labrador pup throwing up.

Question
I have a 4 month old chocolate labrador. He's about 30 pounds. Last week he threw up. It was mostly his dog food, and the day before I had given him this basted bone with chicken filling, so I thought that that may have caused it since he is still a puppy. Last night he threw up right when I was going to bed and had thrown up about another 2-3 times. His throw up is clear now. We started feeding him a new food. I am wondering if this is the reason and also, even though we keep him inside, it has started to get hot outside (into the 90's) and I'm wondering if maybe that has an effect on it with him running around outside? Should I make a vet appointment now or should a wait a day and see what happens? Thank you so very much!

~Lisa

Answer
Lisa,

Has your puppy had its last Distemper-combo booster and its Rabies shot? This should've happened at about 16 weeks, which would be his current age. If he isn't current on vaccines, I would advise taking him to a veterinarian now, as this could easily be the start of something like Parvovirus. If he is current on vaccines, you don't need to worry about the more serious possible causes of this.

How did you start feeding the new food? If you did it gradually over a period of about 7 days as directed on the label, it shouldn't be causing vomiting unless you've switched him to a very poor quality food like Science Diet, Ol' Roy, Kibbles and Bits, Puppy Chow, etc.  If you did it abruptly, it could've easily upset his stomach and digestive system. I don't think the heat is causing it as long as he isn't outside for too long at one time and has constant access to fresh water and shade. As for the bone, that type of treat is generally discouraged when a puppy is this young. Treats should not make up more than 10% of your dog's total daily intake - and if you think about how much a puppy eats each day, and how big the bone was, its probably too much for him. The best treat for a puppy is granulated rawhide - it's easier on their gums while they are teething, and it's easier for them to digest. You can find it at Wal-Mart or any pet store.

Vomiting bile or clear liquid usually just means the dog threw up on an empty stomach. If its an isolated incident and goes away on its own after a couple of days, it can be ignored. If the vomiting is still going on tomorrow, he should be examined by a veterinarian. I want you to check his hydration and color today though, and if it's not normal, he should be seen immediately. You can check hydration by pulling up the skin on the nape of his neck and checking the elasticity. If it pops right back into place, he is well hydrated, but if it takes a while to return, he's dehydrated. Also look at his gums and tongue and make sure they are nice and pink, and not going pale.

I'm also going to link you to a page with some helpful information on recognizing good dog food. Proper nutrition is the most important part of starting a puppy on a course to live a long, healthy life. My personal recommendation is to feed a natural diet, like Diamond Natural (www.diamondpet.com). Diamond makes the most affordable high-quality diets available (you can get a 40 lb bag of Diamond Natural for about 20$.)

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Recognize-the-Best-Dog-Food-for-Your-Dog&id=242...

Best wises,
Ashley