Guest SusanP Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 My Wizard is 8 and the older he's gotten, the more he's tended to vomit water after drinking a lot of it. We haven't been too concerned in the past, but he's doing it more often than he used to. He also tends to cough after/while eating. He's on meds for congestive heart failure, but the vet once commented that she didn't think the food-related coughing was connected to the cough he occasionally has upon exertion, which is connected to the congestive heart failure. But why does Wizard do this stuff when eating and drinking, is it something he should be checked for, or do many dogs do this? (None of our other hounds do it, though one occasionally gacks up his dinner when he eats too fast). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyTzu Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I would try raised feed/water bowls. Dancer was a huge drinker/belcher puker when we first brought her home. I asked my Vet about it and he suggested the raised water bowl and Tums. We raised the bowls and it cut considerably into her belching/puking issues. I also do not let my dogs tank up on water. They can drink all they want, just not all at once. If I hear them lapping loudly for more than 30 seconds, I make them walk away and wait a minute or so before they can start drinking again. JD, our oldest 'Tzu, is on meds. for blood pressure and CHF. He does not have issues with puking up food or water. In fact, he thinks cat puke is warm chow. Yeah, he sleeps on Kevin's side of the bed too. :lol Quote Wendy and The Whole Wherd. American by birth, Southern by choice. "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" ****OxyFresh Vendor ID is 180672239.**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Che_mar_Cody Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 (edited) Cody's almost 10 and was doing it almost after every meal. I've always had raised feeders, but works best for us is what Greytzu said "not let them tank up on the water." Edited April 10, 2009 by Che_mar_Cody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tumeria33 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I agree, a raised food and water bowl should help. Also limit the amount of water he drinks at any one time. It sounds like he his filling up his stomach with so much water that it comes back up. Older dogs tend to have more sensitive digestive sytems. Some dogs literally "wolf" down their food and will gorge themselves. Others don't. It is an indiviadual things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest speedoketo Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I agree - one of my hounds knows his limits but the other one will literally drink till he vomits if I let him so like someone else said, I'll stop him drinking if I hear him drinking longer than usual, especially if he was just sprinting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigPercyInMa Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Percy does that when he drinks too much at one time or after he runs around the yard like a nut and then drinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nerak254 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Goody did that after she had her liver and kidney issues. She would drink an entire bowl of water and then go into the living room on the carpet and throw it all up. I finally started giving her ice chips and small ice cubes and never had her do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wjamg Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 my bridge girl did this when she had kidney issues..for years it was occassional vomiting after drinking..as her kidneys got worse, it was everytime she drank, even it was a small amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindsaySF Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 The puking water thing is not so concerning IMO if he is drinking too much water, that might be why. But as for coughing after or while eating, is this only when he eats too much or too fast? Or when he swallows anything? Cody has had bouts of collapsing trachea and he would have problems with drinking and swallowing, even small amounts. Might be something to look into if it continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) Well, we have raised food and water bowls, but yes, this happens only when he's eating at the bowls, eating or drinking a lot at once. Other times he takes a mouthful of kibble to the living room, lies down and nibbles, and then he doesn't cough. He doesn't cough when he eats treats. So yes, it is with larger amounts, not sure how fast or slow he is eating--doesn't seem different from the other hounds. DH thinks he's coughed during eating for many years, and I think that may be correct, though it's more noticeable now. Maybe because I'm listening more? Hmmm...just read about collapsed trachea online. It sounds like 'goose honk' coughing occurs at all the times we've noticed it with Wizard: during eating and drinking, in Wizard's case less often during excitement or leash tightening around throat. He does have an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure, and he's on a diuretic (which is causing kidney values to go up) because of coughing episodes during excitement--not clear how much it helps, since most of his coughing is eating/drinking related, and the vet said that is not connected to his heart trouble. I took him in after he began coughing after slipping on the ice outside and for the next couple of days when we set out on walks (excitement). Since the diuretic, I haven't noticed coughing during this time, so I guess the diuretic is doing something? In other words, the coughing can be due to both lung congestion and collapsed trachea? But if it were only the trachea, he wouldn't need the diuretics yet. I wonder how we could know? Edited April 11, 2009 by SusanP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindsaySF Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 but yes, this happens only when he's eating at the bowls, eating or drinking a lot at once. Other times he takes a mouthful of kibble to the living room, lies down and nibbles, and then he doesn't cough. If he is only doing the coughing when he gets a lot of food then maybe you can slow him down, mix it with water, use a flat pan for the kibble, etc. I would feed him from the floor and see if it helps. If he starts coughing try massaging his throat. (FYI Cody can't eat from elevated feeders or get treats over his head because it makes him cough). Cody's tracheal issue was after drinking, during excitement or stress, and when laying on his back. No issues with leash tightening on his neck, though I did switch to a harness just in case. It is also aggravated by allergies and dust. Treatment depends on the cause, usually it is supportive therapy. In other words, the coughing can be due to both lung congestion and collapsed trachea? But if it were only the trachea, he wouldn't need the diuretics yet. I wonder how we could know? Coughing plus exercise intolerance are the hallmark symptoms of congestive heart failure. Cody does not have any exercise intolerance which is why we suspected collapsing trachea instead (I chose not to do all the diagnostic tests because his "episodes" are few and far between, and managable now). If your pup has an enlarged heart then congestive heart failure sounds about right. Did they see the heart on x-ray or ultrasound? The diuretics would help with fluid in the lungs so he won't cough when exercising, but if he is still coughing when eating/drinking something else might be going on. Another possibility is laryngeal paralysis. Google that. But before you freak out , try having him eat off the floor, a few kernels at a time, and try non-elevated water bowls too, maybe that will solve the problem. Good luck. ~Lindsay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 (edited) Thanks. He does have an enlarged heat, seen on ultrasound, and was dx with congestive heart failure. But I read that an enlarged heart can press on the trachea, aggravating tracheal collapse if it is present. So it sounds like the two issues, when they occur together, can cause coughing. And since most of his coughing occurs when eating/drinking, it doesn't quite sound like typical lung-congestion coughing from heart disease. In addition to coughing that honking cough when eating at his food bowl and drinking, he occasionally coughs when excited or during walks, though much less often. I switched to a harness yesterday to be safe. I'm so glad I have it; bought it for another hound who froze and wouldn't walk when I put it on him. Now Wizard can have it. I'll mention this at Wizard's next checkup. I'm not sure why our vet didn't consider it when I mentioned the coughing with eating/drinking before. One of my concerns is that the diuretic is causing some problems with Wizard's kidneys. If the coughing he is doing now is not actually due to lung congestion, but rather to tracheal problems, I would love not to have him on a diuretic unless/until he really needs it. On the other hand, I do not want to have him knocked out for xrays and such in his condition... Edited April 12, 2009 by SusanP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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