Bloat: ever have a night like this?

So, Luna is sort of gagging. At first, I thought she had swallowed a cat toy. But then I found the cat toy. I looked in her mouth, stuck my fingers down her throat; nothing. But she continues to gently sort of seem like she's trying to bring something up. She's not at all distressed, and during this still ate her dinner, begged for a second helping, went out to pee and drank some water.

I know that gagging is a sign of Bloat. But the list of possible symptoms is long, and alot of what is on the symptom list are behaviors that aren't unlike normal stuff my girls do. So I'm sitting here, watching my dog, wondering if I'll sleep tonight, or just keep watching her. I feel like a trip to the emergency vet isn't warranted until I have a more convincing symptom. Am I being stupid? Have you had nights like this?
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I don't want to give you inaccurate information... saying everything is ok if it really isn't. Only a vet can tell you for sure. Is there an on-call vet that you could call for peace of mind?

Some of the main symptoms of bloat are said to be-
http://www.vetinfo.com/bloated-dog-symptoms.html

* dry heaves
* drooling
* restlessness
* blue, dark red or white gums
* weak pulse
* panting
* gagging
* whining
* collapse

No other symptoms? Her gums are the right color?

Could it be the start of kennel cough or maybe something stuck in her throat (rawhide or something that didn't go down)? Kaytee sometimes gags in the morning. Maybe irritation to her throat. My instinct is to give her food to push whatever it is along if I can't see anything in there... or something to drink. She has that cleft palate and I sometimes wonder if a hair or something causes it.

I wouldn't be sleeping well tonight either. I hope it's something harmless. :hearts:
I called the emergency vet about 10 minutes ago, expecting them to tell us to come in, just to cover their butts. But they didn't. Even they thought her symptoms were pretty vague, and suggested watching her, and if her gentle gagging was still present in the morning, to call our regular vet.

Her gums are a normal pink color.

She will sit and lie down on command and on her own, and her stomach doesn't seem to hurt her when I press on it.

She does seem to be panting more than usual, but I can't decide it ifs because I'm looking for symptoms.

Her stomach seems pretty big, but I had noticed she's gaining weight, and i gave her a second helping of dinner. :oops:

She seems restless; sitting and panting while Tonks (who usually has extra energy) is asleep.

Its the gagging that has me concerned, but even that is really gentle; with no cough. As I type this, she lifted her head from where it was lying on the floor, and gagged. Its more like she cranes her neck forward, and her tongue comes out several times. When I first saw her do it, I thought something was blocking her airway, that she'd swallowed a toy and it had gotten lodged. But I don't see anything when I look and feel nothing when I insert my fingers to her throat.

I may take her in; otherwise I'll never sleep tonight. I'll be too afraid of waking in the morning to find the worst has happened. :(
I would probably be like you...I would be watching her all night..But only you can make that decision. I hope she feels better rea soon...please keep us posted!!!
Do keep us posted :( :( :( :crossed:
Quote:
I may take her in; otherwise I'll never sleep tonight. I'll be too afraid of waking in the morning to find the worst has happened.

I know how you feel. :( Here's the more detailed bloat list that you probably already referred to-
http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm

Did you mention "Her stomach seems pretty big" to the vet? This would quickly send me to the vet unless she was big before this all began. The panting and restlessness can accompany anything causing discomfort or distress. This in combination with the gagging and stomach thing would have me concerned.

I'm sorry I don't have any answers...
*yawn*... we're back from the vet. And an exam and an x-ray and $350 later and Luna has SERIOUS gas, and needs to take a GIANT POOP.

Yup. Gas and Poo.

Apparently she's so gassy I could see it on the X-ray. All that "gentle gagging" was her trying, unsuccessfully, to belch and relieve her discomfort. I don't think I've ever heard her belch, so I'm not surprised she couldn't do it. Her pig of a sister is a pro at it. All of Luna's panting and being unsettled was due to her tummy hurting from gas, and her being all full up. Of poo.

Of course, the minute we left the vet's, she pooped in the parking lot. :? Could have done that at home, and saved me some serious money. But nooooo.
6Girls wrote:
Did you mention "Her stomach seems pretty big" to the vet? This would quickly send me to the vet unless she was big before this all began.

Luna has begun looking a wee bit sausage-like lately, unlike her very athletic sister. I feed them the same amount, but Tonks is a spaz, and is always burning that spastic energy off, while Luna is far more mellow, and I think burning less calories because of it. It makes it tough for me to tell if she's showing signs of "bloat" or is just chubby. If Tonks' stomach looked like Luna's I'd have her to the vet in a heart beat. She's very lean and athletic.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm very relieved she <del>(has relieved)</del> is OK!
Ron wrote:
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm very relieved she <del>(has relieved)</del> is OK!


You and I both. Now if only she'd relieve herself! :wink:
Good News.

If she is clogged up, give her some oil, teaspoon of olive oil if you have that over her food. Also might pay you also if tubby to get a bit of weight of her by lessening the amount of Kibble and substituting that with grated raw carrot mixed through. The extra fibre will help her a lot with not only loosing weight but making things exit easier.

Si if your giving her for example 2 cups of dry, make it one cup with one cup of grated raw carrot, it will fill her up and satisfy her and also help her poop easier.

With mine here they never get the same amount of food, babette eats more then her brother even though way smaller but she is active and burns it off. So with tonks and Luna try not to feed the same amount to each tonks obviously needs more then Luna.

So glad it was not bloat, but you never know it could of turned into that due to all the gas she had, so better safe then sorry.

Hugs what a night you had, glad all turned out OK.
lisaoes wrote:
So glad it was not bloat, but you never know it could of turned into that due to all the gas she had, so better safe then sorry.


