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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Please help, worried about our dog. Refusing to eat and now vomiting white foam,

21 replies

PirateJelly · 01/10/2013 10:47

we have a 1 year old Staffy male. He's often picky with food but nothing like this.

The day before yesterday a Staffy bitch came over to play for an hour, her owners said she wasn't in season but she looked a little swollen to me and out dog wouldnt leave her alone. Prior to her arrival he ate his breakfast and was fine. While she was here we offered them both a dog chew which he refused (unusual). Anywaysince she left he has refused to eat anything, even high treat snacks like bacon and chicken which he would normally gobble down. He doesn't seem to be drinking much either.

His eyes are clear and shiney but his nose is a little dry. Yesterday he was playing fine and still full of energy although at times he looked quite depressed.

This morning he seems a bit quieter and has just vomited white foam. We are taking him to the vets shortly but I'm just wondering if anyone has

My first thought and the reason we didn't take him to the vets yesterday was that he is pining for this bitch but I'm now worried that is red herring and it's something more serious. Please help.

I should add we didn't get him as a pup but got him from someone who didn't want him. They assured us he had been vaccinated and isnt due a booster untill November but I'm worried now he isn't Sad.

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 01/10/2013 10:50

:( hope he's ok. Possible he's caught something I guess or eaten something. It may just be coincidence about the dog yesterday, did you walk him
Anywhere different? Could there have been some chemical or slug pellets or something on the grass/path yesterday? Did you walk over any "dead" patches of greenery that could have meant a spill of some kind?

1MitchellMum · 01/10/2013 11:01

As I started reading my inclination was VET NOW ... see you're booked in ... good luck with the little fella, keep us posted.

LEMisdisappointed · 01/10/2013 11:05

I hope he is fine, i am sure he will be - while you are at the vets, you should discuss castration. Also, your friend needs to get her bitch speyed.

Tillypo · 01/10/2013 11:05

Could be kennel cough or just that he has got cold. Give him some honey on a plate or off a spoon if he will take it. If he starts to gag as though he can't be sick try squirting some jif lemon into the back of his mouth and it will break up the white foam. I have a 4 year old bulldog who does this quite often. I would say that 9 out of 10 times it is nothing to worry about. As his nose is a bit dry I would say it is just a cold try to give him so boiled rice with some chicken. I wouldn't take him to vet just yet as they will probably just try to give him antibiotics which should really only be given as a last resort. He should be able to shake it off himself within a couple of days. Don't worry about him not eating today it won't hurt him just make sure he had got plenty of fresh water to keep him hydrated. Hope this helps.

Hawkmoth · 01/10/2013 11:08

Jif Lemon?

Tillypo · 01/10/2013 11:14

Yes you know the jif lemon you put on pancakes, because it is acidic it breaks down the foam in the back of the throat which causes the dog to gag because of not being able to breath.

ashleysilver · 01/10/2013 11:26

When my staffy is poorly sometimes she refuses her food. She usually feels better after a day or so. She is a complete scavenger and sometimes on walks eats things that disagree with her.

I agree the visit from the other dog is probably a red herring, though from what you have written I don't think it's a serious illness. I hope the vet can reassure you and give some advice about what to do for him.

ihatethecold · 01/10/2013 12:01

Lemisdisapointed.

Why are you saying that she needs to discuss castration, and that the female needs spaying.

I have a male dog. Still only 8 months but I won't be automatically getting him done when he is older!

Original poster
PirateJelly · 01/10/2013 12:04

Thank you so much for your replies. I was really panicking because after he was sick I let him go outside and he went and hid in the playhouse and refused to come back inside which made me worried. However when DP came back he said he was probably refusing to come inside as he though he was in trouble, bless him.

He is often sensitive to things and got love sick over a bitch before and refused meals but would still eat snacks, but he won't touch anything Sad. I've made him up a bowl of puppy milk to line his stomach and get some fluids in but he won't touch that either.

He has always been highly sexed and seems to obsess over females, myself included Hmm so I think castration would be a good idea.

I considered syringing a bit of water into his mouth to keep him hydrated but a neighbour advised that was dangerous and said never to squirt anything into a dogs mouth as it can go straight to his lungs, does anyone know if this is true?

