My dog is sick and won't eat after vet visit and Deramaxx. What now?

Hi there. It's certainly possible for dogs to have a mild upset stomach for 12-24 hours after an anesthetic episode, but it would be unusual to see this three days later - especially with such severe symptoms. I would recommend having her rechecked by your veterinarian tomorrow morning, or going to the ER tonight if she seems overly distressed or lethargic. It's possible that she could have a stomach ulcer as a result of the Rimadyl (uncommon, but can happen occasionally even with appropriate dosing), or may have some other problem that may or may not be related to her surgery. It sounds like she needs an exam and likely some lab work +/- x-rays to help determine what's going on and see what kind of treatment is needed.

I would recommend stopping the Deramaxx if she is vomiting today as it can cause the side effect of stomach upset in some dogs. If Bella is still vomiting tomorrow I would recommend a recheck at your vet and if bloodwork was already performed and was normal would consider an x-ray of the abdomen. We don't usually see vomiting along with limber tail/limp tail so it is possible she has something else going on at the same time.

It is possible that he is feeling nauseous from the Flagyl....that daily dose for a 23 lb dog is often split into two daily doses. It is also possible that he may have a stomach upset/or even an ulcer from the Novox, especially if it was given on an empty stomach. NSAIDs do have the potential of causing vomiting and diarrhea in sensitive dogs. A bland diet of boiled rice and chicken for 3-5 days plus a stomach coating medication called sucralfate daily for a few days +/- an antacid such as famotidine + subcutaneous fluids and bloodwork could be appropriate next steps. I’d recommend returning to your veterinarian or seeking a new vet if you are more comfortable with a new vet. Hopefully the lameness is no longer an issue and with relatively conservative management the vomiting and diarrhea can be resolved as well. Good luck!

Hi there! Since Primo is 84 pounds (about 38 kilograms), 150 mg of Deramaxx would be a dose of about 4 mg/kg. This is within the approved label dosing range for this medication for short-term use, so it's unlikely that you will see any serious side effects related to this - especially since you were able to make him vomit within about an hour, so he probably vomited up at least part of the medication before it was fully absorbed. With any higher-than-normal dose of Deramaxx, it's always possible to see GI issues such as stomach upset or even gastric ulcers - so I would recommend monitoring Primo closely for the next few days to make sure that he's acting normal. If he has repeated episodes of vomiting (more than once or twice), doesn't want to eat, or begins acting lethargic, then I would recommend taking him to the vet right away to be checked out. If he normally takes Deramaxx daily, I would also recommend calling your regular vet in the morning to let them know that this happened - they may recommend skipping his normal dose for the next day or two to help minimize the risk of any problems.

Hello, thank you for your question about Max. Based on Max's sore foot and the progression of his symptoms I would be suspicious that Max could have a tick-borne infection. These often start with signs of limping or discomfort but can progress to inappetance, vomiting, or other signs. If Max has already been prescribed an antibiotic for such infections, you could try cooking a bland/enticing diet such as boiled chicken/hamburger and white rice, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, or pasta. If Max is reluctant to eat even these things and continues to act sick I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian so that they can evaluate him and discuss other diagnostic or treatment options. Hope this helps, good luck!

I can understand your concerns. Deramaxx, just like any other pet formulated NSAID, has the potential to cause adverse reactions in dogs. There is no medicine for suspected osteoarthritis that is considered 100% free of possible side effects in dogs. With that said, you should be informed on the potential side effects and what symptoms to watch out for that could indicate there is a problem, such as vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite, loose stool with or without blood, and to notify your vet if any are seen. For long term use, it is advised to have baseline bloodwork done on your pet to rule out any underlying kidney or liver problems as well. And if your pets history of health is unclear or unknown to your vet, bloodwork should even be considered before the first dose is given. But pets are prescribed this medicine all the time with little to no side effects; although that perspective can be skewed when owners only list the bad outcomes via the internet. However if you do see unwanted side effects it’s recommended to notify your vet immediately and stop the medication. However, there is a good chance he will do well. Best wishes and take care.

Oral Metacam should be ideally stopped and as a first approach I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice lethargy or inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.