For the record: We are going to get her to a vet, hopefully this afternoon if DeathLlama can make it. I’m home taking care of our newborn so I’m unavailable, or I would take her myself.
Angel is our 11-year-old tricolor sheltie. She is sweet as can be but is not aging well; she has severe arthritis in her forelegs (wrists and elbows) and has a perianal tumor that we have opted not to operate on due to Angel’s advance age and fragility. It’s been about 8mos since a vet checked the tumor; unfortunately in spayed females these are often cancerous (in intact males, they are typically benign…go figure) so we just decided to let Angel be and watch her carefully. Up to this point, she’s been happy-go-lucky as always, and since we shaved several pounds off of her since “adopting” her from my parents, her arthritic limp diminished and her energy went way up.
This morning she did her usual potty routine outside, then after pooping, started eating grass. WTF?? More worrisome, I fed her breakfast and she wouldn’t touch it–NOT like her at all. I gave her her favorite treat and she gobbled it up, so I felt better about that. Then she seemed eager to go for a walk, so I took her outside and within a few steps she promptly vomitted up the treat she’d just eaten, plus a mess of yellow bile. She then tried eating anything green–not just grass, but any plant she can find. Concerned about her making a mess in the house (I hate that that’s a consideration, but again, I have a newborn), I put her in the enclosed patio area (we have a condo, so no yard) where she immediately went to our plants and started chewing on them. I brought her back inside and sadly she’s crated at the moment.
I’ve had a feeling her time with us is drawing to a close, but this is so sad to watch. I’ll let you know what the vet says. BTW–anyone have any knowledge as to why she’s suddenly craving greens??
both of my youngish healthy dogs will sometimes eat grass. i have heard that dogs do that when they have an upset stomach because it does help them throw up. i would not let my dog’s eat unknown, possibly poisonous houseplants though. in my experience it is not a big deal at all. let her eat some more grass and throw up a bit more and then maybe she’ll be ready for her dog food.
Most probably her stomach is upset. Dogs very often eat grass as it’s so commonly available when they have a stomach ache but their instinct is to eat greens. You are right to have the vet check her if this isn’t a common occurrance. The presence of bile is a good indicator but the question is why. Could be nothing other than her stomach was empty but let the pro figure it out. Let us know.
Our vet has told us that vomiting isn’t as traumatic for dogs as it is for humans. Angel may well just have a slight upset tummy just like we get sometimes, which would explain her refusing food and eating grass. Also, our springers seem to crave grass more in the spring, when it’s young and tender.
How’s Angel’s personality otherwise? Is she her usual happy self, or lethargic? It seems to be more of a concern if the dog has a change in demeanor. Try not to worry too much until you’ve seen the vet.
That said, I know what it’s like to worry about every little thing in an older dog.* I literally dug my Scout’s grave once when it looked like she was on her last day, and she’s given us a few scares since then. But she’s nearly 12-1/2 and keeps toodling along.
*And even in a younger dog. A few weeks ago my 4-year-old Miss Dottie started vomiting and shooting blood out of her butt for no apparent reason. Freaked me right out, it did. But a trip to the vet, some meds, and a modified diet for about a week and she was good as new.
As other posters have said, dogs will often self-medicate by trying to eat greens when they’ve got an upset stomach. As you’ve got reason to be concerned for your dog’s health alread, I think you’re right to take her to the vet - but it is possible that she’s just having a bad day.
Well that’s good to know. It isn’t like her, though, to vomit; I’ve never known her to. Then last week she vomitted up her dinner twice in one evening, then on Saturday vomitted up her breakfast. It’s this sudden frequency (if you can call 4 times in 6 days frequent) that has me all the more concerned.
Demeanor-wise, she’s definitely had the edge taken off. She looks worried and sad, and her energy is much lower. Poor dear. I’ll keep an eye on her and take her out again in a little bit to see if she feels any better and is up to eating breakfast.
Yup yup, casdave…that is, if she’ll drink any fluids. I called the vet and made an appointment for her at 4pm (DeathLlama will be taking her as soon as he gets home); they said not to give her any food and just make sure she has water available, though she may not drink. I am concerned–the poor thing has vomited at least 6-7 times this morning, eaten nothing, and has had some water but that seems to be coming right up.
If it’s dehydration, they may very well rehydrate her by running a saline solution into her body cavity. This happened to one of my cats. It was very unpleasant, but she improved immediately.
Well, I wouldn’t want to take a newborn baby to a veterinary office, much less juggling a sick dog as well. Maybe she can’t get a sitter on an hour’s notice.
Ruffian, that does sound like she’s got something going on. I wouldn’t assume it’s something really bad until she’s seen the vet; it could very well be minor and eminently treatable. Don’t offer her too much water at a time; my Dottie loves to gulp water and when she has a bad tummy it just all comes up again. A little at a time and she’s fine.
Poor baby. Give her some scratchies and let us know what the vet says.
Unsalted broth and pepto bismol pills are a good temporary measure for tummy upsets until you can get into the vet’s. Pepto/pink bismuth coats the stomach and is safe for dogs (it can darken the stool just like it does with people too).
As a vet tech, we see vomiting/diarrhea about 7 times a day. The majority of the time it’s just a bout of gastroenteritis which is usually treates with some subcutaneous fluids, a pepcid injection, and the pet is sent home to eat a bland diet for a few days. Again, most of the time this resolves and the pet is fine. Sometimes dogs will just get upset stomachs.
But since your dog has a prior condition, absolutely get it checked out. Hopefully she was thoroughly rehydrated and sent home with no big concern. I hope for you guys that it was just a bit of stomach upset, and I hope she’ll be fine.
But trust me, the doctors would much rather have you bring in a pet with just a troubled stomach than to get a call after a week of this to find that something very bad has been going on. I’m really happy you are going to see someone sooner rather than later, and your vet will be too.
Sorry sorry sorry! Again, it’s that whole newborn-in-the-house thing. DeathLlama seems to have the magic touch–Jett is actually napping in his crib. NAPPING! He never naps with me unless I’m holding him.
Anyway, yes–no news is good news. The vet couldn’t find any obvious cause; Angel’s belly wasn’t tender when palpated and there were no obvious growths or other abnormalities. The vet suggested bloodwork, but we declined (would’ve been $100-$200 more); we opted instead just to follow her conservative advice: bland foods, rest, slowly reintroduce regular food. Angel had white rice yesterday and dog food today and seems more or less her usual self.
Just getting older and more sensitive, I guess, although I have no clue what could’ve made her that ill…
I gave her her favorite treat and she gobbled it up, so I felt better about that. Then she seemed eager to go for a walk, so I took her outside and within a few steps she promptly vomitted up the treat she’d just eaten, plus a mess of yellow bile. She then tried eating anything green–not just grass, but any plant she can find. Concerned about her making a mess in the house (I hate that that’s a consideration, but again, I have a newborn), I put her in the enclosed patio area (we have a condo, so no yard) where she immediately went to our plants and started chewing on them. I brought her back inside and sadly she’s crated at the moment.