Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 7/18/2008

Question
I own a 7 year old female Golden Retriever. She had an emergency operation in Dec 2007 for gastric torsion. Our Vet recommended to raise her feeding bowl and give her 4 small meals per day.  She eats James Wellbeloved kibble soaked in cold water and kept in the fridge, but has always gulped her food down very quickly, we have put 3 rubber balls into her feeding bowl to slow her down. Since being a puppy she seems to have suffered at night with gulping/ retching wanting to be sick, but never sick. she panicks and wants to go in the garden to eat grass, after 5-10 minutes eating grass she seems to recover ok.  She sleeps in our bedroom at night so we are aware of her panicking to get outside.  This retching occurs more frequently since her gastric torsion operation in Dec 07. We have tried homepathic remedies and lots of visits to the vets over the years, without success. Please advice.  Look forward to hearing from you.

Answer
Julie -

Ask your veterinarian if you can use something to quiet her stomach. I do not like to recommend specific products without first examining the patient, but perhaps your vet can give her something to settle her stomach.

Let me know what the vet says - this should be relatively easy as there are several products that can help to settle a busy stomach.


Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM