Wanna Play Diagnose My Dog? Updated in replies

[nicolewi]

I have a 45 pound spayed female dog. 

10/18 Ate maybe half a stick of butter. Has history of counter surfing but had been on a good, clean run prior to this. Usually has stomach of steel. Didn't think much of it but she started vomiting late afternoon and threw up several times--all clear yellow fluid. I was worried and Google-diagnosed her with pancreatitis from the butter. Poop fine.

10/19 Not vomiting but still gagging. Got her in at the vet. Pancreatitis check came back normal; vet said maybe just gastritis. Got anti-nausea shot and instructions for special diet, and probiotics. Poop fine.

10/20 GREAT

10/21 and 10/22 Cerenia anti-nausea wore off; some gagging and grass eating but no vomiting or diarrhea. Poop fine. 

10/23 Diarrhea; not uncontrollable; no accidents, but gross. 

10/24 GOT A TINY BIT MORE BUTTER from counter! (so mad at self) Only 1T or less. Up overnight 3 times to run her out with continued diarrhea; not horrible but not great. (called vet; vet said diarrhea expected; stay the course with diet and probiotics)

10/25 First thing in am puked up a big dry poop-shaped wad of grass and rice. Weird. Seemed hungry. Caught her after she broke through gate and got into candy bag up on a table; I didn't think she ate anything. I got a smushed 3 Musketeers out of her mouth still in wrapper. 

10/26 Still some diarrhea

10/27 puked up a Milky Way wrapper first thing am and almost nothing else. Just a wrapper. I have no idea if she got it when I caught her with the candy, or if she got an empty wrapper off the floor. Also tiny bit clear yellow fluid. Decided she needed more than just the chicken and rice so I mixed a tiny bit of kibble into her food. No poop ALL DAY. 

10/28 Pooped! Not diarrhea! No gagging. I was thrilled and thought this was over. Normal all day. 4ish started frantic grass eating again and puked yellow stuff again a few times!!!! ARGH. 

10/29 Talked to vet; vet seems not to have clear idea of what this might be. next step probably X Rays to check for any partial blockage? I am confused about blockage and don't really want to pay for X Rays if not needed. Can she have a blockage if making regular poops and not diarrhea anymore/? Decided to see how the day went. Okay most of day. Threw up again 5:45 pm. I thought maybe she was puking from being hungry b/c all have been closer to meal times and thought I'd solved it. But then she randomly threw up a little more liquid with tiny chicken shreds at about 8 pm. Maybe I am still on to something with maybe being hungry from rice/chicken diet? Maybe should mix in more kibble rather than less? 

I never thought this would still be going on 11 days post-butter. Any thoughts? 

In between, she is playing with dog friends, going for walks, mostly seeming fine. A few periods of time of seeming more subdued here and there but nothing major. 

Anyone been thought something like this? Any ideas? I keep thinking she's better and acting fine, but then she throws up again. 

[tiki]

Honestly I would guess a blockage (could be partial?) based on the eating grass, extended period of vomiting, and a clear tendency to eat things she's not supposed to. I would get xrays asap and do a sweep of the house and get anything she shouldn't be eating really far out of her reach.

[wildrice]

Is she a golden retriever? I seem to recall you were getting one but I could be wrong!

I would take her in, especially if she is a golden. They are very good at hiding pain or sickness and I wouldn't necessarily take her behavior to mean that she's feeling well.

It does sound like a potential blockage. I don't think an x-ray alone should be crazy expensive and could save her life.

I had a golden and she loved to eat anything and everything. She thankfully never had a blockage, but she had plenty of periods of tummy issues. I don't think any of them ever lasted as long as this one has for yours, though. That's what makes me think that it's time to do further testing.

[osulori]

I would take her in for an X ray. It's been going on long enough that she could have a partial blockage.

[waverly]

Team take her for the X-ray with the vet.

[nicolewi]

I'm taking her in today. OMG if she has a blockage and needs surgery this is going to majorly suck. I'm nervous. She's an Australian labradoodle (ALD); contains no Australian shepherd.

[tiki]

nicolewi, fingers crossed for you!

[litasail]

I am not a vet, but I have a dog with IBS and some of what you share is raising alarm bells for me as being similar to issues my dog had before he got his IBS diagnosis. Ongoing GI issues that were kind of met with some tests and a shrug from our very excellent vets for years.

If she doesn't have a blockage, I'd be on the lookout for IBS. If untreated/managed, the inflammation it causes can become larger issues. My dog now has something called protein losing enteropathy that almost killed him and means we have to hand cook all of his (as low fat as possible) food as prescribed by a veterinary nutritionist to keep him doing ok.

[nicolewi]

Update: no real answers. Different vet this time. She discouraged X Rays b/c 1) she doesn't really think it's a blockage, 2) dog would probably be awful for X Rays and likely need to be sedated, and 3) X Rays can show stool/gas patterns but will not show soft material inside that could be an issue (ie cloth, foam, thin plastic, wrappers).

We did basic and cortisol bloodwork that will come back on Friday.

Meanwhile, I have a $60 bag of specialty dog food just in case she has a food allergy that developed. I highly doubt that she developed a food allergy but I suppose you never know. So I'm transitioning her slowly from chicken and rice onto this food. Assuming everything resolves and bloodwork is okay, after a couple weeks I can then try transitioning back to her regular food and see if she stays on track. I think it's weird that this would be caused by a food allergy with the sudden onset and no signs of any allergy previously, but trying to cover all bases. And I'm giving her Prilosec twice/day.

[nicolewi]

Oct 30, 2024 15:14:06 GMT -5 litasail said:

I am not a vet, but I have a dog with IBS and some of what you share is raising alarm bells for me as being similar to issues my dog had before he got his IBS diagnosis. Ongoing GI issues that were kind of met with some tests and a shrug from our very excellent vets for years.

If she doesn't have a blockage, I'd be on the lookout for IBS. If untreated/managed, the inflammation it causes can become larger issues. My dog now has something called protein losing enteropathy that almost killed him and means we have to hand cook all of his (as low fat as possible) food as prescribed by a veterinary nutritionist to keep him doing ok.

I will keep this in mind, thanks! I am sorry about your dog. Cooking all the food sounds really difficult.

[gerberdaisy]

Glad to hear its likely not a blockage. Anecdotes and all that, but two of my family members have Australian Labradoodles and they are constantly throwing up and having diarrhea. They have different parents, same breeder, but are so sensitive to everything thing they eat. One especially will consume anything it finds also. So, could be the breed?

[loira]

Oct 31, 2024 8:58:52 GMT -5 gerberdaisy said:

Glad to hear its likely not a blockage. Anecdotes and all that, but two of my family members have Australian Labradoodles and they are constantly throwing up and having diarrhea.

I'm not surprised. Labs will eat almost anything, meanwhile poodles are prone to having sensitive stomachs and food allergies. This is what happens when people cross just about anything with a poodle and call it a breed.