My new dog

Question
I have just adopted a dog on 06/21/08 from the animal wellfare society,before I took my newly pet home, My kids and I noticed that he (the dog) vomitted  what appears to look like alot of salivary substance.I had concerns at this point but, were told that it was ok. After we got home and we climatized alittle, i then figure that he might be thristy so i gave him some water.about 45mins later he started to vomit and the 20 mins later. Today again my pet started to vomits after drinking some water and also refusing to eat any of the same food that he was eating at the shelter. Please give me your suggestions to my new delema what should i do?

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

Congratulations on getting a dog!

Arriving to his new home can be a very stressful situation for a dog, and refusing food when under stressful situations is very common in dogs.
There is always a transition time for any newly adopted pet.

If your new dog is not acting lethargic or depressed, then he probably is fine. I say probably, because I can't see the situation. If you are concerned, there's nothing like a trip to the vet for getting to the bottom of of a problem, and easing your mind. A vet exam is a good idea just as a matter of course for any newly adopted dog, anyway.

If the vomit is yellowish and foamy, it means nothing more than an empty stomach, which could be uncomfortable enough to make your dog a little queasy, which makes him vomit again.

Your dog won't starve himself! He will eat. In the wild, dogs will often fast for days before getting food. In a quiet moment, maybe when it's just you and the dog alone, try coaxing him into eating by hand feeding him. You can also try enticing him by mixing a little hard boiled egg or bits of hot dog into his food. Just know that too much of this "food enhancement" will teach your dog to expect these tidbits, and cause him to become finicky, so once your dog starts eating discontinue the tidbits.

If you've chosen to feed your dog a dry food, coaxing him to eat by mixing in a little canned dog food is also something worth trying. Warming the food a little will help release all those delicious aromas to help spark your dog's interest. After a few days, you can decrease the amount of canned food a little at a time, if you'd rather keep him on a dry food diet.

If he seems nervous by having you around at meal time, try leaving the food with him, and leaving the room.

He will eat once he settles down. Make sure he's is drinking adequate water and is going out to potty enough. If however, your dog is still refusing food after three days, he should be examined by a veterinarian to rule out a medical cause.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti