Sunday, February 5, 2012

tummy war






my unhappy tummy
woke me up early again.
guess i will eat grass.

- baxter, 5.1 years old, now resting comfortably and reflecting on his yacky sunday morning.



It's a bit of a puzzle really.  The little kielbasa's whole yack business this weekend that came with rather unfortunate timing as there are so many factors to consider. The tasty forbidden bunny poops of spring time.  The transition from both old can and bag of food to new ones.  The tiny tomato past its prime.  His willingness to stand out in the cold wet backyard to graze on more grass. His otherwise fine demeanor and ever bright eyed desire to consume tasty tiny bites the foods he loves, save for the new kibble that was willing to eat yesterday with some mild convincing, that he now most vehemently schnubs. The fact that he had cha-chingy overnight stay at the emergency vet for hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, or HGE,  roughly four years ago. The only time since he was adopted that we were separated for the night.

It's the HGE that really has me in overthink mode.  HGE is one of those things that happen without much firm root cause and there are lot of suspicions as to what might cause it. And of course in the past few days, it seems he has had opportunity to come in contact with all the prime suspects.  My worst and possibly uneducated theoretical concern? That if I don't manage the morning empty tummy yackies, if his tummy stays empty for too long,  all the gurgly acid that his tummy seems to produce in protest would make its way down his digestive tract, and all that extra acid in an empty environment would trigger the inexplicable bloody horror of HGE.  So giving his tummy something to do after a morning yack is critical.   Job number one.

Normally a few bits of kibble does the trick, but this past weekend the kibble he so normally gobbles down without a thought has been spat back out.  At first, I wasn't sure if he was schnubbily protesting the lack of fishy kibble that I had sprinkled in the old bag.  But this morning, even after his kibble container was thoroughly stunk up with the stinky turkey patty I left in it overnight, his tummy told him to  schnub his kibble while accepting eagerly licking at the spoon of wet I subsequently offered him.   Okay, that's it. Tummy you win.  Let's try a different bag of fresh kibble, and yep, let's get some white rice too, just in case.

Tiny chumley is snoozing comfortably by george under cover of blankie as I write this, and really he seems no worse for wear, no different than any other day at this time.  But as he sleeps, as his dad is off to get a new bag of kibble and a small bag of white rice, I wait.  Wondering what next his tummy will choose to do, and wondering what I will do next.   

24 comments:

Ruby and Penny said...

Baxter we hope you are over the tummy troubles. Sending you some feel good rayz.
Love Ruby & Penny

Tubesock said...

Feel better soon, Baxter! Are you going to a Super Bowl party? You might want to avoid the chili cheese dip. Just sayin'...

melinda said...

Kaly, I teach Pet First Aid with the American Red Cross and have spoken intensely with my vet to help me when teaching.

Rice and cooked hamburger meat is a wonderful food for pups when having this problem easy to digest yogurt with live bacteria is also good. this should help him over the hump. Its a very bland diet (doesn't sound like it) but it is like oatmeal to us.

Jeanne said...

Baxter, quit worrying your mom and dad! Just eat the food! If you want a little sumtin' special, all you need to do is use the big pleading eyes, and maybe hold back the foofies for a short time.
Hope your tummy sorts itself out. Poe had a very cha-chingy overnight stay with the vet last year for HGE. We didn't have as much mystery with hers, though. It was pretty obviously triggered by the metacam anti-inflammatory she'd been given for back pain. When she was recovering, she did really well with the Hill prescription diet canned i/d food.

design_girl said...

Whenever our doxies have tummy trouble we give them a fourth of a tablet of Pepcid AC (regular strength) in cheese. Our vet recommended it and we've been using that method for years. Does wonders... However, in your case it sounds like it could be more than the typical upset tummy. Hope B feels better soon. :(

Whit said...

I am with you in that whole "overthink" mode!
Fortunately Milo's never had HGE, but because of his IVDD episodes, I get that same way when he randomly yelps in pain - it about makes me sick!
All it takes is one experience with something not-so-run of the mill to plant a little worry-seed in the back of your mind!

Keep on snugglin' with George and feel better soon, Baxter!

Stacey said...

Poor little Yak. Murph gets yakky too sometimes, drives me nuts because I always imagine the worst. A teeny weenie not wanting to eat his kibble!??!

Feel better soon, little dude.

Jean in Georgia said...

