Indigestion (?) - 4 year old Jack Russell

[CatherineP]

My pup is swallowing hard and stretching his neck as if he has indigestion. Twice before he was on cerenia 1 tab for 4 days and omeprazole 2x daily for three days, but I'm not finding this working as great as it once did (this week). He whimpers periodically as if he is in pain when he is going through this. He eats home made food and recently was given Optima adult digestive rabbit with potato dry food which I mix with a little water. He seems to like very much. He gets approx 1/2c (or little less) 2x daily but is hungry in-between. I did give him two table spoons of his home cooked meal this evening 3 hours after his dry food and after our walk; very active boy. Approx an hour later, this indigestion starts and he wants to eat grass which I don't allow him to. Is this indigestion or what? Thanks for your assistance! Video attached

 

[NancyK]

I was wondering what his homemade diet consists of and also how long this has been going on.

Nancy

 

[GinnyW]

..and I would add that I think it's perfectly all right for him to eat the grass, assuming it's clean and unsprayed. It usually helps them throw up the offending bits - a completely mechanical reflexive thing to do.

 

[CatherineP]

I was wondering what his homemade diet consists of and also how long this has been going on.

Nancy

Hi Nancy, Skip started with his homemade diet when he was approximately 2 years old (now 4). Very picky with what he would eat as dog food; doesn't like the same meal for breakfast as dinner. His home cooked diet consists of Beef, turkey, pork, white fish, sometimes chicken (not a fan of salmon) and pumpkin, carrots, green beans and periodically bell pepper, blueberries. I also make his treats (ground oat flour, turkey, apple sauce, banana, egg).

We are travelling for three months and this is the second time in a week he has experienced this issue. Twice back home.

It certainly was a rough night for him last evening and most of this morning. He is better tonight. I gave Skip his rabbit/potato dry food tonight and held his dish up for him to eat. He ate well as usual and so far no movement of his neck. I'll continue to prop his dish up to see if that helps.

Cathy

 

[CatherineP]

..and I would add that I think it's perfectly all right for him to eat the grass, assuming it's clean and unsprayed. It usually helps them throw up the offending bits - a completely mechanical reflexive thing to do.

I am so confused. My vet back home told me not to let him eat grass because this could upset his stomach even more and there may be other plants in the garden that could make him quite sick. He was eating leaves from the fig tree. Our yard is pesticide free.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Cathy!

Thanks so much for posting here about Skip.

I'm so sorry to hear he had a rough night.

Twice before he was on cerenia 1 tab for 4 days and omeprazole 2x daily for three days,

Was there a diagnosis?

My pup is swallowing hard and stretching his neck as if he has indigestion.

Ah, the gulps!

"Coincidentally" I just discussed the same symptoms earlier today. This a common symptom.

Is this indigestion or what?

It may very well be indigestion/reflux, or a host of other potential diagnoses.

Regardless of the diagnostic label, this is Skip's way of communicating an internal energetic imbalance. Possibly related to the food or another environmental trigger.

Are you able to find ginger (capsules, whole ginger, even ginger ale) homeopathic remedies, or Pepcid locally?

Let's discuss this symptom on your next HMDM call in the next few days or next week.

 

[NancyK]

Hi Nancy, Skip started with his homemade diet when he was approximately 2 years old (now 4). Very picky with what he would eat as dog food; doesn't like the same meal for breakfast as dinner. His home cooked diet consists of Beef, turkey, pork, white fish, sometimes chicken (not a fan of salmon) and pumpkin, carrots, green beans and periodically bell pepper, blueberries. I also make his treats (ground oat flour, turkey, apple sauce, banana, egg).

We are travelling for three months and this is the second time in a week he has experienced this issue. Twice back home.

It certainly was a rough night for him last evening and most of this morning. He is better tonight. I gave Skip his rabbit/potato dry food tonight and held his dish up for him to eat. He ate well as usual and so far no movement of his neck. I'll continue to prop his dish up to see if that helps.

Cathy

Do you include a calcium source such as edible raw meaty bones, bone meal or seaweed calcium? Although essential, too much of any of these could cause problems.

As far as grass eating, I know people whose dogs seem to do fine eating it. However, neither of mine ever eat grass unless something is bothering them which is very rare. They are 17 and 18 so this is over many years. If my yorkie eats grass it usually means he is either going to bile vomit right afterwards or later.

Another thing you might consider is if the amount of fat in the food has any relation to his behavior.

Good luck.

Nancy

 

[CatherineP]

Hey Cathy!

Thanks so much for posting here about Skip.

I'm so sorry to hear he had a rough night.

Was there a diagnosis?

Ah, the gulps!

"Coincidentally" I just discussed the same symptoms earlier today. This a common symptom.


It may very well be indigestion/reflux, or a host of other potential diagnoses.

Regardless of the diagnostic label, this is Skip's way of communicating an internal energetic imbalance. Possibly related to the food or another environmental trigger.

Are you able to find ginger (capsules, whole ginger, even ginger ale) homeopathic remedies, or Pepcid locally?

Let's discuss this symptom on your next HMDM call in the next few days or next week.

Hi Dr Jeff, last night was a bit better but now along with the late night gulping he had this weird cough early hours of this morning. I will be taking him to the vet today.

Skip coughed up late yesterday afternoon one piece of tiny carrot. This was from food offered on Tuesday evening. Today, Thursday morning after his coughing through the early hours, (went outside to pee around 3 AM, wasn’t interested in grass to eat), at 8:15 AM, I could hear him drinking a lot of water. He went outside, returned in the house and vomited more carrots. I’m wondering if he has food in his lungs. Just hearing that weird cough and the sound of something loose inside his chest/stomach for him to vomit (hard to explain).

He’s not vomiting any of the rabbit/potato dry food as you can see in the picture, only carrot with a bit of grass. I’ve also attached a video where he’s licking his lips quite a bit, and you can hear one cough and again gulping. Nights are the worst because things had settled down yesterday afternoon.

Unsure if I can get ginger capsules, but I know I can get fresh ginger from the market. How much would you suggest giving him? Cannot get ginger ale.
Cathy

 

[NancyK]

I would not feed raw vegetables to dogs. They are super hard to digest and basically come out the same way they go in. If veggies are fed, they need to be fed in small amounts and cooked thoroughly to reduce the antinutrients and make them more digestible Perhaps this is the root cause of the problem.

Nancy