Typical warning signs of an intestinal blockage?

[JLStorm]

One of my parents dogs died last night due to an intestinal blockage from eating socks, he was an 11 year old standard poodle. Im completely faulting my parents for not picking up on this as they had a suspician that he may have eaten some and they knew that it had been 2 days since he pooped. By the point that they took him to the emergency vet they were told that it was too late. He

So I was talking to my wife and we both were shocked that the dog wasnt taken to the vet a day or two after he didnt poop at all, not to mention that my parents knew he loved eating socks. But, it got me to wondering if there are other warning signs that anyone knows of that would help differentiate an intestinal blockage from standard constipation?

 

[BluwaterNewfs]

I had a puppy that had a blockage. She wouldn't eat and threw up if she drank even a little bit of water. We were lucky and the blockage passed but we spent 8 hours in the vets office with her, she was just 9 weeks old. We think she may have eaten the shredded paper that was in the puppy pen. We never saw anything pass and I was very careful about what the puppies had to play with.

The vet gave her a contrast material and then started taking xrays every 1/2 hour. As long as the blockage seem to move we waited. After about 8 hours the blockage seemed smaller and near the 'end', the vet felt she would pass it what ever it was. The vet had us watch her careful for the next 12 hours, and if she couldn't keep down water to bring her right back. We had to check all poop. We never found anything and when she was xrayed 12 later everything was clear. The only thing that we know she could have eaten was the newspaper.

 

[Peter Maniate]

When I suspect a bowel blockage either because of lack of pooping or throwing up or both, I administer large amounts of oil by syringe every couple of hours and if nothing happens in 12 hours, I get the Newf to a vet ASAP. For whelps under four weeks, I just pierce a salmon oil capsule and squirt the oil down the throat; normally something happens within two minutes, sometimes as quickly as 30 seconds.

 

[Ginny]

As Peter said, you often see vomiting too.

 

[Ksullivan]

I had a friend that had a lab pup die from this, and my son had a dog that survived through surgery at Purdue U from this, it is VERY SERIOUS business. I have been very forunate to not have had this problem.

 

[RhodyNewf]

I know a PWD that died from eating a sock also. She was 6 and had a sock fetish. She threw up also, but there had been no notice of her not pooping. My golden is chewer--I always joke that if her skips a meal, we are going straight to the emergency vet.

I am so sorry for your parents and your loss. It is always difficult when we question if it could have been prevented...

 

[2newfs4now]

Our lab had a blockage about a year ago - seems even frozen turkey necks don't get chewed...he no longer gets them. Anyway, he eats twice a day and literally poops 5-6 times a day so, when he didn't poop and lost his appetite it was off to the vet...PRONTO!!! If any of my guys skip a meal or vomit, I'm on the phone to the vet or in the van on the way there...

 

[Jorge's mum]

they will become more lethargic too and you will know by their character that they aint right

 

[blstarke]

Yes, Mr. Gunnery ate everything when he was a puppy
I was real lucky since he always pooped it out; loose stools for a couple of days
He never vomited but if he did, I would have rushed him to the vet.
BTW, he still gets in trouble at 17 months; his nickname is Mr.Oh-Oh

 

[R Taft]

I am so sorry to hear about your parents poodle................
When you own horses and newfoundland dogs you become very "bowel" and "poop" orientated. I watch for loss of appetite, vomitting (not in horses), restlessness, pain, a certain look in the eye that tells you something is not right and i do go with my own "gut feelings". If I think someting is not quite so, I head for the vet. better one too many visits than too late. The bloat chart is great to use

 

[cedarvalleynewfoundlands]

Classic signs of bowel obstruction in people are constipation, watery diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, fever and stomach or chest pain. A less common sign is also unusually bad breath.
Usually, many disorders that are shared by people/dogs have the same symptoms in either species.

Mary

 

[charityd]

I'm sorry to hear about your parents' dog. There is some good info in this thread...I'm glad I read it.

 

[AngusMcDubhsMom]

Gracie was very lethargic, restless, not eating when I took her in, fearing bloat. (Angus had the same symptoms and died of bloat). They x-rayed and thought they saw a small blockage, so I would say anytime they aren't eating, seem out of sorts, not quite right, have it checked out. The vet said later that she had been beginning to torsion too, but it straightened itself.

 

[cedarvalleynewfoundlands]

I was talking to a friend who does Rescue in Dallas TX. She told me about a Dane she had who ate the better part of a twin size comforter she had put in his crate. Ended up having to do major surgery on him. Luckily, they had a pretty good suspicion what had happened when the comforter was mostly gone from the crate, and took him in immediately. Set her back a couple thousand, but at least he was OK!

Mary