URGENT!!! Vomiting, constant Stomach Spasms, Fatigue - HELP

TobyGiant

New member
Aug 22, 2012
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North Texas
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Toby
We noticed around 3:30pm today that our 16 wk old English bulldog, Toby, started having some issues. First the history. He had kennel cough a few days after we got him and a lot of mucus issues. We seemed to have gotten over that and the mucus after about 2-3 wks. The mucus and spit ups were gone for a couple days then the mucus came back and spitting up with but only sometimes with food or something in it (i.e. leaves, bark, etc.). He is on antibiotics but they don't seem to be working. When I took Toby in today the doctor seemed to think it was a tolerance problem like lactose intolerant. He thinks that he has a threshold that he has crossed since we haven't changed much that we have given him. We feed him Bil-Jac Puppy Select and didn't give him anything else except yogurt. We started giving him Bil-Jac treats (has wheat I found out today) to train him a few weeks after we got him. Yes, maybe around the same time he stopped having the mucus. We give them to him daily. We found a dog bakery Sunday and got some treats that most have wheat and they were large cookie like treats in addition to the carrot cake. I gave him a strawberry (made with wheat) this morning. I am leaning towards an issue with wheat but I am not sure about the symptoms. He hasn't drank or ate anything since the vet visit around 5pm. He drank after the vomiting a few times prior to the vet. We have given him some water via syringe but not much. He seems alert but not playful in the least. He can walk enough to go from the steps out a few feet to pee. He has peed 3 times in the last 7 hours and pooped right as we walked out of the vets office so that seems normal I guess. He walks around a few feet after that and then stands there and doesn't want to move. He is just wanting to sleep. I am going to bed now but my wife will be checking on him often. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is our first bully and he is a lot of work.

Thanks,
 

RiiSi

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Sep 30, 2011
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That's a lot for a young puppy to take and a lot for you to worry. I would stop giving him all those treats and even that food and start a bland diet. If it helps then after a few days gradually start mixing that with his food. If the symptoms come back you know it's the food. It's always good to introduse new things one at the time so you know if something is not agreeing with him.
 
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JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
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Jake
My Jake will do odd things like stand and not move..or sit weird with holding one leg up...when he has eaten something not usually edible. For example..pieces of towels, fabric..bark etc. he will vomit but that usually takes a few days. I mention this because you said he had twigs and bark. He will just not be himself at all. Are you certain he couldn't have injested something? We have several Bully's here who had vomiting issues and a few ended up with blockages.

Im not familiar with the food your feeding but I do agree with putting him on the Bland Diet..and stop everything else. After a few days start reintroducing his food. You might check out our dog food ratings page and see how his food rates.

Im glad you found us and hope Toby is feelng better real soon.
 

Vicaroo1000

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Jun 23, 2011
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That's a lot for a young puppy to take and a lot for you to worry. I would stop giving him all those treats and even that food and start a bland diet. If it helps then after a few days gradually start mixing that with his food. If the symptoms come back you know it's the food. It's always good to introduse new things one at the time so you know if something is not agreeing with him.

I agree. Until you know what's not agreeing with him, its best to monitor very closely what goes IN so good, firm poops come out. A barfing dog is scarey, I know. My bland diet recipe is 1 large can chicken added -- with juice -- to two cups cooked rice. I haven't had to make this in a very long time (hooray) but since my dogs have a sensitivity to chicken, I might try to find canned duck if I have to make it again sometime. It's mostly rice --- to settle that tummy -- so if I use chicken, I'll only have a few hives --- but a settled tummy.
 

loveabully

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The dog flu is going around big time and the vets diagnose them as kennel cough so you might want to get a nose swab to tell if its the flu dogs are passing away because of the misdiagnosis good luck an be careful.
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
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Louisville, KY
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I agree that a nose swab might be in order. It is true that is how they act when they have eaten something they shouldn't as well.

You can use hamburger instead of chicken in the bland diet too. You just boil the hamburger in some water and strain it then add to the rice.

Please keep us posted!!!!
 
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TobyGiant

TobyGiant

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Aug 22, 2012
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Thanks for all of the advice. I am not sure what to do. He hasn't drank or ate anything since yesterday afternoon before 5pm. I tried this morning and he doesn't want water or his bil-jac. I decided to try his favorite treat of yogurt (which he hasn't had in probably 4 days) and he started eating it like normal so I put in some ready to serve brown rice and he ate a little but didn't eat much I guess because of the rice. I am going to the store to get canned chicken. I assume you mean like the Tyson in juice type chicken? Should I be concerned about not drinking water in a half a day? He did pee this morning around 3am and then again at 8:30am (CST). When he sits his chest and stomach constantly spasm (best word I can come up with). When he walks he seems unsteady then he decides to lay down. Also, at the vet he took a stool sample and said he didn't see anything abnormal. He pooped about half what he normally does (no food I guess) this morning and it was firm. Thanks again.
 

RiiSi

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Sep 30, 2011
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I have to say that I would take him back to the vet. Not drinking and showing signs of distress when going to lay down sounds worrying to me.
 

RaRett

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Apr 15, 2012
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Get him to the VET, if he hasnt drank in over a day, he's going to get into real trouble REAL soon with Dehydration, and it compounds from there very quickly.

