[Ryan K]

I have a 9 year old terrier dachshund mix that goes through these weird days where he just suddenly starts gulping and licking his mouth and then proceeds to lick furiously at the floors and the carpet and then wants to go outside to eat weeds and grass. He winds up throwing it up eventually but not instantly. He has been doing this for about a year or so now. His first incident was scary with him eating several socks and throwing them up all night. I was lucky he didn’t have a blockage! I have had x-rays done and bloodwork with nothing really showing anything I would think is causing this. He did have high triglycerides but we retested and his levels came back normal. He had an elevated albumin in his urine so we have to retest that soon. Why does he keep doing this??? He is on Nulo Turkey and sweet potato as well as the packets of wet food that they have. Is this acid reflux? I can’t afford any expensive diagnostic testing at this time. I want to bring him to the vet again but are they even going to be able to do anything without wanting him to get scoped at this point? I can’t afford a 1k endoscopy at the time as I just lost my job and have no additional credit to even use for that. Has anyone else had this happen? Any ideas on what to do for this? I’m so frustrated!

[anonymous]

Work with your vet and get the recommended testing and treatment. Or ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary neurologist. From the symptoms that you have described it is obvious that your dog is suffering

If you absolutely cannot afford veterinary care, please consider surrendering your dog to the nearest SPCA facility and they will do the best they can to provide treatment or do what is in the best interest of the dog

Best of luck.

[anonymous]

Did you check the search engine? /forums/search/gulping/

As you can see, some ridiculous responses. Please have a talk with your vet, ask him to call you back when he has a minute. Don’t be foolish, food won’t fix this.

Your dog needs the expertise of a veterinary healthcare professional and real medication (not supplements)
I know how frustrating it is, I have the credit card bills to prove it. :-/

PS: Ask your vet if you can just treat the symptoms? Anticonvulsants? If your priority is care and comfort rather than diagnosis and treatment, tell your vet..

[Susan]

Hi Ryan.
Yes see vet & ask for Omeprazole (Prilosec) ant acid blocker & trial him for 14 dyas & see if he gets better, also Diet change, it’s making his acid reflux worse..
My Patchy was doing the same eating grass & anything in the yard to get the acid out of mouth & throat.. You could try an ant acid medication that isnt as strong as Omeprazole like Famotidine (Pepcid) take 30mins before meals twice a day or Ranitidine (Zantac) worked better with Patch, the Pepcid is an older ant acid drug…
I also was giving Patch Liquid Mylanta when he was waking up 3-4am having a licking attack then wanting to go outside & eat everything in the back yard, another thing that helps is a piece of white bread made into toast & give the dry toast cut in pieces, toast helps stop the gulping & licking…
I have found when Patch is eating a High Kcals kibbles over 370Kcals per cup the acid starts, also when he eats a high Carb kibble & high fat over 15% fat, he has to stay around 10-14%-fat & protein around 28-35% Look at the Large Breed diets as they are made to reduce digestive problems in large breed dogs….
I know you have a small dog same as Patch he’s an English Staffy but the large breed formula’s have the lower Kcals, lower fat & higher protein & are high in Glucosamine & Chondroitin, for their joints, Patch is doing well on Wellness Core Large Breed formula I buy the 6kg bag or look a Senior formula, they have lower fat, higher protein but I dont know if the Kcals are under 360per cup? you have a better range in America the higher the Kcals the more dense the dry kibble so harder to digest…..

STOP the wet can food ASAP this happened with my Patch at Xmas he got that bad the acid went into his wind pipe & burnt his esophagus & wind pipe I had endoscope + biopsies done the vet also said his Sphincter flap isnt closing properly from stomach to espohagus & the stomach acid is washing back up the wet can food made everything worse… now he only gets a little bit of wet food but its a low fat vet diet the fat is 1.7% & no gravy wet can foods the vet food has to be loaf style, the Hills I/d Digestive Care Low Fat Loaf or boil some chicken breast & bpil some sweet potatoes & you can freeze is small meals
Poor Bugger he’s the same age as Patch, its awful watching them suffer & you feel helpless the Omeprazole is excellent everything stopped & he got better until I moved last December & I started buying wet can foods that were 4% fat,
When convert 4-5% fat in a wet food to dry matter (Kibble fat) 4-5% fat is around 20 25% fat, Patch was already on Omeprazole 20mg had been on Omeprazole nilly 2 yrs but it wasn’t working as well no more or the wet can food I was feeding made everything worse, now Patch takes another PPI, Pantoprazole 20mg & the Pantoprazole seems to help the reflux & works better then the Omeprazole, vets in Australia only give Ompraozole 20mg so Patches vet writes me scripts & I buy from the cheap chemist $5.99 for 30 tablets, I also take Pantoprazole for my GORD but a higher dose….

I do not think he need to see a Neurologist like Anon ALWAYS recommends, first try the and acid blocker Omeprazole or Pantoprazole 10-20mg once a day in morning around the same time & stop feeding ant wet can/sachet food & look for another dry food that agrees with him better, avoid small breed formula’s as some are higher in Kcals & fat%..

[anonymous]

Example: /forums/topic/swallowinggulping-seizure/#post-95148
/forums/topic/dog-gulping-and-swallowing/page/5/#post-108393
/forums/topic/dog-gulping-and-swallowing/page/5/#post-109171

PLEASE TALK TO YOUR VET!
Best of luck

[Ryan K]

Thank you for your responses. I took him in to the vet last night for an exam. She wanted to run more x-rays and suggested doing an endoscopy. Both of which I could not afford at this time. I am treating him with sucralfate, a low fat dry dog food they gave me and cerenia. I know these things most likely not solve his issue but I am trying them for now. I suggested the H. Pylori to her and she did mention the possibility of it being seizures but the diagnostics are too expensive right now for me to get for him. They would not treat either of those without positive testing. She mentioned that testing for H. Pylori was via scoping but I thought there was a blood test for that that would be less expensive? I am curious about this because I actually contracted H. Pylori shortly after I rescued him from the rescue group I found him at in 2009. I had to go through months and months of treatments to cure it. I always wondered how I contracted that. I am wondering if maybe he has always been carrying it and has passed it on to me? That would be a fairly easy situation to treat if he reacts to the drugs fast. I had it hard because I am allergic to so many antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. I am really hoping that I can manage his symptoms and get them under control with a lower fat food for now and the meds they gave me. This is so frustrating because I really just do not have the financial access to figure this out at the moment. I don’t even have any Care Credit left right now. I just actually wound up using the last of mine on a root canal. Losing my job didn’t help this situation either.

Surrendering him is something I don’t think I could ever do. If I knew who he was going to…possibly…but, just dropping him off at an SPCA is not something I could live with. It would destroy me.

