Mylo spontaneously throws up! =0(
Hey everyone. First of all, let me apologize for not being as active on the forum as I was during the summer. I'm finally in my last year of school and it seems to be taking over my precious Nihon Ken time. What an inconvenience this education is lol.
Second, and more importantly, I need your help. Mylo seems to be spontaneously throwing up every once in a while. I have NO idea what is causing it and the events leading up to it are never consistent. When I say spontaneous, I mean spontaneous. Sometimes it will be twice in a week, other times he will be fine for over a month. It's been going on for a long time, but I just figured it was because he ate too fast or got excited after eating. Tonight my BF suggested that I post to you guys.
His eating habits are as follows:
After our morning walk: Acana fish with just enough water on it to coat the kibble.
After our night time walk: Acana fish with 3 teaspoons of yogurt stirred in.
I started doing the water thing because it slows him down when he eats. I previously thought he was throwing up because he ate too fast. I started the yogurt because I was told it helped with his mild constipation. Tonight is the first time he's thrown up food with yogurt.
He used to be on the Orijen 6 fish, but I changed his diet to Acana when his coat went dull on me. I also added one capsule of Omega 3 before bed. His coat is gorgeous now.
I just don't know what's causing it to be so spontaneous. We're always consistent with our schedule for feeding and it's always the same thing. The only thing consistent about it is that when he does throw up, it's within the first 20-30 minutes after eating.
Please help. I don't know what it can be. I thought we had it beat because he was fine for a while, but he's thrown up twice in the last 3 weeks.
Second, and more importantly, I need your help. Mylo seems to be spontaneously throwing up every once in a while. I have NO idea what is causing it and the events leading up to it are never consistent. When I say spontaneous, I mean spontaneous. Sometimes it will be twice in a week, other times he will be fine for over a month. It's been going on for a long time, but I just figured it was because he ate too fast or got excited after eating. Tonight my BF suggested that I post to you guys.
His eating habits are as follows:
After our morning walk: Acana fish with just enough water on it to coat the kibble.
After our night time walk: Acana fish with 3 teaspoons of yogurt stirred in.
I started doing the water thing because it slows him down when he eats. I previously thought he was throwing up because he ate too fast. I started the yogurt because I was told it helped with his mild constipation. Tonight is the first time he's thrown up food with yogurt.
He used to be on the Orijen 6 fish, but I changed his diet to Acana when his coat went dull on me. I also added one capsule of Omega 3 before bed. His coat is gorgeous now.
I just don't know what's causing it to be so spontaneous. We're always consistent with our schedule for feeding and it's always the same thing. The only thing consistent about it is that when he does throw up, it's within the first 20-30 minutes after eating.
Please help. I don't know what it can be. I thought we had it beat because he was fine for a while, but he's thrown up twice in the last 3 weeks.
Comments
Oh, and I don't know if it counts for anything, but I always know when he's going to throw up because he cries and picks up his squeaky toy and paces a bit. And I think he's embarrassed because he always walks into a different room from me (I quietly follow).
With your recent description it sounds like he's regurgitating rather than vomiting. Can you see if there is abdominal press? Abdominal press is absent with regurgitation.
I would divide his meals further (eg. give part of his meal as training treats throughout the day) or put it in something that will slow him down greatly. Like a Tug-A-Jug or Nibble Kibble from Premier. Every meal could be eaten from these. You can also use empty rinsed gatorade bottles or the like. There are also the bowls with the little "speed bumps" in the bottom like this http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=0H67&dir_id=1633&group_id=10573&cat_id=10574&subcat_id=10575#
If he regurgitates with great frequency regardless, he could be at risk for aspiration pneumonia. If he doesn't improve have your vet evaluate him for megaesophagus. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=604
Good luck
Also, sometimes (if I'm not home) he'll throw up, and then eat the vomited food and keep it down. Oh, and he never coughs. and his breathing sounds fine. And he had his usual blood tests done (because he's 8 years old) about 6 months ago and he was "healthy" according to those. I would totally just bring him to the vet if I had the money to fork out $150 just to talk to the guy, but I REALLY don't want to spend that kind of cash for the guy to just go "well, it happens sometimes". You know? So I want to know that the vet is actually going to do something worthwhile, but not rip me off at the same time. Oh the debate in my head...
Here's a good article that won't freak you out. lol
If it's just vomit with no other signs of illness, diarhea, lethargy, fever, etc. then I would try and give him chicken, brown rice, cottage cheese for a while to settle his stomache.
(I can't see a link or address to an article.)
I'm thinking of doing one of the things I read in the previous article though: Buying a 2 step, step stool and cutting holes in the top step for his bowls, so that he eats at an elevation. I'm going to try to find one that's tall enough that he has to put his front paws on the first step to reach the food. That way his mouth is elevated from his stomach while he eats. And to make sure it still goes down, we can practice a sit-stay after dinner so his head remains elevated. Any thoughts on that?
He's acting totally fine aside from the "throwing up". His stool is fine and he's got all of his usual energy. How can I tell if he has a fever?