Question:
First--I want to say that we have already taken our wonderful 15-year-old lab to the vet and we were given antibiotics for her to take every 12 hours and Pepto-Bismol twice a day. The problem--she continues to vomit up frothy-looking mucousy material several times a day. We recently went on a trip and were gone for four days. Friends and in-laws took care of our animals while we were gone with specific instructions written down for them follow. After we got home, my mother-in-law had left rib bones in the fridge for us to feed our lab. Unfortunately I sat all the bones down, as I was busy unpacking, and she ate more than I had intended for her to--MY MISTAKE!!!! She started having problems, it seemed, after that. She had also been on a round of anti-inflammatories for 5 days because she was showing signs of losing her strength in her extremities, which did help. We were to take her off after 5 days and see how she did and the pills did help. Anyway, she was taking the pills with hot dogs (which she vomits up), then I tried wrapping them in a sausage patty, which worked great the first couple of days, but now she won't take them. I finally got them down her by crushing them and using butter, which she did keep down all the pills today. The horrible cough though continues--which sounds like she is having trouble breathing and then eventually she will cough up the frothy mucousy material and then relax again.
I would appreciate any advice you can give. She did have a bowel movement this morning and our vet said that was a good sign that she was on the mend. It hurts me to hear her cough and sound like she does before she manages to vomit or cough up that material, and I just need to know that we are doing everything we can. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Our vet did say to bring her back in two days if she was not showing signs of improvement, which we definitely will do--if not sooner!!!! Thanks

Answer:
Hi! I think you have reason to be worried about your dog. I am sure the vet is on top of everything, however, if you don't see an improvement tomorrow, please take him back. I have not experiencedthis, but it appears to me that the bone fragments are stuck somewhere.

You are doing very good to have a 15-yr old lab. They normally do not last this long, because of arthritis etc. I am surprised he isn't on anti-inflammatories daily. I think you should look into giving him Metacam or something similar for joints etc.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

Heather
Foster mom for lab rescue of ontario

Answer:
The bowel movement is a good sign there is no obstruction so thats good news!

I'd give soft foods, easy to digest for a few days. Boil potatos, mash them and chicken breast cut to small pieces and feed that for a good week.

Once he's feeling better you can add supplements to his diet, being a senior he needs them. Glucosamine, Fish oil, vitamin e as well as shark cartilidge.

I'm a little worried about the frothy stuff. The vet obviously listened to the lungs, chest and throat with a stethescope correct?

I sure hope there isn't a part of a bone splinter in the throat, that would be awful. Did you mention the bone situation to the vet?

Answer: