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Loki’s Tummy again

6K views 146 replies 20 participants last post by  lullabydream 
#1 ·
Dog Dog breed Felidae Carnivore Comfort
The vet prescribed some new anti acid meds. All seemed to be going well. Except about once a week loki has a bad night. Last night he woke me up at 11 and was pacing around for about an hour was then sick and went back to sleep.

Getting him to eat continues to be interesting some days he eats well other days I am cooking for him it's costing a fortune.

I'm getting myself quite upset and worried If it is 'just bilious' vomiting I don't want to put him through further tests the vet was talking about next steps being a camera into his tummy. I know @McKenzie you had something similar did you do further tests?

In himself he is ok although quiet today. He poops fine and has energy.
 
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#3 ·
Are you giving him the same food every day? I wonder if it would be worth keeping a food/activity diary to see if you can pinpoint what causes the bad night.

Is he still on raw/home cooked? I wonder if he would do better on a limited ingredient commercial food?
I try and give him the same food but when he won't eat I end up offering him anything to get him to eat or he vomits from not eating. He point blank refuses canned food he did go through a stage where he would but now won't.

So now he is on raw or he eats maybe boiled turkey or beef if he's refusing. A food diary is a good idea. I'm getting in such a pickle with it. Some days he has no vomiting or issues at all but is just fussy. I don't want him not to eat so he ends up with a platter and will eat whatever off that.
 
#4 ·
Is it possible he goes off his food because he's feeling sicky for whatever reason, which then continues as a not fun cycle? :(

Since getting older, my mum's dog Ripley used to get a noisy tummy and refuse her meals once or twice a week. Since switching her to magic Chappie, she's been absolutely fine! Try her on something else and she'll feel poorly again, but then seems fine when she's back on the Chappie! Dogs, eh.

Is he getting any supplements, pro/prebiotics or anything like that? Yudigest, bionic biotic, slippery elm etc. Might be worth a look if you've not tried already :)
 
#7 ·
Well, I'm a meanie and I would pick something that agrees with him and stick to it.
Especially since his energy and poops are good. I think the upset tummy part is real for him, but I also think he's has gotten in to the habit of playing you so you have a vicious cycle of him getting maybe a tiny tummy twinge but out of habit he makes it worse with his food games.
I would stop trying to 'make' him eat. You're stressing yourself (and him) out worrying about him missing a meal. He's a healthy boy, clearly not emaciated, a missed meal isn't going to hurt him other than you'll be up cleaning up bile pukes. Healthy dogs bile puke, it's okay :)

For the empty tummy pukes, I'd get some good quality dog treats and offer one of those right before bedtime as part of his routine (so he doesn't associate it with meal times and you getting him to eat). Something like this: https://www.hollywoodfeed.com/p/65414/hollywood-feed-pennsylvania-made-dog-treat-turkey-burgers
It's real food, limited ingredients, good for him, and he'll probably love 'em. If he doesn't eat his, offer it to Sox and give him nothing. If he has any type of FOMO you'll only have to give his refused treat to Sox once or twice before he figures that game out.

Do the same with meals. Offer him his regular food walk away. Ignore him. After 10 minutes, pick it back up and that's it until the next meal time. Remove all the drama from meals that you can. Meals should be food down, let him eat in peace (or not eat, but you don't participate at all either way), and then bowl gets put away.
Keep giving him the antacid. That will help somewhat with the bile pukes, but you'll likely have some unsettled nights, try not to stress. Keep reminding yourself that he's healthy and energetic.
I'd give it about 3 weeks of a no-drama food routine and see if that makes any difference in his willingness to eat at meal times.

Once you get him eating reliably, I'd be tempted to feed just one food and see if that helps at all.
 
