Frustrating Vet Visits

I have taken Lily to the Vet 3 times since Jan. 5th for vomiting. Finally, yesterday than ran blood work and took an x-ray. Everything came back normal, thankfully. Yesterday's visit was $321.00 and the other 2 right at $100. each. The frustrating part is I still don't know why she is throwing up, and not wanting to eat. She has also been leaking urine and licking constantly, so I thought she had a UTI, but all that came back normal. He said that she will be going in heat soon, and it could be that. She is lethargic and sleeps a lot, but she was better today. They have put her on Famotidine for her tummy, and say that she can stay on that indefinitely. Basically, they said it is just a puppy thing. It could be food allergies, but they want to wait a while before trying her on low allergen food. He also told me to give her fish oil in her food. I'm very confused. Has anyone else experienced this? Did the puppy outgrow it? Lily will be 6 mos on 2-21. The throwing up is maybe 2 to 3 times a weeks, and it's foamy white. She has been on RC puppy, but I just bought RC adult 27, but have not started switching her yet. Should I get one for sensitive tummies? Any advice will be appreciated.

How many times a day do you feed the dog? If I only feed once a day I have a couple of dogs that will vomit bile/foam.

I am feeding her 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 in the evening. She gets a few Mother Hubbard puppy biscuits around lunch time.

Maybe she needs one more snack right before bed?

India did that when she was a puppy. She just needed to be fed more often; same amount of food, but more and smaller meals. Now I feed her twice a day, with a biscuit at lunchtime.

I had a little maltese mix who had that problem, and the vet told me to leave food down for her all the time - of course she didn't overeat like a cavalier might.

Thanks...I will give it a try. She's starting not to like her food. I may have to give her something else before bed time other than her food. Do you think a few of the doggy biscuits would be o.k. She loves those.

Shay said:

Thanks...I will give it a try. She's starting not to like her food. I may have to give her something else before bed time other than her food. Do you think a few of the doggy biscuits would be o.k. She loves those.

Click to expand...

beware of ending up with a dog that is only interested in treats and not in food (unless it's boiled fresh chicken mixed with white rice)--that's what happened to me. But, at the same time, if you do end up creating that "monster," it's fairly easily remedied once you set your mind to it, just by changing to a food only/no treats diet for a while.

I take it her stool is normal? The vomiting itself (at the frequency you describe) doesn't seem that worrisome. but i would be more worried about the listlessness or lethargy.

glad to hear other people had similar experiences and it turned out fine in the end. The vet isn't worried about it, which is good news. i don't think it sounds like food allergy, if it's not happening every time she eats. But i'm sure no expert on food allergy.

When zack had vomiting (very costly $$$$) he also had bloody diarrhea, though usually not on the same day for some reason. He vomited every other day, and was quite listless and depressed, though on alternate days he seemed ok. In retrospect, it seems to have been caused by worms, since a deworming medication (broad spectrum) apparently completely cured it. Despite three negative fecal tests, no sign of worms.

i feel for you. having a puppy who is lethargic and vomiting along with having big vet bills, without knowing what's wrong, is no fun.

I had loads of trouble with Alfie but all tests were clear. Then my vet suggested trying RC puppy skin and digest. After so many weeks with a poorly pup he immediately changed. Now he is full of life eats all his dinner (I feed him twice a day) and is like a diffrent dog. We had a couple of bad days here and there but I soon realised it was puppy treats etc. Now he only gets his dinner of RC pupppy digest mixed with a little naturediet which is a completely additive free meat containing only meat rice and carrot and for a treat little amounts of fresh chicken. All treats are banned, this is easy at home its other people I have trouble with they look at him and his big eyes and say just a little of this wont hurt but when I explain it will give him a bad tummy they understand.

My neighbor has a Schnauzer that is a few years old and has always vomitted like you describe. They still can't figure it out. She's just glad she has hardwood floors....

Judy...Glad to know others have been through this, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. The first time she had it at the beginning of Jan. she had diarrhea too, but not bloody, and a lot of vomiting. That time he asked me if she had eaten a pine cone. I told him I had pine straw in my landscaping, but no pine cones, and that she did try to eat it every time I took her out. I always take it out of her mouth, but couldn't be sure hubby did. He confirmed that she may have eaten a few pieces, as he put it. :roll: She got o.k. from that and has never had diarrhea again. Just the occasional white foamy vomit, maybe 2 to 3 x a week. You're right about the food issue. I had been feeding her chicken and rice when she was sick with the diarrhea and vomiting, and the little stinker thinks she is supposed to have that for every meal now. When I put her food down, which BTW, she loved before she got sick, she looks up at me, like to say it this it, turns her nose up and walks away. :yuk:

My Wesley said:

My neighbor has a Schnauzer that is a few years old and has always vomitted like you describe. They still can't figure it out. She's just glad she has hardwood floors....

Click to expand...

I have hardwoods too, but also have rugs down. She can be standing on the hardwoods, when the urge comes, and she makes sure she runs to the carpet to throw up. She has never missed : : :shock:

Edited to add: Wesley's Mom, I love your new Avatar!

I'd also consider splitting those meals into say 4-5 smaller ones. Just see if that makes a difference. Some dogs do not tolerate long gaps between meals and several small meals will resolve the problem.

Leo is a vomitter but since I have started making sure he has a few small (healthy) treats oe dog biscuits during the day and one before bedtime -- compenmsated for by smaller morning meals (I only feed once a day) I've had few problems any more. He also vomits yellow or white bile/foam, not food. That indicates an empty stomach so less food more frequently may well resolve the problem.

Thanks....I will try this. I have also purchased the RC adult 27, and will start switching her to this next week. Maybe she will think this is something new, and like it better

Shay ~

For what it's worth Kosmo was allergic to RC puppy and I had no idea what was causing it so I switched him to Evo which is grain free and he's been good ever since. Hope you get your issues straightened out quickly. *HUGZ* to Lily!

oh no shay i'm sorry that lily is ill! i agree with the others about splitting her meals.

indy used to vomit quite frequently and then have a very very rumbly tummy....you could actually here it across the room. on karlin's advice he gets 3 smaller meals a day and this hasn't happened since!

on another note, does lily eat found food or is there a chance she is sneaking something that makes her ill? indy has a terrible habit of eating things off the ground. i would find little piles of clear dried vomit on our (thankfully) hardwood floors....i would only know they were vomit because it would be a sticky pile of bits of chewing gum!

good luck and keep us updated on how lily gets on.

k