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Koji eating the forest

Discussion in 'General Health' started by k9kreationz, Jul 10, 2014.

  1. k9kreationz

    k9kreationz Forums Celebrity

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    What are your thoughts on this. The last time I took Koji to daycare (I call it summer camp since it’s in the woods :) ), he vomited 5 times. Twice in the car and within 10 mins. He threw up the forest. Well, that’s what I’m calling it. It looks to be pine needles, see link below.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/imjv1lajxknrgnn/2014-07-03%2017.35.00.jpg

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm7ofglse5v7ukx/2014-07-03%2017.35.36.jpg


    The owner said that he likes to dig in the dirt and obviously he eats everything on the ground. We know he does this anyways, so it’s nothing new. She also said with the new Spring grass, the dogs like to eat stuff. She told me it’s nothing to be concerned about.

    My concern isn’t only, “is it bad for him”, it’s more of how he was acting. I have seen my dog completely worn out mentally and physically. I have seen my dog recovering from anesthesia. I have never seen him look so “lethargic” ever. I put the word in quotes, because I’m not sure what to call it.

    Usually, when he vomits, he perks up. After vomiting 5x within an hour or so, he looked even worse for wear. When I’d take him out to potty, he was walking as slow as Miko used to walk, y’know, my 15yo old slow dog. He also walked with his head kind of down. He wasn’t interested in anything (that could be tired, but even when super tired, he will look at other dogs). I have never seen him like that and THAT is what worries me.

    The owner stated that going to her daycare is like running a marathon when you typically run 2 miles. I get that, I do, especially since we don’t do agility anymore, but seriously, I have never seen him look like that. Some people asked me if my dog was stoned because even they said he looks beyond tired, maybe sick. They joked that maybe he got some bad ‘shrooms.

    For me, when my dog looks dead in the eyes, that worries me. I’ve seen him tired. That was way beyond mentally and physically tired. And we all know Shelties rarely show they’re sick.

    Should I be concerned? Should I take him to daycare anymore? The owner says yes. And I’m hoping that’s not a money driven answer. I’m concerned and THAT concerns me because Koji has eaten tons of things and I rarely am THIS concerned. My concern is at the level of, oh he ate a sock and it’s been 3 days and hasn’t passed and now he’s not pooping. I rarely get to that point with Koji.


    Here’s a photo of him. Yes, he’s tired, you can tell that. But to me, he looks more than just tired.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/x9cibx6d5z0xd5g/2014-07-03%2017.48.05.jpg


    Thoughts? I know he loves it. I know him eating that stuff isn’t bad. I know him vomiting isn’t bad. But that dead look in his eyes, THAT is what worries me the most. Should I be concerned about what he's eating, could it be causing more issues than just "can't digest, must vomit"?
     
  2. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    I would be LIVID if anyone let my dog eat pine needles. Stomach perforation!

    I camp. I camp in the pines. I have had my dogs among pine needles for 10+ years. I have had a puppy (Shay) among pine needles at 4 months & 1 week (meaning still in the eat everything off the ground capacity) and they NEVER ate pine needles and if they had picked them up I would have become unhinged.

    Now pine sap in the fur or paw pads and pine needles stuck on the underside, doable, but eaten?!?

    I see no happy chipper dog or happy worn out dog. I see a grimly tired dog.

    There were no after effects of the pine needle consumption? I hope it was all vomited out.
     
  3. k9kreationz

    k9kreationz Forums Celebrity

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    In all honesty, him eating the pine needles don’t bother me too much. I assume he eats the forest everytime he goes out. He seriously is a vacuum for anything and everything. Doesn’t matter how old he is, this is what he’s always done. He tries to eat plants, shrubs, bushes, trees, grass, things on the ground (doesn’t matter what it is), etc. So, there’s no stopping him. The owner even suggested putting him in a graveled area, but honestly, he’ll just eat the rocks.

    I don’t believe they are allowing it and I don’t think they’re stopping it. It’s what he does and they think that’s normal. I have no clue how many dogs eat stuff off the ground. I posted the photo so you can see how much he threw up. To me, that’s excessive (how much he ate). The second and third times he vomited, forest was still coming up. The last two was just bile by that point.

    Define after effects. Him being that out of it and lethargic and not even a little peppy says something is amiss to me. The owner says it’s him being tired. I know my dog, I think this is beyond tired, but I could be wrong, he could just have been totally wiped out.

     
  4. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    After-effects -- punctured esophagus, stomach, intestines or intestinal blockage of some sort.

    If he were in MY daycare (though I don't have one) we would work on keeping the forest out of his stomach. We also would not exercise to the point of exhaustion, dehydration, heat stroke, bleeding paws, etc., whatever caused that look.

    When I worked my dogs involving a 2.5 mile walk around a lake on a forested path or a couple 5 mile mountain paths uphill both ways (go figure), we ate no shrubbery and we took breaks for water, rest, pictures, and visiting people. The dogs were tired but not excessively so. At the end, the dogs slept happily all the way home and were ready for chow when we got there all bright and shiny and ready to tell Daddy about their adventures.

    I have done LOTS of mountain work with the dogs. We live 19 miles from a national park with Giant Sequoias, Cedars, Douglas Fir, manzanita, and ferns. A few "get that out of your mouths" and that stoppd. We still didn't end up exhausted or vomiting anything.
     
  5. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    I guess my point is that if you feel there are red flag warnings, heed them. Going with your gut (I know, pun) is always wise when it comes to one's dog.
     
  6. trini

    trini Forums Sage

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    I must admit I would be pretty upset by the daycare owner's total unconcern about what Koji may be ingesting. There are many plants/bushes that are dangerously toxic to dogs. If it were my dog, I wouldn't be returning him to that daycare...do you have other reputable daycare facilities near you...or a person you know and trust who could come to your house a couple times a day to take Koji out for exercise and "business"? I am assuming you work and need help with Koji during the weekdays. Hope Koji is OK...

    Trini
     
  7. ellenspn

    ellenspn Forums Enthusiast

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    I would have him checked out by your vet! And under no circumstances would I take him back to that daycare! The nerve!
     
  8. MissieLynn

    MissieLynn Forums Enthusiast

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    I'd be furious if that happened with Emmy. Going from a 2 mile run to marathon running sounds dangerous to me, so that comment sounds like a red flag to me. Doggies need rest and should not be overexercised. Or allowed to eat potentially dangerous greenery.
     
  9. Calliesmom

    Calliesmom Moderator

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    I'd get him checked out.....
    and probably not go back to that daycare- I would want the person watching my dogs to be a little more concerned about my dog
     
  10. k9kreationz

    k9kreationz Forums Celebrity

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    Just to clarify this, the owner said there's nothing dangerous on her property for the dog to eat. That includes the plants. Honestly, it seems up here, people aren't as concerned about that type of stuff. Maybe because it's so outdoorsy? I dunno.

    I've visited a handful of daycare facilities and unfortunately, none of them lived up to my standards (I know they're high, I blame the daycare I used to go to in CA, they were awesome).

    It's not everyday or anything. Long story very short. I visit my BF on Thursday's. I work near his house. Right now, I'm driving 20 miles from work to home (passing his house) to go take Koji out, then I head back to BF's house about 15 miles away. In traffic. It's lame. This daycare works because it's dropoff/pickup points are near my work. And I thought it would be cool for Koji to play outside.
     

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