The cold and flu season is here and it has hit us here at Three Dogs At Home. No, not me! It’s the dogs who are ill.
I woke up yesterday to the sounds of a dog barfing. Yes, that is a technical term. Thankfully my husband was already up and attending to Gidget. He tucked her back in bed with me and cleaned up the mess. Yes, I am married to a man who can clean up dog vomit. Not kid vomit, only dog vomit. Gidget seemed to get better as the day worn on so I was not too worried. She was drinking water without anymore barfing.
Fast forward to early this morning when I was again awakened by barfing sounds. This time it was Zoey, who’s timing isn’t as good as Gidget’s because my husband had already left for work. Zoey seemed to be fine so after I cleaned up the vomit I got back in bed hoping to get a bit more sleep.
But it was not to be. It seemed like I had just closed my eyes when I was awakened by the now far too familiar barfing sound. This time the barfing resulted in 5 loads of laundry and a little gagging on my part. The last time she was sick it was much worse. She was trying to wake me up and pucked right in my face.
So what is up with my girls? They most likely have a stomach virus. Yes, dogs do get viruses. Dogs can get the “stomach flu” just as a human can. Stomach upset or gastroenteritis, is one of the most common ailments that dogs get. It typically lasts 1-2 days in dogs and can cause loss of appetite, bloating, pain, and vomiting.
They also can pass it around just like kids so now I am waiting for Bella to get it.
So what should you do if your dogs check a stomach virus?
According to Web MD’s Healthy Dog site, if your dog is healthy and has vomited only once, you should withhold food and water for about 12 hours to give your dog’s stomach time to rest.
After that, give your dog a few ice chips or a small amount of water (a quarter to half a cup, depending on your dog’s size) to see if they can tolerate it. You also can give them a small amount of pediatric electrolyte solution with the water.
If your pet seems fine with the water, offer a couple of tablespoons of bland food, such as boiled chicken breast and rice, every few hours. If he keeps it down, you can slowly reintroduce his regular diet. If he throws up again, see your veterinarian.
Thankfully both of the dogs are recovering nicely due to the love and attention they are receiving between loads of laundry.
Thanks for reading,
Traci