I wish I had family I could borrow from for diagnostics but I don’t. I am pretty much alone with these costs and unable to afford them. I can get his meds and his food and can give him love and attention but the multiple thousand dollar diagnostics are just not feasible right now. I hope this does not make me a horrible pet owner. 🙁

[anonymous]

Hope this helps http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html
Have you discussed your financial concerns with your vet? Maybe they have some ideas?
Did you ask the vet if the symptoms could be caused by a neurological disorder and could be treated as such with a anticonvulsant ? Without additional testing?

[Ryan K]

Hello again!
I have not mentioned my financial concerns to my vet. I have mentioned not being able to afford things though which I feel like should be somewhat enough of a signal that I have financial issues going on. I always feel such embarrassment over finances and hate discussing them. I might have to just lay it all out there and see if I can get help from them somehow.

The vet did mention the symptoms possibly being caused by neurological disorders but she wanted to refer me to a specialist for diagnosis of that. I do have a friend with a small dog that is on anti seizure meds and I know for a fact that she didn’t have diagnostic testing done. Maybe I need to switch my vet? Maybe someone will just run a trial with drugs on him to see if that helps without the diagnostics? This vet that I take him too now seems super expensive. I am somewhat new to this area so they are kind of one of the first ones I found that would take him when I got here. They weren’t referred to me. I might need to find someone that makes the vet experience a little more personal and less about selling things like products they make at their office. Which mine does…a lot.

Another thing I should note is that he did have a gagging, hacking reaction when the vet pressed his trachea. She mentioned maybe it being a collapsing trachea which I have suspected for years now because of his hacking. He has hacked and gagged for probably 5 years off and on. I notice that my cousin’s yorkie does it a lot too and she said he has a collapsing trachea. Not sure if that is connected to his bouts of crazy eating and licking of the floor or not but he did hack and cough after she pressed it. Once again, she said scoping and expensive full body MRI scanning would be the only way to check that.

I might start looking into finding a vet that will just trial him for anti-convulsants and such if I can. I also might try to see if someone can get h. pylori results without scoping. I am wondering if blood work would show that somehow to save a 1K scope test? Hmmm. So much to think about.

I think this is my last dog. The stress this last year with him has been such an eye opener. I wish more people could understand how financially draining dog ownership is before they leap into adopting like I did. I don’t regret it because I love him so much but wow…when you get an unhealthy dog…it’s expensive! 🙁

[Joyce B]

Vets are expensive, don’t feel bad! Not everyone is financially flush for the entire life of their pet. You may start out that way when you adopt a pet and then 5 years later lose your job. Nobody can predict their future. To suggest that you give your dog up when shelters are already overcrowded with dogs nobody wants – and you clearly love yours – is horrifying. The stress is likely to make your dog’s health much worse and they may even euthanize. While food can’t fix serious health issues, if this is a digestive problem, then food is everything. You have nothing to lose by trying different ones. One of my dogs can’t eat turkey, start with the protein source.

[Susan]

Ryan,
Yeah dont feel bad, you’re doing the best you can, at least you have taken him to see a vet & now he has some meds & low fat vet food, to make him more comforable, I wish you live here Australia, i’d give you a Hills Voucher for 12 x I/d Low fat loaf cans & the medications to trial & see if he improves, I wonder if you’d ask the rescue group you got him from if they can help or know of a group that can help pay another vet bill or help pay for the medications?? Don’t feel bad ever asking for help, some people love to help. I know I do, I’m feeding a Rottweiler up the rd now, he has alcoholic owners & he loves his owners, so I donate food for him…

Honestly I would be looking into giving him some type of ant acid medication or Pump Proton Inhibitor, Omeprazole to see if this helps & stops the licking & swollowing problem, start with an ant acid medication, as this helps kill the Helicobacter as well + the Metronidazole kills the Helicobactor & reduces the acid coming up into the throat, the Omeprazole blocks the stomach acids being made & this is where the Helicocator lives deep in stomach walls…
My vet told me, she would of known if Patch had any Neurological disorders by now, I think you would have known aswell, you could be wasting money on un necassary tests thats not needed, we have 9-10 yr “old” dogs, as we age we make less Hydrochloric acid so less good stomach bacteria & the bad bacteria starts to take over…..
Google “Hypochlorhydria” lack of stomach acid & “Hyperchlohydria” excessive acid production….
You could asked your vet can she treat him as if he does have the Helicobacter & give you the triple therapy meds or get script so you can get out from chemist if cheaper…& this way you’ll have a better idea whats wrong so will your vet…

All the Endoscope & Biopsies does is tells you 100% yes the dog does have ??? I wasted $1,100 in January, I sorta knew what was wrong with Patch but I also thought he had stomach cancer & I think my vet also thought the same, when patch was having his Endoscope the vet checked his teeth & found Patch had Gingivitis back teeth from the acid coming up into his mouth, thats why it come to $1,100 Patch had to get his teeth cleaned $200 while he was under from having the Endoscope..
They’re expensive to keep, I dont even have my teeth cleaned..
Triple Therapy meds are a 3 week course of 200mg Metronidazole & 250mg Amoxcillin taken every 12 hours with a meal & 20mg Omeprazole given once in the morning, or you can do 10mg Omeprazole twice a day with the other meds, I wonder if he’d only need 10mg Omeprazole dose once day instead of the 20mg the vet would know…
Then once the triple therepy meds are finish, “you must continue him on the Omerpazole” 1 every morning cause the Helocobacter comes back again & again so now we leave Patch on the PPI, also research has proven the Helicobacter can’t grow or live in stomach when you’re taking a PPI, cause your boy is smaller….

With the Sufcarafate tablet you can break the big tablet in 1/2, add 10ml warm water & swirl around to dissolves the Carafate tablet & give to him with in a syringe in side of his mouth 15-20mins before he eats, this way the tablet isnt just sitting in his stomach, don’t give if he has any food in his stomach as the Carafate lines the food instead of lining his stomach…
Now I give Patch 1/2 a “Quick Eze Chew” Forest Berry flavor chew every afternoon 3pm now & Patch is doing really well at the moment touch wood, he has even gained weight & is nilly 19kgs he has never been this weight, as soon as he gets to a good weight he loses it…
I changed Patches diet & changed his Omeprazole this year April & begged the vet can I please try the Pantoprazole 20mg instead as you can NOT just stop taking a PPI (Omeprazole) once you have been taking a PPI for more then 14-21 days, you get alot of pain across & in your stomach cause all your stomach acid return all at once, making way too much acid until your body regulates back to normal again, this might of happened with your stomach…. Drs dont explain about PPI’s unless you ask about side effects, but they do help when you have bad acid reflux….
My vet made me go to see my Dr & test to see if I also have Helicobacter when Patch was first diagnosed with the Helicobacter & we can have a Blood test now but I dont know if a dog can also have the same blood test, cause I take Somac twice a day I didnt get Patches Helicobacter cause the Helicobacter lives in the stomach walls in the stomach acids… so you need to reduce these somach acids..

