Aussie getting sick!

Hi, I am a fairly new mom to a now 5 month old Mini australian shepherd. Potty training went well but I am running into a few problems. He was on IAMS puppy food but just into a large bag of the lamb & rice formula he began barfing after most meals. Food is still in kibble form, just very moist. After this went on for a few days, we switched him to Puppy chow on Labor day. He is LOVING the puppy chow, inhaling it in record times, but still getting sick after most meals. He has on a few occasions gotten sick nowhere near a meal, once at 4AM and another quite early in the morning before he'd eaten.

Another problem I'm having is something I know I'm to blame for. When we first got him, he slept in his kennel in our kitchen. Eventually he got the roam of the entire kitchen since I can close that off with doors on both ends. Now he sleeps with us. Always he's gotten up any time between 4-6AM, used to be to potty but now he doesn't want to go every morning at that time. Regardless, when he wakes me up we usually go for a walk and then I finish sleeping on our couch in the living room, and he has free roam of the living room and kitchen. He used to just sleep on a nearby ottoman, and now frequently he sleeps on my feet on the couch. For the last week or two, he has decided he doesn't want me sleeping anymore! He will jump up on me and stare me down, wake me from the floor by snorting or barking (or in some cases by barfing, but those times obviously don't annoy me as much). I guess I just need to be made to feel it's not so mean to leave him alone in the living room and let me sleep in my bed. My husband works 7-330 and I work 9-6 so he is usually home alone for about 5 hours a day (I go home for lunch but the time varies) and then we sometimes go to the gym or out in the evenings for a few hours.

Am I a bad mommy?

 

You leave quite a few questions unanswered. Is he fully vaccinated, and up to date? He shouldn't be vomiting as often as he does. It is not normal for a dog to vomit after most meals. Have you had a vet check him? He could have eaten something and have a partial obstruction, or it could just be that he's sensitive to the foods you are feeding him. Maybe he's one of these dogs that needs a strictly lamb and rice diet, or something similar. There is a diet called I/D (intestinal diet) that some dogs ewith sensitive systems tolerate very well. Its made by Science Diet. In any case, I'd take him to the vet and maybe have an x-ray done to make sure there isn't a problem going on that is causing the vomiting. This isn't normal, like I said. And its better to catch it ASAP instead of letting it get worse and possibly end up in a complete obstruction.

 

I agree, the dog should be checked by a vet. It could be a number of things, butthat much vomiting is not normal. As to his other behavior, sounds like he's trained you very well! :mrgreen: I have to say I'm also guilty of letting my Annie get away with too much, but when he won't let you sleep, you must draw the line. It's not abusive to make him sleep by himself. hehe He'll even be happier knowing he has boundaries, though I bet he'll complain about it for a bit. You could crate train him, or simply lock him out of your bedroom, if you can trust him by himself. If he's only alone 5 hours a day and you come home during lunch, I think that it's not too much to ask of him. Sounds like you're a good mommy that loves him very much!

 

I'm no expert by any means but the visit to the vet sounds like the best idea. What about reducing the amount of food as well? If your baby is eating just 'because it's there' maybe that could be part of it?

What does everyone else think?

 

Check that...I just double checked w/ my wife (she's had an aussie before our new one) and she says that the dog should be switched over gradually to the new food. Guess I shoulda checked with her in the first place..when will I ever learn....

 

Iams and Puppy Chow are also both very inferior foods. Puppy Chow especially. They aren't good for your dog.

 

OK, I need to answer a few questions. He is current on all his shots. He is not eating just because it's there, he doesn't have a constant access to food, he gets meals just like we do. I didn't gradually switch him because he hadn't held anything down in a few days and I figured he'd been about "unused" to the IAMS and anything he could keep down would be better. He hasn't had any problems with his stool, that's all been normal. And what foods do you reccomend instead of IAMS or puppy chow?

 

Some good brands are Innova, Healthwise, Canidae, Eagle Pack, Chicken Soup, Natural Balance, Blue Buffalo, Flint River, and possibly Nutro Natural. Anything with human-grade ingredients, no by-products, no corn, the least amount of grains and other fillers, with the first ingredients being a real meat (like chicken) or a meal made from a specified real meat (like chicken meal), and no artificial preservatives (like BHA or ethoxyquin).

Here is an article with some information on pet foods: http://www.api4animals.org/689.htm

Whole Dog Journal has many articles on good nutrition for dogs, but you have to pay for back issues. The best source of info for good foods to feed is their annual "top dry dog foods" list. The February 2004 article called "Good Enough to Eat" talks about selecting a good kibble (http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/cg...nal&return_url=/pub/7_2/features/5605-1.phtml). There was a Top Dry Dog FOods list in Feb. 2003 (http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/pub/6_2/features/5516-1.phtml) - I thought there was a more recent one as well but I'm not seeing it right off.

I personally promote raw feeding. I feed raw meaty bones, organ meats, whole raw fish, and some eggs.

There are also pre-made raw foods that are better than kibble (but not as good as real raw food), such as Nature's Variety, Bravo, and others whose names are failing me at the moment.