stomach troubles

[LucyandRascalsMom]

I have a four year old pitt bull who never seems to be satisfied when it comes to meals. For the past 6 months or so she has been eating grass quite often when we go outside. I have also noticed that she is starting to eat dirt as it is winter time and there really isnt any grass that is alive right now.  I am feeding her kibbles and bits which is a less expensive food however when she was younger I tried her on several types of food and this is the one that she preferred.  I recently bought a bag of the more expensive food ( lamb and rice formula ) thinking that she might have a vitamine deficientcy,  however, she didnt seem to like that at all. I also have another dog ( a poodle/yorkie mix ) and he reacted to that food in the same way. I am concerned that she may have more wrong then just a picky appetite. She ate so much dirt when I let her out yesterday that she vomited up mud all over the room.  I love my dog and hate to think that she might have pain that she cant tell me about or even something worse. Please tell me what you thinkl

[Margot49]

Some good advice above. Kibbles and Bits is not a very good or nourishing food.  I've had dogs with these issues as has my daughter and son.  I suggested they do what I did and it seems to have helped. You can give the dog 1/2 Pepcid tablet 1-2 times a day (put it in a pill pocket, cheese, etc).  Try getting the Pro Plan Salmon food for sensitive stomachs.  If you have some of your food left, mix half and half for 2 or 3 days before you switch over to the new food. This certainly may  help.

[goodgardenpeas28]

There are a few possibilities as to why your pit is eating grass and dirt. First: if it is grass and dirt only and not all sorts of other non-food items then nausea and stomach upset are the most likely culprit. If it has been going on 6 months you need to think about how she has been behaving before this began and now. Is she lethargic? Does she not want to be petted or is she clingy. If her temperament has changed along with her behavior then she is ill. Please do not feed her pepto and certainly not in the amounts given. A full grown female pit reaches nowhere near 100 lbs and that is way too high a dose. Giving her this will cause constipation meaning she cannot pass whatever might be making her sick. See a vet. Your vet will make sure she is up to date on her vaccinations and do a stool culture to rule out parasites.
One way too tell if your dog has parasites or is having digestive issues is by taking a look at the stool. If it watery, mucousy, or has blood in it that is a red flag.
Another possibility is that she is bored. If that were the case she would likely be eating other things too.

[Misfits4Me]

Would you be satisfied if you had to eat dried corn at every meal, every day? Would you be healthy? Your dog is no different! Please re-evalute Kibbles & Bits.....This is one of the lowest quality foods made.....Delmonte needs to stick to making ketchup!

The reason your dogs like it is that it is full of sugar (Otherwise, they would NOT eat it!).....Sugar should not be in any dogfood! Leads to all kinds of problems down the road.

Your dog is trying to tell you that she needs some nutrition! She basically is starving to death...And trying to obtain much needed nutrients from the soil.....

Google "Dog or Pet Food Reviews" & start reading why your dogs should not eat this food (And others like it)....The Review lists will also give you valuable information on how to choose a healthy food for your pet.....On a scale of 1-5, this food is a 0!   Sorry, but I'm trying to help your dogs!             Karla  

[crackerjack4u2]

Hello, It sounds like she definitely has some kind of  issue going on with her stomach/intestines (but what I can not say for sure),  and that is most likely Why she is eating the grass/dirt so she will vomit. It sounds like she is eating it because she is in fact nauseated but it could be possible however that the eating of grass/dirt may have become a habit.  You may want to monitor her closely to prevent it while she is outside a couple of days to see if that helps her or not. Here are a few possibilities of what could possibly be going on, and what you may want to try to see if it will help.  

It could be possible she has pancreatitis or is eating/have eaten something that it causing her to be nauseous (other than the grass and dirt that is), it could be possible she has something lodged in her stomach or intestines causing the nausea.   Are her bowels moving normally? Are her stools loose or formed?    Does she eat table scrapes at all?  Does she chew/eat items or has she within the last 6 months eaten something she shouldn't have like carpet, shoes, furniture, baseboards, cabinets, blankets etc.?

You can try to give her some Pepto Bismo to see if it helps with her nausea, while preventing the grass/dirt eating. If she is a Big dog which I suspect she is being a pit bull, try giving her 1-2 Tablespoon 4 times a day. Only give the 2 Tablespoons if she is greater than 100 pounds.   In case you are not aware Pepto Bismo will turn her stool and possibly her vomit black, so do not be alarmed thinking it is old blood.  

If the Pepto Bismol/not eating grass/dirt doesn't help her within a couple of days I recommend taking her to the Vet to see if they can determine the cause, and ensure she doesn't have a partial blockage somewhere.  I Hope This Helps Good Luck and God Bless Brenda