Heavy breathing and vomiting at night

[Titansmom25]

This is my first post so I have a 13week old GSD male. I am having a problem with him panting heavy and fast in his " large" crate at night. Then about 3-4am he vomits! I am a vet tech so I have had him tested for stuff but none of us are really sure what his deal is. This is my first GS so if anyone has any ideas or has seen this before please help!!! Also what's a great puppy food for his breed? Thanks! Titans mom

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Roundworms in Dogs & Puppies
Is one guess. Has he been de-wormed?

There are a couple of pinned posts in the puppy food section that might be able to help! Sorry about the formatting - these have information in them so you can make a more informed decision.

Sticky: Puppy Food Ingredient and Nutrition Spreadsheet
Ken Clean-Air System

11-19-2012 06:57 PM
by Ken Clean-Air System

24 2,184



Sticky: Feeding Puppies


Welcome to the board.

[Wild Wolf]

Let's start with the obvious...

How much is he eating, what food, what times? Water access? How much water is he drinking during the day? Is his crate somewhere hot? Is he overheating at night? Does he have access to water at night? Is he used to sleeping in the crate? Have you tried sleeping in an xpen or babygated in a small space? Could it be anxiety over being in the crate?

[Titansmom25]

Originally Posted by Wild Wolf

Let's start with the obvious...

How much is he eating, what food, what times? Water access? How much water is he drinking during the day? Is his crate somewhere hot? Is he overheating at night? Does he have access to water at night? Is he used to sleeping in the crate? Have you tried sleeping in an xpen or babygated in a small space? Could it be anxiety over being in the crate?

of course we have stated the obvious, again im a vet tech so Obvious is what i do best. This is something very unusual something the drs arent use to. Doing his blood work at first we thought it was his liver due to him eatting acorns..which are highly toxic by the way... but after more in depth research his liver came out fine as well as xrays. As the answers to your questions to just keep everyone on the right track...
~He is eatting 1 wet can two times a day of puppy large breed he just hit the 21lb mark. which this is ideal for his weight. i know i am suppose to feed him 3-4 times a day but that cant happen...
~He started out drinking tons of water, we found out that it was him just having his puppy moments now he is back to normal drinking habits through out the day.
~His crate is not somewhere hot, actually our house is kept pretty cold, which is right beside our bed ware he can hear and see us.
~No he does not get water at night yet because he spills it every time and would pee in his crate and lay in it, he didnt care. We are finally getting the peeing in the crate under control so we are going to try water again soon.
~thought about anxiety in the crate, however he goes in there on his own throughout the day and sleeps in it, so he seems pretty comfortable in it to me, although sometimes i wonder.
~Also yes he has been dewormed 3 different times.

[Anthony8858]

Is he vomiting yellow bile?

If so, he may be hungry. The panting could be anxiety from being hungry.
When my dog is hungry, she's like a crazed beast.

2 cans of wet food may not be fulfilling to him.
Try adding some high quality kibble to his food. It may last a bit longer in his belly, and give a better sense of fullness.

[Angelina03]

I agree with Anthony. The kibble seems to be more filling and lasts longer (for hunger that is).


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[Titansmom25]

We give him kibble but that seems to trigger it :/ like its to heavy on his stomach. Like I said this is a very weird case.


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[KRMBKGsd]

Have you tried grain free kibble? Maybe he has problems with grains. Some also have potato issues.
And you say he should be eating 3-4 times a day but that can't happen? Why can that not happen? That could be the problem.

[Titansmom25]

We switched his puppy hard food today so we will see what happens over night. Me and my husband work from 7-6 so no one is home to feed him. No family around to get him and we don't trust anyone in our home. Also I heard today that German Shepard puppies can get acid in there belly easy if there is no food in there which can cause him to vomit? And try peptid AC... So that's our next route we also are feeding him closer to bed time now. Here's my kid


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[jocoyn]

I would not do anything to reduce the acid in the stomach because the acid kills bacteria. I usually soak my kibble and use some digestive enzymes..that way I make sure any expansion happens before it gets to the dogs stomach. Some foods really expand a lot.

If you are a vet tech, can't you possibly take him to work - feed him mid-day? That is a long time for a pup his age to have to be in a crate with no meal or trip outside.

I just think that to give him the food he needs to grow but only twice a day is a heavy load to put on the stomach. I feed my adult dogs twice a day.