I'm worried about Holly.....

[Holly's mom]

Early this morning (around 2:00 a.m.), I heard Holly jump off the bed and lay on the floor. I thought it was kind of unusual, but didn't think too much of it, until all of a sudden she started gagging, and puked up a bunch of grass with chunks of a carrot flavored edible nylabone I had given her yesterday. I thought that was the end of it, but she threw up again. I gave her half of her usual amount of food this morning to see if she would keep it down, she did and is drinking water, and also has had 2 bowel movements today. But she just doesn't seem herself, she'll act normal for awhile, but then its' like she lays down, can't seem to get comfortable, gets up circles, lays down again. I called the vet this morning and brought her in, he just did a basic check, there was no fever, anal glands were fine, teeth and mouth were fine, her stomach wasn't tender. So he said just to keep an eye on her, it could just be an upset stomach. I made her some white rice, she doesn't really care for it. I'm just really worried about her. She only threw up twice, and not since about 3:00 this morning, so I suppose that's a good thing. I just want her to be back to normal.

[clara4457]

I'm sure it was just a little upset tummy, and she will probably be back to her normal self by tomorrow. Try feeding her some boiled hamburger or chicken with the rice - that is what I feed Leo when his tummy is a little "off"

[Uabassoon]

I'm sorry that Holly isn't feeling well. I hope she feels better soon.

[Cookiebaker]

Prayers on the way for Beautiful Holly! Hope she's back to normal real soon!!

[ChrisH]

Poor Holly.

Try not to worry to much, though having said that, I know I would be the same with Bob. Especially as he tends to 'eats' all sorts of things that most times I don't know about, until he throws them back up!

Sending hugs for the sweet girl and hoping she is better real soon.

Chris

[tatsxxx11]

OMG! The same thing happened to my Star this week! She was very restless one night, pacing, salivating, circling then would lay down and definitely acted like she was not well. The next morning I found a HUGE matted chunk of upchucked grass on the floor! She was hacking and gagging on and off all day and when I fed her, she threw up her food less than a minute after eating. We went to the vet's and he said that her throat was severely excoriated from the grass and the gagging was due to the severe irriation and pain. He said her throat probably felt as sore as a fresh post op tonsillectomy patient. He put her on a bland, pureed diet, 4 small meals daily and Reglan, a medic. to ease the gag reflex and soothe the esophagus. She did great for one day. We have a huge backyard and while I tried to watch her the following day, apparently she ate more grass. That afternoon she had a bit of the runs then threw up some grass and green liquid Back to the vet's. He said her entire GI tract was severely irritated due to the grass. And all this in a dog with an iron gut, who just last month ate an ENTIRE chicken carcass without a burp! We use NO chemicals what so ever on the lawn so I know it wasn't that. Now she's on (in addition to the Reglan) Flagyl (metronidazole) and Hills ID Rx food for 2 weeks and only leash walking in the yard...she still wants to eat grass! Holly's symptoms sounded somewhat similar and perhaps this might be her problem too. I hope Holly's better soon It's so upsetting to see them under the weather and not know the reason why. You might want to mention Star's situation to your vet. Hope Holly's feeling better very soon. Hugs to you sweetheart. Sandra

[Cookiebaker]

Sandra, big hugs to Star, too! I hope she's feeling back to normal soon!

[tatsxxx11]

Star says thanks She's doing lots better but is dying to run free! Can't wait till winter...no grass Hi to Malone and Emerson

[Holly's mom]

Around 4:00 this aftertoon, Holly threw up all the rice she ate today, along with HUGE amounts of grass. She had been acting real odd right before, like she was in pain, after she threw up, she was fine. I called the vet whom we saw this morning (I was unable to contact my regular vet this morning, so I took her to a different one.) He just called me back a little while ago, I told him about the throwing up again, he said just to give her water the rest of the day and night and don't let her eat any more grass. He is going to call back in a couple of hours to see how she is doing. He said it might be pancreatis, or he was wondering if it could be a seizure? I don't know much about seizures, but what I do know doesn't seem like what she is having. I just think (and hope) that it's just something she ate.

[Corinna]

I agree with tats she probly has a sore throat from the grass. I know Merlin eats tons of grass just so he can throw up. She probly just has a upset tummy and then made here throat sore. I would just give her water for a day of so. and not let her graze (thats what we call it, eating the grass) Lady does this a lot in her case shes getting rid of hair as she is shedding something awful and she swallows it like a cat.

[tatsxxx11]

Were you feeding her a usual amount each feeding? You might want to feed her small amounts, spaced over 3-4 times per day, but for now, I'd definitely limit her to small amts. of fluids. I'm not sure why he suggested it might be a seizure? From what you've described, I didn't recognize any neurological symptoms. Has she shown any, e.g. staring off into space for short periods? That would be the more subtle type of seizure, a petite mal. She definitely doesn't present with the signs of a Gran Mal siezure, where the dog loses all muscular, neurological focus and control.

If he thinks it's pancreatitis, he'd definitely want to do some basic blood work and usually it's accompanied by a fever. Does she throw up her food very soon after eating, a few minutes, or longer, say 1/2 hr. or so? If that's the case, the food is already well into the digestive tract and she may have some sort of obstruction and an abdominal x-ray would help to verify that.

As I wrote before, my Star had similar symptoms along with the grass eating etc. I'd definitely get her back in to your "regular" vet for some laboratory work up/x-ray, etc. I think in Holly's case though, as Corinna has said, the major culprit is grass grazing!!! Grass blades are sharp and can be VERY irritating to the GI tract! Hope you can get your sweetie diagnosed and treated very soon.

[KYS]

Please keep a close eye out for Holly and let us
know how she is doing.

Sending get well wishes to both Holly and Star.

[Holly's mom]

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone! I'm keeping a close eye on my girl! She hasn't thrown up since around 4:00, but then again she hasn't been fed anything either. She was pacing and restless earlier, but it didn't seem to last as long as it was earlier in the day.

Sandra, I have been giving Holly her normal 2 feedings a day, (until today). When she threw up this afternoon, it was several hours after she ate some rice. When she did throw up, I was amazed how much grass there was! I didn't realize she was eating that much! So it will be on the leash outside, until she feels better!!

The vet called back again this evening to see how she was doing. He told me to give half her normal feeding in the morning to see how she does. She was carrying her Kong ball around in her mouth before, which is a good sign that she was feeling a little better. Right now she is just wiped out on the couch, the poor thing, it's taken a lot out of her.


I just hope my baby will be feeling better tomorrow.

[Sudilar]

Oh no! Poor Holly and Star! I hope you both get well quickly! Prayers on their way!

[anna_66]

Sorry to hear Holly hasn't been feeling well. I do hope that she is feeling better this morning and hasn't thrown up any more.

Kisses for your sweet girl