Worried....

[tropicalsun]

Don't you just hate it when your dog has something going on and you don't know what it is?

Markus began acting a little weird on our way home from the Schutzhund club tonight. He's in a crate in the car during our hour long drive home. He was "agitated"..a little..coughed a couple times..not a big deal but enough to know he wasn't normal.

Since we've been home he's been trying to eat grass, drank a ton of water, is generally restless and whiny. Whatever is wrong it is not enough at this point to rush to the vet (though we are ready to go) but is enough to make my wife and I a little paranoid.

just concerned and not sure what to do for our boy.

[doggiedad]

i would go to the Vet. what makes you think it's not
enough of an issue to go to the Vet? i think it's
Vet worthy.

Originally Posted by tropicalsun

Don't you just hate it when your dog has something going on and you don't know what it is?

Markus began acting a little weird on our way home from the Schutzhund club tonight. He's in a crate in the car during our hour long drive home. He was "agitated"..a little..coughed a couple times..not a big deal but enough to know he wasn't normal.

>>>> Since we've been home he's been trying to eat grass, drank a ton of water, is generally restless and whiny. <<<<

>>>>Whatever is wrong it is not enough at this point to rush to the vet<<<<

(though we are ready to go) but is enough to make my wife and I a little paranoid.

just concerned and not sure what to do for our boy.

[Courtney]

Because we have GSD, I always worry about bloat. Take a look at the sticky in the health section. It's been several hrs since you posted, how is he now?

[RebelGSD]

My boy's bloat started like that, eating grass and drinking water.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

What Are Signs and Symptoms? Remember, not all of these can or will happen at the same time—these are things to be looking for:
• Abdominal distention (swollen belly) makes it obvious—this does not always happen, or happen
right away
• Nonproductive vomiting (animal appears to be vomiting, but nothing comes up) and retching.
Sometimes white foamy liquid or mucous will come out.
• This seems to be one of the most common symptoms & has been referred to as the
"hallmark symptom"
• Some reports say that it can sound like a repeated cough
• Restlessness and/or anxiety, whining
• Not acting like themselves
• Asking to go outside in the middle of the night. If this is combined with frequent attempts to vomit,
and if your dog doesn't typically ask to go outside in the middle of the night, bloat is a very real
possibility.
• Abdominal pain and/or discomfort
• "Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance (also a sign of pancreatitis—another medical
emergency)
• Lack of normal gurgling and digestive sounds in the stomach
Many dog owners report this after putting their ear to their dog's stomach
If your dog shows any bloat symptoms, you may want to try this immediately
• Pale or off-color gums: Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages
• Rapid shallow breathing and/or panting
• A lot of drooling may indicate severe pain
• Digging bedding
• Licking bedding
• Unable to get comfortable
• Drum like thumping noise when you hit their sides
• Coughing
• Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous
• Pacing
• Unproductive attempts to defecate
• Licking the air
• Seeking a hiding place
• Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort
• May refuse to lie down or even sit down
• May stand spread-legged
• May curl up in a ball or go into a praying or crouched position
• May attempt to eat small stones and twigs
• Drinking excessively
• Heavy or rapid panting
• Shallow breathing
• Cold mouth membranes
• Apparent weakness; unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance especially in advanced stage
• Accelerated heartbeat: heart rate increases as bloating progresses
• Weak pulse
• Collapse
If the dog's condition continues to deteriorate, especially if volvulus has occurred, the dog may go into
shock and become pale, have a weak pulse, a rapid heart rate, and eventually collapse.
A dog with gastric dilatation without volvulus can show all of these signs, but the more severe signs are
likely to occur in dogs with both dilatation and volvulus.
Information complied from:
Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus) in Dogs
Bloat in Dogs with many links at the bottom

Bloating akita - YouTube

Bloating akita - YouTube

Just because something doesn't look exactly like this, or have all the signs listed above, doesn't mean it's not bloat.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

What Are Signs and Symptoms? Remember, not all of these can or will happen at the same time—these are things to be looking for:
• Abdominal distention (swollen belly) makes it obvious—this does not always happen, or happen
right away
• Nonproductive vomiting (animal appears to be vomiting, but nothing comes up) and retching.
Sometimes white foamy liquid or mucous will come out.
• This seems to be one of the most common symptoms & has been referred to as the
"hallmark symptom"
• Some reports say that it can sound like a repeated cough
• Restlessness and/or anxiety, whining
• Not acting like themselves
• Asking to go outside in the middle of the night. If this is combined with frequent attempts to vomit,
and if your dog doesn't typically ask to go outside in the middle of the night, bloat is a very real
possibility.
• Abdominal pain and/or discomfort
• "Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance (also a sign of pancreatitis—another medical
emergency)
• Lack of normal gurgling and digestive sounds in the stomach
Many dog owners report this after putting their ear to their dog's stomach
If your dog shows any bloat symptoms, you may want to try this immediately
• Pale or off-color gums: Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages
• Rapid shallow breathing and/or panting
• A lot of drooling may indicate severe pain
• Digging bedding
• Licking bedding
• Unable to get comfortable
• Drum like thumping noise when you hit their sides
• Coughing
• Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous
• Pacing
• Unproductive attempts to defecate
• Licking the air
• Seeking a hiding place
• Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort
• May refuse to lie down or even sit down
• May stand spread-legged
• May curl up in a ball or go into a praying or crouched position
• May attempt to eat small stones and twigs
• Drinking excessively
• Heavy or rapid panting
• Shallow breathing
• Cold mouth membranes
• Apparent weakness; unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance especially in advanced stage
• Accelerated heartbeat: heart rate increases as bloating progresses
• Weak pulse
• Collapse
If the dog's condition continues to deteriorate, especially if volvulus has occurred, the dog may go into
shock and become pale, have a weak pulse, a rapid heart rate, and eventually collapse.
A dog with gastric dilatation without volvulus can show all of these signs, but the more severe signs are
likely to occur in dogs with both dilatation and volvulus.
Information complied from:
Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus) in Dogs
Bloat in Dogs with many links at the bottom

Bloating akita - YouTube

Bloating akita - YouTube

Just because something doesn't look exactly like this, or have all the signs listed above, doesn't mean it's not bloat.

[tropicalsun]

Thanks for the posts. Having read serious amounts of literature on bloat, as any responsible owner would do, I was absolutely worried that Markus was "bloating." How ever, to answer DoggieDads question...all of the symptoms were intermittent. Had any symptom worsened or persisted or more symptoms had presented we would have gone to the vet. Markus had a good night of sleep and appears to be fine this morning. Once the pouring rain stops we'll go for our morning walk and make sure that all is well.

Thanks everyone.

[Courtney]

Glad to hear Markus in fine this AM