sick lab?

[hooch2000]

i have a 1 1/2 yr old black lab- hooch- just recently he started puking after he eats his food. he's done this before for a couple days and then it stopped. i havent' changed his food recently maybe a month ago- any ideas what could be causeing him to puke?

[Lexi_Lover]

He could have an allergy, or he could have something wrong, the best person to go to, is your vet!

[Logan]

Wonder if he's eating too fast? One of my cats does that and throws up occasionally. Or it could be some kind of obstruction. I think you would feel better if you checked it out with your vet.

Let us know how he's doing.
Logan

[tatsxxx11]

If he's like most Labs, (like mine!) he's a chow hound and wolfs down his food. How many times does Hooch eat per day...1, 2, 3? You might try feeding him smaller amounts spread out over the day. But I'd really suggest you consult your vet. He may have a reflux problem, which would cause him to throw up his food VERY shortly after eating. There are a few medications (Reglan is one) that helps to relax the GI tract and might help. Is he pooping ok, drinking enough water? Has he shown any other signs of illness like lack of energy, change in temperament? I think a quick check up at the vets will help to ease your mind and get to the cause of it! Keep us updated and hugs to Hooch! Feel better soon! Sandra

[hooch2000]

thanks for the advice- he's pooping fine that i know of and he's drinking water, i noticed that the puke is whole food like he doesn't even chew it up he eats maybe 1 or 2 times a day i'm not home all day im in and out so i try to keep a full bowl for him but he just munches a little of it at a time, i tried to get bigger food so that he has to chew on it... i was giving he ol roy but someone told me that it can give your dog siezers (i think thats spelled right ) has anyone ever heard of that?

[dragondawg]

As tatsxxx11 suggests try feeding 2 times per day if you are currently feeding 1 time, keeping the total amount the same.

Try to notice whether the regurgitated food has other unexpected things in it like leaves, wood, bugs, rocks etc. Labs will eat anything that doesn't try to eat them first! If this was a constant condition then you would want the Vet to explore whether there was an absorption problem (i.e. insufficient digestive enzymes). Since this is a sporadic occurance it could be excessive stomach acid building up prior to the meal, with an acid blocker being the solution. Most young dogs will grow out of the stomach acid problem.

Reflux can occur in dogs, and as mentioned Reglan (Metoclopromide) can help. It's main mechanism is to accelerate the emptying of the stomach before it back flows. Of course this accelerates the emptying of the intestine also possibly resulting in soft stools in some cases. In cases of reflux sometimes the simple cure is to just raise the dish off the floor for an elevated feeding.

[Kristl]

Welcome! My puppy Bull (black lab) sometimes pukes if he eats or drinks to fast, so I try to monitor it as much as possible...I try to slow him down when he's trying to win the fastest water drinker contest!! But, you should talk to your vet if after watching the dog eat and drink you determine that is not the case.

[Kristl]

Originally posted by hooch2000
i was giving he ol roy but someone told me that it can give your dog siezers (i think thats spelled right ) has anyone ever heard of that?

hmmm...I feed my pup ol roy. I will ask my vet (although they'll try to get me to buy the expensive stuff!)

[aly]

Ol' Roy is really low end, low quality food. If you guys would like a cheap alternative, Iams and Purina ONE (make sure it has the One part) are the better low end foods. Although I would recommend a high quality food. They seem more expensive, but the dogs eat less to receive the same amount of nutrients so it ends up evening out in the end.

[hooch2000]

thanks i'll try that...this is so weird, he ate like about 4 hrs ago and has gone outside and no puking... could his collar be too small? i don't think it is too tight you can almost pull it off if he wiggles the right way, but maybe its time to get a bigger size how do you know?

[bckrazy]

Originally posted by hooch2000
thanks i'll try that...this is so weird, he ate like about 4 hrs ago and has gone outside and no puking... could his collar be too small? i don't think it is too tight you can almost pull it off if he wiggles the right way, but maybe its time to get a bigger size how do you know?

You should be able to slip two fingers comfortably between the collar and your dogs body. Always check your dogs collar as he grows, or you might end up with an ingrown collar which costs $100s or $1000s to remove and you might end up being sued/jailed for animal cruelty

I doubt thats the problem if the collar can slip over his head. It is probably the poor quality of food you are giving him. Many dogs are quite allergic to corn, soy, wheat, and sometimes chicken... Ol Roy is made up of MOSTLY CORN and other cheap fillers which irritates dogs stomaches and, no offense, but Ol Roy is basically the worst brand of kibble you can give your dog. I would seriously consider switching him to Purina One Lamb and Rice, or Science Diet for sensitive stomaches, if you cannot afford/locate any higher quality kibbles. I know of MANY people who have had the same problems with their dogs getting sick from allergies to crappy dog food. Please switch his kibble as soon as possible, it could save you tons of money in vet bills. Additionally, you need to take him in for a check-up to be sure there are no underlying problems!

[bckrazy]

Originally posted by Kristl
hmmm...I feed my pup ol roy. I will ask my vet (although they'll try to get me to buy the expensive stuff!)

I wonder why they try to get you to buy good quality food?.. its a mystery..

[tatsxxx11]

How's Hooch doing today? I didn't think of it at first, as it's winter. But last summer, my Lab Star, who loves to graze on grass and had never before reacted untowardly, suffered a severely excoriated throat (doc said it looked like a fresh tonsillectomey!) due to the lacerating effect of the sharp grass blades. It wasn't but a minute or less after eating that her entire meal would be upchucked. Could it be he might have eaten something irritating to this throat, if not grass, perhaps sticks or something like that?

[dragondawg]

If they have it in your area try Propet- an alternative to the name brands. Propet is owned (the last time I checked) by Carnation Inc. It's about $0.50 per pound or $25 per 50 lb bag. Out of 3 dogs so far:

1. All have gobbled it down first time, every time. My female does better than a vacumn.
2. No food allergies or skin problems.
3. No apparent nutritional deficiencies.

I have to just about wear sunglasses my little black male part Lab shines so.

The only problem I've run into is that the performance is rich enough, that once the dog gets to about 4-5 yrs you have to switch them to the maintenance forumula else you get fat puppy.

P.S. Trash the Ole Roy.

P.S.P.S. Grass is interesting. My previous dog, and my current male if they ate/eat a little grass, the result is the usual. My female must be part cow. She can eat it without any ill effects.

[hooch2000]

i switched from ol roy a long time ago i was just wondering what everyones input was.... thanks- he's eating kibbles and bits i was giving him purina but he seemed to not eat much but maybe that was a good thing.... he is doing fine today he has only eaten half a bowl and no pukes that i know of. thanks for all the advice.