Beagle Mix Has Diarrhea After Eating Trash: What Now?

Hi Beatrice, Thank you so much for writing in. Ooh, it sounds like you’ve got a classic Beagle there - always thinking with their stomach! Enough time has passed that I would say that the chicken wings probably won’t cause an acute issue, but as cooked bones tend to be more fragile and likely to splinter, there is a chance that they could damage the lining of the stomach or intestines, so we do need to keep a close eye on her. If she stops eating, starts vomiting, or stops producing any feces, then you need to phone your vet urgently. You may see some blood in her stool from inflammation or damage to the intestinal lining, but provided she is bright and well otherwise, and there isn’t a large amount of blood, this would be expected under the circumstances. Over the next couple of days, it is important to feed her small, bland meals only, and ensure she is drinking water. If she seems uncomfortable or bloated in her abdomen, she needs to get to the vet ASAP. My biggest worry with Bella is a condition called Pancreatitis. I have included some links for some more reading for you at the end. This is a disease that can affect any dog, but one of the triggers is gastrointestinal upset and eating rich foods. Pancreatitis can be extremely painful and can even be fatal, so is not something to be taken lightly. Signs of pancreatitis include: vomiting lethargy abdominal pain diarrhea fever Dogs with pancreatitis often need to be hospitalized to receive intravenous fluids, pain relief, and anti-nausea medications, and dogs with a history of pancreatitis need to be kept on bland, low fat food, for life, to avoid future flare ups. I would be very careful about leaving ANYTHING tempting lying around where Bella can get to it, as the more often this sort of thing happens, the worse the outcome is likely to be. Keep a close eye on her for the next 72 hours, and keep her quiet and rested until we know she is in the clear. If you’d like to talk to a vet about what’s going on, you can book an online consultation at Pangovet.com, and be sure to reach out to your own vet if you are worried about Bella’s condition. Hopefully, she will make a full recovery, but we don’t want her falling victim to an intestinal obstruction or pancreatitis. Good luck! Dr Karyn https://www.dogster.com/ask-the-vet/pancreatitis-in-dogs https://www.dogster.com/ask-the-vet/bowel-obstruction-in-dogs https://www.dogster.com/ask-the-vet/gastroenteritis-in-dogs