[BubbaLeroy]

Well, I can't believe I'm writing this, but Bogie swallowed another rock. On June 12th he had surgery to remove a lodged rock from his intestines, after one passed. Yesterday around noon he started acting funny, stretching out, turning in circles, nipping at his tummy and very unhappy. We looked at each other and said that's what he was doing when he swallowed the rocks.
Our regular vet, the one who did his first surgery, does not do emergencies on the weekends. We finally got hold of a vet who does emergencies on the weekends, who works out of her farm. A very nice lady vet, so off we went.
Bogie threw up on the way there, and when we arrived she quickly checked him over, checked tummy, temp, took stool sample, and x-rayed. Lots of bacteria swimming in the stool sample and YEP!!! There set an object in his intestines. She gave him a laxative, hoping he could pass the object, and we sadly left him around 3:30, knowing he might have to have surgery. She called at 5:00, said he was going downhill, more throwing up, and was going to do the surgery.
She called us back around 8 last night, Bogie made it through the surgery OK. And yes, it was a piece of rock with some concrete stuck to it. We are waiting now to hear how he is doing this morning. So if there is any extra healing drool our there send some Bogie's way.

Update 9/11 Monday morning on page 2!!!!

 

[Sandy and Bo]

I can't believe it! Poor Bogie...poor you! Bo and Moose are busy slinging buckets of drool south of the border.

I think you wil have to watch Bogie like a hawk after this, he obviously loves rocks. Poor guy...please keep us posted. This has got to be so hard on him, to go through such drastic surgery twice. Thinking of you and Bogie up here in Canada...

Sandy

 

[Lynne & Huck]

Oh No!! Is there anything they won't swallow? Too bad they don't have the memory of what happens when they do things like that. How is it that they can remember where their cookies are kept, when it is time for a walk, or all the other funny things that they remember but they can't remember what happens when they get into trouble.

Huckleberry is sending gobs of gooey drool along to you and Bogie. Keep us posted!

 

[Basset Momma]

Oh my stars!!! Bogie- What are you thinking?? I have heard though that if they do it once they are likely to do it again. We cleared our dog run of all stones when we moved in- but it's not a huge area- 20X30ish. When we expand it later this fall there will be rocks again- now I'll be doubly nervous :blink:

Sending lots of love, drool, and prayers for a speedy recovery.

 

[Elmer-n-Button]

Sorry to hear about that I know I would be frantic if that happened to ours. So far, so good on not eating rocks, but I agree that Bassets are "goats" in the way they will eat everthing. Button used to grab a mouthful of mulch on his way into the house and I'd have to stick my fingers halfway down to his stomach to get it out. Button & Elmer send healing drool from Virginia!

 

[Betsy Iole]

So sorry you and Bogie have to go through this again, so soon after the first episode. I've known other people with rock eaters. Management consists of prevention--clearing the property of rocks if possible, trying to watch the dog (rarely a successful approach by itself), and finally and most importantly, muzzling the dog whenever it goes outside. Would suggest a basket muzzle rather than a soft muzzle. Good luck!

 

[Marcia]

A friend of mine has a black lab with this problem. He had three surgeries in the space of a year for rocks in his innards, and one before that for swallowing a golf ball. She now uses a basket muzzle when the dog is outside. She gets some strange looks, but her dog has been OK for two years now.

 

[Emma and Doris]

I'm speechless! :huh:

So sorry you all have to go through all this again,
we'll sling slobber and prayers!





--------------------
<span style="color:#009900">The one that drools rules,
Steinar - daddy and foodslave to Emma and Doris!

http://www.basset-hound.net.tf</span>

 

[BubbaLeroy]

Thanks so much for the kind thoughts and healing drool. The vet called about 10 this morning and said he was bouncing and feeling so much better than yesterday. She wants to keep him today and if all is OK with BM's and downing liquid food he can come home tomorrow.
We feel so bad about this. We had scoured the back yard for rocks after the first episode. On Thursday the cable company was here installing new lines and dug around the back of the house. We just found two small rocks with concrete attached behind the bushes where they dug. Evidently they hit some of the foundation area and these fell off and Bogie got one. We never thought to go check in the bushes after they left.
The basket muzzle sounds like a good idea. We will have to look into that. Why rocks??Just wondering if he's missing something in his diet. He does lick our ceramic tile kitchen floor at times also. Any ideas??

 

[Beverly Anne]

Poor, poor Bogie! Poor, poor you!!!!
Well, in humans there's a disease called "pica". This is where people eat things like wallboard (saw that once) and rocks and other completely non-edible things.
"Pica is an eating disorder that is characterized by the repeated eating of non-nutritive substances over a period of one month or longer. Patients may eat non-edible objects such as paint, plaster, dirt, ice, or laundry starch. Pica generally affects small children, pregnant women, and people whose cultural environment is most compatible with the eating of non-food items." The cause of pica is not known. Many hypotheses have been developed to explain the behavior. These have included a variety of such factors as cultural influences; low socioeconomic status; deficiency diseases; and psychological disorders.

