My senior dog is vomiting grass and not eating for 48 hours. Help!

Throwing up can have many causes such as a problem with the stomach and intestines caused by a food over sensitivity, eating something that does not agree with the dog, intestinal parasites, an intestinal blockage, bacterial infection, viral infection, the weather, food change, stress, etc.  I would fast Misty for 24 hours and then put the dog on bland food for two days, such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken meat, fed in small quantities over several feeds and then transition back to regular food slowly over a few days. If this does not clear up the vomiting or if the vomiting increases, or if your dog gets lethargic, it needs to see a veterinarian for an exam as there may be something more serious such as an infection going on.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that he is not feeling well. The symptoms you are describing could be due to multiple possibilities. If you have recently switched his food or added in a new treat it could be dietary indiscretion causing this. If this were the case, I would withhold food for 12 hours and introduce a bland diet as outlined below. If, however, there has been no recent switch to his food and he has been on the same thing his whole life this is likely something else. My recommendation would be to have a veterinarian take a look at him and run some testing such as blood work to see if there are any concerning changes that need to be addressed. If you are concerned about money, then you can start the bland diet as outlined below but if the vomiting and lethargy persist for more than 24 hours I would strongly recommend he be seen by a vet. CareCredit is a good option to look into. This option will allow you to put Veterinary expenses on a line of credit specifically for that purpose and you will pay Care Credit on a monthly basis. I would call and check to see if the vet clinic accepts Care Credit First. If he is one that choose toys and things that he shouldn't, then there is a chance this could also be a intestinal foreign body obstruction. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other concerns. GENERAL INFORMATION A bland diet is a diet that is soft and highly digestible. It is low in fiber, fat and protein and is high in carbohydrates. Bland diets are generally composed of a single carbohydrate source and a single lean protein source. The most common bland diet is boiled rice and boiled lean chicken breast, without skin and bones. Since bland diets are low in fiber, stool production slows and defecation is less frequent. Bland diets are fed to rest the gastric system and to help promote normal stool formation. Animals that are physically sick should not be fed bland diets as a method of treatment. PRIOR TO FEEDING A BLAND DIET Pets should be fasted for 12 to 24 hours. Young animals should not be fasted for more than 12 hours. Fasting will allow the intestinal system to relax and minimize acid secretions that may irritate and inflame the intestinal lining. During the fast small amounts of water or ice chips may be provided. Never fast a sick animal, it may cause disease progression and death. BASIC BOILED RICE AND CHICKEN BLAND DIET RECIPE CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE: Boiled white rice LEAN PROTEIN SOURCE: Chicken breast, no skin and bones BOILED RICE: 1 part white rice with 3 parts water boiled for 20 – 25 minutes or until the rice is easily crushed. BOILED CHICKEN: De-fat chicken breast and boil in water for 10 – 15 minutes or until the chicken meat is easily pulled apart and cooked all way through. MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Finely chop the lean protein and mix 2 cups carbohydrate source and ½ cup lean protein source. STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: Bland diets can be premade and stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 48 hours. The bland diet can be cooked in a batch and frozen in feeding sized portions to minimize preparation time. Thaw and warm the frozen diet prior to feeding. PERMITTED LEAN PROTEIN SUBSTITUTIONS Pork loin, egg whites, low fat cottage cheese. 7% low fat hamburger, plain low fat yogurt. PERMITTED CARBOHYDRATE SUBSTITUTIONS Boiled potatoes, boiled spaghetti, Minute rice. PERMITTED COMMERCIAL BLAND DIETS Science Prescription Diet I/D, Eukanuba Veterinary Diet Low Residue, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Intestinal HE. FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS Estimate 25% of your animal’s diet and feed that amount of the bland diet every 6 – 8 hours. Smaller animals will require less and larger animals will require more adhering to the same carbohydrate to lean protein source ratio. The bland diet should be fed for 4 -5 days with no treats or other food sources until stools are firm.

You could feed boiled chicken breast and cooked white rice and see if she feels better within 24 hours. If she doesn't want to eat that or she continues vomiting she should probably get checked out by a vet since she is an older girl. If she isn't normally bothered by thunderstorms, then it is unlikely that they would cause her to lose her appetite this morning.

This is a sign that something is wrong with her tummy, it could be a infection or something she ate, withhold food for 8 hours then offer her boiled boneless chicken and rice every 6 hours in small portions. if she is eating and not vomiting, continue with this diet for 2 days. After 2 days, you can put her back gradually on her normal food.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Lucy may have an upset stomach. I can give you a home remedy for her to see if that helps. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, she vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. Best of luck.

Hello, I am so sorry for your concerns about Louis vomiting. If he is continuing to vomit, or is continuously retching, then yes, he should be seen by his veterinarian. But if he is quiet, then you can rest his stomach for about 12 hours. Then introduce a bland diet of 25% boiled, skinless chicken & 75% boiled white rice. If Louis is hungry, only give him a tablespoon or two every hour or so. Continue this for a day, then transition him back to his regular diet. If he refuses all food, or continues to vomit after eating &/or drinking, please have Louis evaluated. I hope he is feeling better soon. Take care.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Lethargy (weakness and not moving/being lazy) for 3 days, and vomiting up something from a few days ago (if you don't have grass, when did she last access grass?) is very concerning for either an obstruction or blockage of the gut, or a severe gastritis. Also, since Chihuahuas are so small, they get dehydrated very quickly and can get very very sick just from dehydration. I would recommend going to your vet right away. They will likely do bloodwork and x-rays and will let you know if Lucy needs to stay in hospital for IV fluids, and possible surgery. Best of luck with Lucy, I hope she feels better soon!