# Dog's Puke Dark Brown -- PIC



## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

I have a 15 month old German Shepherd male. On Sunday, we dropped him off at boarding and picked him up yesterday (Wednesday). Ever since he got back he's been having severe constipation, and when he does poop, it's completely liquid and very little. 

This morning I woke up to find his vomit in the corner of his crate-- he regurgitated all his food and it was covered in a brown liquid. I've been having to take him out every couple of hours because he's been throwing up. He does not have loss of appetite and he seems his usual self-- albeit a bit more sleepy than usual.

I called my vet and she told me to not let him eat or drink ANYTHING and then try to give him a bland diet later in the evening. He emptied out his entire stomach (I'm pretty sure) so he threw up a dark brownish-yellowish, thin liquid. I don't think he'd be able to keep anything down. I made an appointment at the vet tomorrow morning-- we've been going there often lately.

I called the pet boarding facility and they gave him a smoked bone so I was thinking it just didn't agree with him, but thanks to Google, I'm finding lots of things about ulcers, internal bleeding, etc., and I'm terrified. Has this happened to anyone else? Any advice? 

I've attached a photo of his most recent puke.


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

He could have an intestinal blockage from that smoked bone. I would go to an Emergency vet ASAP if you haven't already done so. This can turn badly very quickly.


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

I called my vet and she told me not to give him any food and see if he throws up. He hasn't thrown up (thank God!) for the past 10 hours so she told me to give him a bland dinner-- a little bit of cooked rice and boiled chicken. He kept it down and is now taking a well-deserved night's rest. Could it just be a stomach bug since he seems fine now? I made an appointment at my regular vet because they told me I didn't need to go to the emergency


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

There are VERY VERY good reasons I don't give my dogs bones!!

I've heard so many stories about intestinal blockages or perforations, broken teeth, and pieces of bone lodged in the back of the mouth or throat. One of our cats nearly died from catching and eating a bird, when one of the bones pierced his bowel.

Yet people feed their dogs raw chicken?? Bird bones are hollow, and have sharp edges when broken.
And don't feed me that raw-bones-are-safe-cooked-bones-are-not line! I've cut myself enough times deboning raw chicken to know those bones are SHARP! The only thing that makes them safe is most poultry is slaughtered when the birds are young, and still quite soft. Back in the old days when I was young, this wasn't the case, and all my farming relatives NEVER gave their dogs chicken bones! Other bones yes, usually cooked, too, after the family was done eating.

Nope, nope, nope... NOT going to do it!


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

Sunsilver said:


> There are VERY VERY good reasons I don't give my dogs bones!!
> 
> I've heard so many stories about intestinal blockages or perforations, broken teeth, and pieces of bone lodged in the back of the mouth or throat. One of our cats nearly died from catching and eating a bird, when one of the bones pierced his bowel.
> 
> ...


It was a smoked marrow bone. He's had a plain marrow bone with peanut butter in it before with no problems. I would never give him sharp chicken bones nor would I allow it.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

If he can't drink or hold down liquid he needs fluids sub cu or IV

I've been told to regulate water, 1/2 cup per hour I think, but with holding water altogether from a dog with diarrhea!!??


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

That would have me scratching my head, too! Yes, if he's so sick he can't even keep water down, he definitely needs to be on an IV, or have subcutaneous fluids.

When I had the boarding kennel, I NEVER gave the dogs treats that weren't okayed by the owners! I'd be pretty upset over this!


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

With the symptoms you describe and the picture, if it were my boy, I would already be at the evet or my vet, with or without an appointment. 

What are those white pieces in the pic? I would put a glove on and see if it were bone fragments.

I don't fool around with symptoms that are associated with blockage or bloat. Lucky in my case it was false alarm but not worth taking a chance imho.

Hoping it is just an upset and wishing your boy well.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

mrtaz6334 said:


> It was a smoked marrow bone. He's had a plain marrow bone with peanut butter in it before with no problems. I would never give him sharp chicken bones nor would I allow it.


hold on here -- this is completely opposite .

The smoked marrow bone , dense, weight bearing bone from an aged animal , that chips , breaks teeth , and is undigestible is the problem -- NOT waffery raw chicken bones which are the foundation of a raw fed dog's diet.

I have pups that get chicken necks and frames from the age of weaning right through to their last days and have never had puking, or obstruction - at worst if the bone ratio was on the high side there was a chalky poop .