Yes, ditto and :phew:

You made the right call, bringing her in. Glad she's OK.

Kristine
:phew: :phew: :excited: :excited:

So glad she is OK!!!!!
I'm glad she's ok... sorry it was so expensive to find out though.

The Day Pandi Got Fat... time to tell this story on myself again :roll: This is a picture of her when we got back from the vet back in 2006 and one taken earlier showing her girlish figure... http://oesusa.com/NaughtyPan.jpg

I glanced over at Panda and noticed her stomach was distended. I screamed to Jim that we had to go NOW and I called the vet to let them know we were coming in with a dog with bloat. She wanted to stand the entire way over... we made it there in record time!

We got there and they looked at her and immediately knew she didn't have bloat :oops: She was wiggling her stump and happy to see them. Probably wondering if they had any treats :roll: She wasn't in much distress, she was just... fat. They did x-rays and blood work and we were sent home. While waiting, we found she had chewed a hole in a bag of kibble and had been gleefully free-feeding. The x-rays found she was full of kibble, gas and stool.

The receptionist, who had been a vet receptionist for decades, had mentioned that a dog's stomach can burst from eating too much kibble then drinking lots of water. Yikes. The new food is always put away now.

Did they mention anything about keeping Gas-X on hand?
So glad she is alright!!
Thank goodness she's okay. Sorry she couldn't have relieved herself sooner, but *whew* :phew: glad all is well.
Scary time!
I'm glad she's going to be OK. How's she doing now?
Thank goodness. :phew:

I lost my beautiful GSD 3 years ago exactly the same way. He had been putting on weight (he was 11 and had slowed way down) but he was still alert and playful. I cut back on his food but he was still round. Then one night, he collapsed. When we rushed him to the vet, the X-Ray showed his gut was full of gas and undigested food and it had flipped - there was nothing we could do. I'm so glad you didn't have to go through it.

Bet you were never so glad to see a poop in your life!
:clappurple:
6Girls wrote:
The receptionist, who had been a vet receptionist for decades, had mentioned that a dog's stomach can burst from eating too much kibble then drinking lots of water. Yikes. The new food is always put away now.


I know of a doberman this happened to. He got into a large bag of kibble while his owner was at work. It was a hot day and he drank lots. His gut ruptured before his owner got home. He had to be euthanased.

Glad your girl is OK :D
The extra food.....yep.

I think I've told you of DH's sister's mini daschund who tipped over the Pyrex plate of lasagna (cooling from oven) and ate the whole thing including licking each broken glass piece very carefully. They came home to a very "bloated" weiner dog crying in pain. Rush to vet, Xray, and laxative resulted in poop even a English Mastiff would envy.

Bloat is a fast killer. Better safe than sorry. Glad we have a happy ending, er, result, er, story!
6Girls wrote:
Did they mention anything about keeping Gas-X on hand?


they didn't say to keep it on hand, but to give her some when we got home. I DO keep it on hand though, just in case.
Luna's stomach was normal in her x-ray; not even full of the dinner she'd eaten. It was just alot of gas and poop. My trainer has a high fiber additive she puts in her dog's food; I'm going to ask her what it is. Also, longer walks may be in order. Luna and I can lose a little weight together.

Here's the thing; our regular vet doesn't feel Luna's over weight. She's the same height as Tonks; Tonks comes in between 62 and 65 pounds, while Luna comes in between 65 and 67. So there's only ever a little difference. I just know that I can feel Tonks' ribs and have to sort of search for Luna's. Also, when they are shaved, Tonks has a great looking profile, while Luna is a bit more of a sausage. Like her mommy. :oops:
Boy, I'm really glad she was okay!!! Frustrating it turned out to be gas and poop and a big vet bill. Grrr. Though kinda funny in a way. :)
Glad she is okay!

Just a word of caution-too much fiber can also cause gas. There is a happy medium.
She was obviously being very lady like!

She simply refused to fart in public!



:lol: :lol: :lol:

As for belching my boy doesn't half belch, normally when we are with company :roll:

Good to see it wasn't overly serious and caught in time, a bit more chassing about is my perscription
I was just reading this...so glad your girls ok. We worry about them like our own kids don't we.
Man...must be a girl sheepie thing. We just went through the same thing only Bella was in pain. $450.00 later to find out she was full of s&%*! I could have told him that. I put canned pumpkin in her food every day now. I don't use olive oil because it seems to aggravate her allergies. I put in bacon fat or canola oil.
I would have done the same thing - taken her to the vet full of worry. It is frustrating at $350 and so much worry, but what a relief!!! So happy all is well.

a trip to the vet and a constipated gasous
dog and a big 'do in the parking lot - $350

a happy healthy non-bloat dog - priceless
I don't mind paying the money so much; I'm just glad she's well. If anything had been wrong, and I hadn't taken her in, I think I'd never forgive myself. $350 is a small price to pay to know she's fine. Now I just need to get her on a "regular" pooping schedule!!! :lol:
jcc9797 wrote:
Glad she is okay!

Just a word of caution-too much fiber can also cause gas. There is a happy medium.


True! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Kristine
I'll never forget the night Rosie bloated on us. I was packing to take Duncan to Westminster in 5 hours. We knew what it was from when our Borzoi bloated on us. We drove 110 up the freeway to CSU and saved our dear girl. She lived with us for another 5 years. Would i do it again? yep. She had jumped off of the bed and that is what did it after eating. Norm put her out back to go 'potty' before bedtime, and he saw her doing the dry heave thing and her stomach extended. Good husband to have around.
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