Yesterday, I took mom to have her hair done and we crated Beeji as always. He was fine with going in his crate and we were only gone an hour and a half. I got home, let him out of his crate and he did his happy dance and we headed for the backyard to play. He wasn't as excited as he usually is to be outside and only ran after his ball one time. Then he began a hacking, gagging sort of cough.
He kept doing this and finally threw up an icky pile of vomit. It was his food from his morning feed. He acted like he felt a bit better but within the next 20 minutes he started the gagging cough and threw up again, the rest of breakfast. I checked his throat to see if he had an obstruction but couldn't see anything. I headed to the garage to get the shovel to scoop up the vomit and when I turned around, Beeji was chewing on some long grass growing near the storage house. I called him and said leave it and he came over but then he began to cough again and threw up the 3rd time. Not much content but still enough for me to worry.
I took him inside and he got up on my bed but wasn't calming down, if anything he was getting more and more agitated. He vomited a 4th time and this time there were strands of the long grass. I looked at his face and noticed that his fur was up in little bumps around his forehead.
It looked like he had pimples under the fur. Then his eyes began to swell shut and areas of his mouth began to swell. He was one miserable little dog. I immediately called my vet Dr. Gencil and he told me he would wait at the clinic for us. They were getting ready to close.
Beeji let me put on his harness and lead but had no enthusiasm for it like he normally does. He went outside and got in the car by himself with no problems. I was driving the 4 miles to the clinic and worrying. He threw up again but this was just a white with creammy ropey vomit.
We got to the clinic and they did X-rays of his chest and throat. He did not have anything caught in his throat but his X-rays showed some dark circle type shapes. Dr. Gencil said he felt they were gas bubbles based on position but to keep an eye on Beeji for anymore vomiting or difficulty with stools.
They gave Beeji a "big ole shot" as Dr. Gencil said. I think it was benedryl since he asked me if I had any at home and when I said no, he gave me some in pill form to give Beeji if he didn't get better.
He said to not feed him his evening feed, giving Beeji's stomach time to settle down. He gave me some Hill's ID can food, which he said was easy to digest and said to feed Beeji three small meals the next day (which is today).
The vet techs there adore Beeji and one had stayed after her shift just to be with him and to make sure he and I were both allright. Very sweet of them.
So armed with benedryl and easy to digest food, we came home. The shot made Beeji very lethargic and he got on the couch, put his head in my lap and went to sleep. He stayed that way till bedtime, when he went back into his crate and curled up and slept all night. He moaned a few times but wasn't restless.
This morning, he is feeling much better and I gave him his morning small feed and he ate it just fine. We went on our regular walk and he had a good poo for me. It was firm without being hard, etc. So that seems to be okay.
Dr. Gencil had said to call him immediately this morning after our walk as he and the techs would worry until they heard from us. I called and we talked briefly. He said to keep an eye on Beeji. He wasn't sure what caused the allergic reaction, it could have been an ant, the grasses he chewed or anything else. He didn't think it was the food, I had given Beeji a mix of the Nutro and Pedigree with some canned food that morning but he didn't start vomiting untill after 2 PM but who knows.
Anyway, Beeji came home after his walk and we went into the back yard and he immediately heads for the two areas where he had thrown up. I hadn't gotten them scooped up in the excitement of the day before, so I go charging after him, scoop HIM up and get him back inside. I don't think he ingested anything but wasn't taking any chances. While he fussed in the house, I got the shovel and scooped up the messes and took them out to the field behind our house and buried them!!
Of course as soon as he got out of the house, Beeji had to investigate the areas. He has been a little off his energy levels today but ate his second small feed with the same gusto as this mornings feed. He is napping now but he usually does that this time of day anyway. In about a half hour we head out for our afternoon play time in the yard and I will see how he is then.
All in all it was an adventure I don't want to have again. I have never seen a dog have an allergic reaction like he did, it was pretty awful. Thank goodness for caring vets who stay open for you and take the time to treat your animals with care.
The Vet hospital staff called after lunch and said they would be calling again this evening just to check. I am so thankful they care so much.
So here is to no more allergic reactions. I will be very nervous when I feed him his regular food again but I am hoping it is not the food that caused the reactions.
Thanks for letting me share my worries. Now I'm off to take a nap with my pup!!