My dogs don't get re-creational bones.

They do get the occassional treat - a full sheep's or goat's head which they devour - and pass -
they also get a rack of pork ribs (raw) , pork necks .

Smoking --- what kind of chemicals were used in this. Totally unnatural . Bone probably from China?
Peanut butter? Hydrogenated oils?


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

get the dog to the VET as soon as possible. 

here's hoping things work out well for you .


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

Thanks so much for your concern and advice. Yesterday was the last time he threw up-- around 2PM. I monitored him closely after that and went against the vet's advice and let him have water. Again, he's had diarrhea before and they had to give him IV fluids so I didn't want him to get dehydrated. It's currently 10AM and he's been doing well-- Thank God. I'm wondering if it was just a 24-hour bug or something like that. I still have an appointment set up for him tomorrow morning at the vet but if anyone else has gone through this please let me know. 

I inspected both his poop & his vomit and did not find any bone fragments. I also looked at the actual bone that he was given at the pet resort and it was not chipped or broken or anything like that-- just licked clean.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Hopefully he dodged the bullet. Find another boarding kennel where they use common sense and not take initiatives that you don't know about. I also think that your vet took it very lightly.
In the past I gave my dogs heavy beef joints, maybe once every two weeks. They still had a lot of tissue attached but once they chewed that off I removed it before they got to the bone itself. They no longer offer these joints so no bones at all besides the turkey necks and checken backs. Never had a problem with these.
I have always hated the smoked bones. They crumble and smell, look and feel unhealthy.


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

Thanks so much again for all of your advice/concern. It's been more than 24 hours since he vomited and I've been keeping a close eye on him all day. He just wants me to throw the ball for him and run outside with him— he feels much better. I think it may have been a stomach bug or his tummy just disagreed with the smoky bone. I will be taking him to the vet just to make sure everything is fine. Again thanks so much for your help!


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

Glad to hear he is feeling better and it didn't turn serious. I always worry when a dog has vomiting and diarrhea. Especially if they become lethargic and stop eating or drinking. My girl was less than a year old when her intestines swelled closed (ileus) do to ingestion of chlorinated pool water. It was serious and a $900 vet bill. 

I thought it was a bug too. Was actually at the vet for a walk in weight check. They offered to have the vet see her and I said no I would wait since it had been going on less than 8 hrs. Literally left the vet and stopped at the traffic light at the end of their parking lot. My girl puked bile and foam all over. I turned around and went back. Sooo glad I did. She was in very rough shape medically but just an hour before even with the vomiting and diarrhea she still wanted to play so I didn't think it was serious...I was wrong. Fortunately she recovered with the vets help. I tend to be much more cautious now. 
Again, glad your boy is recovering and doing well.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Cooked chicken bones are brittle and splinter and can cause issues. Raw chicken bones are a natural diet for dogs. Any cooked/smoked/bleached bone should be avoided. Raw bones are healthy and MUCH better for both digestion and teeth than hide of any kind or antlers. At least the antlers you can get at the store. I am not sure about antlers that you find in the field before any processing, maybe they would be ok. I'll pass. 

I hope your dog is ok. It might not have been the bone at all, since he did not ingest it. It could have been a change in water, or even the stress of boarding. 

Dogs don't generally get the 24-hour-food-poisoning bug. Not unless they are very old and possibly very young. Their system is very quick and it tends to manage salmonella. In fact, the recalls for salmonella are mostly for human contact concerns. We are far more likely to pick the bug up off of a pig's ear or dog food than our dog is, and some people, young, old or immune compromised might have more trouble with it.

Let's hope that was all there was, and if you board him again, you might want to bring a 2.5 gallon jug or two of water, his bowls, his food with you. If it is stress this will not help. If it is chemicals in the change of water or food, then you will have your answer.

My dogs are on well-water. My sister's pets are on city water. I have them here and am feeding them spring water from the store. Not sure that the hard well water is good for them. Of course, I really don't want my dogs drinking floride-water from the city, so... I never go anywhere. Works for me. Not the approach everyone wants to take. 

There is a canine flu going around at boarding facilities. Not sure what all the symptoms are though.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

what did the puke smell like?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

carmspack said:


> what did the puke smell like?