#11 ·
Well, I'm a meanie and I would pick something that agrees with him and stick to it.
Especially since his energy and poops are good. I think the upset tummy part is real for him, but I also think he's has gotten in to the habit of playing you so you have a vicious cycle of him getting maybe a tiny tummy twinge but out of habit he makes it worse with his food games.
I would stop trying to 'make' him eat. You're stressing yourself (and him) out worrying about him missing a meal. He's a healthy boy, clearly not emaciated, a missed meal isn't going to hurt him other than you'll be up cleaning up bile pukes. Healthy dogs bile puke, it's okay :)

For the empty tummy pukes, I'd get some good quality dog treats and offer one of those right before bedtime as part of his routine (so he doesn't associate it with meal times and you getting him to eat). Something like this: https://www.hollywoodfeed.com/p/65414/hollywood-feed-pennsylvania-made-dog-treat-turkey-burgers
It's real food, limited ingredients, good for him, and he'll probably love 'em. If he doesn't eat his, offer it to Sox and give him nothing. If he has any type of FOMO you'll only have to give his refused treat to Sox once or twice before he figures that game out.

Do the same with meals. Offer him his regular food walk away. Ignore him. After 10 minutes, pick it back up and that's it until the next meal time. Remove all the drama from meals that you can. Meals should be food down, let him eat in peace (or not eat, but you don't participate at all either way), and then bowl gets put away.
Keep giving him the antacid. That will help somewhat with the bile pukes, but you'll likely have some unsettled nights, try not to stress. Keep reminding yourself that he's healthy and energetic.
I'd give it about 3 weeks of a no-drama food routine and see if that makes any difference in his willingness to eat at meal times.

Once you get him eating reliably, I'd be tempted to feed just one food and see if that helps at all.
Oh @O2.0 you are a meanie are you saying you would home cook four meals a day for Loki :D honestly I try not to stress to much but I'm worrying about everything at the moment and this is one of my big worries.

What if I'm writing it off as hunger pukes and it isn't?

Good advice I will try not to stress so much he is not under weight if anything a bit chunky. Most mornings he doesn't want his breakfast just a walk first that's ok but last night he refused to eat I knew we would be up all night.
 
#9 ·
Sorry if I've missed it but did you try Bionic Biotic or Tree Bark powder? They really helped her when she had a flare up. Chicken was her main trigger but she was a scavenger too which didn't help.
I suggested Dorwest Tree Bark Powder in January, it contains Slippery Elm powder. Did you try it? Also Bionic Biotic.
 
G
#18 ·
View attachment 463072 The vet prescribed some new anti acid meds. All seemed to be going well. Except about once a week loki has a bad night. Last night he woke me up at 11 and was pacing around for about an hour was then sick and went back to sleep.

Getting him to eat continues to be interesting some days he eats well other days I am cooking for him it's costing a fortune.

I'm getting myself quite upset and worried If it is 'just bilious' vomiting I don't want to put him through further tests the vet was talking about next steps being a camera into his tummy. I know @McKenzie you had something similar did you do further tests?

In himself he is ok although quiet today. He poops fine and has energy.
Sorry @Boxer123 I missed this.

Have you tried one of the hydrolysed diets? I know they're not everyone's cup of tea but they literally changed my dogs' lives. Maybe worth a try before getting invasive?

I would not be surprised if it's a combination of an ingredient upsetting his tummy, along with billious vomiting. Hydrolysed diets have solved both these issues for both my dogs.

When he won't eat, is it possible to get him to a vet for an antinausea injection? Otherwise you end up in a vicious cycle.
 
#19 ·
The vet prescribed us some tinned food but he just won't eat it. I wish he would I do think it would solve some of our problems. I mix kibble in with his raw as I know the raw is digested quickly. I offer him charcoal biscuits throughout the day he has a little nibble if I break them up.

I know chicken is a trigger so avoid that. He's never gone a whole day without eating yet he will normally eat around lunch if he's had a bad night.

He ate well yesterday evening and has had a good nights sleep eaten his breakfast this morning.
 
#28 ·
I’m so sorry Loki’s having problems again.
It’s so hard and stressful. They pick up on your stress - which doesn’t help.
I’m rubbish now with a minor flair up. No idea how I coped when Heidi had it really bad.

