# Bianca sick.. not sure if its from dog food or not



## biancasmom (Jun 24, 2008)

hi everyone, sorry i havent been on here in a while. Work has been crazy busy and that is usually when i get on.

So tonight, my mom and grandma came over. Bianca had been in her playpen all day while at work. All that is in there (foodwise) is a small bowl of water and a small bowl of her food (more on the food later). When I took her out of the playen, my mom just happened to be coming in the front door (I could hear her talking outside the door) so I held Bianca so she wouldnt run out when the door was open.. My mom took about 2 minutes because they were looking at something outside and Bianca could hear them and got soooo agitated.. She was crying loudly and breathing heavy and straining to get of my lap. When they finally came in she was so excited.. she kept jumping all over the couch where they were sitting. Then my mom got on the floor with her and played fetch with the ball until she was so winded, she laid down on near my mom breathing heavily.. then about 20 min later, I was showing them my new bed and we put BIanca on it and she loves to play under the covers and gets all rambunctious growling and biting the blankets. 

During all this she was fine. Finally she came out and ate a few mouthfuls of her food.. my mom was in the kitchen throwing some stuff away and decided to give bianca a handful of cinnamon corn chex. Now Ive given her that before, although usually i dont give her the cinnamon ones, just the plain ones and usually not a full handfull just a couple. Shortly after that my mom and grandma left and bianca does this thing when people she cries hysterically for a few minutes until i distract her with a toy. Again she was fine. i sat on the couch watching tv and she was playing with her toys. After about 2 hours, I noticed that she was laying off in a corner very quietly which is not like her.. then i saw her get up and walk over near her water bowl.. she was holding her tail down and her belly up (like arching her back kind of) Then she threw up. So i got up and looked closely at where she was laying and she had already thrown up 2 other times that i didnt hear. 

This is the first time in the year that Ive had her that she has thrown up. My last experience with a dog throwing up was when my pomeranian was dying of kidney failure so i got scared.. i tried not to show it. I picked her up and held her and continued to watch tv while i rubbed the sides of he rbelly. She was shivering... She threw up one more time but it was mostly just spit up, no food.. So i held her for another 30 minutes or so and she stopped shivering. She actually licked me a couple times too like she was feeling a little better.. I have to go to bed because i dont have any more sick days at work but my mom is going to check on her tomorrow. I put her in bed and she seemed ok in there. I stood there for a minute to see what she was going to do and she actually put her feet up on the side and barked at me.. so i hope she is feeling better. She is sleeping now.

About the food. When i got her from the breeder she was eating Nutro Natural puppy food.. Iheard bad things about that so back in sept or so i changed her to Canidae Lamb and rice. when that bag ran out I cannot remember if i bought lamb and rice again or chicken and rice.. but i got her both at different points. She doesnt eat a whole lot of food but i like that the protein content is high so she doesnt have to eat a whole lot. i decided to try something different and last wednesday i got her canidae beef and ocean fish food. I mixd it with what is left of the chicken and rice and she has been eating it sincer last wednesday. 

Is it possible that the new flavor of food is not setting well on her stomache? would it take that long to find out? I was reading about canidae and i find equal amounts of people who say its bad since they changed their formula and hurting dogs and others saying their dogs love it and they are fine.. i would assume since i just started her on this last oct, ive been giving her the new formula the entire time. 

or do you think she overplayed tonight? and maybe had too much cinnamon chex?
Let me know what you think please! thank you


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

I am sorry that Bianca is sick. I do think that you should take time off work to take her to the Vet.

After being in her pen all day alone I am sure she was very excited and possibly ate her food way to fast. I would never give Cinnamon Checks as treats.
Maybe her food is causing some gastric upset.
Chase has colitis and since he is on a special diet our Oz has to eat the same thing. Oz has been so healthy on this and no upsets, no throwing up, perfect poo's. Eating healthy is proving the best for these little guys.
Never any chewies such as rawhides as they are processed in formaldehyde. If they swallow a piece and you are not home they could choke. Too many problems associated with chewies.

For Bianca's sake is there someone who would come in during the day to play and take her out? Being alone all day in a pen is, IMO, a sad life. I am sure she gets lots of love when you get home as I know you love her but she needs some attention and walks and human play time during the day. Being alone can bring on depression and behaviors associated with that.

Maybe your Mom would come in and play for a couple of hours everyday. :biggrin: 

Hope she is feeling better and after the Vet checks her out all will be well.
Please let us know.

Marsha


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## phesty (May 30, 2006)

I don't have any advice but just wanted to pop in and say that I hope Miss Bianca is feeling better soon!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

How is Bianca this morning? Vomiting and a hunched up body an be signs of pancreatitis. Toy breed dogs are prone to it and with some, it doesn't take much to trigger it. I would definitely take her to the vet if she still isn't feeling well.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1580&aid=335


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I hope she is feeling better. Really, there is no way for us to say what could be wrong. Personally, I don't take my dogs to the vet after them throwing up just one time (or a few times within a short amount of time). If she seems ok now, perhaps it was the cereal and/or over-excitement and it passed. It's also hard to say about the Canidae as well. If she is still sick and throwing up today, I'd probably take her in.