 Maybe we should have a section for poo and puke, with an "enter at your own risk" warning before being transported into each thread.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

yeah, I know , Selzer , there has been worse though .

wonder what happened to the one with the teeny white specks?

smell is important -- that colour ? I would be taking the dog to the vet , asap , and in the meantime I wouldn't be playing ball with the dog . No exertion .


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

carmspack said:


> yeah, I know , Selzer , there has been worse though .
> 
> wonder what happened to the one with the teeny white specks?
> 
> smell is important -- that colour ? I would be taking the dog to the vet , asap , and in the meantime I wouldn't be playing ball with the dog . No exertion .


It smelled like his poop, which is what I thought it was before. Maybe he ate poop at the boarding facility and digested it? Anyway I did visit the vet and they did a check-up and he's fine but he has constipation. He's back to his playful, crazy self but I'm keeping him on the bland diet for a few more days just to be 100% sure.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

vomit smelling like poop and "but he has constipation" is NOT being fine.

I imagined it to smell as you described because that is what it looked like -- no blockage?


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

carmspack said:


> vomit smelling like poop and "but he has constipation" is NOT being fine.
> 
> I imagined it to smell as you described because that is what it looked like -- no blockage?


No blockage, nothing abnormal. He's acting absolutely normal.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Blockage is what I would be concerned with too. When the poop cannot go forward, it may go backward and the dog may vomit it. It can also cause the intestine to twist or burst and be fatal. For constipation, I would want to give some time of laxative to get things moving the right direction. 

For a possible blockage, I would want x-rays to see the digestive tract, and the vet to palpate the abdomen, note all vital signs. What else, Carmen? 

Blockages are life-threatening. Often by the time the dog is feeling really bad (like, when they let us know) it can be too late, because the bowel is burst, or a section has lost its blood supply, and is dead, and then there may be nothing you can do, but say good bye to your dog.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Dumb question here: if you did not see him do this, how do your know it was not poop?


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Yeah, I'd be on high alert for a blockage with those symptoms too.

In addition to xrays, an ultrasound can sometimes be helpful with a suspected blockage. My usual thinking with rescue vetting when there is a suspected blockage is: (1) xray first; (2) if that's ambiguous, then ultrasound; and (3) if that's ambiguous too...then we think about exploratory surgery. Sometimes ES is the only way to find out for sure - I _hate _the idea of doing surgery when we aren't sure, but aggressive intervention saved a dog or two that I can remember in rescue. 

If we are going to do the "wait and see" for a few hours, I want the dog kept at the clinic. The reason is that we can sometimes take repeated xrays and monitor every few hours to see the stuff moving through. Also, if needed, they can get the dog into surgery very quickly, and not wait overnight or for the client to come back.

Keep in mind that partial blockages are a possibility too. If you haven't recovered those skewer pieces in the poop, then you've got to wonder where they are.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I thought the skewer-eater was a different dog.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

smell , the lost sense in diagnosis , will tell a great deal as to what is going on.

I am sorry but your dog can't be normal --- not with reguritation of poop looking and poop
smelling stomach contents.

please read http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Does-My-Dogs-Vomit-Smell-Like-Poop?&id=7929499 

https://www.vetinfo.com/dog-vomit-smells-like-feces.html 

this and the constipation --- I wouldn't be satisfied -- 

did you do an x-ray?


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Op, I'm not questioning what you have said but something keeps nagging at me. When did the boarding personnel say they gave that bone to your dog? 

The reason I ask is because your dog was there the 2nd til the 6th. You said that you spoke to them and at some point were able to visually inspect the bone. the question that is nagging at me is how would you know th that the bone you inspected was the one your dog was chewing? And why would a boarding facility keep an already chewed bone? 

The way I am interpreting the chain of events is the dog chewed a bone at the facility. You picked up your dog on the 6th. No plans to board any time soon?? So the facility should have already thrown out that bone. Then sometime after the 6th, you call the facility to let them know your dog is sick, possibly because he ingested bone fragments. The facility says it couldn't be because they have that specific bone for you to inspect.

Unless your dog was the only dog given a bone during his stay, your dogs bone should have/would have been tossed in the trash with all the other bones.

Again, I'm not questioning you, I just think that this scenario is worth considering. I'm not asking you to answer the question, just give it some thought.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Ever since he got back he's been having severe constipation, and when he does poop, it's completely liquid and very little.

and quote OP -- 
It was a smoked marrow bone. He's had a plain marrow bone with peanut butter in it before with no problems. 


