was owner surrendered ( I know it is cliché but all they cared about was if they could get the collar back). We haven’t had a lick of problems with him until he stopped eating this past Friday.
It began Friday morning when I found that he had defecated in his kennel which never happens. It was a loose stool mixed with what I later determined was stomach bile. After he wouldn’t eat that morning I took him in to our vet whom I trust very much who told me he didn’t have a fever, and wasn’t sensitive to stomach palpation so it was probably something he ate. They were not able to retrieve enough stool for a sample so it seems like his system had been cleaned out by then.
Over the weekend he hasn’t eaten more than a handful, and will drink water only sparingly. Also about 3 times a day he would spit up about a half cup of brownish, foul smelling stomach bile. He has not attempted to defecate even once since Friday so there has been no bearing down, and no stool – loose, bloody or otherwise. Other than not eating he doesn’t seem to feel that bad. He still gets up and walks around wagging his tail – he just has no interest in eating and although it is less frequent he will still occasionally spit up the brown bile.
I took him back to the vet this morning and they still do not have a clue. They said to keep trying to get him to eat for 48 hours and then we may have to go for an ultrasound or something. The reason for the wait is that he does not show any real signs of an obstruction – no tenderness, no diarrhea, no bloating, and no attempts to defecate. Other than that they do not really know what is going on. I have had to give him sub–Q lactated ringers about 4 times.
Has anyone ever had a dog present with these symptoms? Any ideas or suggestions? I’m really worried about him.
Stewie is about an 8 month old dog of the American Shelter Dog breed. We have had him on our home for about 3 months after he was owner surrendered ( I know it is cliché but all they cared about was if they could get the collar back). We haven’t had a lick of problems with him until he stopped eating this past Friday.
It began Friday morning when I found that he had defecated in his kennel which never happens. It was a loose stool mixed with what I later determined was stomach bile. After he wouldn’t eat that morning I took him in to our vet whom I trust very much who told me he didn’t have a fever, and wasn’t sensitive to stomach palpation so it was probably something he ate. They were not able to retrieve enough stool for a sample so it seems like his system had been cleaned out by then.
Over the weekend he hasn’t eaten more than a handful, and will drink water only sparingly. Also about 3 times a day he would spit up about a half cup of brownish, foul smelling stomach bile. He has not attempted to defecate even once since Friday so there has been no bearing down, and no stool – loose, bloody or otherwise. Other than not eating he doesn’t seem to feel that bad. He still gets up and walks around wagging his tail – he just has no interest in eating and although it is less frequent he will still occasionally spit up the brown bile.
I took him back to the vet this morning and they still do not have a clue. They said to keep trying to get him to eat for 48 hours and then we may have to go for an ultrasound or something. The reason for the wait is that he does not show any real signs of an obstruction – no tenderness, no diarrhea, no bloating, and no attempts to defecate. Other than that they do not really know what is going on. I have had to give him sub–Q lactated ringers about 4 times.
Has anyone ever had a dog present with these symptoms? Any ideas or suggestions? I’m really worried about him.
Comment