I’ve done alot of research & they have found “Pepto Bismol” kills helicobacter pylori, but you still need to take the triple therapy meds first & give the liquid Pepto Bismol aftwards,

I hope he feels better soon & the Sucarafate helps line his stomach & reduces the acid, you’ll soon know but he may need something stronger then carafate….Time will tell, I hope it was just his wet food he was eating & he’ll be OK now he’s eating a lower fat food & has the Carafate to line his stomach..

[anonymous]

“I might start looking into finding a vet that will just trial him for anti-convulsants and such if I can”.

Exactly, I was going to suggest that you get another opinion. I had a dog that was diagnosed with idiopathic (cause unknown) epilepsy and put on a daily low dose of an anticonvulsant.

The dog was fine and lived till old age, no side effects. No testing was done, maybe lab work as this was many years ago.

No one is suggesting that you abandon your dog at a shelter. The trouble with the internet is that words get misconstrued and used out of context.

What was meant is that in an extreme situation if an animal is suffering and there is absolutely no way to provide the medical care to relieve it’s pain…….then taking him to the ASPCA would be a humane option. If they can help the dog, they will.

PS: Please look at the link I provided, lots of places to call that may be able to help or at least advise you accordingly.
“Check out local veterinary schools. Many run low-cost clinics for limited income clients. The American Veterinary Medical Association’s website and VeterinarySchools.com have lists of veterinary schools by state”. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

I’m sorry you are stressed out over this. It doesn’t have to be this complicated, you just need to find an empathetic vet to treat your dog.
Take a deep breath, you will find a way. I hope things look better soon.

[Joyce B]

There is a good chance that the food the vet provided and the anti-nausea drugs will help your dog alot. I would wait and see how he does on those before doing any more testing.

[Ryan K]

Thank you everyone! Such great information and HOPE for my dog and his future! It’s nice to know there is support and motivation to get him through his ups and downs from people as nice as you all are! 🙂

I’ll be looking into a new vet next week. I had a good day with him today. No incidents so that was nice. He did hack a couple times which is kind of common for him. He has been hacking for years. I truly do think he has a collapsing trachea. I would put money on it. But, even my vet said that is a rough surgery to fix and wouldn’t really recommend it unless he was in serious need of it. So, there is nothing much to do for that aside from cough suppressants which again..they wouldn’t prescribe to him unless he had a confirmed diagnosis through MRI and x-rays. Ugh! Frustrating! I truly need to find a vet that will let me try meds on him without all the expensive testing! That’s my first step now.

Also…side question…I noticed they put him on the hills I/D and I assumed it was the low fat kibble because they sell it in baggies they put together themselves but I realized it’s the regular I/D formula which has 20% protein and 10% fat. Is that fat content too high? Should I be looking into a lower fat for his acid or is it mainly the oil content (omegas) that cause that? He seemed to be doing so great on Nulo Turkey and Sweet Potato for a little bit there. He is such a picky eater that it was almost miraculous to find a kibble he enjoyed. I also dislike the idea of him being on this hills ID because of the fillers in it. It doesn’t have great ingredients. Would I be able to put him on ANY low fat kibble or is there something I have to really look for that I should be avoiding? I was thinking of going for the Nulo Trim Cod & Sweet Potato since he likes their food. This is the analysis for the recipe…

Crude Protein 30.0% min
Crude Fat 7.0% min
Crude Fat 9.0% max
Crude Fiber 6.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 1.0% min
Phosphorus 0.9% min
Vitamin E 300 IU/kg min
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 3.35% min
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.35% min
Ascorbic Acid 65 mg/kg min
Bacillus Coagulants 80,000,000 CFU/lb min

Would the amount of omegas be too high and cause acid? It seems like finding a low fat food is tricky with such a picky eater that ALSO has health issues. 🙁 Thoughts on that?

[anonymous]

Did you ask the vet why a prescription diet was prescribed? I would feed him soft food only if there is an issue with his trachea. Or presoak the kibble in water overnight in the fridg.
What other health issues does he have? Did the vet give you a diagnosis?
If the problem is neurological then the food won’t make a difference anyway.

I would stop focusing on dog food ingredients. Just find something that agrees with him.
Ask the vet if you can mix the prescription stuff in with the food that he likes?
Leave a message for the vet to call you back when he has a minute. Have a list of questions ready. As far as I know, most vets don’t charge for phone calls.

PS: Ask for a complete copy of all your dogs records, this is better than having them faxed. You should keep your own records anyway.

You can bring a copy of them with you to the new vet.

[Ryan K]

Thanks for getting back! I am still somewhat holding out hope that this is reflux and not neurological. The vet said it could be either but without further testing she wouldn’t be able to say for sure. I am doubtful of them being seizures only because he seems like he knows what he’s doing and he reacts to me. I don’t know though. The gulpies seem to be common and people have such similar stories. :/

His food does concern me though. I feel like this all started happening around the time I decided to start him on a trial of rx science diet ZD for his skin. He got very lethargic and off while on it. I then mixed it up and went over to hills hydrolized protein and he was the same. Kind of acted strange and although both helped his itching…I could tell there was something up with the food effecting his overall well being. It sounds weird but I can’t really explain it. I then started trying new foods and this was when his problems got worse and worse. The Nulo has been good as far as his allergies go but maybe the fat content IS too high? 18% might be too much. I read that dogs with GERD should have low fat. I don’t know how low but 18% is probably too much if it does wind up being GERD. I also noticed that his last attack happened about an hour after I had fed him one of the wet Nulo packets but in chicken and duck. I typically just give him the chicken and salmon or chicken on it’s own but maybe the duck triggered it?? I actually have been thinking back and feel like I had fed him this same packet the previous time he had an incident. Of course, I could be wrong but I feel like I did. Duck sensitivity??

So, no concrete diagnosis. She triggered coughing by rubbing or palpating his neck. She said he is borderline overweight but she said it wasn’t to any point where she would tell me to put him on a diet. She leaned towards neurological as what her gut was telling her his problem would wind up being but she said I could trial him with sulcralfate and cerenia as well as the ID rx food. Hopefully he doesn’t have any attacks soon. I am keeping notes from now on as to when he has them so I can maybe get some solid sense of how often they are happening. I am going to start looking this upcoming week for a more hands on vet that seems more into the animals then the money. I have to figure this out. He can’t keep having these attacks. I hope if it is seizures that I can somehow medicate without expensive mri testing. :/

Fingers crossed.

