Stomache blockage in my 10 week old puppy. HELP!

Wee need your suggestions, 

we took him to the vet, he was xrayed, enema'd, drugged and sent home to wait to see if it gets worse. does anyone have suggestions that will help us help him.

He is not acting in pain. He just cant pass anything besides liquid stools beyond his stomache right now, his burps are absolutely foul and he strains to go but cant.

I hate to be helpless.

I posted this in nuitrition because this showed up after his first day of a RMB diet. he had raw chicken wings in the am and a mix of raw meats form the deli, sans bones in the evening yesterday and was up whining all night and now this.

please help if you can. Artax is my 7 sons first dog and they have bonded so close in the week and a half that we have had him.

I went through a partial blockage with one of my girls last fall.  We hooked her up to IV fluids in hopes of super hydrating her & helping the piece of tulle pass.  It worked, & she passed it without surgery. 

If it were my dog, I would give him a day of IV fluids.  Then, if reasonable progress is not being made, I'd send my dog in to surgery for retrieval of the foreign body.  Waiting too long can cause irreparable damage & can potentially kill the puppy.

Fingers crossed that the blockage passes.

Thanks for answering,

Did you do the iv fluids at home!? He has still been drinking and has not lost his appetite, although the vet said no food till later this evening.

Last night when it began I gave him about two tablespoons of raw pumpkin in hopes that it was constipation, and then about 4 hours later with no progress I gave him about 10 ml of olive oil for the same reason. One, or the other, or both helped marginally as this morning he started passing a small amout of liquidy stool. Something has got to be better than nothing.

If your vet is willing to teach you how to handle IV fluids, then you can.  That would really depend on their preference.  My dog stayed at the vet clinic for the day.  I took her in around 8:00am & she was hooked up to fluids until she passed the tulle at around 6:00pm. 

I would be very careful giving any kind of oil by mouth.  If it comes to surgery, oil makes things MUCH more difficult for the surgeon.

auburn2932

 That food should not be given to a puppy that young! Did you tell the vet what you fed him?

I know NUMEROUS, reputable breeders who wean their puppies straight to a raw diet.  If done correctly it is, IMO, perfectly safe.

Since liquid is getting thru the vet is likely hoping he will still pass this -- honestly, how close are you to your state's best vet school?  Often (not always but 'often';) they can be way cheaper than a specialty vet and very cutting edge in technology.  Likely he's going to need an ultrasound (to locate the blockage specifically enough in the many, many feet of the intestine) and your vet may not have that.  (Not saying anything bad about your vet at all -- but sometimes ultrasounds can be difficult to find in places.)

My biggest concern is that he's too young to go for long without eating.   If he eats does he throw up immediately?  IS HE DRINKING? 

You can give him slippery elm and water -- that's going to lubricate the intestinal tract and reduce inflammation AND it's quite nutritious (since he's not getting anything else).  You could, in fact, mix baby food meat and slippery elm -- I'd say maybe 1 c. boiling water and whisk in 1 teas. slippery elm bark (health store item).  Then add maybe 1 tablespoon of beef baby food meat.

Thin that down to the same consistency his *** are (whatever is passing thru) and give him small amounts (by baby medicine syringe if need be) every couple of hours.  You've GOT to keep him hydrated.

Take hold of the skin on the back of his neck with two fingers and pull up.  That skin should snap IMMEDIATELY back.  If that skin stays "tented" **at all** (or slides slowly back down) you've got a veterinary emergency on your hands.  He MUST have fluids (particularly with the heat wave the US is having).  Small amounts but fluids. 

 You may also want to get pedialyte for him (even the frozen popsicle pedialyte things are FINE to get liquid in him).

Don't assume you can't go back to the vet -- DO NOT let him get dehydrated if you have to take him to another vet or an emergency vet.  It can happen so easily if they aren't drinking because it makes them feel sick.

I would seriously tell you to go to a vet school if you feel at all frustrated -- they're good at this type of thing (and you likely can go in to ICU even during the night).  Even if it is a few hour's drive -- it can be worth it.

And really the op asked for immediate help, not a scolding.

I don't have any veterinary advice since I'm not a vet.  Just wanted to send some good vibes for your pup.  Hopefully, it will resolve without surgery. 

If he does have a blockage, the raw diet may have had nothing to do with it.  Puppies swallow all sorts of things that can cause them problems.   Best of luck for a good, easy outcome.

gradyupmybutt

And really the op asked for immediate help, not a scolding.

You are absolutely right and I surely didn't mean to scold, and mine could almost have sounded that way (and I"m gonna edit it) -- I know virtually NOTHING about raw feeding, particularly a pup.  That's my ignorance -- I was thinking out loud.  I truly have not a clue how you start them on it.

That's gotta be scarey with such a little one. 

I have no experience with puppies or blockages.  But, we are wishing you and your pup all the best.  Hope no surgery is needed!!

BEVOLASVEGAS

auburn2932

 That food should not be given to a puppy that young! Did you tell the vet what you fed him?

I know NUMEROUS, reputable breeders who wean their puppies straight to a raw diet.  If done correctly it is, IMO, perfectly safe.

Glad to hear that...

Thank you everyone, for both your concern and time in answering, I will be trying the slippery elm today.

The vet was not concerned about the raw food diet, He said what we fed him should have been completely safe. (although I was starting to be concerned! but his littermate Sophie has eaten the same thing without the issues her brother is having.) 

The good news is that through all of this he has lost neither his appetite nor his thirst. He has been trying to eat and dring as usual. The amount of food intake is slightly less that normal but he is still enthusiastic about meal time. Just peters out halfway through (probably because he is soooooo full.)

We took him to a second vet last night, (the one I wanted to see) but as I was worried about a prolapsed rectum I took him to an alternate that had an earlier opening. (in hind sight I should have waited. that was $250 that wasn't very helpful, aside from the xray) The 2nd vet gave us some home remedys to try (mineral oil daily and soaking his food for 15min before feeding, in addition to adding the raw pumpkin to keep things moving.) And he was great at setting us at ease. He said that since Artax is showing no signs of pain even when palpating his stomach, and he has not lost his appatite, he isn't throwing up and he is still drinking, he is fairly confident that he will pass whatever is slowing him down, with our help. His only warning is that since he is a Newfie/ Blue Heeler mix he will be at further risk for his stomach flipping later in life.

Another thing to worry about!

He passed many runny stools last night, and then nothing for about 8 hours and I started to get worried again but this morning he had a significantly larger (1/2 cup) semi soft poo rather than liquid! YAY!!!

LOL

So Thank you everyone for your time and thoughts, I am happy to have found a place with people who don't mind worrying over or being excited over doggy poop, haha It is just like talking about baby diapers with other mothers.

Many thanks,

Katie