Hatrack River Forum: Doggie medical advice?

This is topic Doggie medical advice? - my poor puppy in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

My dad took our healthy mid-sized dog out for a long walk today. She came home just *covered* in burrs.

We cut a lot of them from her, but she is very shaggy and we couldn't get at them all right away. So she started chewing at them, which I would have thought was a fairly normal response from her. Then she started retching and up everything came. Okay, gross but still within the realm of "normal."

She's still retching, though, and nothing is coming up. And hiccuping. And other assorted noises.

I've looked online and I can't find any help for what to do with a dog with burrs, and if chewing them is unhealthy, and why she might be retching.

Any help?

Added: Yes, we are calling the vet. But it's late on a Saturday and if we can do anything ourselves to help, that is a good thing.

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

Is she eating and drinking?

Is the retching constant?

If you open her mouth can you see anything caught in her throat? (NOTE, don't reach in and feel around -- you might push it further in, just look and pull it out if it's close and reachable).

I suspect that unless she's really small, the burrs aren't really going to mess her up to badly going through. But you probably need to get her x-rayed to see what's in there. It might be something else she swallowed.

I hope you get the vet and can get her checked today.

Good luck!

Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

She was drinking, until the vet told us to stop giving her anything by mouth for a while.

The retching wasn't quite continuous, but it was often. It's settled a bit now.

I don't think anything's caught. We can't see anything.

Aaaaaand, she just yakked up what looks like a hairball. She looks a lot better already, though the noises sounded like she was dying.

Here's hoping. [Smile]

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

*fingers crossed

Posted by Advent 115 (Member # 8914) on :

Ohh, your poor puppy. [Frown]

Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

Still a few weird noises, and she looks entirely displeased by the taste of things. But she's wagging and walking and actually making efforts to look pitiful now, "love me, love me!"

This is the stomach that's been welcoming hard plastic (water bottles, sandbuckets, that sort of thing) since the day we brought her home. I'm completely taken aback by the effect these burrs had on her.

Oh, and she's barking outside at things, just like normal. Definitely doing better.

Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :

Ouch! Get better soon, puppy!

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

Pooor pooooor puppy. [Frown]

I hope he gets better soon. He sounds like he's getting better. Get better, puppy. [Smile]

Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :

Any update?

Sounds like a bolus of "something" got out of there. I'm glad dogs can vomit actually. Some animals can't and that's a problem if they swallow something nasty.

Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

She seems fine this morning. At least, I haven't heard any cries of disgusted sympathy for a vomiting doggie, so that's a good thing.

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Good. Poor sweetie.

Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

Yeah, she's outside playing with my dad, and barking at him and teasing him and generally being her annoying, irritating self.