# Nausea, shaking



## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

Hi everyone. Looking for any advice or ideas. Gabby has been sick on and off since Saturday night. Shaking and licking her lips, and being very clingy. Her belly's sometimes tight, as if she wants to throw up, but she hasn't. Every day she's fluctuated between seeing sick and seeming fine, if a bit tired. Her appetite is good, for the most part, and she's been going to the bathroom fine.

I took her to the vet yesterday, and they did blood work - came back perfect. No fever. They gave her an antinausea shot and some fluids. That seemed to help a bit, but the med has worn off I think and she spent the last hour shaking. She's on my bed with me now, taking a nap, and seems comfortable. 

I hate seeing her like this. Any ideas on how to make her feel better? Or what's going on? The vet suggested heartburn meds, so I'll be trying that as soon as she gets back to me on the dosage.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Poor Gabby, Luck does get 5mg of Pepcid AC each night because of his liver issues. Some use a holistic Ginger tonic. Could she had swallowed something she shouldn't have?


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Walter gave you exactly the same suggestions I would. Try a small dose (2.5 mg) of Pepcid to see if that helps. If it does, a holistic vet can help you find a regimine that works for you.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

hope your little fluff will start feeling better, she sure is a cute pie. I hope others can give you good advise

I love your siggy , looks like little Gabby loves her ball as much as my Matilda


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## Chardy (Oct 30, 2008)

Gabbysmom said:


> Hi everyone. Looking for any advice or ideas. Gabby has been sick on and off since Saturday night. Shaking and licking her lips, and being very clingy. Her belly's sometimes tight, as if she wants to throw up, but she hasn't. Every day she's fluctuated between seeing sick and seeming fine, if a bit tired. Her appetite is good, for the most part, and she's been going to the bathroom fine.
> 
> I took her to the vet yesterday, and they did blood work - came back perfect. No fever. They gave her an antinausea shot and some fluids. That seemed to help a bit, but the med has worn off I think and she spent the last hour shaking. She's on my bed with me now, taking a nap, and seems comfortable.
> 
> I hate seeing her like this. Any ideas on how to make her feel better? Or what's going on? The vet suggested heartburn meds, so I'll be trying that as soon as she gets back to me on the dosage.


Maybe try changing her diet?


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## jody10 (Aug 23, 2014)

Is she feeling any better. Maybe acid reflux. Definately try pepcid ac or pepto bismal.


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## Malt Shoppe (Jul 20, 2011)

I've had that happen before and $80. later, the vet tells me to give her some Malanta for an upset tummy. Sounds like your vet didn't give you much of an idea what might be wrong! I try keeping on hand, a vet product called Endosorb Suspension for doggie tummies/ vomiting/diarrhea. 
If her tummy is tight, that usually indicates gas or tummy upset. If she's not constipated, she might just have that upset tummy.
If it continues after giving some meds, take her back or to another vet.


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## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

Thank you all so much for your replies! Sorry to not come back sooner.

The only non-edible object she could have conceivably swallowed is the leg of one of her stuffed animals. She likes to chew them. But I checked and they're all intact. She'll pick up non-food items, if she thinks it may be food, but as soon as she realizes it's not, it's out of her mouth and back on the floor. 

Thanks Paula! Matilda is too cute!

I've switched her to a bland diet. I would have preferred to put her on boiled chicken and rice, but she throws up if she has rice (something about the texture - it's always happened) so I have her on Hills I/d. She's also getting a bit of pumpkins purée. 

Gabby is doing somewhat better. She's not constantly sick, now. On Thursday and Friday, she was feeling great all day. But after breakfast yesterday and breakfast and dinner today, she was feeling sick. Shaking, cowering, licking her lips and swallowing, walking backwards, refusing to take stairs, and a tight (but not bloated) tummy. It's better than it was earlier this week. She's interested in what's going on, her ears are perked, and she'll bark occasionally. But she's not feeling great.

Then, about an hour after it begins, she's back to normal. I fed her at 6:00 tonight, and at 5 minutes to 7, after hiding out under my bed for 20 minutes and acting off for 30 minutes before that, she sprints out and runs downstairs, perfectly fine. The only thing that was weird was after that was that she tried to roll over a couple minutes ago, yelped, and sprang back up like it had never happened. The vet said that she thought there might have been a tender spot on her back, but that she wasn't sure/too concerned. I don't know if it's related or not. 

