# Gassy dog and stomach cramps



## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

Can anyone shed any light please. My dog has stomach cramps in the mormings and is off his food and seems really uncomfortable and the noise coming from his stomach is really loud. We feed him nature diet four times a day and white boiled rice with nature diet in the evenings. He gets these episodes about 3 to 4 times per week. I find it really distressing to see him. I have visited my vet on several occasions and they can't seem to find anything really wrong. They have advised changing diet which I have done, but the cramps seem to get worse especially with dried foods so we go back to nature diet. His poos are very firm all the time. He is 3 years old and a border collie. When he gets these episodes he seems to buckle and spin round looking at his stomach and pushes into you to rub him which I do.
I wondered if maybe his poos were too hard and this was the problem.
Sometimes it only lasts about an hour but recently has seemed to become more frequent and last longer. 
Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

How old is you dog Bren! Only I note you are feeding him four times a day! is he a pup?
DT


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

The reason we feed this often is because we were told by the vet that because his stomach is empty this can cause excess acid in the gut and cause the cramps so we do this to eliminate this.
thanks


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

DoubleTrouble said:


> How old is you dog Bren! Only I note you are feeding him four times a day! is he a pup?
> DT


DT read properly haha he says he is 3 
Sorry but i dont have clue never heard of this before
i think may be a re-visit to your vet even a different vet to get a second opioion..

good luck kerry xx


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

I would have thought that your vet would have prescribed Antepsin for this or the other brand which names escapes me at the moment but is four times more costly.

Which variety are you feeding


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

Already done that today and again they have said the same. But they are getting some yakult for dogs for us to try they did have a name for it but not sure what it is called til i pick it up. but other than that they say he is fine temp ok gums etc. It's really frustrating as we are really careful what we feed him because of this cramping.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

Abdominal Cramping in Cats & Dogs | Natural Pet Remedies
This may be worth taking a look at.! But im sure a vet would be able to see this
so not sure good luck
kerry xxx


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

I know dt there is nothing I would like more than to give him something to alleviate it. I have asked too.


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

Thank you devildogz will take a look I appreciate the quick response from everyone


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

DevilDogz said:


> DT read properly haha he says he is 3
> Sorry but i dont have clue never heard of this before
> i think may be a re-visit to your vet even a different vet to get a second opioion..
> 
> good luck kerry xx


You are definately first in line for Rona's Job, Better send in your references!! I'll run them by her when she has time!
DT


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

My SBT suffers this exact problem. In 9 years my vet has never been able to make a diagnosis except to say that his intestines are going into spasm for unknown reasons.

Pasta and rice seem to set him off, so we avoid them. Plus any wheat and gluten products.

What dried food have you tried him on? Alfie is much better when on JWB, but he still has bouts when on it. He used to have them atleast once a week, but now its every few months (touch wood).

He likes it if you massage his belly, which feels incredibly tense, and will tremble and stand all hunched up. He also begs to eat grass, which sometimes he throws up and sometimes he doesnt.
I found that Dorwest Herbs Tree Barks Powder helped him, as it contains slippery elm, which is know as an intestinal aid and soother.
Ive tried all the vet diets, and none of them helped at all. 
It does seem stress related with Alfie. The people over the road had a blazing row the other day, and Alfie got upset and had a bout of this tummy problem.

Not really sure what to suggest, as we have never been able to get to the bottom of it, only reduce it in frequency. He does seem to like it if i take him out for a little potter on his own, where he munches grass. Exercise does stimulate the gut, but if you do walk him, keep it gentle.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

DoubleTrouble said:


> You are definately first in line for Rona's Job, Better send in your references!! I'll run them by her when she has time!
> DT


PMSL lol ok will get some up for you to look through..!
Theres always someone watching you DT  
kerry xxx


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

Zantac I think is the other preperation that the vets give - this is however very expensive for dogs.

Maybe it would be worth getting a second opinion! How long has this been going on? One thing I would be concerned about would be the increased risk of (gastric torsion (bloat) (don't know how suspectable collies are to this),
Have you considered the BARF diet? or maybe this is not an option
regards
DT


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## isadobe (Mar 16, 2009)

Try him on plain yogurt or yakult ya buy in the supermarket don't waste money on vets also a little spoon of Indian brandy anything we take a dog can have in moderation :thumbup1:


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

isadobe said:


> Try him on plain yogurt or yakult ya buy in the supermarket don't waste money on vets also a little spoon of Indian brandy anything we take a dog can have in moderation :thumbup1:


But the antepsin does a completely different job to the yohurt, given prior to feeding it lines the stomach.


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

DevilDogz said:


> DT read properly haha he says he is 3
> Sorry but i dont have clue never heard of this before
> i think may be a re-visit to your vet even a different vet to get a second opioion..
> 
> good luck kerry xx


Blobbed for that. :thumbsup:


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

rona said:


> Blobbed for that. :thumbsup:


Hey what about me!!! I set the trap! You don't seriously think I did that on purpose do you
DT


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## isadobe (Mar 16, 2009)

DoubleTrouble said:


> But the antepsin does a completely different job to the yohurt, given prior to feeding it lines the stomach.