[anonymous]

If you can, try to video the next attack if you witness it, from start to finish. I think the new vet will find it very helpful for diagnosis purposes.

[Ryan K]

That is a great idea and you read my mind. I was just looking at videos of seizures online when your response came through. I will do that the next time he has one of his attacks. The seizures do look pretty close to what he does. Lots of gulping, licking air and then going crazy on the floors trying to ingest anything in his path. Very very similar. I just left a message to my vet asking if she would happen to be ok with doing a trial on an anticonvulsant if he has another episode in the next few days. I hope she ok’s that. I don’t think she will. But, we will see! 🙂

[anonymous]

Oh I so hope you and your vet can work this out. My small breed was started on a low dose of phenobarbital just based on his symptoms, I don’t remember if lab work was done…but that would be reasonable especially every few months to make sure the medication isn’t bothering his liver.
The side effects (if any) are minimal, I have heard of possible drowsiness but I never saw that with my dog. This was over 20 years ago, there are several medications they can use now.

Tell the vet your main goal is to keep the dog comfortable! Good luck, and if you don’t get a positive response from her, I would make an appointment with a new vet asap.
PS: I have noticed that a lot of vets practice defensive medicine nowadays, excessive testing and such as they are concerned about liability if anything goes wrong with the prescribed treatment.

Btw: I remember the phenobarb to be inexpensive….. I don’t know about the newer meds cost wise.

[anonymous]

You may find this site helpful http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/10/overdiagnosis/

It’s user friendly, run by a real vet. However, don’t expect specific recommendations, as they have not examined your dog and do not know his history, it would be unethical for them to do so.
A lot of good information over there though. Use the search engine to look up specific topics.
PS: Nothing is being sold at that site, no membership fees, nothing.

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,
is your boy on any medications for Arthritis pain, as these can cause stomach problems, ulcers etc?
You have to be careful you do “not” want to confuse your vet….
When a dog has a seizure they don’t respond while having a seizure, their body/muscles are all tense & tight, there’s no mouth licking or gulping they do not respond….
This is awful to watch but this is a dog having a seizure
the dog does not lick or swollow like when a dog has bad acid that has come up into the dogs mouth…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzZ-IgD7HXs

Yes, all vet diets are very high in omega oils, the Hills Z/D & Royal Canine Hypoallergenic skin wet & dry vet diet formula’s are VERY high in Omega oils for skin & can upset their stomach, Patch can NOT eat any vet diets or normal premium kibbles for his skin problems, most of the vet diets give him bad acid reflux especially when he eats a fish kibble, even the Intestinal Health vet diets wet & dry give him bad acid reflux 🙁 ….
After trying nilly all the vet diets, I finally worked it out, his acid reflux was from all the omega oils & I saw Dr Judy Morgan “Pacreactitis Again” video, Judy talks about her 16-17yr old dog who suffers with Pancreatitis & other health problems, she worked out her dog can NOT have any fish oils, the same thing happens acid reflux or a Pancreas flare…
I stick with dry foods that have Canola oil, Sunflower/vegetable oil or Flaxseed, Patch ends up licking & swollowing like you said around 1hr after eating these high omega oil foods & high carb foods, especially when you see a fish oil, flaxseed, corn oil, within the first 5 ingredients….
I feed tin pink salmon in spring water drain water add 1/2 boiled sweet potatoes, salmon isn’t as oily like Sardines are..your dog would like that as a small meal, see how he goes…

When I see Patch starting to do his swolling, licking mouth, or doing his weird mouth thing, this is when I give him 1/2 a ant acid quick eze berry chew & tell him chew chew & he chews the quick eze chew, then 20mins later he seems heaps better, they’re not that expensive at supermarket you can get the plain white quick eze lollie, there’s another ant acid chew/lollie a few people in the Pancreatis support f/b group use for their dogs when they’re having a licking swolling attack from bad acid reflux, they use Rennie tabs, I’d give one of these a try next time you see him starting to have an attack, probably will work better then the Sucarafate, the Sucarafate didn’t really help Patch, he wanted to eat grass after I gave him his Sucarafate slurry…
Something better then the Sucarafate tablets is Slippery Elm Powder, it stops nausea, acid reflux helps with stomach problems..
Get 1 teaspoon of the Slipery elm powder put in cup, boil the jug & slowley add boiling water to the slipery elm powder in a cup & stir till you have a thick slurry, put 1 teaspoon of the Slippery Elm Slurry on a plate to cool then see if your dog will lick it up, Patch licked it up once then didn’t again, so I had to get a 20ml syringe & pull up 5ml & give 20mins before he eats, then cover the cup with foil & put in fridge, it turns into a jelly slurry & need to be heated, takeout about 1 spoon put in the microwave or I just add some boiling water to about 1 spoon that you’ve taken out of the cup then when its can be pulled up into a syringe just use 5mls…

You still have to make sure what they’re eating isn’t too high in fat or omega oils & ingredients agree with your dog… Have you looked at the Rice dry formula’s?
It has taken me 5yrs to work out Patch..

His Sphincter flap from stomach to esophagus mighten be closing properly & the acid is washing back up into throat & mouth, you’ll need something stronger to settle this, if the Sucarafate isnt helping him… so he doesn’t end up with a sore throat & burnt wind pipe like Patch ended up with, he may have an Ulcer?? Ulcers happen cause of too much acid, you need ant acid blocker meds to stop the acid burning the ulcer & it can heal…

Sometimes no matter what Patch eats he just has a few bad days, sometimes it all starts again when I feed a wet can/sachet or the low fat vet diet for lunch, so I avoid the wet foods for a 3-5 days & just feed 4-5 small kibble meals…

With a dry food look for 10%-15%max-fat, sometimes a food will be 14.5% fat, that why I say 15% max fat, the lower the fat & protein & the higher the carbs, so you have to find a dry kibble that works for your dog..
Wet foods arent low enough that are sold at Pet Shops, you ned under 3%max fat in a wet foods, best to email the pet food companies ask what the fat when converted to dry matter fat & the MAX fat % you’ll have shock, some wet foods are high…

I have found the Large Breed formula’s work best for Patch, as they arent too high in carbs or fat, the protein is over 26% & seems to help reduce his acid reflux…. I stay around-13%-fat & 34%-protein.

