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8 week old regurgitated lunch, why?

Hi,

Have a pup whose new owner will fly in to get her this weekend. Thought I'd better get her out to get use to traveling in a crate, traffic noises, etc. So I took her out today on some errands. She cried just a little and setted in crate. I took her out on some grass near a very busy road on the side of a parking lot, she watched traffic, peed, hopped by my side while I walked and then suddenly brought up some lunch. I took her into a pet store and had the same thing. She wagged when petted by employees, seemed relaxed but when I set her down to get food bags, she brought up lunch. It was the first time with a collar and leash on. I didn't tug leash, just called and she followed but wonder if collar caused gag reflex stimulation or if it was car sickness. What is your guess? Stools are perfect, no issues at all at home.

Re: 8 week old regurgitated lunch, why?

I guess my only thoughts/advice would be that all of that was too soon for a baby.

As long as she is properly "socialized" to HER environment with her mom and her siblings around, then she should be able to deal with new things when she is older.

I think sometimes we get so nervous about exposing our babies to absolutely everything that we forget that they are babies and will see it all in time, with their new people.

She'll be fine. She will learn to trust her new family as she goes forward to take on the world!!

Re: 8 week old regurgitated lunch, why?

rescue Mom
I guess my only thoughts/advice would be that all of that was too soon for a baby.

As long as she is properly "socialized" to HER environment with her mom and her siblings around, then she should be able to deal with new things when she is older.

I think sometimes we get so nervous about exposing our babies to absolutely everything that we forget that they are babies and will see it all in time, with their new people.

She'll be fine. She will learn to trust her new family as she goes forward to take on the world!!


Thanks, Rescue mom, my only fear is this weekend she'll have the airports to deal with so wanted to give her a little before then. She will be in a crate under the seat though, so maybe that will make her feel secure enough.

Re: 8 week old regurgitated lunch, why?

Are you for real ? Alot throw up after a ride at that age. I would never take a pup that age to a pet store. This really sounds like more harm than good. Home at this age should have enough new things for a pup to explore, different floors in the house, different things at the trip to vets for shots, playing in different yard.

Re: 8 week old regurgitated lunch, why?

How many hours was this ride after lunch? I start taking mine for car rides at ~5.5 wks w/ their sibs (this cuts down on a lot of the drama once it's time for vet checks and CERFs-- 1.5 hr away), but try not to take them within 4 hrs of eating. So far, so good. I too would caution you about taking a young puppy into a pet store, esp if one of the chains that host rescue adoptions. A farm store MAYBE, but not something frequently visited by other possibly unvaccinated pups.

Re: 8 week old regurgitated lunch, why?

I agree, carsickness and stress probably caused this puppy to vomit. (regurgitation refers to the food immediately coming back up with no abdominal heaving, and indicates an anatomical problem).
What you described is "too much too soon" and may actually "flood" her psychologically so that she is now sensitized to noises and movement and fears that.
She may be a sensitive puppy and got really overstimulated. She is also in the middle of a fear-imprinting period, so pull way back on the stimulation and go slow and secure with her.
You might try just feeding her in the crate in the car for a couple days, then take a short ride for a couple days, then a longer ride (on an empty stomach) where there is noise. Then take her out of the car to a friendly, quiet place. What I have done with puppies I wanted to socialize quickly is take them into Petco in a cart with a blanket for her feet. That way she feels secure and the risk of her contracting anything is minimized, but she is getting some socialization to new things.
Sounds like you are trying to do right by your puppy, OP, understand the need for exposure, but it may just have been too much for this puppy.
P.S. When I fly puppies I try to involve the staff at the airline as much as possible, so they will check on her and talk nice to her during her transport. It's a fun departure from their normal job to oversee an adorable Lab puppy, and she will benefit from their love and attention!