Sick Beagle

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I'm putting this under digestive, though I'm not sure this is where it belongs.

My nearly year old beagle is dry heaving, eating lots of grass and other backyard debris, (dirt, twigs, plants, little rocks in cracks, etc.) He's been doing this for a couple of hours now, it seems like he's trying to induce vomiting. He is also occasionally sneezing, and on a couple of occasions he's snapped his head back and forth, and moved his lips and mouth in such a way that made it seem like a nasal blockage or something.

I've had a worry that he perhaps had a nasal blockage of some sort, (my other dog inhaled a foxtail once, I think he might have done the same.)

My main question is could a nasal blockage cause this type of behavior? I don't think the irritation is in his stomach, I think it might be in his nose or throat.

We called our vet that we're very loyal to, but unfortunately I'm completely broke right now and they can't help me if I can't pay up front. Should I be very concerned and do whatever it takes to get him to the vet immediately or will he be ok under supervision for a day or so? If you need any more information please let me know.

Thanks.

[ginger899]

I was reading about those Foxtails. They are terrible aren't they? It is very good you took him to the vet and had them removed quickly, as they burrow under the skin, and can 'migrate' inside the dog's body to virtually any location! They have a certain bacteria on them, which, when it enters the skin, leaves a pus-trail, which is usually a giveaway that there's a foxtail burrowed in. Occasionally, they can cause a pus-filled swelling (on the dog's foot for example) which disappears, but the foxtail has really not gone away, only burrowed deeper in.
It's quite scary!

We have similar types of grasses here. I saw one today growing by the beach in the dunes. It looked exactly like a foxtail, and split apart in the same way. I shall be very wary of those in future, as they might do the same or similar damage.

[dominosarah]

Am glad to hear he is doing better!!!        sara

[ginger899]

I am sorry for the "red alert" post I answered you with. Your first instincts were right after all, that it was the Foxtails. That is nasty for him, but thank goodness, a LOT better than if he'd had Bloat, or a torsion, which can be extremely dangerous.
I hope I didn't upset you last night with my answers. It's impossible for us to see what is really going on, and his symptoms did sound as if it were possible his stomach had twisted.

I hope he recovers from those foxtails just fine, and is his normal self very soon!

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Sorry for multiple posts, I kept getting a "page cannot be displayed" error. Apparently they were going through.

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Went to the emergency vet late last night, he had a bunch of fox tails in his nasal passages, under his glands in his throat.

The vet was able to get them all out, gave us an anti inflammatory and an antibiotic. His glands are swollen today and you can tell his throat is a little sore, but his tail is back up and he's not leaking out of every hole in his face..so he's a lot better.

I decided last night we're changing vets. =]

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Went to the emergency vet late last night, he had a bunch of fox tails in his nasal passages, under his glands in his throat.

The vet was able to get them all out, gave us an anti inflammatory and an antibiotic. His glands are swollen today and you can tell his throat is a little sore, but his tail is back up and he's not leaking out of every hole in his face..so he's a lot better.

I decided last night we're changing vets. =]

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Went to the emergency vet late last night, he had a bunch of fox tails in his nasal passages, under his glands in his throat.

The vet was able to get them all out, gave us an anti inflammatory and an antibiotic. His glands are swollen today and you can tell his throat is a little sore, but his tail is back up and he's not leaking out of every hole in his face..so he's a lot better.

I decided last night we're changing vets. =]

[dominosarah]

How is he today?

[ginger899]

I checked this out a bit further, and even though your dog HAS vomited, this could still be "Bloat" (or a flipped stomach) How is he now? If he is worse, or no better, then he does need to see the vet to rule this out for sure.

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Thanks for the info, I don't think this is his problem. He has vomited a couple of times, but it was just the huge amounts of grass he had eaten. He's getting pretty watery eyes and was drooling a bit, but that seems to have stopped.

Yeah, I'm pretty dissappointed that after countless visits with two dogs and a cat they wont work something out with us until Tuesday. I'm having a hard time finding an emergency vet that will accept partial payment today in my area.

[ginger899]

It's when the stomach actually twists around on itself, and traps everything, stomach contents, oesophagus, and small intestine. Loss of blood flow to the small intestine can cause death of tissue very rapidly. It is commonly seen in deep-chested larger breed dogs, but can happen in a dog the size of a Beagle.

Symptoms are: repeated attempts to vomit, usually without result, or bringing up only mucus or foamy mucus. Distress, eating or attempting to eat twigs/grass/debris/ (in an attempt to induce vomiting probably)

That is one crazy vet who is not prepared to wait until Tuesday to be paid, when there is a dog in distress! I would by-pass that vet perhaps, and take your dog to ER or another vet if possible. Say that you THINK the dog's stomach has flipped, and that if it is the case it is an emergency.

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The problem is my vet wont see me as I can't pay in full until Tuesday. What is a stomach-flip?

[ginger899]

I would take him for veterinary treatment right away. It COULD be a stomach-flip. That would be a very dangerous condition, needing urgent attention. I don't know about the sneezing, but the other symptoms are definitely suggestive of that.

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I should also add that he's obviously in pain, whimpering and shaking a little.