All I can say is I found what worked (kibble - seemed to absorb excess liquid causing the issue).When I found what worked, it’s all she had, no different treats etc. Feeding her 2 hourly day and night is the only thing that got her through and stopped the refusing to eat followed by griping pains.
Finding the right food is needle in haystack. Trying to introduce a treat I chose kibble with identical analysis but just a couple would start the symptoms. She was a long time on one food. Probably a year.
During that time we progressed through various tum supplements Yudigest, Bionic Biotics, Slippery Elm and laterly one with digestive enzymes. Not through choice. They’d stop working and she’d go downhill. I’d do more research and try something else.
Looking back I see it as her progression back to good gut health.
The only ones I keep now are Slippery Elm and bionic Biotics. Slippery elm calms and heals. Bionic Biotics works when Slippery Elm doesn’t.
She had a blip before Christmas and a course of Slippery Elm put her right. A couple of weeks ago, she had another and I remembered she hadn’t had bionic Biotics for ages. I usually give her a winter boost.
When I say “blip” it’s very minor. I pick up on the initial signs and act. We’ve not done the 2 hourly food for years.
I think its allergy based. She’s generally fine in the summer. Wet winter weather is the problem.
Everything crossed the hydrolysed food does the trick for Loki. I’ve got it on the back burner for future ammo if needed.
 
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#29 ·
Dog Boxer Plant Carnivore Dog breed
I'm so sorry Loki's having problems again.
It's so hard and stressful. They pick up on your stress - which doesn't help.
I'm rubbish now with a minor flair up. No idea how I coped when Heidi had it really bad.

All I can say is I found what worked (kibble - seemed to absorb excess liquid causing the issue).When I found what worked, it's all she had, no different treats etc. Feeding her 2 hourly day and night is the only thing that got her through and stopped the refusing to eat followed by griping pains.
Finding the right food is needle in haystack. Trying to introduce a treat I chose kibble with identical analysis but just a couple would start the symptoms. She was a long time on one food. Probably a year.
During that time we progressed through various tum supplements Yudigest, Bionic Biotics, Slippery Elm and laterly one with digestive enzymes. Not through choice. They'd stop working and she'd go downhill. I'd do more research and try something else.
Looking back I see it as her progression back to good gut health.
The only ones I keep now are Slippery Elm and bionic Biotics. Slippery elm calms and heals. Bionic Biotics works when Slippery Elm doesn't.
She had a blip before Christmas and a course of Slippery Elm put her right. A couple of weeks ago, she had another and I remembered she hadn't had bionic Biotics for ages. I usually give her a winter boost.
When I say "blip" it's very minor. I pick up on the initial signs and act. We've not done the 2 hourly food for years.
I think its allergy based. She's generally fine in the summer. Wet winter weather is the problem.
Everything crossed the hydrolysed food does the trick for Loki. I've got it on the back burner for future ammo if needed.
Thank you I think I have it cracked then we slip back I will order some slippery elm on pay day. I've ordered his kibble. He's eaten really well today no issues.
 
#30 ·
Aw who could resist that gorgeous face.

Try not to worry too much about the set backs. As tum gets stronger, they become less and you pick up on them sooner which also helps.
As per my previous essay (sorry) it can take a while.
Hope the Slippery Elm helps - don’t worry if it doesn’t. It’s always handy to have.
 
#31 ·
Aw who could resist that gorgeous face.

Try not to worry too much about the set backs. As tum gets stronger, they become less and you pick up on them sooner which also helps.
As per my previous essay (sorry) it can take a while.
Hope the Slippery Elm helps - don't worry if it doesn't. It's always handy to have.
Loki can have some great weeks it's so strange. I think the elm is definitely worth a try. I don't mind an essay it's good to hear others experiences.
 
#33 ·
An update...

Since last week I have taken @O2.0 advice and put his food down and walked away. I am slowly adding more kibble and removing his raw. He is eating well. We do his walk before breakfast and he always is hungry when we get back. Slippery elm ordered not started yet.

The night before my post on here loki was sick I noticed he had bumps on his head similar to those last year when he put his head in nettles. He vomited after the nettle incident. They were gone by morning.

I have been giving him a piriton before bed and he has slept so well. No lip licking, hungry in the morning. It might be a coincidence I don't know. Could it be allergies?
 
#34 ·
It could be. If the antihistamine works, I don't see why he can't have it every night for a while. At least until the seasons change. I don't know about the UK but leaf mold allergies are rampant here right now, soon to be followed by pollen everywhere.
 
