[SA BASSETS]

Hello All. I'm new to the board - allthough i have been reading a and learning a lot!!

I have 2 bassets - Lexie and Wellington.

Lexie we've had since 8 weeks of age, but old Wellie we adopted in September (I think). He's about 4yrs and Lex is turning 2 soon.

Since then he's been to hospital twice for swallowing rocks. The most recent was last week where our boy swollowed a heart shaped rock and almost got operated, but thank goodness he pooped it out (truly a miracle - the vets were flabergasted!!).

My question is: why do they do this??? and can we stop it??

we have paved most of the problem areas in our backyard.

Please help!

Many Thanks,
Simone.

 

[pinehawk]

stop feeding then rocks and try dog food :lol: you will just have to keep a closer eye on them.my uncle had one eat some,some were passed,one didn't $2000.00 for a operation to get it out.

 

[SA BASSETS]

stop feeding then rocks and try dog food :lol: you will just have to keep a closer eye on them.my uncle had one eat some,some were passed,one didn't $2000.00 for a operation to get it out.[/b]

I know - we feed them Vet's choice - equal to royal canine...don't know if you get the food there! but the op would have cost us R8000 which is about $8000/7 i think!! but its a huge amount in SA Rand.

 

[murraysmom]

I think Bubba Leroy posted about this awhile back- she ended up using a basket muzzle to stop her dog from eating rocks.From peoiple who have posted with this problem , it seems like the consensus is that it's almost impossible to break them from doing this, so prevention is the best option.

 

[2hounds]

I am so thankful I do not have this problem (not at this point anyways). If I ever do have this problem I will use a basket muzzle like others have suggested. It is probably your best option. You just put it on when you cannot be outside with them and they cannot eat rocks.

~Heather

 

[BubbaLeroy]

Simone,
Our Basset, Bogie, who will be two in April, has had two rock eating incidents, both ending with surgery to remove a lodged rock. The first in June of 2006, where he swallowed two rocks while we were camping. One passed the other was to large, and he had to have surgery. We thought they might have been tasty because they were under the picnic table where people had dropped food and had cooked.
The second was in Sept. 2006, and he was in our back yard which we had scoured for rocks. Then came the cable company to bury new cable. They dug near the house foundation and dislodged concrete pieces and rocks that they threw in the neighboring bushes along with a chunk of donut and a pop can. We had no idea the stuff was in the bushes, but Bogie found it and swallowed another rock and another surgery.
The vet told us that prevention was the key to rock eaters and suggested a basket type muzzle. This way he could still pant and bark, but be protected. We've searched the internet, other forums, etc. for information, and it seems some dogs just do this. The vet told us she had done several surgeries on repeat offenders. We found some thoughts on diet, anemia, etc. on the internet, "pica" like in humans, but the vet did blood work on Bogie and said everything was fine.
We ended up getting an "Italian Basket Muzzle" #99271 from KV Vet Supply via the internet. It's made of polyethylene and has adjustable leather straps. It works really well. We put it on Bogie when we cannot be in the back yard with him or if we are somewhere and can't watch him closely. A real bummer for him, but he has adapted. Tough in the beginning until he got used to it. He tried to rub it off, and hang it in the bushes and pull it off. We do not walk him with it on. Here is a picture fo Bogie with the muzzle on. The neighbors call him our little hockey goalie.

Good luck Simone. I'll be glad to answer any other questions and help any way I can.
Connie

 

[SA BASSETS]

Hi Connie, thanks for all the help and advise...we have ordered a muzzle from the Vet, but the problem is we both work all day and we think he eats the rocks out of boredom or separation anxiety. The Vet also said we couldnt leave him with it on in the day time as they sometimes want to vomit and could choke.So we have cleaned up the yard as much as we could and paved the problem areas.
He hates the muzzle and tries pulling it off...shame....so we really don't know if we should get the muzzle...

we also bought them lots of raw hide bones and a ball to play with in the daytime...so to avoid the boredom.

I was also wondering if we shouldnt let them go up to our second gate to look out of the yard. but people are funny and might tease or steal our doggies...and you know bassets - they will just lap up all the attention!!!

what do you think?

thanks again,
Simone

 

[Aruuuu]

Sounds like you might have to set up a small kennel area for your rock eater to use while you're gone, one that's free of rocks. I have a rock eater who needed $2,000 worth of surgery last June. She now wears a muzzle to go outside, but when we're not home the dogs are in the house. I hope to one day have an in-and-out setup for the dogs, and it will be concrete slab to avoid rocks.

This is a serious problem, one that cannot be overlooked or your dog will pay with his life. An added warning: pieces of rawhide can be just as life threatening to a dog as rocks. I don't give rawhide chews to my dogs unless I'm around to keep an eye on them.....

 

[SA BASSETS]

Sounds like you might have to set up a small kennel area for your rock eater to use while you're gone, one that's free of rocks. I have a rock eater who needed $2,000 worth of surgery last June. She now wears a muzzle to go outside, but when we're not home the dogs are in the house. I hope to one day have an in-and-out setup for the dogs, and it will be concrete slab to avoid rocks.

This is a serious problem, one that cannot be overlooked or your dog will pay with his life. An added warning: pieces of rawhide can be just as life threatening to a dog as rocks. I don't give rawhide chews to my dogs unless I'm around to keep an eye on them.....[/b]

Any suggestions about what i can give them to play with outside?

the hooves the chew and Wellie wants to swallow them aswell!

 

[BubbaLeroy]

Bogie likes the long skinny "Bully sticks", a little expensive, but they last a long time and do not come off in big chunks like the rawhides. I know PetCo carries them. We had to retrieive some chunks of rawhide from deep in his throat when he was gagging with those.

Here is Bogie with his "Bully stick".

 

[AndrewB]

Hi,
Well, I think all young bassets tend to do this kind of thing. Our Monty is now over 1 year old, and he is still inclined
to grab a stone (we call them over here) and try to chew/swallow it. I think you just have to be on the ball
and take them away from them. And they may just be bored, and are a looking for a game or two ??!!!

If they do go in at one end, check to make sure they come out at the other ! Otherwise a trip to the vet will be necessary !

Good luck !

Andrew

Hello All. I'm new to the board - allthough i have been reading a and learning a lot!!

I have 2 bassets - Lexie and Wellington.

Lexie we've had since 8 weeks of age, but old Wellie we adopted in September (I think). He's about 4yrs and Lex is turning 2 soon.

Since then he's been to hospital twice for swallowing rocks. The most recent was last week where our boy swollowed a heart shaped rock and almost got operated, but thank goodness he pooped it out (truly a miracle - the vets were flabergasted!!).

My question is: why do they do this??? and can we stop it??

we have paved most of the problem areas in our backyard.

Please help!

Many Thanks,
Simone.[/b]

 

[Aruuuu]

Hi,
Well, I think all young bassets tend to do this kind of thing. Our Monty is now over 1 year old, and he is still inclined
to grab a stone (we call them over here) and try to chew/swallow it. I think you just have to be on the ball
and take them away from them. And they may just be bored, and are a looking for a game or two ??!!!

If they do go in at one end, check to make sure they come out at the other ! Otherwise a trip to the vet will be necessary !

Good luck !

Andrew [/b]

Andrew,

Vigilance is a wonderful thing, as long as it works -- but when it doesn't, the dog will pay with his/her life. NOT muzzling, in some instances, is negligence in the extreme.

As for what causes some dogs to be rock eaters while others aren't, there is a theory that breeding is at the bottom of some of this.....