OT: Gassy Dog! Help!

He needs a veterinarian. Change in digestive symptoms + change in emotional habits (neediness) = Need to see veterinarian.

--Lia

Dear Connie, Please take your pup to the vet as soon as you can. He may have eaten something you didn't know about, something not even mildly considered as a food item. What you are describing is a dog with pain and distress in his gut. He needs a vet. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Sunny

He needs a veterinarian. Change in digestive symptoms + change in emotional habits (neediness) = Need to see veterinarian.

--Lia

He needs a veterinarian. Change in digestive symptoms + change in emotional habits (neediness) = Need to see veterinarian.

--Lia

Buddy needs to see his vet as soon as possible! He may have eaten a foreign object or perhaps something irritating or even poisonous. If not, it could be plain old stress, but you really need to rule out the other stuff first! Please keep us posted!

Okay, I just got off the phone with our vet (well, sort of ... OUR vet is on vacation and he's taking over for her until she gets back) and he said to give him a couple spoonfuls of yogurt (which isn't a problem, since hubby eats it a LOT) and call within the next few days if there's no change.

I'm not totally sure that I'm not being "blown off." On the one hand, Buddy got a clean bill of health about 3 months ago and does have a tendency to get gassy (but not usually THIS stinky or THIS long - nor this "needy"), on the other hand, I do tend to get a bit paranoid when it comes to my poochie. And I'm not as comfy with this vet as I am our regular vet (whom Buddy adores). Add to this the horror story that I posted a while back about a friend's bad experience with a local vet ... and well, all that mixed together equals one worried mama. :(

I know he's not gotten into the garbage (he used to ALL the time) since I've gated it up where he can't get to it ... but, but, but, my kids do take him for walks (which he loves - I'm too durn tired to play with him as I should) and he lives by the motto "If it don't bite you first, it's good eatin'!" And I can't trust them to give me the lowdown on what tidbits he might have nibbled off the nasty sidewalk.

And to make matters worse, we have weird critters and bugs here ... we have moths that look like wasps, bright purple with white polka dots, pink with white polkas ... and toads that make critters drool. They're relatives of the toads that kids lick to get high ... and Buddy loves those damn things. Thank goodness they're not in season. But you get my drift: we have weird critters that Buddy could have messed with.

*sigh* I'm sorry, at this point I'm venting ... and worried ... so I'm rambling. Hubby's not - he just keeps telling me "The dog farts. I fart. Are you goin' to call the doctor on me, too?!" And THAT'S why *he's* not a vet. *rolls eyes*

Thank you guys for listening and for giving me such wonderful advice ... I always know that ya'll are the people to talk to no matter the problem!!! :)

Hugs!! Connie

I would be checking to see if the family doctor could be bribed with a plate of christmas cookies to to see DH and admonish him not to eat trash off the sidewalk.

NightMist with a perverse sense of justice, and just evil like that

You say you've beeen "out" more than you've been "in" -- where is he when you are out? Could he have gotten into something? If he is outdoors -- could he be eating a lot of grass/sticks? When my lab eats grass and sticks... he can clear a room in a nano-second?

Is he eating normally? Drinking the normal amount of water? Is his disposition normal? (which for my lab is "LET'S PLAY!!!!) Is he moving his bowels regularly? Answer to these questions in addition to his not-so-fragrant contributions might help give the vet more info.

Just a few thoughts.

When we're out he stays in ... he's NOT anything close to an "outside dog" - mainly because we DO have a few panthers here and the ocassional 'gator ... and much bigger dogs in the area (Bud's a lover, not a fighter).

Yes on all counts (except for the playfulness - though he'll play with ME but no one else right now!! THAT'S not normal!) ... that's what's got me flummoxed. Except for the gas and the neediness, he's like normal! But the gas is just .... staggering. I mean, really, really. I grew up surrounded by multitudes of dogs (mom bred them so we always had anywhere from 3-6 at any time) and I have NEVER smelled such bad gas. I actually started looking for something dead in the walls it was THAT bad!!

