Labrador Retriever Forum

General Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Sick after eating. Any ideas?

Have a young dog who seems to feel sick after eating. Vomits and has diarhea. Vet can't figure it out and has been treated for parasites now multiple times. Acts fine until you feed. Then gets sick and feels crummy. Looking for suggestions on what else to test for????? Metabolic diseases? Something is really not right.

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

Has the dog been tested for Pancreas problems, such as pancreatitis, or Pancreatic Enzyme Insufficiency, which I have seen more in German Shepherds, Boxers, and even a Komondor about 8 months to that age.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/23404.htm

I would also consider that maybe the diet just doesn't agree with the Lab. I would definitely go relatively low fat, low residue for a while, or try a trial of fiber, such as pumpkin. What did the vet suggest? What do you feed now, and what else have you tried? Sometimes in rescue we come across a dog who just can't eat what everybody else eats, and we have to change the food totally, starting with low fat.

Also, what supplements do you give or have you tried?

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

I would take him to another vet - maybe one who specializes in internal med.

If I had to try to help him before seeing the vet, I would try a pepcid 1/2 hour before he eats // switch to low fat diet //

I had a dog with pancreatitis once (who didn't pull through) and I have had a dog with a telescoping intestine (can't remember the proper term) and she didn't pull through, either.

Not trying to make you nervous, but I would get him checked as soon as poss.

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

Years ago I had a field bred boy who did the same until we fed corn free food. He never vomitted again on Diamond's C&R.

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

Also check for a liver shunt, not all that uncommon in Labrador puppies. This is a condition where the liver does not function normally and causes all kinds of symptoms, including seizures after eating, as the ammonium from protein metabolism builds up in the brain. Normal food can actually make them sick.
You can try a bland diet of chicken and rice (small amounts, like a couple tablespoons) and see if that triggers the vomiting and diarrhea. If it does, then you know it's not the food. But I agree, I wouldn't wait too long, if your vet agrees that it could be a liver shunt, you need to run a bile acids test, and that would be diagnostic.

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

You didn't say how old the pup is. Could he have a blockage? Eaten something that can't pass?

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

From what you are describing, I would have the Pancreas checked, sounds an awful lot like what my Dog was experiencing. It turned out he has a low functioning Pancreas. Not quite Pancreatitis, but he needs a low fat Diet, a Pancreatic Enzyme, and a Digestive Enzyme with each Meal.

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

Thank you for the suggestions. We have another appt. tomorrow with a new vet.
Good to have some more ideas to discuss and tests to possibly run.
I can't help thinking though that this is maybe a partial blockage that never showed up on xray.
To answer the question of age, the dog is 8 months old.
I sure hope we finally get an answer tomorrow because things are going from bad to worse.

Re: Sick after eating. Any ideas?

If it's a blockage, get your dog in soon. They dehydrate very fast.