GERD

So apparently dogs can get gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) too! Though it seems like a no brainer now that I think about it, I never thought about it before today. :)

Here's the story... a week ago I had a friend visiting from out of town, and Abby got sick that night. She threw up four times, whole pieces of food, nearly six hours after I fed her. I was so worried about why her stomach wasn't emptying that I slept right next to her. Worse case scenario in my head was that I would be taking my dog to the animal hospital with a volvulus in the middle of the night. The next morning and the rest of the week, her energy level seemed normal and she was passing stool (thank God! No volvulus.) But her appetite was been way down, which is really out of character for her, because most days she acts like I starve her by eating her food so quickly. And she threw up three more times- whole pieces of food, hours after eating. Thinking this probably isn't a viral bug since it's still hanging around a week later, I sent my vet a message to see if he wanted me to do any blood work on her before her teeth cleaning this upcoming week. She'll be receiving anesthesia, so better safe than sorry! Anyway, he seems to think the stress of me having company combined with me working longer hours has caused my poor little girl stress and now she has GERD. I'm treating her with 2.5mg of Pepcid (famotidine, a H2 blocker).

What can I say? Like mother, like daughter. I have the same problem when I get stressed.

Love my Abby. <3