Whats up with our boy?

[Wilsons]

Hi all,

First post here, sorry for the lack of intro but more serious things are at hand.

We have a 9 months old male Dogue called Wilson, who seems to go through 'sick' phases when he vomits (he has been to the vets). Keeping it simple and to the facts the symptoms are

1. Tries to vomit with only white froth coming up and a dark treacle like liquid
2. Excessive drooling prior to retching
3. Excessive yawning after the events
4. Sometimes diarrhoea - but not always
5. More than usual licking near or around right rear hind leg\stomach
6. Vets felt in that area and he yelped but she couldn't find the issue again
7. Anti-vomit tablets do the trick but he still has bouts of excessive drooling and not looking too well
8. He was checked for bloat - and we would have known about it!
9. He has NOT eaten anything he shouldn't have done

When he was 20 -25 weeks old he had a rare infection on the right rear knee usually seen in lambs and livestock, where a bacteria attacks the immune system and it can be related to Ticks but not Lymes. He was immediately treated but it really knocked him for six and vet said there was no way of knowing he had had it until the day he would get up, which meant the vet being called out and Wilson taken in on a drip. However we assume he has fully recovered from this but he does still appear to have sick spells over his puppyhood, as if he has eaten stuff he shouldn't have done but the last bout we definitely know he hasn't eaten anything but got back from a walk on Friday and then the symptoms 1 -3 above started up, taken to the vet, checked over, given the injection and back home on no food for 24 hrs followed by a special diet for 24 hrs to settle his tummy but last night he had diarrhoea and drooling but no vomit this time. He is going in for a vets appointment tonight.


Any ideas, sticking to facts in the list?

Wilson, around 4 months



Wilson is now 9 months and 48kg

 

[Wilsons]

Another 'teaser'

 

[musicdeb]

I found this re: white foam.

Your dog also may be suffering from bilious vomiting syndrome, which usually occurs soon after your dog wakes up. This is caused by too much acid in the dog's stomach and is more common in dogs with digestive problems.
If it happens regularly, your dog may have an ulcer or inflammatory bowel disease and may need medical treatment. However, it can often be cured with 12 hours of fasting or a couple meals of boiled chicken and rice. Your dog also may need to have a bland bedtime snack that will coat his stomach and reduce acid while sleeping.
http://www.vetinfo.com/dog-vomiting-white-foam.html#b

It could be inflammatory bowel disease.

Your pup looks very healthy in the pic of 4 months, looks like he's a big boy.

 

[Wilsons]

I found this re: white foam.

Your dog also may be suffering from bilious vomiting syndrome, which usually occurs soon after your dog wakes up. This is caused by too much acid in the dog's stomach and is more common in dogs with digestive problems.
If it happens regularly, your dog may have an ulcer or inflammatory bowel disease and may need medical treatment. However, it can often be cured with 12 hours of fasting or a couple meals of boiled chicken and rice. Your dog also may need to have a bland bedtime snack that will coat his stomach and reduce acid while sleeping.
http://www.vetinfo.com/dog-vomiting-white-foam.html#b

It could be inflammatory bowel disease.

Your pup looks very healthy in the pic of 4 months, looks like he's a big boy.

Many thanks, we wil lask the vet tongiht about inflammatory bowel disease.

You're not the first to say...he's a big boy

 

[Wilsons]

Couple of others @9 months

 

[Oscar'sMom]

So sorry to hear about your boy! Others here know much more than I do. He sure is a handsome boy and I hope you are able to find out what's wrong with him!

 

[musicdeb]

Wilson is very handsome and his body condition is spot on!

 

[Wilsons]

Forgot to mention his diet

He has a combination of raw and kibble

1. Morning:Taste of the Wild - Puppy
2. Evening: 500g raw meat - either beef, tripe, chicken or turkey but phasing out the poultry. From a UK dealer called Natures Menu

 

[musicdeb]

That's cool. Does he raw meaty bone or is it crushed up?

 

[Wilsons]

That's cool. Does he raw meaty bone or is it crushed up?

The bone is crushed up in the raw diet

 

[musicdeb]

A raw diet should consist of raw meaty bone because the pup needs the bone for chewing exercises and keeps their teeth clean. Maybe throw him some pork chops with the bone (make sure they do not have the sharp, pointy bones) to satisfy the chewing.

