Stitch Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 A while back I posted about my girl who was experiencing a chronic lack of appetite. It is now approx. 4 weeks since I got back and her appetite, although not back to normal, has improved. It has taken quite a bit of strategic feeding to get to this stage so I am very encouraged. However now she is doing a lot of gagging coughing - you know the kind of cough they do when things have gone down the wrong way. (It is not kennel cough) The gagging usually happens when she is eating or has just finished eating but it can happen occasionally at other times. I am now considering taking her back to the vet again to see if they can detect something maybe lodged in her throat. Does anyone know if something was lodged in the throat would it show up on X ray??? Has anyone experienced this kind of thing?? If so what do you think would be the best action to take?? Perhaps no action is needed at this stage and it will resolve itself??? Because of this gagging I am thinking that the whole lack of appetite thing has been a throat problem of some kind. I initially thought it might have been tonsilitis but the vet could find nothing wrong. Any ideas would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 (edited) Organic material like wood won't show up on x-ray. A big vet will have the option of checking for blockages or tears using an optic fibre. That's how one of my tribe had his punctured soft palate checked out. Edited November 11, 2010 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 I gather that would be under sedation Poodlefan?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordogs Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 4 weeks of inappetance is a long time. I would certainly be looking at getting her scoped first. Yes that would be with anesthetic. Is she a young dog Has she lost weight? Any vomiting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsaone Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 It certainly sounds like something lodged in the throat, and its causing pain to stop the dog eating. Definitely back to the vet to get it sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 I gather that would be under sedation Poodlefan?? Depends on the dog. My boy was so placid that it was done without sedation. The vet remarked on his temperament - people can do pretty much anything with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Symptoms sound similar to a previous dog of mine, turns out she had Laryngeal Paralysis. Definitely worth having it looked at further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted November 12, 2010 Author Share Posted November 12, 2010 (edited) Probably should have mentioned again (see previous thread) that I have already taken her twice to the vet albiet in the first few weeks and he could find nothing wrong. However he only looked down her throat by holding her mouth open. I started to feel like I was over reacting but 4 weeks of nursing the appetite along is starting to wear. ETA: She lost a lot of weight but has started to put it back on again because of the improvement in appetite however she is still skinny. I noticed about a week ago that she made the gagging sound a few times but I have noticed it more recently. Edited November 12, 2010 by STITCH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I would take her back also. IT may be more obvious now and because oif the gagging they may want to sedate her to have a look. Hope it is all okay. 3 weeks of no eating would be very wearing and worrying for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I had my Piper back to the vet today. He's an older dog who also stopped eating. Younger vet last week said poss heart problem. Gave him frusemide, only difference I saw was his peeing in the house! Insisted todays, older, vet examined Piper in the car to start with so an accurate listening of his heart was able to occur. Then we went inside for the rest. Conclusion: Piper had a viral infection 4 weeks ago, he stopped eating cause he had a sore throat. He still produces the odd cough but is now eating better and has regained weight. Still produces a cough occasionally but basically in fine heatlh, give it another couple of weeks, keep up the softish food and come back only if the lack of eating is still a problem, then we could think about further examinations. I hope yours is something as simple even though my stress levels have been highly increased this last week worrying about possible heart problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I would also wonder about nausea causing gagging? I'd be taking my dog back to the vet & asking for a full investigation. If something is lodged in the throat it will probably show on x-ray (either itself, or the way it displaces tissue around it), or they could do barium swallow rads to have a look, it would definitely show on endoscope, and you may also be able to palpate it from outside if it's above the point the throat enters the chest cavity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 meanwhile can she eat sloppy foods ok? I would be tempted to soak kibble into a much or make a doggy milkshake of mince, some organ meat, cottage cheese and a supplement like livamol to help her keep the weight on if she needs anaesthetic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted November 12, 2010 Author Share Posted November 12, 2010 Many thanks for all your replies. I have booked her in with a large practice experienced vet on Monday - soonest I could get in. She has been willing to lick up liquids since she went off her food so that sort of ties in with the throat problem IMO. She will now eat sloppy BARF but it takes her about 4 hours to do so however she eats the Luv Em Liver Cookies with no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 poor girl . Hope ,on Monday, someone will investigate thoroughly and find something they can fix . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 you need quality over quantity with her start adding nutrigel and small meals more often or you will find any anaesthetic hits her harder with a low body fat and weight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 It may be a problem further down. One of mine went off food for awhile, then became picky and made gagging noises, she has a piece of rubber from a toy in her stomach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bully Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Symptoms sound similar to a previous dog of mine, turns out she had Laryngeal Paralysis.Definitely worth having it looked at further. That was going to be my suggestion too. Hope it's not and is nothing serious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted November 12, 2010 Author Share Posted November 12, 2010 Did the ball show up on Xray?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 It was only a tiny piece, about the size of my fingernail. Yes, it showd up on xray - which was being done for another issue at the time. Poor girl was booked in for a spinal xray while she was being spayed and ended up with a much bigger operation with her stomach being opened up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsaone Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Did the ball show up on Xray?? How did your dog go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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