My recently adopted dog is dry heaving and constipated. ER?

I am sorry to hear you are dealing with these concerning issues with Luey. With a history of dry heaving, vomiting and constipation I would be worried about a few different potentially serious conditions. For example, a forgein body, such as a sock, lodge in his gastrointestinal tract causing a blockage, gastric, infection and a condition called bloat. Here are the signs to watch for just in case, if you notice what seems to be the start of bloat, take Luey to the vet straight away. The sooner he receives help the better the outcome. 

Early signs;
 Acts restless
 Increased Drool 
Stomach appears swollen
 Look anxious
 Look at his stomach
 Paces
 Tries to vomit, but it is unproductive 

 As the condition progresses;
 Collapse
 Pale gums
 Be short of breath
 Feel weak
 Rapid heart rate Due to the potential seriousness of the causes of these clinical signs I would advise taking Luey to the vet as soon as you can. They will perform a physical exam and palpate his abdomen. They may also need to take X-rays to visualise what is happening with his gastrointestinal tract. Best of luck to you both.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The symptoms you are describing sound like an emergency. The description of heavy breathing, retching, and contracting abdomen sound like the symptoms of a gastric dilatation/volvulus, or bloat. This happens when the stomach is filled with air and can even twist on itself and is more common in large breed dogs. The condition is extremely uncomfortable, and requires immediate stabilization and possibly surgery. This can be life-threatening and requires immediate veterinary care, especially if there is torsion. I recommend getting your dog to the vet as soon as possible. There are 24-hour emergency clinics in most cities that are open overnight and will be able to stabilize your dog.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Roko is having problems. I always tell clients that if signs persist, worsen, or other signs develop after 12-24 or even 36 hours (depending on their severity), I advise a check up at their veterinarian. If the pet is acting sick then the waiting time goes down to zero, they should be seen immediately. So if Roko doesn't act sick or isn't uncomfortable, you could probably wait this out and see what happens. If he is constantly straining to have a bowel movement then of course he should be seen immediately. Vomiting and diarrhea can have many causes such as intestinal parasites, dietary indiscretion (eating things dogs are not supposed to eat), overgrooming with resultant hair ingestion, toxin ingestion, foreign body ingestion, other problems with the gastrointestinal tract, problems with organs outside of the gastrointestinal tract, among many others. Your vet can get a detailed history and do a thorough exam. Once those are done, a diagnostic plan and treatment plan can be discussed and implemented. Possible tests include fecal/blood/urine tests and xrays as a starting point, called a minimum data base. If Roko isn't acting sick and straining a lot you could try some canned pumpkin with his food which is high in fiber. 1-2 teaspoons with each meal (canned pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling). This will increase fiber to the gut and hopefully get the gut back on track. Good luck with Roko.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear that CoCo seems “off.” If you have not noticed her straining to pass stool, it is unlikely that she, as a young dog, is constipated. Most commonly whining will be due to pain/discomfort, stress, or boredom. Since she is eating and it doesn’t sound like she’s vomited, as long as her attitude seems normal (not dumpy) it is reasonable to give her some time and see how she is in the morning. However if she seems dumpy/lethargic, if she is limping noticeably or is not wanting to walk, or is having any vomiting, I would recommend you take her to a vet tonight. As far as a laxative, for future reference, hold off on giving any laxative until a vet has evaluated her and given specific instructions. A laxative could make another underlying problem worse due to its potential to cause dehydration. I hope you can both get some rest this evening! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Shiba. Oh no, this doesn't sound good, and I'm very concerned about her. I think the best thing to do is take her into a vet immediately. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry that Axle is not well. Unfortunately, you will not be able to distinguish between a blockage and constipation without an x-ray. I suggest you get him to your vet for an exam and some x-rays so you can figure out what is going on. I am always concerned when there is vomiting and extreme lethargy. Best wishes and I hope Axle gets well soon!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A single episode of vomiting is usually not of major concern. Vomiting can be caused by a number of things, such as dietary indiscretion (eating something he shouldn't have), infectious causes, inflammation of the GI tract, toxin ingestion, liver or kidney disease, etc. If he only vomited the one time and goes back to acting normally, I would not be concerned. However, if Boone continues to vomit multiple times, has a decreased appetite, or is not acting himself, I recommend having him seen by your veterinarian. Your vet can perform a physical exam and may recommend bloodwork and/or abdominal x-rays to determine a cause for the vomiting. In the mean time, you can try offering Boone a bland diet such as boiled chicken or hamburger and rice, in a ratio of 2 parts rice to 1 part meat, to see if this helps settle his stomach. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Boone!