Sick Shi-Tzu X Poodle

Question
Good afternoon, I have a shi-tzu and poodle cross, he is 12 years old.  Unfortunately he got into the garbage Saturday night and consumed chicken/chicken bones. He was throwing up repeatedly and acting oddly (hiding/running away from us) so we took him to the emergency clinic. She took x-rays and could see nothing wrong, gave him a shot so he would stop throwing up and liquid medication to be given every 8 hours. We continued with the medication but he was gulping down his water very quickly and still continued to throw up. The next day we took him to our regular vet, where she told us to withold water and make sure he only drinks a little bit. She also gave him another shot to stop the vomiting, and injected fluids beneath his skin to keep him hydrated. He hasn't thrown up for over 24 hours, but is extremely lethargic, and is not interested in the plain chicken and boiled rice we have offered him.

He was in very good condition before this (healthy, active, playful, no other health concerns or problems) As relieved as I am that he has stopped vomiting, I am concerned at his complete lack of interest in food. Any help or advice is appreciated. Thank you very much. (We are also returning to the vet later this afternoon if he does not eat)

Samantha

Answer
The eating is not important at this time; healthy dogs can go without food for a week, although I get concerned after three days if there are no other symptoms. Most of my dogs are smart enough not to eat if they have an upset stomach.

HOWEVER, it is important that your dog stay hydrated, and I suspect that he is not. Pull up on the skin at the back of his neck and watch how quickly/slowly it returns to normal position. If it goes back quickly, the dog is hydrated. If it goes down slowly (or not at all), he is dehyrated... and at his age, that is a great concern. He may need more sub-q fluids, and if you see signs of dehydration as I described, get him in ASAP! And I do mean IMMEDIATELY.

In the future, when a dog starts vomiting, withhold all food for at least 24 hours, and pick up the water bowl so that the dog doesn't try to tank up on water. (Some will; some won't... yours does.) Give the dog an ice cube every hour so that he is getting some fluid, and watch for signs of dehydration. When the dog starts leaving water in his bowl, then you can switch to plain water instead of ice cubes... *small* amounts of room-temperature water.

Once the dog has stopped vomiting, introduce a small amount of easily-digestible food after 24 hours... something like rice with a small amount of Gerber Strained Chicken in it for flavoring (yes, the baby food). Start him out with a teaspoon-full, and if that stays down, repeat every three-four hours. As the day goes on, give him slightly more each feeding. In a day or so, start mixing in a SMALL amount of his normal food, and gradually use more kibble and less rice with each feeding. If he begins to vomit, start over from the beginning with fasting for 24 hours.

Since your dog hasn't eaten since Saturday, I think I would start him out with just the Strained Chicken... just a small amount on a spoon for him to lick off. Most dogs cannot resist that, but you can just about force-feed that stuff if you have to. Please check for dehydration first before trying to feed him.

Good luck!