Vomiting And Crate Transition?

[Guest jaxshumans]

Hi guys,

 

I'm not entirely sure if this is a health issue or a behavioral one! Last night we let Jax (our new grey, we've had him for almost 3 weeks) sleep outside of his crate. Until now, he had been sleeping in his crate in the living room every night with no problems at all. Since he had done so well around the apartment the past few weeks, we left him alone outside of his crate on a grocery trip yesterday and he had no problems. We thought maybe we can go ahead and un-crate him at nights too.

 

So, we let him sleep on his bed in the living room with the door to our bedroom open and baby gated so he could still see us. We also left the door to his crate open so he could go in there if he wanted to. He came up to our room a couple times and whined for a few seconds but then just went back to the living room and kept sleeping.

 

This morning around when we normally wake up to take him out, I heard him throwing up in the living room. There was nothing in his vomit, just yellow bile. Could this be separation anxiety related? I know it could just be that his stomach is too empty, but I haven't changed anything in his diet or feeding times and he has never had this problem before. The only different thing in his routine is being out of the crate at night.

 

I thought we were doing a good thing by letting him roam a little at night -- should we go back to the crate??

 

Thanks for any advice!

[RedHead]

The throwing up probably isn't related to the crate. Sometimes on an empty stomach they just throw up like that. I think almost every dog throws up bile every so often. As long as it isn't continuing I wouldn't worry too much about it. Some people give a little snack at bedtime if it becomes a more regular thing (just so their tummy isn't empty).

[tbhounds]

I also wouldn't worry about it unless it becomes a persistant occurrence or he starts to act unwell. Perhaps try giving a snack before bedtime.

Edited August 19, 2015 by tbhounds

[locket]

It wasn't a problem for us, until a few weeks in. Then he threw up some bile one morning and that was the call to add a bedtime snack No problem ever since!

[Guest jaxshumans]

I'll give the bedtime snack a try! What would you recommend and how much? Should I stick to his kibble or give treats?

[TXRedbo]

We'll give our boy either 1/2 cup of kibble for a bedtime snack or a cookie from Trader Joe's (who can resist the greyhound on the box?) depending on when we fed him last.

[locket]

Ours get a giant milkbone Seems enough!

[MP_the4pack]

Mine get ice cream!

[Newgreymom]

Bed time snack will do it. We gave Dylan either a few treats or a small amount of kibble.

[greytpups]

Our pups get a handful of kibble before bedtime...it seems to be enough to ward off the bile throw up the next morning. I'm very sure this is hunger related, not crate related.

[GeorgeofNE]

Dogs puke. Often it means absolutely nothing.

 

If you're feeding him an appropriate amount, he does not need a snack. I would not personally start adding more food to a diet of a dog who I have had less than a month based on one vomit incident.

 

May I ask why you're gating him out of your room? Most dogs are happiest sleeping with their people.

[3greytjoys]

All our Greyhounds vomit bright yellow bile if they go too long between meals. IMO, it's much easier to offer a bedtime snack vs. cleaning yellow bile out of carpets.

 

We hold back about 1/2 cup of kibble from their dinner portion to offer later at bedtime. A snack helps the hounds feel better through the night; they often sleep longer without needing a rooster call early breakfast; it saves humans' cleaning time and carpeting. The hounds don't become overweight since it's part of their normal caloric daily intake.

 

I do agree that Greyhounds prefer to sleep in the same room with their humans.

[smurfette]

Mine get rice waffles before bedtime.

[GreytTerp]

Just a side bar, for getting the rich yellow bile out of carpets and other textiles (because we all know, even if you entire house is hardwood and tile, your hound will have to find the one spot of carpet you didn't get completely covered up or blocked off...): oxyclean powder mixed with water in a spray bottle. Within seconds, the stain is gone, and it also breaks down residual acids. A bedtime snack (and no rogue squeakers in the wee beastie's tummy) took care of the bileous vomiting for us.

[Guest jaxshumans]

Thanks everyone! I reserved a bit of his dinner time kibble to give him before bed and he's been doing great ever since!

[SarahsBlackPack]

Sounds like a hunger issue to me as well. My hounds get a treat at bedtime so we have no yellow spots in the am!