vomiting

[rvond1]

I have an 8 lb, 2 year old chihuahua.  He has been throwing up for about 2 weeks on and off.  It happens shortly after he eats.  He seems very playful and happy and only a couple times did he hide in his cage afterward.  Also, his coat is very very soft. He has always had a nice coat but it just seems extra soft for some reason.  Maybe that doesn't have anything to do with anything.   I don't want to dish out the cash for an ultrasound or anything fancy.  If he has a parasite or needs antibotics, I do realize that I need to take him in for medicine.  But if its something simple like a blockage or something similar, what can I give him to fix it?  Pepto?  laxative?  Switch to soft food for alittle while?  

Please help, my wife really loves this dog and I don't want to go broke trying to fix him.

[syralia]

There is a condition that dogs can have (as well as people) called "Gastroparesis", which basically means that the stomach does not empty as it should due to damage of the Vagus nerve.

Signs of this are -

-undigested food being thrown up more than an hour after eating
-lack of appetite (if the stomach is slow in emptying then your pup is always full)
-weight loss
-constipation

My best advice would be to feed smaller meals more often through the day and cut back on fats (fat is harder to digest) and feed a food that is higher in protein and lower in fats. No more table treats or dog treats (these are often high in fat) but instead offer your dogs kibble as treats when needed.

This should be checked out... because it could also be worms in the stomach and intestinal tract (if the belly is full of worms there is no room for food) but until you can do that, smaller meals more often will take some strain off the belly and make your pup much more comfortable.

[mark787]

also, I have 4 dogs (total weight 385lbs) and tried feeding them Blue Buffalo dog food 2 of them threw it up the first time I feed it to them and the other 2 just walked away from and refused to eat I now feed them kibbles and bits and canned pedigree (7.88 a 12 pack at wall mart) and they love it.I think quailty of the food has very little to do with it (They just have to like it and it not cause them any problems)

[mark787]

change his diet, they change what they put in there dog food all the time

[Misfits4Me]

NO, he's NOT mentally ill! If you haven't already, you need to split his meals into small servings...Small dogs should be fed at least 2 meals a day......For tiny guys, sometimes 3 times a day is better......Hypoglycemia is a problems for tiny ones.....

MAKE SURE you are feeding a High quality diet....Little dogs need PERFECT nutrition in every bite because they do not consume much.....It cannot be full of cheap fillers & grains & by products...These are a waste of vital nutrition........If you need lists of what or what not to feed (By Brand), I will be glad to send them your way......Karla

P.S. Dogs should not live on dry food alone......They need moisture in their diet.....Bye

[rvond1]

Thanks everybody.  I think changing up the food helped a little.  He's still happy but he did throw up yesterday after going a couple days with being ok.  I'm wondering if he’s mentally ill and making himself throw up because he eats too fast.  It does happen soon after eating.

[MrsPincince]

Have you ever considered Raw feeding? I have raw fed my Bullmastiff Bella Mia since birth. BEST THING I COULD'VE EVER done for my baby girl. If you are interested, PM me and I'll send you all the info you need:)

[Misfits4Me]

Here's a link to the Nutro line.......Although a better food, you need to read the comments......Seems people are having trouble with this one, too.....


http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/nutro-ultra-dog-food-dry/

[rvond1]

ok.  thanks.  I'll switch them back to Nutro Ultra which is what I fed them 1.5 years ago.  The only reason I switched to Purina One is because they don't sell Nutro at Target.

[rvond1]

Well he has been on the same diet for 1.5 years.  Purina One Beef.  Is it possible that his body suddenly doesn't want it?

[MrsPincince]

I'm no expert or anything but have you thought about changing his diet? Maybe there is something in the food that he just can't digest.