Have you tried any of the Purina One formula’s a few people say their dog does well on Purina One formula’s here’s, but I looked & some are 16%, 17%, 18 % in fat, so way too high in fat for your boy, this Purina One formula large breed formula looks good, the fat is 13%, protein-26%, fiber is 4.5% the fiber is not too high & the carbs are about 40% carbs-
these ingredients are like the Intestinal Health vet diets minus the high Omega Oils….
https://www.purinaone.com/dogs/products/dry-dog-food/smartblend-large-breed-adult
or if you find a good brand you like just have a look at their large breed formula ingredients & fat protein %..

Most small breed dog foods are higher in fat & higher in Kcals per cup, so avoid all small dog foods.. Have you looked at Senior foods? they normally are lower in fat around 10-12% fat & higher protein…
With his skin, I know Patches skin would itch with some of those ingredients in Purina One BUT Patches vet always tells me, we fix his stomach problems first then we’ll deal with his skin problems, in the mean time continue his weekly baths to relieve his itch & use baby creams to relieve any itchy red skin….

Have you looked at the Nulo Grain Free Style Weight management formula.
MedalSeries High-Protein Kibble weight management chicken & sweet potato recipe
Just becareful with fish dog foods the Nulo Cod & Lentil formula didn’t do well & came back High in Metals & Process Contaminates in this last testings…
Most of the Nulo fish formula’s the Puppy & Small breed also came back high in metals & contaminates but they have good ingredient quality….just got a bad fish supplier 🙁

This will not go away over night, it takes time to find the right dry food, the right ant acid meds, the right routine & feed more smaller meals a day instead of just the 2 bigger meals a day..
I know your head is probably spinning with all the info, but there might be something I do for Patch that might also help your boy, all the things that have helped Patch & alot of other dogs…
By the way what is his name??

[Ryan K]

Hi Susan!

Thanks for all the info! It’s really helpful! I’m going to buy him some slippery elm to try that. I have used that for myself in the past for sore throats. I didn’t think to do that for a dog! Smart!! 🙂

I am so confused about it being either seizures or GERD. It’s such a toss up. Some of the youtube videos showing Complex Partial seizures look like how he acts so it’s confusing. I’m not sure. I asked my vet if they would do a trial of anticonvulstants…most people seem to have had a ton of luck with a drug called Zonisamide for this exact situation so I would like to try that on him if anything.

The vet said they would give me a trial of it IF I can get an episode on video to show them. So, that’s my next step. If I get him recorded during an episode and they think it looks suspect they will trial him on phenobarbitol and something else. I wish they could just do this Zonasamide because it seems like it has truly helped so many from what I’ve read but if this is legitimately just too much fat in his food and acid re flux then it won’t matter.

I am doing 3 smaller meals a day for him to keep him fed. I know that when I don’t eat throughout the day I get bad heartburn so why should it be different with him? I did have h.pylori so I know how bad that feels. I am curious about that being his problem as well. They won’t treat him for that at my vet though.

He used to be on meds for pain and his slipped disc but he grew VERY sensitive to them. Actually, now that I think about it…the pain meds were the true start of him having stomach related issues. He slipped his disc in November of 2016 and was on various meds…months of those really seemed to mess his system up. He got so bad that I couldn’t give him any of them without him having the sick reaction and eating weeds and throwing up. He was on Rimadyl, Tramodol, and a steroid. Now he can’t take any of those even once without throwing up. 🙁 It’s awful because he truly needs meds for his back especially since the disc and since his hips are getting worse with his dysplasia. He even reacts poorly to Glucosamine! He’s sooooooooooooo sensitive!! It’s rough.

I’m going to just give this rx diet a try for a bit longer. I really loved him on Nulo until it didn’t work. He loves the taste which is a miracle. Maybe I can try that chicken recipe. He does get more itchy from things with lentils but it’s a trade off at this point. If I can keep his stomach and gulp attacks away I will totally deal with his itching. I am open to any food that has better ingredients then this garbage RX diet. It’s all filler and corn starch and junk. I hate the idea of him living off that. We’ll see!

Thank you again for your help! So much info to take in!! 🙂 I appreciate it.

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,

gee Zonisamide can cause bad side effects, I hope your vet knows what she is doing?
I’d rather try a ant acid medication like Pepcid or Zantac first as it will have less side effects & rememeber he’s a small dog, so 1/2 what ever dose the vet prescribes “if” she does prescribe Zonisamide….Vets normally prescribe Gabapentin, it’s also a cheap drug, 100 x 100mg capsules for $12-$15 with a script from chemist… Gabapentin is from the same family as Zonisamide, my vet tried Patch on the Gabapentain for his IBD stomach pain & said it will also help his lower back pain, he has a square left hip socket, it isn’t round like it should be, my vet said a few of her IBD cat & dog patients are taking Gabapentin for stomach, pancreas & nerve pain, stress & anxieties, & nervous dogs. Gabapentin seems to treat a heap of different health problems…..
I took Gabapentin for nerve pain beginning of the year & it made me feel very light headed, I had to stop taken it & I think the same thing must of happened with Patch when he took 100mg x Gabapentin, he didn’t feel too well & just stayed in his bed 1/2 the next day, he normally comes up to me & whinges lets go for a walk but not when he was on Gabapentin, at first the vet prescibe him 100mg for Patch to be taken twice a day but I just gave it to him once a day before bed when he had his IBD pain in stomach, he didn’t move all night, he stayed in the same position, he normally sits up & stretches & turns around thru the night, so the vet said 1/2 the 100mg capsule & only give it to him when he has his stomach pain or his lower back, again he slept like a log & the next day he wasnt himself, so I dont give it to him no more especially after I’ve taken it in January & I felt like crap…

I hope it was just from the higher fat 18%+ dry Nulo food & the wet sachet food & he just needs a diet change & maybe something like the sucarafate to line his stomach, also don’t feed any of the real sloppy wet stew sachet/tin wet foods, when they burp it comes back up repeating on them causing acid reflux, maybe between the two foods he was eating they have caused his problems… but if it does happen again, if you do have any heartburn lollies give him one or 4-5ml Liquid Mylanta is best, the white chalky stuff to calm everything down & line his esophagus & see is he heaps better after taken heartburn stuff…Mylanta is like the Sucarafate tablet when its made into a slurry but Mylanta is cheaper & I think better. I keep a small bottle in the fridge just incase Patch wakes up swollowing & gulping at 3am they act frantic & don’t know what to do, its like a panic attack, I give Mylanta then I rub Patches throat downwards towards his chest & stomach so the acid goes back down & try to get him back to sleep. I have his head higher then his back/bottom, he sleeps with one of my L- Shaped pillows so his head is always higher then his bum so if any acid does come up while sleeping it stays down….

[Ryan K]

Thanks Susan!

