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Ask the Veterinarian/Dog stomach making loud noises, dog won't eat
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Hello, 1-3 times a week, my 8-year old cocker mix won't eat his breakfast, or sometimes dinner, and refuses even tasty treats. His stomach makes gurgling and squeaking noises so loud that sometimes they can be heard in other rooms of the house! He is lethargic at these times, just wanting to lie around and sleep.
Since this happens sporadically, I can't figure out what causes it. I tried not letting him eat grass (he loves to eat grass), but this didn't help. He eats Hill's d/d dry and canned food.
Can emotions contribute to a dog's digestive problems? It's been a stressful 6 months for my dog and me (taking care of my mom who died recently of cancer).
Thanks very much.
Your dog could be missing your mom but it sounds like he has some bacterial issues with his gut. I would be feeding him any treats at all if he is on D/D. He must have a skin issue to be on that.
I would talk to your vet about getting him on some kind of prilosec or antacids to calm down his stomach. Gas is what causes the noises and growling and bacteria can cause the gas. Gas can be painful, hence the lethargy and sleeping.
Look around for anything else he might be eating, cat food, leftovers, etc. Keep him on his diet alone and see if that helps.
I would definitely call your vet and tell them however. Maybe the D/D isn't agreeing with him. You might have to try the Z/D which is really low protein and allergenic diet.
It;s going to be a bit of trail and error but with a little investigation you can figure it out.Enlist the help of your vet however!!
My condolences on the loss of your mom. When I lost mine to cancer 4 yrs ago her guide dog went into a deep depression. Then we lost her to cancer as well....
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Jana, thanks so much for your advice. I will try an "all dog food" diet for a while, and see if that helps. Alfie is on d/d for skin infections and chronic ear infections-last year, he had a persistent MRSA, and needed to be treated with chloramphenicol. I worked with a very good vet dermatologist, Dr. Andrea Cannon. I hate to run to the vet for every little thing (they see enough of me already!)so I'll call and ask about antacids to give him some relief. When he was on chloramphenicol, he vomited so frequently that eventually he was put on Cerenia, which stopped the vomiting. He does have a sensitive stomach. I'll also block off an area of the yard which is popular as a "cat bathroom". I had it blocked off until November with large plant stands and lawn furniture, but took those things in when it started to rain. Thanks for the kind words about my mom. It's been rough without her-we were great friends as well as mother/daughter. I'm sorry to hear you lost your mother and then her beloved therapy dog a few years later. Again, thanks for your help-you do a superb job. I'll work on getting Alfie's stomach quieted down. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
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