 

[DennasMom]

My first thought was that he's getting hunger pukes... does he eat breakfast at the same exact time every morning?
If yes, he could be building stomach acid in anticipation of breakfast.

Giving him a late night dinner snack and then start varying meal times, so he can't anticipate when his meals are coming might help, also.

The raw menu meals have some probiotics in the mix (if I read the right ingredient list), but adding more might not be a bad idea.

He might also be a pup that doesn't do well mixing raw with kibble, even though you've got them separated well during the day... you could try going just one or the other for a week or two and see if that calms things down, too.

He certainly is a good looking pup!

 

[Wilsons]

Thanks folks for the ideas.

He went to the vets last night for a check-up and chat, vet is in the opinion that it is his diet and to try to keep to one type of meat, which we will do.

The reason for both raw and kibble was to purchase meat with bone mixed in, in a convenient pre-frozen package and also supply further vitamins\minerals with the kibble mix, well seperated out by a morning feed @07:00 and his meat @15:30(which has just changed to try and prevent bloat). He has a walk either before breakfast and at noon or early evening around 17:00 - 18:00 and to keep his exercise at least 2 hrs after food or 1hr before.We did have raised bowls but they are now at ground level!

 

[musicdeb]

Usually vomit due to being hungry is bile which is yellowish-green. It's best to feed a pup on a mixed schedule so their bodies do not become accustomed to eating at the same time everyday to prevent the bile vomit. Mix up the feeding times a little each day.

When feeding raw and feeding one meat does not give the pup variety in proteins. Have you tried feeding raw or kibble only for a week to see how the pup does? It could be adding the 2 together but I would believe since the kibble is grain free, he should be ok. Might be worth a try.

A pup can be exercised 5 minutes for every month of age at each exercise event. Avoid excessive exercise, i.e. running, jogging, jumping, playing, walking and navigating stairs to avoid bone/joint injury.

Re: raised bowls. The jury is still out as to whether or not they work to prevent bloat. So many different opinions and studies. Studies have shown, again depends on the study, that pups that eat raw diet do not have bloat. It's the kibble that causes bloat.

 

[RockstarDDB]

First thing that i see is the dog looks in great condition.very handsome body wieght looks great.from what you have written there is no appetite loss. From the looks of it he is absorbing nutrients fine. DDB can have glass stomachs and get upsets over certain foods. First thing i would do is reset his digestive tract with chicken and rice for three weeks. Depending on the food your giving him try a different animal protien base. Processed kibble can be hard on a dogs stomach and health, if could afford complete raw diet i would. Reintroduce a good quality food to him after the second week slowly. My male had a a very sensitive gut his first 9 months. Great looking Dogue!

 

[Wilsons]

Oh dears

Wilson had a bout of diarrhoea last Friday, so we followed the advice from the vets, starved him again until Saturday, quick feed Saturday night with rice & boiled chicken and kept him on this diet until Monday. Problems have arose with constipation and wanting to go but no movement so the warning bells were ringing loud and clear and so he went back again to the vets. This time they did an internal examination of his rectum and found a large lump which is blocking him from relieving himself.

Today he is back from having an enema, and a scan for blockages, of which none were found and further investigation of a fleshy lump. He has been given lactose tablets and anti-inflammatory anti biotic in the hope that the lump (which is between his bum and prostrate but not either) or swelling goes down. If not, well it will mean a trip to hospital to a expert to check it out and probably have it removed. I do hope it's not cancerray:, I lost my first DDB to epilepsy at 2, and I don*t want to see anything like that again or go through it all but more importantly Wilson is such a lovely dogue and everybody loves him and he is so happy.

So, all those early symptoms, bless his heart, is probably down to this lump

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Oh no. Poor Wilson. Will keep fingers crossed that it's nothing serious. Good luck to you and your boy.

 

[NYDDB]

Oh, man. Sorry to hear about the lump that Wilson has. But, you know, it could be simply a mass, and a quick removal may resolve the issue.

Please keep us informed- hoping for the very best for your boy, who is lovely, by the way.

 

[RockstarDDB]

I hope its not cancer . Luck to you

 

[musicdeb]

I'm so sorry about Wilson's medical issue. Poor boy... Please keep us posted. Titan and I send healing vibes to Mr. Wilson.