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## dwerten (Oct 6, 2007)

if she is not tossing and turning and acting uncomfortable and only did the prayer position once while vomitting i would not think this is pancreatitis but I would stick to the food that worked and keep her on that as beef is really rich so i would use a milder food like chicken or lamb with her if that is what was working - i always say go back to what works. Beef is higher in fat too - since this happened right after the chex my guess is the chex and i would not give her that anymore. If she had pancreatitis she would have been in pain and lethargic prior to the chex incident and not been all hyped up when your mom was there as dex would not get off the couch when he had pancreatitis and that was not like him. I think all the excitement and then a ton of food while excited set her off but also could be a build up of beef issue underlying so go back to what works and if it is not broke do not fix it or you could be borrowing more trouble i have found


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## biancasmom (Jun 24, 2008)

This morning she was running around, jumping and playing. So something just gave her a tummy ache.. It probably was the chex and maybe the food is too rich.. i have given her chex before but not a bunch.. just if i am eating her, i give her little pieces.. usually of the plain ones.

My mom has this bad habit of thinking she is too skinny and wanting to "fatten her up" and so gives her people food ALL the time. When i first got her i didnt want her to have people food AT ALL and my mom gave her first taste of with some chicken last year. Now she really loves carrots and broccoli and i dont mind giving her a little of that when i cook it.. but my mom needs to stop giving her all the sugary stuff.!!

janie


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

I don't know what the percentage of protein is in the food you are feeding but the higher ones are really for
more active dogs. It sounds like pancreatitis to me too, as everyone else said. Best to see a vet.


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## lottapaws (Mar 29, 2006)

I am so glad everything seems fine today!! However, you might just give your vet a phone call, anyway. Since your baby is back to normal today, it may have been just too much of everything, excitement, sugary treats, new food, etc.. But your vet can tell you whether or not your baby needs to be examined and can document this in your baby's records in the event it happens again or is a symptom of something that manifests in the future.


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## biancasmom (Jun 24, 2008)

i just realized the beef and ocean fish food is not one of the four star dog foods.

for the chicken and rice 

its about 27% protein.. so not TOO high.. but pretty good.

i think im going to try to return the beef food and exchange it for the chicken or lamb.. she likes those.


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Awww, I am so glad she is feeling better.
Chase and Ozzy eat Venison and potato ( Royal Canin ) dry. I see that they have just come out with a new food for Maltese and small breed which is Chicken and rice. Check into that as they are a great dog food company.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

QUOTE (biancasmom @ Jul 30 2009, 01:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=811565


> This morning she was running around, jumping and playing. So something just gave her a tummy ache.. It probably was the chex and maybe the food is too rich.. i have given her chex before but not a bunch.. just if i am eating her, i give her little pieces.. usually of the plain ones.
> 
> My mom has this bad habit of thinking she is too skinny and wanting to "fatten her up" and so gives her people food ALL the time. When i first got her i didnt want her to have people food AT ALL and my mom gave her first taste of with some chicken last year. Now she really loves carrots and broccoli and i dont mind giving her a little of that when i cook it.. but my mom needs to stop giving her all the sugary stuff.!!
> 
> janie[/B]


Why does your mom insist on giving Bianca food that is bad for her ... such as the sugary stuff you mention. Not only will it make her fat but it is likely to cause medical problems, as well. Because Bianca is a dog, she relies on her humans to do what is in her best interest, since she cannot make those decisions herself. I hope you can convince your mother that even though she may think it is "cute" to sneak food to Bianca... it is really doing her harm. Maybe you can get your vet to have a talk with your mother about this practice.

"Sugary Foods and Drinks
Too much sugar can do the same thing to dogs that it does to humans. It can lead to obesity, dental problems, and even diabetes."
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/slideshow-foods...hould-never-eat


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

QUOTE (K/C Mom @ Jul 30 2009, 07:53 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=811692


> QUOTE (biancasmom @ Jul 30 2009, 01:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=811565





> This morning she was running around, jumping and playing. So something just gave her a tummy ache.. It probably was the chex and maybe the food is too rich.. i have given her chex before but not a bunch.. just if i am eating her, i give her little pieces.. usually of the plain ones.
> 
> My mom has this bad habit of thinking she is too skinny and wanting to "fatten her up" and so gives her people food ALL the time. When i first got her i didnt want her to have people food AT ALL and my mom gave her first taste of with some chicken last year. Now she really loves carrots and broccoli and i dont mind giving her a little of that when i cook it.. but my mom needs to stop giving her all the sugary stuff.!!
> 
> janie[/B]


Why does your mom insist on giving Bianca food that is bad for her ... such as the sugary stuff you mention. Not only will it make her fat but it is likely to cause medical problems, as well. Because Bianca is a dog, she relies on her humans to do what is in her best interest, since she cannot make those decisions herself. I hope you can convince your mother that even though she may think it is "cute" to sneak food to Bianca... it is really doing her harm. Maybe you can get your vet to have a talk with your mother about this practice.