And the neediness ... he usually follows me around, sure. But I swear it's bad enough that if I stopped quickly, he'd have to be surgically removed from my keister. And he continually sits in front of me staring at me. He won't go any further than 2 feet away from me and is completely ignoring the kids (whom usually = playtime) and hubby ... and all that isn't normal one bit. :(

I'm really starting to think that there is something seriously wrong with Wonder Dog ... do you think dogs get depressed?? And if so, I can't imagine what would be causing it!!!!

Arrggghhhhhhhh!!!

Thank you!! Connie

Hubby strictly observes the "5 second rule" and I can assure you, *nothing* will EVER change that ... I could tell stories, I really could.

That may be why he doesn't feel too bad for the Budster ... hubby's been there (and unfortunately, I've gotten my share of "shrapnel") and he's always ended up "fine." Fine, but sleeping alone on those nights.

Hugs!! Connie :) (Who honestly prefers NightMist as evil as she can be!!)

disgustingly

You are obviously so worried about him, and I think we instinctively know when there is something troubling our pets that needs professional attention.

So I would definitely take him to the vets for a checkover. He isn't himelf and can't tell you what is wrong, so needs help. A visit can give the vet a chance to examine him properly, take his temperature, etc., things he couldn't do over the phone.

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~ (uk)

SewVeryCreative wrote:

When our cocker, Tasha, gets this way, I cut her off all treats--back to only dry food and water. It usually clears within 24 hours. If she gets too many treats (bites or whatever), I just choke!!!

Connie, you may not have changed food or treat brands, but the brands may have changed their formula without noting the change on the packaging or they may be using inferior ingredients compared to what was used in the past. Things have been changing ever since the big pet food recall, with many companies looking for cheap ingredients to replace the ones from China that caused the recall in the first place. Perhaps you should locate a new food brand for your doggie, or at least replace the current batch of food with a different lot number of the same brand. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Our vet has Jojo on a strict regimen of one Pepcid AC (generic brand cuz it's lots cheaper) every morning about 15 minutes or more before his breakfast. It has changed my poor, stinky breathed, burping and miserable dog into a happy fellow with just normal dog breath and a decent appetite. Poor little guy has reflux. Who knew a dog could get that? I have reflux and know it's really miserable.

Sunny

Yuck. I do, too ... and it makes normal holiday gorging impossible. I've lost a lot of weight the past few months because it IS so miserable.

Never thought that my sweet pooch could have it, too. Not that "my vet" would have mentioned the possibility, of course. He completely acted like I was being silly and told me flat out that I didn't need to bring him in. That gas is not that big of a deal. :(

I really don't think that our vet (who, as I mentioned before, is on vacation and this putz is a "temp" so to speak) knows about this guy's lousy bedside manner. Debra brought up that even though I've not changed brands of doggie food, it could very well be a change in the formulation or quality of ingredients - he didn't say a damn thing about that, either.

I think the next time she goes out of town (not coming back until after New Year's), I need to find another doctor for emergencies - at another animal hospital if necessary. I really don't want to leave HER ... she's been one of those one-in-a-million type vets - maybe I'm just spoiled. The new guy certainly is acting like I *AM*.

Thanks, Sunny ... I'll see about getting the Budster an appt with a new vet if I have to. I just can't have my poor pooch so miserable. He's so sweet and you can tell that he's doin' his best to "adapt" ... but he shouldn't have to.

FWIW, as much as I hate admitting this, the yogurt DID help a little bit. He's actually able to sleep for the most part. And the outbursts have calmed down a little bit, too. Not "normal" at all, but better than before. At least now I don't have to open a window every time his rear end makes itself known.

Thanks again!!

Hugs!! Connie

Has he had diahhrea? (SP?) There could be a partial blockage from something undigestible in his intestines, and if you go get some high fiber canned dog food, science diet I think, it will push whatever is the problem out of his system. My JJ was totally blocked, spent a day at the vet, and expelled a plastic soda can lid, some other unidentified things, and a big wad of batting. sigh.

Musicmaker

My sister just spent a lot of money this past year for a surgery to remove a piece of plastic toy from her bulldog. She did this 2 times in

2 weeks. He had really bad symptoms though. Throwing up for a couple of days and then throwing up blood. Yuck. He recovered surprisingly quick though. Taria

Musicmaker wrote: