Sunday, August 29, 2010

Take your dog's vomiting and stomach issues seriously!

Having experienced Sue's GSD, Eco's bloat & stomach torsion earlier this summer as well as Laurel's vomiting due to "food poisoning", I have been sensitized to vomiting and stomach issues in dogs. Then today, I received the following email from a friend, Juli, who has a lovely SDiT, Josie (Lab-Border Collie):
"We had a scare with Josie! She started vomiting Friday at 4:20 pm. She vomited all the time when I first got her - in the car. But once she got over being carsick, she never did again. We have had a time with her having bowel issues til we got her immunity and health straightened out, but no vomiting. I called the vet to be sure I knew how to treat vomiting going into the weekend.
They said the doc that sees Jo was in emergency surgery but should be finishing up and would call me soon. Within 20 minutes by the time Dr. Anne called me, Josie had been sick 6 times. She said, I am not taking chances with Josie - bring her right out so I whisked her off to the vet ... about a 30 minute drive.
After much poking and prodding, and rectal check - much to Josie's great indignation, she  discovered that Josie's throat was swelling on the inside. We think she may have eaten a spider or maybe a bee or had a bee sting. I had been gone that day for about 4 hours and left Josie home (you know, the not develop separation anxiety thing) and it was a really nice morning. We had the sliding doors onto our screen porch open. There are some gaps around the porch and bugs do get in, so it is possible. 
They gave her Benadryl, cortisone, and something to settle her stomach - 3 shots Josie didn't particularly like. She normally does not care, but Jo was NOT feeling herself at all. Then, since they were closed, we all sat in the waiting room for half an hour and waited. Jo gradually started to perk up and look better, drank some water, ate a small treat and it stayed down so they sent us home."
Laurel had an allergic reaction once to a bee sting or spider bite in her mouth. Her mouth and face swelled so we raced her to the emergency clinic where she was successfully treated. I wouldn't have thought that vomiting could be an indication that her throat was swelling though so again, please, everyone, take your dog's vomiting and stomach issues seriously.
Thanks, Juli, for letting me share your story and I'm thrilled to hear that Josie is back to her bright normal self!

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