#37 ·
Great to hear it all going well.
I’m sure Heidi’s is an allergy. Always worse in winter. Possibly mold spores.
Molliepip - a member here had a collie with similar issues. She used piriton alongside ranitidine. I tried it with some success but haven’t found anything 100%. Thank goodness winter is nearly over and we’ve got off lightly this year. Not as good as last year but it’s been an extremely wet winter !
 
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#38 ·
Great to hear it all going well.
I'm sure Heidi's is an allergy. Always worse in winter. Possibly mold spores.
Molliepip - a member here had a collie with similar issues. She used piriton alongside ranitidine. I tried it with some success but haven't found anything 100%. Thank goodness winter is nearly over and we've got off lightly this year. Not as good as last year but it's been an extremely wet winter !
That's interesting Loki is definitely sensitive to allergies for example last year him and Sox both went in nettles but poor Loki went bumpy and vomited. It will be interesting to see how we go in the summer.
 
#46 ·
02.0 Sums it up perfectly.
Heidi knows if hers starts, I worry. So if it starts she gets anxious because of the effect on me. We reached a point where neither of us was sleeping. She’d move, I’d be concerned - I’d move she’d be concerned. A couple of nights apart did the trick and helped change my mindset.
I remind myself all my previous dogs had empty tum sickness occasionally and I didn’t bat an eyelid. Doesn’t always mean it’s going down the same route.
 
#52 ·
Although I totally agree with O2.0 about just offering food and then taking it away if he's not eaten (and said a while ago I thought a lot of this was a mental issue around food rather than him not actually liking the food or feeling ill ;)), if he's actually got a bit of a dicky tum I'd give him a bit of scrambled egg with some tree barks powder to help settle him down. Especially if he's not eaten anything all day. Or mix it with a bit of his biscuit to try and get something in him.
 
#61 ·
Sorry to hear that Loki still has an icky belly, I hope that you get to the bottom (excuse the pun) of it as soon as possible.
I don't have anything else to advise but on the back of this thread I got in some Dorwest tree bark powder for Thai...although we have sorted out which flavour kibble he can tolerate I noticed that he started to have excessive drooling after his meal and just didn't settle properly and his belly started to gurgle really loudly in the morning again...he did eat his meals but it wasn't with usual gusto.
He now gets 4mg of tree bark powder (2mg twice a day) and has been on it just over a week and everything has cleared up AND he gets excited to see his meal again and his output is perfect for a kibble fed dog :)
 
#69 ·
Have you tried charcoal biscuit at the first sign of gurgling to see if it stops. Perhaps another if it starts up again?

Re the Slippery Elm it’s worth trying various techniques. Mixed with water 10 mins before food, with food in powder form or mixed with water and then added to food. Also daily dose split between meals, once a day etc.
Heidi responds best if Slippery Elm is dry and added to last 2 meals of the day.

Hope Sox soon feels better
 
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#70 ·
Have you tried charcoal biscuit at the first sign of gurgling to see if it stops. Perhaps another if it starts up again?

Re the Slippery Elm it's worth trying various techniques. Mixed with water 10 mins before food, with food in powder form or mixed with water and then added to food. Also daily dose split between meals, once a day etc.
Heidi responds best if Slippery Elm is dry and added to last 2 meals of the day.

Hope Sox soon feels better
It tends to start gurgling over night so I got up yesterday morning and it was already bad and he wouldn't eat. I try and give him a biccie before bed. It's so hard to keep on top of.
 
#74 ·
Everything crossed the vet came help him feel more comfy.

I have to agree with McKenzie re raw. I had to stop because the very small portions wouldn’t stretch to 2 hourly feeds and kibble did.
I tried it again a few times but it was like the devils food and really set her back. Even the tiniest bit. Any other new food aggravates if it’s unsuitable, quickly sorted by stopping it. Not raw!! I’ll never try it again:(.
 
#75 ·
Everything crossed the vet came help him feel more comfy.

I have to agree with McKenzie re raw. I had to stop because the very small portions wouldn't stretch to 2 hourly feeds and kibble did.
I tried it again a few times but it was like the devils food and really set her back. Even the tiniest bit. Any other new food aggravates if it's unsuitable, quickly sorted by stopping it. Not raw!! I'll never try it again:(.
I agree I am going to cook food to mix into his kibble until he will eat kibble alone I think.
 
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