He was actually on gabapentin and it made him sick. 🙁 He took it after his slipped disc. It’s making me nervous now thinking about if this IS seizure related because medications really do make him sick easily. I have no idea how he will be treated without getting sick to his stomach since most meds do that to him. 🙁

I will get some mylanta too! That’s a good idea! I can use the syringe they gave me for the sucralfate to put that into his mouth. He takes the slurry pretty well. He’s so good about letting me syringe it into his mouth. I’m trying to also keep him active after he eats and making sure he doesn’t eat and then immediately lay down. I think that probably helps acid pop back up into the throat. I know it does for myself.

Truly curious to know whether this could be h. pylori. I do wonder if he has had it his entire life and is possibly the reason why I contracted it when I did. I know how bad my acid was when I had it. It was insanely uncomfortable.

We’ll see. Whatever happens will happen. I will get this figured out. It’s all about keeping him comfortable and content at this point until I can get the correct treatment.

[anonymous]

I would not give over the counter meds, supplements (especially those not intended for veterinary use) or make diet changes (your pet is on a prescription diet) unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog. For example, antacids are known to interfere with the absorption of other meds.
Please try to refrain from self-diagnosis. It’s a dangerous game and you could make things a lot worse. Work with a veterinarian. There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.
Didn’t your vet give you a treatment plan? I would go by that alone. Nothing else!

PS: I am becoming concerned. Please listen to your vet! Like she said, if you want an exact diagnosis have the testing done, everything else is just guesswork.
I suggested you make a video to show the vet, not for you to try to self-diagnose.
Best of luck.

[Ryan K]

anon101…yes, I am following her instructions right now for sure. The only thing I am questionable about is this RX food. I really hate the idea of him staying on it long term since it really has nothing healthy about it. But, I am following the medicine and everything else she mentioned to do exactly. I am not attempting to diagnose the behavior myself but more so just awaiting results with this diet and medicine she gave me to try out. I am definitely planning on attempting to get a video for them to view and see if they can give me a better diagnosis of what they think his problem is. Trust me, I am listening to the vet! I am only asking about food for the future for other options aside from the rx one. My dog is only getting what they vet sent home with me. Sufloclrate, cerenia and ID rx food. I am feeding him three times a day in smaller meals which she said I could do. I’m just very open to suggestions on here.

[anonymous]

Per the search engine:
/forums/topic/antacids-2/

[Joyce B]

Hi again, Ryan. You can change the prescription food later by switching to another that has similar protein and carbs, as well as protein/fat ratio. You still need to give it time. I would also be very hesitant to give the dog an anti-seizure drug, as prescription drugs may have caused, or contributed to, the digestive problems he now has. I have a dog that developed bad stomach problems after a just a few rounds of antibiotics and pain meds for dental issues. And another dog who had a perforated ulcer from the wrong combo of prescription drugs. These drugs are powerful and have numerous side effects, especially in the older dogs. Many of the side effects are to the digestive tract. I am using slippery elm with great success for my dog with acid reflux and nausea, as Susan has suggested. Of course you want to help your dog as quickly as possible with medication but it may do more harm than good. Digestive problems take time time to heal. Keep up the great work!

[anonymous]

“Please be advised that we not veterinarians. For this reason, this website was never meant to be used as a substitute for sound professional advice”.
“Because the health of your dog can be directly affected by what you read here, you should always consult with a licensed veterinary professional before taking any specific action”.

excerpt from /disclaimer-and-disclosure/

[Ryan K]

I actually wound up getting footage of him having one of his attacks earlier. I am not sure if this link will work but please let me know what you think. I will be sending it to the vet as soon as they give me the address to send it to today. Forgive my messy home.

[Joyce B]

Hi Ryan! The link worked fine. Curious what the vet says about this, but if it were my dog, seizure wouldn’t come to mind. Licking lips is a sign of nausea, so is wanting to go out to eat grass. How much time since he last ate? By the way, he is adorable, and your house is not messy :).

• This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Joyce B.

[anonymous]

There are many types of seizures, partial complex comes to mind, temporal lobe, many are mild and only a trained veterinary healthcare professional would see it.
What you are observing is agitation, anxiety and pica. Looks like he is having a fit of some kind.
There can be many reasons for this, some neurological. Obviously more testing and maybe x-rays will be needed to find the cause. The dog appears to be physically healthy otherwise.
Only a veterinarian that has examined the dog and knows his history can diagnose.

Asking for opinions from nonhealthcare professionals is only going to just add to your confusion. I’d get the testing. Give up cable, eating out…that’s what I did.

[Ryan K]

Thank you Joyce and Anon!

He had actually JUST had his last small meal when this happened. Possibly 5 minutes after he ate.

I sent the links to my vet but she is out of town for a week. I hope she can possibly view those and narrow it down. If finances were not an issue right now I would have him there getting tested for everything so it’s very frustrating. 🙁

[Ryan K]

I should also note that he hacked all night after he calmed down from this attack. As if something was stuck in his throat. Seems like a scope will be my first test for him when I can manage it. :/

[anonymous]

An endoscopy may not be necessary. The examining vet will advise you accordingly.

PS: Your vet must have someone covering for her? Your dog’s. records are available to all that work at the clinic. So the covering vet should be able to help you. It fact, it may not hurt to get another opinion.
Your dog is on prescribed medication and the symptoms continue. That’s a good reason to give the clinic a call and see what they suggest.

[Patmae B]

I had a dog do this it was acid reflux. The burning in the throat causes the dog to eat or lick anything thinking it will give them relief. For a small dog you can give a 10 mg Pepcid or generic famotidine once daily. A med to big dog would get a 20 mg. Stop feeding kibble and make home cooked food or buy a really good canned to feed. Get Answers raw goat milk feed 1/4 c daily fir probiotics

[Susan]

Hi just watch video,
definitely NOT seizures, his tail is wagging, he’s alert & responsive, it’s definitely stomach problems, he’s looking for food, do you eat any food when sitting on lounge in those areas he was licking the carpet ?? he’s vacuuming, he’s looking for food to take away pain.. Lately my Patch has become a vacuum cleaner again always under my desk & in kitchen around the areas crumbs drop, I think Patches Helicobacter is coming back 🙁 ……

Food seems to relieve their acid reflux & pain for short perriods, not for long 20mins later they have their pain all back again & sometimes worse, when you had Helicobacter you eat, you feel better then “pain” & “acid” all comes back…. I bet you he has Helicobacter & needs 21 day course of triple therapy meds, all this will stop or reduce in 5-7 days after he taken the Triple therapy meds…you need 21 days worth then as soon as you finish buy those Yakult probiotic drinks & drink 1/2 each, you get more then he does……

