Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44
Dog vomiting and not eating and vet can't find out what is wrong. | Ask A Vet
 

 


Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Vomiting and not eating.

Species: Dog
Breed: Pomeranian Chihuahua
Age: 8-11 years
Hi, I'm desperate to find out how to help my dog. 9 days ago (Monday night) she woke up in the middle of the night and vomited all of her food/treat from the night before. She vomited again the next day so I took her to her vet - he sent home sensitive dog food and said prob. just upset stomach. She didn't throw up and only ate a little for the next few days. On Saturday she threw up again and couldn't keep water down so I took her to emergency. All blood work (pancreas and general) and X-rays came back normal. Sent home with lots of meds. On Sunday night she ate a small amount of boiled chicken and drank water and threw up 4 hrs after. I couldn't get her to take or keep down any meds and by Monday she was vomiting bile like every 15 mins. Took her to emergency again and they hydrated her and gave her nausea and Pepcid shot. On tuesday I took her to her vet and they put her on Iv but they didnt want her on any nausea meds. When I brought her home she vomited 3 times (twice after water and once before). On Wednesday (yesterday) i took her in to the vet and they did barium X-rays - all fine and nausea/ Pepcid shot. She hasn't been vomiting really since (only a teaspoon once or twice) but she won't eat. I've tried everything - boiled chicken, rice, sweet potato, yogurt, ground turkey, blending ground turkey with water, baby food, etc. She tried a few bites of the turkey last night but had a hard time swallowing and would spit most of it out after she put it in her mouth. She was holding water down last night and shes still on nausea shots. So far doc thinks she had gi upset and now her espohagus is irritated. I'm sure she will be back at vet today to do Iv again. I'm thinking about asking for pain meds if he thinks her esophagus is too sore. Could that go on for over a week? She's only eaten a very small amount in over a week and I'm so worried about her. She seems so tired and stressed out (she gets bad vet aniexty and anxiety in general). I'm just not sure where to go from here and I'm just hoping we aren't missing something. Thanks.

Related questions about vomiting in dogs:

Vomiting and not eating for 3 days
Dog vomiting clear fluid
Dog vomiting 3 times a day
Dog is vomiting and has elevated liver enzymes
Dog died suddenly after vomiting


Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 78

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 78

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

How frustrating for both you and Chloe! I hate cases like this where we can't figure out what is wrong. It does happen occasionally though.

Sometimes, in difficult vomiting cases like this what I recommend is actually an exploratory abdominal surgery. It may seem a little drastic, but it is often the quickest way to get the answer. If there is a foreign object there that wasn't able to be determined via the barium xrays, then surgery will find it. If there is something serious like a tumor, then surgery should find this. And, if nothing is found then biopsies can be taken of the intestines and stomach and liver and it's possible a solution can be found there.

I have had several cases where we were at our wit's end without having a diagnosis and we did surgery and although we didn't find our answer, the dog got better after surgery. That sometimes does happen. I'm not sure if it is connected to the drugs given for surgery. It happens so frequently that some vets joke that we are "changing the air in the abdomen" or "letting out the demons".

If surgery is not something that is able to be done, then another thought would be to ask your vet if perhaps a medication called sucralfate (or sulcrate) would be helpful. If there is an esophagitis (inflamed esophagus) then this medicine works really well to help to coat the esophagus and heal any inflammation.

It's not a bad idea to ask for pain meds as well. There are some pain meds such as NSAIDS like Metacam for example, that I would avoid because they can contribute to stomach upset, but something like Tramadol or buprenorphine is a possibility.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. None of us (vets included) enjoy cases like this where are treatments are not working. It does sound like your vet is doing all of the same things I would. I would keep following their advice. I really hope Chloe is feeling better soon!

Dr. Marie.



Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Draining fluid for heart failure. My dog has Congestive Heart Failure. He is under the care of a veterinarian and... (24449 views)

Puppy Strangles. litter of 12 puppies were born on April 13th and now 4 are showing signs of lumps... (10626 views)

Puppy and adult dog vomiting. Our 8 yr old lab became ill about 2 weeks ago with occassional vomiting, diarrhea,... (7148 views)

Rat with red tears and increased thirst. I have a pet rat, almost 1. Shes been healthy her whole life, just had this weird... (12880 views)

Not eating or drinking because lonely? i have a puppy i've had her in the backyard now my sister had an inspection at her... (11052 views)

Can dogs get tetanus? My dog got her paw caught in an animal trap this evening. She is walking around... (31978 views)

Peeing in the house. We have a problem with Storm (a male cat) weeing every where in the house we do have... (10536 views)

Cat is killing lizards. My cat keeps killing lizards that come inside the house. I have tryed spraying water... (18823 views)

Dog is losing weight. I have a 7yr old larger sized min pin. Had her fixed at 1yrs old and she has always... (13846 views)

Dentistry on older cat. My cat, who is a 19 year old spayed male we have had his entire life is fairly... (20583 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.