Hope the little kielbasa is feeling much better. Both my doxies have had issues with HGE and I go into panic mode when they have unexplained yacks. I definitely feel your pain and will be anxiously looking for updates.

Anonymous said...

Feel better Baxter! Your mom and dad are really worried about you! And so are all your fans!
Love and hugs,
Linda and Kirby

Anonymous said...

I can tell when my mom is in worry mode so I like to snub my kibble to make her do tricks like make me soup, make me rice, get me my favorite treats, cook a turkey leg...you name it. She usually falls for it for a day or two but then she clues in and I am back on kibble. Baxter, do you know this trick too?
- Miss Dixie

Jasper + Amy said...

Poor Baxter, rumblies in the tumblies is no fun at all. I used to get yacky-sick in the middle of the night & then mom switched my food to the grain free variety & not only do I love it but it doesn't upset my tummy!

Mom & I hope you feel better soon!

*Jasper

Jane said...

Little Baxter, I do not like reading that you are not feeling well. I hope you feel better tonight after you eat some rice and new kibble. Please get better!

DoxieMama84 said...

My two doxies have both had bouts with Pancreatitis which is nothing to fool around with. Just the sound of one of them getting the yakkies sends me into tears. Look for frothy vomit, no apatite, lazier than normal (lol), and those big puppy eyes that said to me "momma I don't feel so good". Pancreatitis can be fatal and I had never even heard of it when they came down with it. It all stemmed from a new treat they were given that threw their tummies into a crazy mess. Better to be safe than sorry for our fur babies :)

Rowdy and Bette said...

Hope Baxter feels better soon - Joey gets Tums and Pepcid when his tummy is upset - 5 mg Pepcid (be careful there are 2 strengths availalble that you can buy 10 mg and 20 mg). A little bread every few hours might help absorb any extra fluids. It wouldn't hurt to feed him chicken and rice w/yogurt for a few days. Also you may want to try a probiotic to help get things back to normal (There's a capsule called Gentle Digest that I use). Joey has been getting these pretty regular lately because every other day or so his stools are a little runny after his last bout of diarrhea and gas.
And if he stops eating for a while, then it's off to the vet for the little B-man. Hopefully it's not pancreatitis like some folks mentioned.

HH and The Boys said...

Oh noes.... I have not been on line in a few days cuz HH had to go out of town. I'm so sorry to hear that you are not eating well right now. Sending you lots and lots of purrrrs to get better quick.

pawhugs, Max

Anonymous said...

Sorry you aren't feeling well, Baxter! I just turned four and had a seizure the other day which scared us all to death so I understand when things don't seem to be right! Take care of yourself and let your mama take good care of you! I will cross my paws for ya!
Love,
Wishy

Lovable Lily said...

Oh B, stop me from crying over here... Tell me that you are feeling better tonight!

Hugs,
Lily Belle

Anonymous said...

Hi Baxter!
It's me Hildy!
Sending you a get well kiss!
Mmmmwwwaaaaaahhhhhh!

<3
Hildy

Kyley & Ammo the Dachshund said...

Poor little sick boy!
I certainly know how you feel. I went through a similar thing when Ammo was just barely a year. He was his normal happy self, but just had such issues with his tummy. Sometimes scarfing food, sometimes not wanting any, and then the upset stomach some evenings.
My vet seemed to think it was just a case of a puppy who ate things he shouldn't occasionally. But eventually I diagnosed it myself, when I realized he was allergic to the tick collar the vet had recommended he wear.
Once it was gone he seemed totally back to normal - until around the same time the following year when he started not wanting to eat again. Fearing the worst I got all the necessary tests at the vet only to not find a single cause. After a few weeks he went back to eating again and it hasn't happened since. I still don't know what it was.
But it's times like these I bet you just wish baxter knew sign language or something :) They make us worry so!
Ammo wishes him a speedy recovery!

Alicia said...

Feel better soon, Baxter! And tell your mom to spray the bunny droppings with vinegar so you won't think that they're yummy, 'cause that's what my mom did and I stayed away and didn't get sick from them anymore!

Little buddy,
Oskar

PairADox Designs said...

