Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:02 am Post subject: Being Sick - how concerned should we be - advice please
Kara appears to have taken a liking to eating anything she can get her paws on.
She was sick a couple of weeks ago, caused I think, by the wadding out of a toy she destroyed (toy now in bin) and then she was fine.
She was sick twice on Friday night and it contained some material from a toy she'd been chewing. On Saturday it was rubber from a toy she'd been chewing. She was sick when I was out with her yesterday morning and it was part of the fleece that was in her bed (now removed). Yesteday afternoon it was part of the tie from one of the seat pads from the chairs in the dining room and finally last night it was a bit of black bin bag from the bin in the kitchen.
She has recently gone into season for the first time and this eating crap and being sick does seem to coincide with that. However I'm really becoming quite concerned about her. I'm worried that she'll eat something that doesn't come back up and make herself really ill (if somethings not stuck there already).
I've now removed all toys and bedding from her crate, which I feel seems really harsh but ...
Basil is only a few weeks younger than Kara and he is going through the same phase (well he has been since 10 weeks old really )
We are lucky in that he only chews his own things but we have had to accept he has outgrown soft toys and all but the toughest of his toys.
We supervise him with everything except his large ball, kongs and nylabone (the strong ones).
I don't think you are mean taking away her bedding, its for her safety. You could just try a towel if that makes you feel better - towels seem to feel less like a chew project to Basil.
Being sick (if she's eaten something she shouldnt) is not too much to worry about. But you need to stop her chewing things that cause the sickness, like you say you may be unlucky and objects can get stuck in their intestines.
I'm feeling better just to read yuor post, my dog is not alone
I am very concerned about this habit she's developed, apart from anything else if she's being sick all the time she's not digesting her food properly and therefore not getting all the nutrients she needs.
If things don't improve I think I'll give the vet a call and see what advice they can give.
Penny my other dog was a terrible chewer and destroyer as well but she didn't seem to swallow as much of it as Kara does and as it seems to have gotten worse recently I wondered if it was anything to do with Kara being in season for the first time.
I think the trouble is its hard to stop them. To be honest many many puppies of our breed do go throught this. I wouldn't give her NO bedding at all, but yes consider a huge folded towel at least.
Now she has been sick, what? About 6 or 8 times in a few weeks? Or am I reading that wrongly. I would imagine sometimes its just bile and whatever she has eaten. I wouldn't worry about her not digesting her food properly.
One concern is however that dogs tend to grab frantically at grass when they have abdominal discomfort as we all know, however because we often don't give our dogs access to grass for long periods of time, say overnight and so on, they can get a habit if they have regular abdominal discomfort, of ripping things and stuffing whatever they can get in their mouths. I have an old dog with gastric problems who does this, if he could get outside he will eat grass but if inside he will try and tear up the carpet, dig through dog duvets to get at the stuffing, even lick the carpet for hair and fluff, literally anything to get something in his stomach to throw back up again. Dogs find it hard to vomit on an empty stomach you see.
BUt i wouldn't imagine this is the case with you. I thougth i'd mention it for anyone else watching. I would imagine your naughty, hormonal, bored in season youngster has just found a fun new game called 'lets trash anything and everything.
So yes for now, supervised play only, towels, and thick ones at that in her bed, no free access to rooms when you aren't there, either crate confinement or kitchen confinement with the room checked for as many things as you can imagine she might chew up.... and those are the only ways you can tackle this.
You may wish to revert to feeding her three times a day for something else to look forward to whilst she is not being walked because of her season. Also some of the more indestructable, expensive toys might be in order for her annoying as this is...
Di
____________
The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
I do feel really bad at her having no bedding so I'll look out a big thick 'old' towel for her when I get home tonight.
Without the bedding and restricting her access to toys, she wasn't sick at all yesterday.
Of course, Penny is acting all out of sorts too now. Is there such a thing as sympathetic season symptoms
They drive you mad, but you can't help loving them. We have been taking Kara out for a 15/20 minute walk, but it's usually about 6.30 am so there's not really anyone about. So at least she's getting to see something of the world.
Almost two weeks gone now so hopefully at the most only two more weeks to go
Sorry Di, also should have asked - we don't have any grass in our garden and Kara does seem rather partial to my plants, could she constantly be suffering from abdominal pain? Is there anyway to tell? If so, what causes it?
I hope you don't mind my butting into your thread Trina, but I've got a problem with BJ at the moment, being sick and eating grass as if he's a bovine !
He's epileptic and has recently had his medication increased, so I guess he could have abdominal discomfort. Is the grass eating always caused by belly ache do you know Di ? I am getting worried because he has seemed very dopey lately. I've booked for blood tests on Thursday to check the potassium bromide levels.
Thanks, and I hope Kara is better soon and you manage to find a way to control the chewing.
No problem. Butt in all you like. I'm sure Di's answer for you will be relevant to me too and anyway Kara only destroys at least she doesn't have epilepsy like your BJ.
Hi Colette
Thanks yes I'm in touch with her breeder quite regularly but just thought I'd post and she what others have experienced. However, she does seem to be better now that everything is being kept out of her way if we are not there. However I'm still keen to learn more about possible abdominal pain and what if anything we can do about that.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
)