So, now the question is: Does Bogie suffer from recognition of low socio-economic status?
Hmmm, I thought not. Does the vet have any ideas? As per Betsy, I see a muzzle in the poor little guy's future.
Lots of luck. Keep us posted.

 

[Elvismom]

I'm so glad you got a good report from the vet's & hope the Bogie is home tomorrow full of basset spunk.

I fear that the muzzle will be your best bet, but I bet Bogie will have his own opinion on that! But, you can't keep going through this.

We're slinging lots of drool for both of you.

 

[bjsibba]

I can't believe Bogie and you had to go through this again. Ever since I read your post the last time he did this I have been so careful about our hounds. Especially Max our youngest one, if he gets out to the driveway which is gravel he will start to pick at the rocks like he is going to eat them. I'm sure if I weren’t right there watching him he would have. I'm glad to hear Bogie is doing better and hopefully this will be the last time you have to go through this.

 

[murraysmom]

Oh, I just read this- how awful! Hope he's home soon and heals fast-

 

[Sandy and Bo]

Beverly, I am going to risk embarrassing myself here. I have had bouts of Pica through out my life. I craved and ate chalk, and yes, I'm sure would have eaten wall board, and especially ICE! couldn't get enough...I almost ruined my teeth, and I drove my family crazy crunching on ice cubes.

With me, it was a female problem, that led to a SEVERE iron deficiency. Once I recieved iron, I was fine. But I can tell you, it was a STRONG craving.

I never even told anyone, because I thought I was going crazy, I had never heard of Pica! Thank goodness I finally told my Dr. He knew right away...

I wondered if something like that could be the problem with Bogie too, and other dogs that ingest rocks?

I am SOOOOO happy that Bogie is OK!!!

Sandy

 

[Terry]

I'm sorry you had to go through this again. You and Bogie are VERY lucky. If he were mine I'd opt for a muzzle when you can't supervise him. My friend lost a very young, sweet, and incredibly dear Basset named Baxter when he swallowed a rock. Playful little Baxter was always mouthing rocks and small ones were showing up in his stools. They became alarmed and were beginning to looke into how to handle it when Baxter swallowed the big one. Their vet looked at Baxter and sent him to the emergency vet in Bridgewater, who operated immediately. There had been some intestinal damage from the rough edges of the large rock but they thought he might recover. When he never improved they did more tests which revealed a serious genetic heart condition... poor little Baxter didn't last much longer after that. While his genetic condition ultimately killed him, the seriousness of surgery and the damage to his intestines could have easily been the cause of his death. A muzzle may protect Bogie from going through this again in the future...

I'm very glad he's okay!

 

[Rubydoo]

I'm so sorry that Bogie has found the rocks again and you had to deal with this again too! At least he's on the mend.

Maybe the rocks have a taste of something good? I recall Ruby eating acorns that were in the yard. Not just any acorn mind you, but the ones that the squirrels had touched or buried.

Maybe your vet will know somethng about the pica thing?

A golden retriever we know ate an entire adult size tube sock and she almost died. Years later, she ate another one. It wasn't a dirty one but a clean one. Go figure.

Hope Bogie recovers soon with no lasting complications.

 

[Maggie's Mommy]

OMG!!! Poor Bogie! I am so sorry all of you are going through this again. When he had his first episode, my Husband cleared our backyard of all our landscaping rocks. It took days and days but we were so scared after hearing Bogie's story. Poor guy! I too would either stay in the yard with him or get the muzzle. I still don't leave mine alone in the yard. If I do, they inevitably get into something they shouldn't. They eat the mulch, plants, etc. If I want them to spend any length of time in the yard, I sit there with a book or magzine and don't take my eyes off them. I am hoping they outgrow this puppy stage soon.

We are sending tons of healing drool to Bogie for a speedy recovery.

 

[biscuit]

I am so, so sorry! I can't believe he did this, poor guy.

If it were me, I'd sure get the muzzle. Yes, in an ideal world, doggies (and people) wouldn't do things like this, but it's not an ideal world and they do do things like this. And unfortunately rocks, small and large, have a way of showing up all over the place. Around here, we make jokes about them coming out to get a little sun because people will think they've got their place cleared of rocks --- then BOOM. Rocks everywhere.

Lots of good thoughts for the big lug from here ...

 

[Guest]

Snoopy sends his drool to Bogie. We hope he feels better soon

 

[Bassetmama]

OMG.. you poor things.
I'm so glad you were able to get him well and back to his old self.

Not sure why some dogs eat rocks, but it seems to be something rather common.

Hoss sends lots of healing drool for your little guy!