I'm going to try feeding her smaller meals and see if that helps - I gave her a small meal yesterday for dinner and she was fine. Today I was going to do the same for dinner, but she finished it in 20 seconds, then she danced and spun, begging me for more. And I caved.

I'm wondering if it's something like gastroparesis? Ugh. I don't know. My vet doesn't seem to know either, or even have a direction to go in. The last visit, with just bloodwork and fluids (and an anti nausea shot), was $260. If Gabby needs it, by all means I'm going to do it. And I understand that it's difficult with animals, with them not being able to talk. But it's frustrating to have them come to me with an estimate for $600 for tests and X-rays that, when I outright asked my vet and reiterated that Gabby gobbles up anything edible but spits out anything that's not food immediately, she admitted that the X-rays weren't really necessary right now. That Gabby would be fine if we tried just blood work and a bland diet for a little while, because she didn't think it was a blockage. Gabby's improving - if she doesn't continue to, and X-rays are the next logical step, I'll of course get them - but I just don't like feeling like I'm being taken advantage of. 

Ok, I'll stop ranting. 

Small meals and the antacids are my next steps, I think. We never got around to the Pepcid, with her improving.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

I/d food has rice and corn. If Gabby has a problem with rice this will be aggravating it. Have you tried eliminating all grains for a few days? That means no corm or rice. Just boiled chicken. If she still has a problem switch to boiled hamburger. That's how I figured out Tessa gets sick from chicken.


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## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks maggieh. I appreciate the heads up! 

It's more the texture of the rice that makes her vomit. It happens with a few things, consistently - rice grains, bread or crackers (which she rarely and unintentionally gets), anything dry that can get stuck in her esophagus. If I get her to drink water immediately after eating the problem food to wash it down, she won't vomit. The rice in the hills is puréed and hasn't given her any problems. 

She's usually on a grain-free kibble, actually. Not because she gets sick off of grain (excluding her rice issue), but because I just personally think it's better for her. I tried a can of Newman's Own, grain-free chicken first - yesterday and this morning - and she had the same reaction as she did with the Hills at dinner tonight. The vet sent me home with Hills and I figured I would give it a try. Homemade boiled chicken is next on the list.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Maybe she is allergic to chicken?


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Poor Gabby, I don't think you are being taken advantage, I think that the vet just does not know what is happening. If she is having problems just after eating and especially after eating heavy, it is logical that she is having a digestion issue, whether it is an allergy, a physical issue with the stomach, digestive system or even the liver, or a biochemical issue that is making it difficulty to digest food such as an enzyme imbalance.

I hope the small meals and pepcid helps. If you still have an issue, I would talk to the vet about an uncommon protein, such as kangaroo or alligator - this would test to see if it is the food that is causing the issue.

Good luck with Gabby. I hope she feels better soon.


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## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

Thanks. I'm just used to my previous vet, who was conservative but very good at accurately picking which tests were necessary and which could be held off on and usually ended up not being needed. I very well may not be being taken advantage of, but it just feels a bit like it. I'll get over it. 

Is it common to develop a sudden onset sensitivity to a protein? She's nearly 8, and has never had any issues with food before.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Yup -

Allergies in Dogs: Symptoms and Triggers

On the first page:

Please note that food allergies may show up in dogs at any age.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

This might also be helpful:

How to Heal Your Pet's Food Allergy


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## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

That's really interesting. Thanks for the links! I'll definitely be looking into it.


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## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

Small meals, so far so good. She's had two today with no problems. Fingers crossed!


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

I think I'd get a second opinion.


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## Gabbysmom (Dec 13, 2010)

I started her on 2.5mg of Pepcid, twice daily (30 min before every meal), on Tuesday night, and she's been great since Wednesday morning. Vet wants to keep her on it for a week, take her off, and see how she does.


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## glo77 (Feb 10, 2015)

thats great news Thanks for posting


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Good news


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## Lou's Mom (Apr 8, 2014)

My daughters doxie developed an allergy to chicken when he was 10. He started having all kinds of tummy issues, skin rashes and even seizures, after tons of tests (that really didn't show anything) she was at her wits end. By process of elimination they discovered the chicken in his dog food and treats were the cause. Good luck with your baby.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

that's great to hear


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