Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:17 pm Post subject: Lab seems fine but being sick...advice needed.
Hi, my 4 year old male has been sick every day for about 5 days now. He seems absolutely fine in every other way. He is not being sick after food, but usually quite some time after - mid afternoon or middle of the night. He is fed twice a day. The sick is completely digested food and only quite a small amout - about a handful (yuk!). It is pale and (sorry folks) but looks a bit like the sauce from a chicken korma curry! We have either come downstairs in the morning to find a small pile, or we have seen him do it in the afternoon - he just throws up once and then carries on as normal. We have not fed him too much or indulged him over Christmas so don't think it can be that. He does have ED and occasionally he has a limp which we treat with Metacam. This did happen this week so he has had a dose of metacam each morning although we stopped this two days ago, but he has still been sick. He is used to the metacam so I don't think it can be that. Could it be worms? He is allergic to all worming tablets so he has Advocate instead which is supposed to prevent them getting worms in the first place, but I wondered if he had still picked them up. Neither of my dogs has ever had worms so I am not sure of the symptoms if they do get them.
We have got him booked into the vet later, but I know from experience that sometimes people on this site have had similar experiences and can offer some useful advice or help.
Is it a yellow type of bile? If it is it may be nothing more than he is hungry and his stomach is empty. If it is this, you could try giving him a bonio or other biscuit (gravybones, etc) at lunchtime and before bed, this should hopefully see him through.
Bella used to do this in the early hours of the morning, but since giving her a couple of biscuits at bedtime it no longer happens.
Shadow did this once after I forgot to give them breakfast
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Advocate doesn't prevent all worms... tapeworms being one that I know of off the top of my head. Have a read of JohnW's post on this thread:
http://www.labradorforums.co.uk/ftopicp-1401869-wormers.html #1401869
I have to say that I don't know the symptoms of worms either though.
It could be hunger sicks as the others suggest.
Are his poops normal?
Luna was sick for a day last week then had awful runny tum for a day - it doesn't sound like your boy has a bug as the timings of him being sick are so regular though.
Thanks for the advice. Took him to the vet who thought it might be some sort of bug or an allergy, so he is on special food for a few days and we will see how he goes. So far, so good as wasn't sick yesterday. It was proper (albeit very digested) food that was coming up, not bile and the vet wasn't convinced about him being hungry as he is always fed the same amount and, if anything, was getting a little more last week as we were home all the time and he gets biscuits and treats etc. throughout the day and before bedtime, although no too much as he has to keep to a light weight because of his ED. So, will know more in a few days when I put him back onto his normal food and we will see what happens!
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 4:44 pm Post subject: Ben being sick - it's back again! Could it be Metacam?
I posted just after New Year to say Ben had been sick virtually every day since Christmas Day. Vet changed his diet for a short time and we monitored him and he was fine for about 10 days - until this Monday and he has been sick again - every day - apart from Tuesday. He seems fine in himself and is eating and pooing fine. The sick comes at around 3-4pm in the afternoons and then again during the night (so not exactly sure what time). The sick still looks like chicken korma curry sauce - yellow and thickish, but not lumpy and it's not bile. Vet didn't think it was due to hunger as we feed him plenty and he never has to go for too long with an empty stomach. But - we did give him Metacam again last weekend as he was limping. Last dose was on Monday morning - how long would it stay in his system? Would it still be making him sick today (Friday) if that's the cause?
The afternoon sick seems to come on as soon as he rushes around - like the other day as soon as we got out on the walk, and today as soon as I came home and he was jumping around pleased to see me. Although, this doesn't explain the night time throwing up.
it seems a bit of a mystery as we have changed nothing about his diet or lifestyle since we've had him and we have another lab who is treated identically and he is fine. I don't think it can be his food, because he has been on a different type now (special stuff from the vet) and I think he would be sicker sooner if it was the food, not hours later.
Will probably have him back at the vet by Monday if he is still throwing up over the weekend, but any ideas in the meantime would be useful.
Metacam, like any NSAID, can upset/damage their stomach lining and as this has happened again while you've been using it, then I'd say it was probably linked. Obviously if it is doing actual damage to the stomach lining then even after you've stopped giving it, it takes a while for the stomach to repair itself. So this could be the reason why he is still being sick even after you've finished dosing him a few days before.
Metacam doesn't suit all dogs. I can't give it to my Mojo, as it gives her terrible Diarrhea and acts like a sedative. I can't give Rimadyl either, as that makes her violently sick within minutes of her taking it.
If I were you I'd ask the vet if you could try a different Anti Inflam for his lameness. I would probably ask for it not to be Rimadyl though, as a lot of dogs seem to have stomach problems with that one, but I know there are other NSAIDS out there.
Thanks - I think you are right! It seems too much of a coincidence so I have just fed him rice and eggs which he has had before when he had an upset tummy and he loves it! My only issue with that is - I'm never quite sure how much rice to give him. Any ideas? Because of his ED I don't want to be over-feeding him, but obviously don't want to starve him either as that won't do his stomach any good!
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