I'm thinking that "marrow bones" were a fairly familiar treat to this dog -- and , sorry , I'm thinking that possibly the smoked marrow bone was provided by the owner who boarded the dog , possibly as an extra special treat .

I don't know a single boarding facility that would give a dog something not approved of and/or provided by the owner .

If there is an obstruction or necrotic tissue or some twisting or pinching off you can have these symptoms.

If the dog is severly constipated then the dog may need to flushing out or at minimum a glycerin suppository.

I'm coming on strong because this dog isn't out of the woods and needs care.


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

Heartandsoul said:


> Op, I'm not questioning what you have said but something keeps nagging at me. When did the boarding personnel say they gave that bone to your dog?
> 
> The reason I ask is because your dog was there the 2nd til the 6th. You said that you spoke to them and at some point were able to visually inspect the bone. the question that is nagging at me is how would you know th that the bone you inspected was the one your dog was chewing? And why would a boarding facility keep an already chewed bone?
> 
> ...


When I was dropping my dog off at the boarding facility, they asked if I wanted to give him a special treat while he was in his kennel. Unfortunately he also has panosteitis (sp.) so at the time I requested private playtime with just the caretakers. They said they would let him have his treat while he would be in there so he would not be bored. 

When I picked him up they gave me the bone marrow and then told me it was the special treat. I understand your confusion 

I thought it was an obstruction. However, his symptoms (other than constipation/diarrhea) are gone. He is energetic, playful, does not have a lack of appetite, etc.


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

selzer said:


> Dumb question here: if you did not see him do this, how do your know it was not poop?


The picture I provided is when I saw him walk to the kitchen and puke physically.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

To give you a sense of how dangerous these smoked bones can be, one manufacturer just approved a court settlement of up to US$2500 per claimant for injuries caused by them:
https://www.truthinadvertising.org/dynamic-pet-products-real-ham-bone-dogs/

If normal food is going in, but nothing or not much is coming out at the back end over several days, that's troubling. Sometimes dogs eventually digest these bones -- you can watch them digest in repeated xrays, getting smaller. Sometimes they get into real trouble though.


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

Magwart said:


> To give you a sense of how dangerous these smoked bones can be, one manufacturer just approved a court settlement of up to US$2500 per claimant for injuries caused by them:
> https://www.truthinadvertising.org/dynamic-pet-products-real-ham-bone-dogs/
> 
> If normal food is going in, but nothing or not much is coming out at the back end over several days, that's troubling. Sometimes dogs eventually digest these bones -- you can watch them digest in repeated xrays, getting smaller. Sometimes they get into real trouble though.


Like I said, I don't think the actual bone was the problem. I think the flavoring did not agree with his stomach; vet agrees. Before throwing the bone marrow away, I checked to see if anything was chipped off and it was completely intact so I'm certain he did not bite off a piece of the bone.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

His puking started on the 5th. Today is day 5. How is he doing now? NO more puking? Pooping normal amount and form? Like a good looking dog turd? Normal energy and activity doesn't necessarily mean that nothing is going on inside.


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

wolfy dog said:


> His puking started on the 5th. Today is day 5. How is he doing now? NO more puking? Pooping normal amount and form? Like a good looking dog turd? Normal energy and activity doesn't necessarily mean that nothing is going on inside.


Thank you to everyone for all of your concern. He's very active, normal appetite, NO puking, normal pooping, etc. I believe it was just a bug.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If Poo OUT is proportional to Food IN, then maybe we are out of the woods. Awesome. Most, maybe all who have commented on this thread are very experienced with the breed and health concerns. We continued to show concern because we haven't heard about the healthy poop in volume and consistency and were seriously concerned that your vet was not doing what your dog required, which could have easily meant death to your dog.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

How happy one can be with good dog poop! Glad he is OK. Hope you won't get anymore surprises from that Doggy Day Care(less?)


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## mrtaz6334 (Jul 6, 2017)

wolfy dog said:


> How happy one can be with good dog poop! Glad he is OK. Hope you won't get anymore surprises from that Doggy Day Care(less?)


Thank you to everyone for expressing their concern. Taz and I appreciate it! We definitely will not be returning to that daycare!


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