Thanks again for your help. I just hope the vet isn't too expensive as we have literally £10 to last the rest of the week. I'm hoping my mum will lend us some but if not I'm not sure what to do Sad. Do vets offer payment plans?
We usually have an emergency fund of £500 that is to be used for vets etc but as is sods law I've just had to use it all to pay an old debt I'd forgotten about that had gone to a collection agency. Typical.

OP posts:
Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 01/10/2013 12:07

How is his tummy? Is it swollen or painful?

swannylovesu · 01/10/2013 12:16

my spaniel has just recovered from exactly the same thing. Vet gave us the dog version of gaviscon for a week and shes back to her normal self. we were advised to stop giving her treats and her stomach is fine now...or was until a random dog walker gave her a busciut last week...but she was sick once and is now fine again Grin

Our visit cost £34.20

Scuttlebutter · 01/10/2013 12:18

Please, please get him to the vet to be looked at. Sad

Yes, most vets will allow payment plans etc, but this is why it is such a good idea to get insurance so you are covered for emergencies. It's also a good idea to get a credit card that you keep just for vets.

Unless someone can actually SHOW you a vaccination card, then you should assume dog is not vaccinated - talk to your vet about this, and when he's better, make arrangements for him to have his vaccinations. He's only young, and Parvo is endemic in many parts of hte country. As well as being expensive, it's horrendous for the dog and frequently fatal.

Many vets do a yearly health plan where you pay a small amount each month and this covers you for all worming, vax, annual health checks, consults and discounts on appts. etc - well worth considering if you are on a tight budget.

Talk to Dogs Trust about vouchers for neutering (your vet may also know/have details of this) and some local Councils also provide low cost or free neutering occasionallly - worht checking.

If he's dehydrated, then gentle syringing of water into his mouth is fine, again, once you've seen your vet, they may be able to give you some reyhdration sachets with electrolytes that you make up and gently encourage dog to take - restore essential salts etc..

Original poster
PirateJelly · 01/10/2013 12:19

caffienedrip No his tummy isn't swollen or painful from what I can tell. He doesn't seem to be in any pain at all. He's just been outside playing with his tyre and isn't sleepy or lethargic. Infact he just got excited when I rattled his lead by accident.

I know it's daft but he just looks depressed. He's got this love sick, puppy dog eyed look on his face. The Staffy bitch he played with is next door and earlier he was frantically digging under the fence to get to her and making a high pitched whining sound, as he couldn't reach her.

He hasn't been sick again since I posted.

Does kennel cough cause an actual cough? He hasn't been coughing but his eyes were abit red and irratated a few days ago but I gently bathed them and now they're fine. Could a cold put him of his food? I just wish I could pop him to the doctors like I do with DS! My mum should be here soon to take him to the vets with me so hopefully I'll get some reassurance.

OP posts:
Original poster
PirateJelly · 01/10/2013 12:24

Scuttle- what are the symptoms of parvo please?

OP posts:
Tillypo · 01/10/2013 12:26

Sounds to me as the bitch next door is in season or coming into season. If this is the case he could be love sick for around 2 to 3 weeks. Kennel cough can cause a cough were they would cough up white foam. If you can find a vet that does a payment plan you are lucky none in our area do.

Tillypo · 01/10/2013 12:30

Lethargic
Severe Vomiting
Loss Of Appetite
Bloody Foul Smelling Diarrhea

Hawkmoth · 01/10/2013 13:02

For a weird moment I thought Jif as in what is now Cif. Cleaning fluid. It's a stressful time!

Tillypo · 01/10/2013 13:06

I wondered if that's what you thought I meant.

Scuttlebutter · 01/10/2013 18:22

Hi Pirate, I didn't mean to imply that I thought your dog had Parvo, more that if he is unvaccinated he is at great risk from it. There are sadly regular outbreaks of it in most parts of the country mainly due to a reservoir of unvaccinated dogs.

Good luck at the vets.

everlong · 01/10/2013 19:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mistlethrush · 01/10/2013 22:06

My neighbour's dog got parvo and died when we lived in our last house - it was really sad. Poor dog lived in the coal shed and only got off the chain for walks - one of which resulted in her picking up parvo...

Sickness and foaming - I would always go to the vet.

Kenel cough - yes there is normally a very obvious cough.

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