"Sugary Foods and Drinks
Too much sugar can do the same thing to dogs that it does to humans. It can lead to obesity, dental problems, and even diabetes."
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/slideshow-foods...hould-never-eat
[/B][/QUOTE]

:goodpost: I couldn't agree more. You are lucky Bianca didn't have pancreatitis this time, but next time you might not be so lucky. Is your mom going to step up and pay the $1,000 plus vet bill if she does?

Dogs cannot handle sugar like humans can. Every time your mom feeds Bianca sugar, her pancreas must struggle to process it. Over time it will simply wear out and Bianca will become diabetic. If you have followed Lady's story over the years, you know how many expensive medical problems diabetics have. I spend about $5,000 a year plus on Lady as a result of her medical problems, not to mention insulin shots twice a day, every day 12 hours apart for the rest of her life. 

If your mom was feeding Bianca poison, you would speak up, wouldn't you?


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Forgot to mention that Cinnamon Chex are not a good wholesome food for humans and I can't imagine eating that junk myself much less giving it to a tiny Maltese.

The best snack is really just some more of their food. I give mine a few kibble for snacks and sometimes a Castor & Pollux organic snack and a teeny amount of fruits and vegetbles with nothing added to them. Here are the ingredients for the Chex. It is filled with ingredients that are not good for humans or dogs ... food coloring and BHA and sugar. In the first 10 ingredients, sugar is listed 3 times .... "sugar .... fructose ... brown sugar syrup"... 

[attachment=55349:untitled.JPG]


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

BHA has been linked to cancer in dogs.

BHA

Enhanced stomach and urinary bladder carcinogenesis.
Causes squamous-cell carcinomas in stomachs.
(Cancers of this type are among the most lethal and fastest acting, the swiftest effects being seen among animals with light colored fur.)


http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels...logy_of_bha.htm

As Sher said, a few pieces of a high quality kibble is a great snack. Lady also gets green beans and blueberries. A little canned pumpkin mixed with plain organic yogurt is a fabulous treat.... we call it "pumpkin mousse".


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## roxybaby22 (Feb 25, 2009)

Roxy does just fine with her kibble as treats, but I do give her fruit and veggies at times. Just remind your mom that some dogs will eat anything, but not everything is good for them.  

This is completely off topic but, I'm just wondering one thing, does Bianca have allergies? The reason I'm wondering is because in your siggy it looks as if she chews on her paws since they are a little red. I hope she is all better.


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## dwerten (Oct 6, 2007)

not pancreatitis if back to normal today as pancreatitis is very painful and they do not bounce back like that -- my dog almost died from it and had two bouts - trust me you see it you know it lol - tell your mom pancreatitis is very expensive to treat and no people food especially fatty ones. I spent 10k over the course of a year with trying to get my dex back on track as he was hospitalized a few times and when they get it - it is easy to get it again so this is a good warning to be careful with people food. Maybe letting your mom know what i went through and how costly pancreatitis is to treat she will think twice about it  

QUOTE (biancasmom @ Jul 30 2009, 12:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=811565


> This morning she was running around, jumping and playing. So something just gave her a tummy ache.. It probably was the chex and maybe the food is too rich.. i have given her chex before but not a bunch.. just if i am eating her, i give her little pieces.. usually of the plain ones.
> 
> My mom has this bad habit of thinking she is too skinny and wanting to "fatten her up" and so gives her people food ALL the time. When i first got her i didnt want her to have people food AT ALL and my mom gave her first taste of with some chicken last year. Now she really loves carrots and broccoli and i dont mind giving her a little of that when i cook it.. but my mom needs to stop giving her all the sugary stuff.!!
> 
> janie[/B]


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## dwerten (Oct 6, 2007)

good idea - have you tried natural balance venison and sweet potato as just curious if itching and biting paws as well. I would recommend sticking to lamb over chicken if you can for allergy purposes as many allergy dogs cannot tolerate chicken diets when having allergies 

QUOTE (biancasmom @ Jul 30 2009, 05:05 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=811646


> i just realized the beef and ocean fish food is not one of the four star dog foods.
> 
> for the chicken and rice
> 
> ...


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## biancasmom (Jun 24, 2008)

Believe me, I have yelled at my mom for feeding the dog. I have told her that she will not get to babysit her alone again. My mom is very one track minded.

As far as the allergies.. I think Bianca just has red spit.. no im kidding.. When i last took her to the vet he said she might have allergies but he wanted to wait until i brought in her for her 2nd rabies shot after a year before doign anything about it. He said that sometimes the medicines for allergies stunt the dog's growth and since she was so small last august he wanted to wait.

So I will be taking her in next week and hopefully find something out about allergies. She just chews one foot... and when i clean her face....its wet and red again within an hour. 

Ive looked the foot over.. there is nothing in it or on it that should cause her to lick it or bite it so much. Also she doesnt itch a whole lot on her body but she does scratch under her chin a lot.. im wondering if thats related to the tear staining.


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