When he is sniffing your carpets (vacuuming) dust is going up his nose, then he is sneezing, it’s called “reverse sneezing”…Massage his throat when this happens, rub downwards towards his chest, stomach area, massaging will also push down any acid that may be in his throat burning, this is why he is hacking at night, do you have any ant acid lollies Renee, Quick Eze Chews? give him 1/2 to try, make sure he chews it, it will relieve his throat when he chews one, that’s why I like the Forest Quick Eze Chews they taste good & soothe the acid in throat.. I give Patch 1 Quick Eze Chew when he starts his mouth licking starts, cough & he starts his whinging, also they become anxious sometimes.. even some liquid Mylanta or Pepto-Bismol will help him + Pepcid tablets or 150mg Zantac tablet under 1/2 a tablet will help him, Im sure you can buy these from chemist…

Whatever he ate before the video has made his acid worse, was it vet diet dry food ??
Try feeding boiled chicken breast, don’t over boil it cooks very quickly 5mins & boil some sweet potato give 1/2 & 1/2 but before he eats give him either 1/2 Zantac (Ranitidine) or 10mg Pepcid (Famotidine) tablet 30mins before Breakfast & 30mins before Dinner ask vet, maybe another vet with more experience will be better… as the Sucarafate isn’t strong enough..

[Ryan K]

Thank you Susan! I appreciate the help! I have wondered if it was h.pylori too. I had it and I know it was so horrible to deal with. It was a nightmare for me because of my allergies to antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. It’s no fun! You described it perfectly with the feeling hungry and eating constantly to help ease the burning. Ick. That was torture on my body. I had to do 3 months of triple course antibiotics. Worst time of my life honestly!

I wonder if Manuka honey and mastic gum would help a dog? I used that to speed up my healing. I do think it helped me.

I bought some slippery elm powder on amazon. I’m going to try that. I would rather give him something natural then any of the other stuff first. See how he reacts to that. My vet told me to give him omeprozole for 2 weeks and then to stop. She said it’s not good to keep them on it long. She said the same about Pepcid. I don’t know if she is wrong about that but I’m not giving either right now. Just the sulcrofate. I’m going to start omeprozole tomorrow. She didn’t get me a dosage guide though for that so I have to look it up. I think it was half of one. I remember giving him those several months ago when he first started having issues. I don’t remember if they helped much. I should keep a diary or notes of how the medications help or don’t help him. My poor little guy. He’s so sweet. I hate seeing him miserable like that. He actually went into the yard after that incident for about an hour and ate weeds. I couldn’t even see him. He was just out there in the pitch dark chomping. I couldn’t get him to come in. But, he slept well afterwards. I laid out towels on my bed in fear of a vomit fest but there was none. He slept and woke up and hacked a few times but seemed ok. I am crossing my fingers that this is all just acid reflux and nothing scary like a tumor or cancer in his throat.

I’ll keep you guys updated if any changes occur. I wish my vet wasn’t out of town but I have a feeling she will only be telling me to get him scoped. :/

[anonymous]

Please (again) do not give any over the counter medications, supplements, or make dietary changes that your vet has not approved. Please try to refrain from self diagnosis or listening to opinions on the internet and taking medical advice. This is a recipe for ending up at the emergency vet.

Many supplements and over the counter medications have interactions with prescription meds and side effects.
I would only listen to veterinary healthcare professionals that have examined your dog and know his history.
This is my last response to you as I feel you have not been receptive to anything I have said in my prior posts. Best of luck.
Example:
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120272
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120250
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120124
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120071

[Susan]

Hi
if your vet has “prescribed” the Omeprazole 20mg please try it, it may not of agreed with you but it might help your little man, if not ask vet to try Pantoprazole instead, natural doesn’t work for acid reflux, I tried natural (Slippery Elm) + Zantac for 2 yrs & NOT tried Patch on the Omeprazole cause its a PPI, then my vet said to me, its all about quality of life Susan & he is having 5 bad days a week, maybe 2 good days a week if he’s lucky, so I started Patch on 10mg Omeprazole in morning & the other 10mg at before night, but in the end these PPI drugs work best given in 1 dose in the a morning & they last 24 hours… I gave Omeprazole for 10 days with 200mg Metronidazole twice a day aswell to kill any bacteria in gut & he was heaps better, I had my old happy Patch back again, then I stopped the Omperazole & Metronidazole & 2-3 days later Patch started having a licking & grinding attacks again, so I only gave him the Omeprazole for 2-3 days when he needed it & was having an acid attack then I stopped cause its a “PPI” but in the end Patch was heaps better while taking the Omeprazole so he stayed on it for 2 yrs & this year I had to changed him over too Pantoprazole in March cause he went down hill real bad again his flap isnt closing properly, Pantoprazole is what I take for my GORDS & my flap doesnt close properly either, I have to sleep sitting up & I raise PAtches head aswell at night while he sleeps, he’s started doing really well again when I changed him from 20mg Omeprazole to Pantoprazole 20mg once a day morning, BUT 2 days ago he had a bad licking attack after I had just posted a post to you lol, he had eaten these coconut lamb balls for Lunch he was fine the last 4 times he ate this healthy natural pet food for lunch but the other day it must have been too much fat & he wanted grass badly crying at the back door having a panic attack to get out..
I keep grass inside in water so if he needs grasss badly at night I have some I have picked on walks & washed, I dry the grass blade & give 1 pieces at a time not too much, the grass in water only lasts about 4 days then goes yellow… I find the Quick Eze Chews work the best he gets instant results, I told my vet & she said if its working then do what helps him..
We are seeing vet tomorrow morning, he’s getting a Dexafort injection for his skin allergies but I dont want to do it, I read all the side effects 🙁 the vet wanted to do this Dexafort injection back in March & I said not yet, I want to fix his stomach first.. but Spring has come early & its hot already here in Australia & Im not putting him thru another itchy Summer & then he reacted badly with a IBD flare attacked with his stomach & Esophagus.. last Nov thru to March this year.
It’s VERY stressful seeing the dog you love suffer….
I hope he gets better soon…

[I love Dogs 2]

@ Anon101
You are full on, give the poor bloke a break . You’re
Confusing the poor bloke. You can’t always be
Correct, you’re not a vet & reading through all your post you
have no experience in this matter. Let it go the poor dog sounds like its suffering. Stop wanting to be right all the time. Move on, Susan & a few other posters sound like they
seem to have a dog who has been through what Rayns dog
is going through.. think of the poor dog & not yourself for a change.

[Ryan K]

Anon…I have appreciated your help. Please don’t think I am ignoring or not being receptive. Everything I give my dog I definitely run by my vet first. I am incredibly aware of certain medications being problematic when taken with other natural supplements. I am very much a “call the vet to ask first” type of person. I just like getting as much info and tips from people as possible to see what worked for them. I don’t want you to think I have been irresponsible with my dog or have been ignoring anything you mentioned. My main problem is that I can’t get the expensive testing to truly get the best diagnosis for what is really happening so I want as many suggestions as possible from people experiencing the same thing with their own pets.

