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Intestinal Blockage??

By the sounds of it, Apollo is at high risk for an intestinal obstruction. If he's chewing and digesting his bedding then he seriously needs to be looked at by a professional. An abdominal ultrasound will reveal a foreign body in the stomach or intestine, if that's the case.

I really would have him looked at ASAP, especially as he's turned his nose up to food (especially treats!)
 
I agree. Better to be safe than sorry. Time matters in a situation like this... Tissues can die from blockages and you can't get them back. Please take him in to be seen. Not eating for three days...Not even eating snacks is a big red flag. Dogs like to eat, especially nummy snacks!
 
As a very general rule - 24 hours is the most I go with a dog not eating before they go to the vet. Less for younger pups. Over protective? Probably. But experience has taught me that anything over 24 hours and there is an underlying issue (foreign body and obstruction being most common with pups, but cancer and tumors can also do it along with a lot of other illnesses). Lack of appetite is usually one of the first symptoms we notice and timely treatment can make a significant change to outcome.
 
My very first boy, Jake ate a ball, whole as a pup. I can't stress how much of an urgency this is.
He was lucky, very lucky. That and we caught him straight away. The ball become lodged somewhere in his gastrointestinal tract, causing a blockage. He needed immediate surgery.

If you don't get him seen, and it is a blockage the fluids, gasses and discomfort will only continue to build and it's life-threatening. Seriously! Strangulation of the intestines is just as serious and that will cut off the gut from oxygen.

Please, keep us updated!
 
First off, I think I owe everyone an apology for completely leaving everyone hanging after I last posted. It's like I fell off the face of the earth. So, I am so sorry I haven't updated. Thank you all for caring so much, it really means a lot. Second, Apollo is "fine"...but not great. So the update is that I took him to the day after I last posted (about a week ago) and suggested an xray because he had no appetite but the vet insisted on first giving him vitamin b12 to see if that helps..she didn't see any issues with him during the check up..so I went out and bought some vitamin b12. Ever since that day a week ago, I have literally been hand feeding him his food 5 pieces at a time. Still no appetite at all. The only way I got him to eat this entire past week was by hand feeding him little by little. I even put his favorite chicken baby food on top of his food and he turned away from it! So yes, he has "eaten" but not on his own at all since last week. The only thing I can think of that I did differently right before he lost his appetite was feed him a few slices of apples..no skin or core/seeds. I'm worried. He is still active, hyper, silly. He still drinks water. Poop is solid and normal. The only thing different is his appetite. I wanted to wait a week for the b12 to work but since it isn't, I am going to bring him to the vet again tomorrow and ask for an xray and make sure he gets one this time. :/ He is getting skinnier..
 
I've heard of B12 for inability to digest food but I haven't heard about it used for an appetite issue. Glad to hear you are going to insist on an x-ray.
If the x-ray is clear, you might try a basic boiled chicken and rice diet for a while.
 
How old is apollo again ? Ares started turning his nose up at food when his hormones really hit (8 months old) and this was why I began to feed him a totally raw diet. We rarely have issues ever since the switch and all my guys get a starve out once a week go clean any excess poop build up in their intestine.
I def think an X-ray is needed.
 
Congo (the olde English bulldogge) came to us with a side hernia and (we didn't know it) a stick stuck in it. The vet felt it was an odd spot for a hernia and that he had had some trauma, most likely from a mature dog. He thought the hernia would heal on its own.


Long story short he had diarrhea on and off, little spells where he seemed just fine. Short stages where he seemed uncomfortable, never lasting for more than 12ish hours. We ended up at the emergency hospital with him on a Saturday night. They did emergency surgery and removed 8-10" of intestine and we were super worried he wouldn't make it. Vet said he had had the stick for quite some time, that it was starting to form adhesions to the abdomen. We just bought the dog maybe 6-8 weeks before.

My point is, they can eat and poop and still have a blockage or partial blockage/something stuck. It's really worth it to push. You know your dog, you spend time with him, your vet does not.

Hope your boy is feeling better soon. B12 does help with appetite, we give it to horses who need to gain weight. :)
 
AresMyDobie said:
How old is apollo again ? Ares started turning his nose up at food when his hormones really hit (8 months old) and this was why I began to feed him a totally raw diet. We rarely have issues ever since the switch and all my guys get a starve out once a week go clean any excess poop build up in their intestine.
I def think an X-ray is needed.
Click to expand...
Apollo is 10 months now. Why do they turn down food around that age?
 
Apollo's Dobermom said:
Apollo is 10 months now. Why do they turn down food around that age?
Click to expand...
Hormones in Ares case. He's never been destructive ever, so I knew it had to be something else. I got a blood panel run and came back normal. He can just be a turd about food sometimes especially if he hasn't been worked out.
Since your boy is a shredder I would for sure get an X-ray !
 
Yes the B12 should help with increasing appetite. Your Vet can also check the levels of B12 with blood work. Ask the Vet to give you some and you can do injections at home. They can show you how. Its not hard to do.
If you do the boiled chicken breast I would get boneless. Cooking it too long with the bone in. Should never feed cooked bones.
Could also make and give some bone broth. Lots of great vitamins and minerals.
 
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