8 year old Dog in heat, not eating and throwing up

Question
My 8 year old Peke is in heat, is lethargic, won't eat and has been throwing up.  What can possibly be done?  I plan on having her spayed after her heat is over but should I take her to the vet now?

Answer
Hi Charlya:

I'm sorry your little girl is going through such a difficult time. A normal heat cycle shouldn't be causing the symptoms you mentioned so I would suspect either she's ingested something that's upset her stomach or other possibilities. Unfortunately the other possibilities are too numerous to merely guess as to what the exact cause for her gastric problem could be. I would urge you to have your vet examine her ASAP & in the meantime, you might try giving her a small dose of Pepto-Bismol every few hours to see if that will make her feel a little better. If she's vomiting excessively, there's a possibility she could become dehydrated. If this is the case, try giving her some plain Pedialyte -- often using a syringe or similar dosing applicator will help you to know exactly how much she's getting. If she's drinking water normally keep encouraging her to do so. If the vomiting seems to slow down somewhat before your vet appointment, you might try tempting her with a bland diet such as some boiled rice with either a little chicken or ground beef (be sure to drain away all fat) and see how well she tolerates that. You'll want to be sure she's in good health before having her spayed so hopefully this is only an upset stomach & nothing more serious. Please let me know if you have any additional concerns & I hope for the best for you both.