Baxter,
Wrigley here. I get the same tummy trouble. 1/2 of a pepcid usually helps, if I don't keep spitting it back out that is. But since I was having very loud tummy rumblings early in the morning at least once a week, then wouldn't eat the whole next day, the vet recommended that my mom split my dinner into two meals. I get to eat the last 1/2 about 9 at night, which gives me something to have in my tummy thru the long night. Mom says it's kinda a pain to feed me three times a day since she also has to do the same for Addie so she won't feel left out. But I don't wake her up anymore with loud grumblings across the room at 5 in the morning, and I'm ready to scarf down my breakfast at 6:30 as usual. Give it a try--hope you feel better!

Doxie Rod said...

oh poor baxter! we have been there with the tummy troubles. it can be very scary for a doxie mom!! one time it was so bad for us that poor Rod had to wear a diaper while we sat in the doggie ER for hours. i was so scared. feel better, friend!!

kalyxcorn said...

thank u penny n ruby. i hope u r doing well too! :)

well mistermiss tubesock, i kinda forgot about the super bowl but the puppy bowl was really fun! didjoo watch any of that too?

thank u for the advice miss melinda! as i have never had hamburger before my mom thought we might not try that in case for some reason i got pancreatitis or sumptin but we did get the rice part and it was very yummy with my canned food which was methinks turkey. only in small amounts. may i ask how much yogurt and how frequently it should be eaten?

o yes poe did have HGE didn't she, miss jeanne? it is so scary isn't it? mom says she felt really helpless and bad for me when the black blood flowed like oil out of my tushie.

oh miss design_girl, methinks i will have to ask the tushie man about the pepcid bcuz i have heard that a lot. it might be good to have on hand at least. does it take very long to work?

yep miss whit, right now any time my tummy even makes a tiny noise mom stares at me like i did something wrong. but i understand. i do not want my tummy to spiral out of control either. :)

u know miss stacey, sometimes a pup and his tummy have to stage a giant revolt just to get his kibble bag changed apparently.

thank u miss jean in georgia for your concern and u will be glad to know at least so far me so better! :) :)

thank u miss linda and kirby! me no likey when i am sick either. it is so much funner to be having fun, isn't it? :)

shhh, miss dixie. i hope mom did not read your comment bcuz today i am much better after having been fed nice warm rice and canned food many times a day and 2 b honest, i think i might try yakkin up a lil sumptin later after my tummy is really in the clear, just so u know, i can keep eating the way i am now. :)

oh jasper me wonders. so is your food like only protein a la th EVO stuff or do u still get like veggies and stuf? i think it must be the latter bcuz i think there was sweet potato in the snackies u sent me but i was not sure. i am wondering if my foofie fiber is considered a grain or not bcuz it is made from the husks of sumptin or other.

thank u miss jane and although i have not had new new kibble yet, i do seem to feel much better so keep your paws crossed 4 tomorrow when i get to try some new new kibble again! :)

o doxiemama84, thank u for the information. mom says it has been quite a while since she has had to deal with pancreatitis and she did not remember all the symptoms padua had. other than he vomited a LOT without any of the urpy urp warning and he was very very restless and maybe tender in the tummy area. And yep we are introducing stuff back very slowly just to see if it was something other than the old new kibble.

o mister carson, thank u for the information and methinks my mom is going to facebooky u a question or two more bcuz she did think i would benefit from probiotics esp since i was on antibiotics back when my tushie got chomped.

thank u max and i totally understand. didjoo have a wonderful time while your parents were gone?? :)

oh wishy! i hope u r feeling better now. i understand it can be very disorienting after an episode. did the doctor think it will be likely that it happens again or anything? bcuz my cousin jasper is on medication for seizures and knock on wood he has not had one in almost a year.

kalyxcorn said...

well lily belle, me feels pretty good today. :) sorry 2 make u cry and i really am grateful for your concern :) :)

hee hee thank u hildy. just please do not tell duk duk a girl kissed me ok? :) :)

oh miss kyley, mom says sheesh it's just like a doxie to be that mysterious, right? she was also wondering about this time of year being a factor since if i have problems at all, it always seems to be around the spring. i say, me dunno, but is that bunny i smell outside??

oooh very interesting miss alicia. my mom said she n dad are going to scoop up any bunny turds they see and put it in my poopie bin but this vinegar idea might be even better!! :)

ha wrigley u read my mom's mind. i used to always love getting my morning snackie and now i get one just before bed too? so wonderful!! :) :)

o doxie rod. u know i mighta could have used one of those when i had HGE. but lucky 4 me they saw me pretty fast so i did not make too much of a mess in the waiting room. :)