Question:
My BIG thanks to both Christy and to Diane. We put him back on Innova and he’s kept it down all afternoon. We allowed him to munch on the grass and did not realize just how much he had eaten nor how much gravel came up with it. As a result of this I’ve spoken with a number of others with labs and GRs and I’ve been hearing horror stories about persistant rock swallowing and golf balls. In one case the dog did not outgrow the urge to swallow large nondigestable items and after repeated expensive surgeries the owners gave up. It scared me. Our pup poops in our yard which is covered in wood chips. We keep finding him chewing on them. While he’s snuffling around looking for a spot to do his thing he picks them up in his mouth. Yeah, I guess I could spend a lot of money and have all rocks and chips removed, but I don’t think that is a realistic solution. We’ll just have to watch him and assume he’ll try to be sneaky.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks for the rapid response. The xray shows the little guy snuck some grass roots and all along with the surrounding gravel. He’s somewhat plugged. The vet has him on Pepto-bismol till it all passes… which it should given it’s looser texture (as opposed to large rocks and golf balls). However, it’s plain to us and the vet that this can happen again so I’m thinking of getting him a muzzle to ensure he does not turn this into a habit. I remember seeing muzzles which allow the dog to open their mouth and let their tongues out. Anybody remember a source??? Not sure about the muzzle source, but have you considered watching him to make sure he doesn’t eat stuff he’s not supposed to? That is part of your job as a new puppy owner. And put him back on the Innova like Diana suggested. Innova is a GREAT food. Science Diet is rubbish. Christy
Response:
Thanks for the rapid response. The xray shows the little guy snuck some grass roots and all along with the surrounding gravel. He’s somewhat plugged. The vet has him on Pepto-bismol till it all passes… which it should given it’s looser texture (as opposed to large rocks and golf balls). However, it’s plain to us and the vet that this can happen again so I’m thinking of getting him a muzzle to ensure he does not turn this into a habit. I remember seeing muzzles which allow the dog to open their mouth and let their tongues out. Anybody remember a source???
Not sure about the muzzle source, but have you considered watching him to make sure he doesn’t eat stuff he’s not supposed to? That is part of your job as a new puppy owner. And put him back on the Innova like Diana suggested. Innova is a GREAT food. Science Diet is rubbish. Christy
Response:
Thanks for the rapid response. The xray shows the little guy snuck some grass roots and all along with the surrounding gravel. He’s somewhat plugged. The vet has him on Pepto-bismol till it all passes… which it should given it’s looser texture (as opposed to large rocks and golf balls). However, it’s plain to us and the vet that this can happen again so I’m thinking of getting him a muzzle to ensure he does not turn this into a habit. I remember seeing muzzles which allow the dog to open their mouth and let their tongues out. Anybody remember a source??? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Here’s where I would start with #1 then try some of the others trial and error till you find something that works. One thing – if he stops having stools. If not or very thin and runny it is possible that he has some kind of bowel strangulation thing going on. #1 TAKE HIM OFF SCIENCE DIET Just because the vet sells it does not mean it is very good. The original Science Diet was Excellent but they stopped making that almost 20 years ago when the company was acquired. #2 Did he have this trouble on Innova? If so – look at the labels on both bags look for common ingredients. If not – there is something in the Science Diet (too many chemicals and preservatives to even count)that he is sensitive too. #3 Try to find a food with corn and soy very low in the ingredient list. #4 It may just be his baby system. Feed more often but VERY SMALL AMOUNTS. #5 If it persists stop all commercial dog foods all together assuming that he is allergic to something. You can get by for a while by cooking brown rice (boil until mushy) cheap hamburger and stewed tomatoes (add a Pet tab or some other vitamin though). See if he tolerates that. If so gradually start switching to a food that has no soy or corn (look you can find one) You want Meat to be the top ingredient. Look fore the ‘Sensicare’ version of whatever food you buy. Hope some of this helps – feel free to email me directly if you need any more assistance.
Response:
Here’s where I would start with #1 then try some of the others trial and error till you find something that works. One thing – if he stops having stools. If not or very thin and runny it is possible that he has some kind of bowel strangulation thing going on. #1 TAKE HIM OFF SCIENCE DIET Just because the vet sells it does not mean it is very good. The original Science Diet was Excellent but they stopped making that almost 20 years ago when the company was acquired. #2 Did he have this trouble on Innova? If so – look at the labels on both bags look for common ingredients. If not – there is something in the Science Diet (too many chemicals and preservatives to even count)that he is sensitive too. #3 Try to find a food with corn and soy very low in the ingredient list. #4 It may just be his baby system. Feed more often but VERY SMALL AMOUNTS. #5 If it persists stop all commercial dog foods all together assuming that he is allergic to something. You can get by for a while by cooking brown rice (boil until mushy) cheap hamburger and stewed tomatoes (add a Pet tab or some other vitamin though). See if he tolerates that. If so gradually start switching to a food that has no soy or corn (look you can find one) You want Meat to be the top ingredient. Look fore the ‘Sensicare’ version of whatever food you buy. Hope some of this helps – feel free to email me directly if you need any more assistance.
Response:
My 9 week old lab pup has suddenly started barfing his food. We took him to the vet who gave him some meds, but he’s still barfing 1 day later. No fever, no apparent pain, no lethargy(yet), no loss of appetite. Nothing we can feel in his gut. He’s watched like a human baby and he sleeps in his crate. If he ate something it wasn’t large enough to be seen. He was on Innova and our vet switched him to Science Diet about 5 days before this. Stools look fine. Also, he had an Advantage treatment 2 days before this started.