More Advice Needed for Riley

karenwalksthedogs

karenwalksthedogs

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2 cockers
I posted about Riley's coat and how fine and thin it has become. I really think he's having an issue with it. I am finding more long pieces of cocker spaniel fur around the house. That's issue one.

Riley has also begun to have very soft bowel movements. I had both boys on California Natural and Riley's bowel movements became very soft. I ran out of the CN and so did the dog food store, so I fed them some Nutro. Riley's bowel movements became normal and I thought maybe the CN was too rich for him but his bowel movements have become soft once again. They'sv been that way for a little while.

Now the vomiting. It started a couple of days ago. I feed them breakfast. Everything is fine and Riley acts completely normal until early afternoon. Riley throws up everything. He sleeps a while. He eats dinner and is fine until he throws up everything the following afternoon. The only thing I have done differently is add some yougurt (about a tablespoon full) to their dinner.

I took Riley into the vet for the coat and the bowel. They ran some bloodwork and looked him over but couldn't find anything. Are there any ideas here?
 
As far as the vomiting, I would try smaller and more frequent meals. You could also try giving Pepcid 10mg with his breakfast. Try the Pepcid for a few days then take him off it and see how he does.
 
{{{{Karen}}}}
I'm so sorry. I sure hope you can find out what's wrong with little Ryley. Have you tried puppy stew? Or just a little rice and protien?
 
I wish that I had some answers for you Karen, you have done what I would have done, gone to the vets requested blood work etc.

I wonder if he is having a pancreatic problem or a liver probem. Is he drinking more water than usual? Do you give or have you started to add oils (salmon, olive etc.) to his diet? Salmon oil does not agree with Zoe and she gets loose stool if I add it to her kibble but can tolerate whitefish as it is in their kibble with no problem.

I would not think that the yogart should cause the loose stool unless he has a problem with dairy. If you are giving it for the probiotics there are some "dry" ones that you can give in pill or powder form.

Sending Riley cocker prayers
 
Is there any possibility that the Nutro isn't sitting well with Riley, and that's why he's throwing up? It's happening quite a while after the initial meal, so I don't think it's a blockage or anything. And even with pancreatic inflammation, vomiting happens closer to mealtime.

I agree with smaller, more frequent meals as the first step. Second, I'd go to hamburger (or ground chicken) and rice, to see if the bland diet makes any difference. If the bloodwork was clear, then I wouldn't expect pancreatic or liver irritation. Possibly a stomach ulcer?

I find that if I don't give my dogs Pepcid every morning, they will start throwing up . . . they just seem to produce an overabundance of stomach acid.
 
I've decided the next few days it's just Nutro and the treats Riley's eaten for years. I'm wracking my brain for anything different. For a couple of days Riley would leave his gluc in his dish and I would have to make him come back and eat it. I wonder if it was bothering him for some reason so I'm not giving it to him for the next two days. I'm also leaving out the yougurt since it's newer, just in case.

Tomorrow afternoon I have another vet visit lined up for Riley. Our vet is off today and I didn't really want to see one of the others since Dr. Fitz knows Riley well. I want to keep the food the same until Riley sees Dr. Fitz. I just have a gut feeling that something is wrong. There are too many small things that by themselves aren't much but added together make me feel that something isn't right.
 
Don't worry. Over thinking will just make you stressed out. Just follow up with your vet like you planned.
 
Is Riley acting ok otherwise? Or does he seem a bit "off" to you? If he's throwing up after each meal, there may be something going on inside. Maybe an Xray or 2 might help to see if there is a blockage of some kind. Just a thought...
Will say a prayer he'll be ok. Please keep us posted.
 
What's odd, Mike, is that Riley isn't throwing up after each meal. It's once a day. I feed at about 6:30am and 5:30pm. Riley is throwing up in the afternoon.
 
Bloodwork will show if kidneys or liver enzymes are off, but I know I can't feed Cal Nat or Nutro. Cal nat made the dogs fur dry - I don't believe there is enough fat/etc in there. Nutro gives joys Colitis flair ups.

Now, I can't remember, but did Riley have any surgery? If so, sometimes that makes them blow coat big time. Also, has he been checked for thyroid issues? Again, the I can't remember thing.

Puking food is never a good thing. If it were just bile, I would say it's empty belly syndrome and to go with smaller more frequent feedings.

Try taking his food and mixing it with hot water, and making it more of a liquid than hard kibble and see how that goes. I would use a blendy thing.

It's almost as if there is an obstruction -- or a few other things going on.
 
Karen,

What happens in the day before Riley throws up, if he is throwing up at about the same time each day, then maybe it is enviromental? Do you go for a walk right before this happens? Regular play time? Do the boys get fed two times a day or one?

Linda is right sometimes the Anesthesia used can effect coat.

Whatever this is I hope that the trip to the vets will help to clear this up and that Riley (and you) get some relief soon.
 
{{{Karen}}}
Please let us know what your vet thinks. I bet Linny's idea of blowing coat because of his foot surgery is right. I just hope it isn't anything with his kidneys etc.. please let us know.
 
Just back from the vet. I made a new discovery last night but today has been such a total zoo, I haven't had time to let everyone know. Last week I had found a little sore on Riley's neck under his collar. I thought he might have gotten a little nick at the groomer that his collar irritated. My groomer is good but accidents do occasionally happen. I was putting Neospornal on it and when I brushed Riley on Saturday it seemed to be the only one. Last night I was petting Riley and I felt something. I found a scab but it was on the wrong side of his neck! I began looking and found small scabs under his chin, on the inside of his ear, and on his shoulder. I don't believe those were there on Sunday, if so they were very,very small.

Needless to say this was an intense vet visit. For Riley's stomach and bowel problems we are trying a conservative approach. He is on an antibiotic for his tummy. Dr. F also has him on Prostora to help grow the beneficial bacteria in his digestive system. We will try this and see if it helps Riley. If not he will have an ultrasound and we will go from there.

For Riley's skin issue. Dr. F did three punch biopsies. Those will be sent off to Sacramento and the results should be back by Friday. Right now Riley is also on an antibiotic for his skin. that medication might be changed to something more specific when the results of the biopsies come back.

I'm hoping these medications clear up the problems and we don't need to do anything else. I hope I can keep all the medications straight.
 
Karen
I've been waiting to hear what the vet said about Riley. Poor boy, now his skin. He needs some time to build up his strength again after the year he's had. Let us know what the tests show. You and Riley are sure in our prayers.
 
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