I have been really grateful for every post made. Susan has posted a lot of helpful info that seems likely to help my dog if I apply it. I definitely will ask my vet if he can take whatever I may want to give him. I am too paranoid to not do that. 🙂

[Ryan K]

Susan…thanks again! My vet did tell me to give him omeprozole for two weeks. She wanted me to try the rx food and the sulfralcate first. I will be doing that next.

I have to hear back about the slippery elm but I did buy that. I’m sorry your dog is going through all of this too. It’s truly hard to see happening. Your dog is lucky to have someone like you being so diligent with taking care of them! I hope I can get the finances quick to find out if he has the h. Pylori as my vet will not treat him for it unless he has a positive test result which is only done via scope. 🙁 I do lean to thinking it’s that. I feel like it’s too much of a coincidence that I adopted him and shortly after contracted that myself. I could have gotten it from his licks! Eeeek! My poor guy. He’s such a good dog too. He has never once barked or done anything destructive in the 9 years I’ve had him. He’s a very mellow, quiet, sweet little guy. It makes it harder to see him so miserable. 🙁

[anonymous]

@ Ryan
No worries. It’s just that as someone who has worked in healthcare for decades (humans not animals). It frightens me to see some of the bad advice that is given out on forums.
I have admitted too many folks from the emergency room that came in with shopping bags full of supplements and over the counter meds that were causing them to be ill.
Best of luck

PS: Maybe you could return that supplement and use the money toward testing as recommended by the examining vet?

[Ryan K]

Thanks Anon! It was fairly inexpensive. I do need to start saving though for testing.

Oddly enough, I left a message asking for the correct dosage for omeprozole to start him on and they called me back and said that the other veterinarian on site had watched my YouTube videos and said he believes they are psychomotor seizures! He said he is recommending to my vet when she returns that he be put on phenobarbital. She will call me Monday. I still feel like this is stomach though. He seems so AWARE when he has these. I guess a trial of an anti seizure medication may be a smart idea if they tell me that’s the right thing to do. Such confusion. I wish I had bought him insurance when I got him. This is a lesson to those that think it would be a waste. I was talked out of it by my family when I got him. They said it would be a total waste of 30 bucks a month. Now I wish I had done it. He’s been in and out of the vet monthly since he turned 7. 🙁

[anonymous]

The gastrointestinal distress is a symptom of the neurological disorder, by treating the seizure disorder the gastrointestinal symptoms should be alleviated. Thereby eliminating the need for the other meds and additional testing, discuss with the vet.
See excerpt from Simple Partial and Complex Partial Seizures https://www.vetinfo.com/partial-seizures-dogs.html

Simple partial seizures are localized and originate in that area of the brain that controls movement. The face is the area that’s most commonly affected. Abnormal behavior, such as twitching or blinking is observed usually on one side of the face. Thus, this type of seizure is asymmetric in nature. The dog is alert, aware of his surroundings and confused by what’s happening. This seizure might spread and affect other parts of the body as well. In such cases, buckling and twitching of the limbs might be observed. Simple partial seizures may end or degenerate into a general seizure where the pet might lose consciousness. Complex partial seizures originate in that area of the brain that controls behavior and are also called psychomotor seizures. In such seizures, the dog’s mental awareness is hampered. During each such seizure, a certain form of abnormal behavior is repeated. Examples of abnormal behavior are lip smacking, hysterical running, aggression, biting, hiding or crouching and fly biting, when it appears as though the dog snaps at imaginary flies around his head. Such behavior is often accompanied by salivation, flank biting, vomiting, diarrhea and unusual thirst or appetite.

[anonymous]

@ Ryan, btw, You’re welcome. This is actually good news. I hope he responds to the meds, I mentioned that medication in a prior post. Last I checked, it was very reasonable cost wise. It might be available in generic form for veterinary use.

[Ryan K]

Thank you again!

I do hope the vet can accommodate him with meds that won’t make his sensitive system even more messed up. He reacts so poorly to every pill he takes. I hope there is an anticonvulsant that won’t bother him too much. He couldn’t take gabapentin so that worries me as that is sometimes used to treat seizures. It made him sick right off the bat. We will see. Fingers crossed! He had a good day today with no signs of an attack so that was nice. I am anxious to hear back from my vet Monday to see if she concurs with the other vet there.

[anonymous]

My small breed was on a daily low dose of phenobarbital for over 10 years, no side effects.
He was alert and active. He had been diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy at a young age just by his behavior and symptoms. This was years ago. The vet may recommend annual routine lab work, see what she says.
Sometimes they can have break through seizures but they tend to be infrequent and mild.

Write down all your questions so that you can go over them with the vet. Please don’t let people discourage you and tell you medications are bad. They were invented for a reason and have helped many pets and people. Any medication that is effective could have possible side effects. Don’t get hung up on that.
Too bad the vet you spoke to couldn’t start the medication today? Did you call and ask? They won’t charge you for phone calls, I hope :-/

[anonymous]

@ Ryan
I am so glad that you are establishing a good relationship with your vet and her clinic, they tend to work as a team. I am familiar with all the vets at the clinic we go to. Of course I have my favorites, but if they are not available I go with who is.

It makes a difference and I have found that when they can give me a break, they do.
Let them know you are on a tight budget, they understand.
And don’t be afraid to e-mail them with questions and such, it’s all good 🙂

Oh, and depending on the anticonvulsant it may take a week or two for the medication to kick in, ask your vet. So, of course I would continue current prescribed meds until told not to by the examining vet.

Another question for your vet, the old rule of thumb was that if the dog is having one or more seizures per month or the seizures are severe, the vets usually recommend starting medication. Ask if this has changed.

[Scott K]

Hi all- We have a 2 1/2 year old wheaten terrier that USED TO get the gulpies every 2 to 4 weeks since she was about 4 months old. We read all the posts we could find, did the vet thing, changed food, and all the supposed remedies we could find. Nothing helped. Then…we discovered a product from NuVet labs. We started her on the wafers in January and she did not get the gulpies for the three month supply we had. We stopped the wafers and in a week she got the gulpies. We started it up again and no gulpies since.

So that’s about 7 months total now with no issues. I am convinced there is something in those wafers that is missing from her food (purina pro plan for sensitive stomach), or counteracting something in her food. We will give these to her for the rest of her life.

FYI-We have no connection to NuVet other than being a customer.

Hopefully this info will help.

[Author]

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