That's the best advice I have.
 

bullmama

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I would be going to another vet for a second opinion! Not eating, not drinking, phlegm, this is not good. Get him in ASAP!!!

Bil jac, isn't that the stuff they sell at walmart? If it is, get him on bland diet right away, and find a different food. Look at our dog food ratings and get on a good quality puppy food. Poor baby, please keep us posted.....


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk :)
 
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TobyGiant

TobyGiant

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Aug 22, 2012
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North Texas
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I have never seen Bil-Jac at Walmart but maybe it is there. I get mine from Petsmart and recently ordered from PetFlow.

I will be taking him back to the vet today if he doesn't take to the bland diet and drink some water. I have checked his dehydration by pulling on the back of his neck and it still springs back in to place. If anything it might be a tad slow but I don't know exactly what I am looking for. The vet we take him to my wife has gone to for over 25 years and doesn't gouge you on price, however we are thinking about going elsewhere for this particular issue. My wife is panicky when it comes to animals even if it is a baby squirrel/bird that has come in to our yard.

He is eating the ground sirloin (90/10 drained) with white rice like he is starving. That is a great sign, right? Still waiting on the water, will see after he eats.
 

dalmatina38

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Jul 13, 2012
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Amber and Ruby
I would recommend another vet visit to a different vet and definitely the bland diet. Afterwards, and once he is able to eat without vomiting, is it possible for you to make Toby's food for him? I make Ambers food for her and have since I brought her home. I have several different recipes but for the most part find cuts of meat on sale (Amber has no allergies to any meat) chicken, liver and gizzards, ground beef, salmon; just about any meat will do and broil it. Get some frozed bags of vegetables and put it in there with a few potatoes and I usually broil eggs and cut them up and put it in her food. You can put some cheese in it or give cottage cheese too. I make her beef jerky with the dehydrator and it is cheaper than buying other snacks plus nothing I use has wheat products. The wheat products could be causing him some distress but I would definitely see a vet with good solid experience with bulldogs. I hope Toby feels better.
 

GatorRay

I am in total control....I think
Feb 25, 2011
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227
Louisville, KY
Bulldog(s) Names
Gator & Lucy Goosey, the Basset and Gigi (AKA Gypsy)
I am glad he is eating! I came back to this post because it kind of freaked me out and I was going to say to please take him to the vet as soon as possible since he had not eaten or had a drink in a day. Bil-jac is a 2.5 star rated food. I would change that food ASAP. There are lots of choices that are much better for your puppy. Take a look at the articles section at the top of the page to see a dog food rating system as well as a nutrition article.

Please keep us posted!
 
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TobyGiant

TobyGiant

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Aug 22, 2012
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North Texas
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Toby
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I am glad he is eating! I came back to this post because it kind of freaked me out and I was going to say to please take him to the vet as soon as possible since he had not eaten or had a drink in a day. Bil-jac is a 2.5 star rated food. I would change that food ASAP. There are lots of choices that are much better for your puppy. Take a look at the articles section at the top of the page to see a dog food rating system as well as a nutrition article.

Please keep us posted!

We put him on Bil-Jac since that is what the breeder recommended and was feeding him. We didn't have the additional issues until we started the organic (mostly wheat) treats Sunday. I have taken him off the Bil-Jac completely until he gets better. He really likes it but of course doesn't eat it now. I was able to get him to drink a little water by putting on the water hose outside and he followed me spraying it around the yard. Then he drank maybe 5 licks. Then I took my bottled water and drizzled it in front of him and he started drinking it pretty good. He is up and around a bit more. He ate about 1 cup or a bit more of the rice and hamburger mixture I made this morning. He finished the bowl so I added more but he didn't finish that one. I am feeling more comfortable now that I know he is eating and drinking (although drinking isn't as much as I would like to see). The breeder recommended a vet near us but it is one at PetSmart so I wasn't sure I wanted to use him. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? I don't know how else to find a bulldog vet. I live just north of Dallas, Texas. Thanks everyone.
 
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TobyGiant

TobyGiant

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Aug 22, 2012
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North Texas
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Toby
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I would recommend another vet visit to a different vet and definitely the bland diet. Afterwards, and once he is able to eat without vomiting, is it possible for you to make Toby's food for him? I make Ambers food for her and have since I brought her home. I have several different recipes but for the most part find cuts of meat on sale (Amber has no allergies to any meat) chicken, liver and gizzards, ground beef, salmon; just about any meat will do and broil it. Get some frozed bags of vegetables and put it in there with a few potatoes and I usually broil eggs and cut them up and put it in her food. You can put some cheese in it or give cottage cheese too. I make her beef jerky with the dehydrator and it is cheaper than buying other snacks plus nothing I use has wheat products. The wheat products could be causing him some distress but I would definitely see a vet with good solid experience with bulldogs. I hope Toby feels better.

It is possible but I was doing this for about a month and a half with my 13 yr old boxer (and our 15 yr old collie mix) when I decided I wanted healthier food. I just got to where I couldn't do it anymore (yes just lazy). Then he got sick so I started back but then we had to put him down a few months ago (hence the new bully). So, I would say it is possible but probably not long term.
 

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