Ooh has he been given antepsin by the vets i dint read that then 

im just saying to try what you would try yourself rather than go to the vets everytime which can cost a fortune  dont get me wrong i would have ours to a vet like a shot if i was really worried but some of these old remedies are what ive picked up off old terrier guys who have had dogs for years & they have worked for my dogs in the past :thumbsup:


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

rona said:


> Blobbed for that. :thumbsup:


Thanks we need all the people we can to keep her inline  :cornut:



DoubleTrouble said:


> Hey what about me!!! I set the trap! You don't seriously think I did that on purpose do you
> DT


None for you you didnt read properly its all this time on here your eyes gone funny :biggrin:
Set the trap haha we belive you 
If thats how you want to put it
kerry xxx


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2009)

DevilDogz said:


> Thanks we need all the people we can to keep her inline  :cornut:
> 
> None for you you didnt read properly its all this time on here your eyes gone funny :biggrin:
> Set the trap haha we belive you
> ...


In your dreams DD - it'd take an army but then seeing as our troops are on their way home we won't rule it out!
lol
DT


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi Nonnie 
Thanks for your reply
We have tried him on burns which he was on since a pup and then started reacting to that so we stopped that dried food and then i tried him on csj and he really reacted to that. so i have stopped the dried food as am so worried to cause him discomfort but my vet today said try jwb the one with duck. Is that the one you use?
I will try anything really that will help him.


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## gesic (Feb 19, 2009)

Just a quiki Antepsin is wat vets ref to as a bandage in otherwords it protects the lining of the stomach.Zantac or tagamet is an antacid so neutralises excess acid production.
In all honesty it sounds as though ur dogs guts are reacting to certain food stuffs. It might be an idea to go right back to the beginning so as to isolate foods that cause a reaction.
First just feed rice if ok add cottage cheese, then start adding meat one type at a time so as to see if its a reaction to certain meats.
Our dog was on nature diet but had to stick to chicken based food as allergic to lamb.
The other thing we found very good was Shirleys gastrine tablets (available at most pet shops) it soothed the cramps.
Another thing good for excess acid is plain old charcoal...most pet shops stock them now.
Unfortunately sensitive tummies can be set off by the smallest of things and ifthey scavange like ours did its a nightmare. gd lk


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi dt 
Yes am aware of the bloat and that is what i really keep an eye on as I know how dangerous this is. Yes barf would be an option but to be honest am so scared as he gets really painful belly the thought of giving him bones and raw food really scares me at this point .


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Bren said:


> Hi Nonnie
> Thanks for your reply
> We have tried him on burns which he was on since a pup and then started reacting to that so we stopped that dried food and then i tried him on csj and he really reacted to that. so i have stopped the dried food as am so worried to cause him discomfort but my vet today said try jwb the one with duck. Is that the one you use?
> I will try anything really that will help him.


Mine have the lamb or the turkey, as Alfie tolerates this well. Also i dont think they do the senior in the duck.

Like someone has suggested, it may be worth trying the BARF diet. We havent found a trigger for Alfies bouts, as we can have him on the same food for months on end, without incident, and then suddenly he'll have a bad session. They dont last as long as they used to. Some days he would be off colour for about 48 hours, now its only about 2-3 hours maximum.

I have to say my vets havent been at all helpful. Ive had him blood tested, scanned, x-rayed and nothing. Now they just have a "deal with it" attitude. Everything i try now is trial and error. My vet doesnt think its diet related, but im not so convinced myself.

If you do find something that helps, let me know, as id be interested in trying it on Alfie.


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## Bren (Apr 30, 2009)

Gesic 
He is actually on the lamb most of the time which could be the problem I know what you mean about the scavenging he has started to do that a bit more lately haven't seen him eat anything. but who knows when he is on a walk they are so quick to gobble something horrid up. will try the shirleys and all the other advise as would really like to get some stability with this. Funny thing my other dogs could eat anything and I never really worried about it, if someone would say can he have a treat I would just say yes he can eat anything. Now i am so conscious of it as we have problems whatever the eats. it is a nightmare!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

I avoid the lamb ND now. It tends to make mine a little loose. I stick to the chicken and the lite/senior, and sometimes the rabbit, as they really seem to like that one.


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## gtatler (Oct 5, 2011)

Bren said:


> Can anyone shed any light please. My dog has stomach cramps in the mormings and is off his food and seems really uncomfortable and the noise coming from his stomach is really loud. We feed him nature diet four times a day and white boiled rice with nature diet in the evenings. He gets these episodes about 3 to 4 times per week. I find it really distressing to see him. I have visited my vet on several occasions and they can't seem to find anything really wrong. They have advised changing diet which I have done, but the cramps seem to get worse especially with dried foods so we go back to nature diet. His poos are very firm all the time. He is 3 years old and a border collie. When he gets these episodes he seems to buckle and spin round looking at his stomach and pushes into you to rub him which I do.
> I wondered if maybe his poos were too hard and this was the problem.
> Sometimes it only lasts about an hour but recently has seemed to become more frequent and last longer.
> Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks


My 10 year old Jack Russell bitch had several of these "do's" recently. Vets did every test imaginable and finally suggested stomach cramps. Prescribed a 14 day supply of *10mg Buscopan tablets*, 1 per day in the morning. Wonderful - no more cramps ! The medicine is not normally prescribed by vets, and I had to sign a disclaimer form, BUT THEY WORKED, and can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies. After the 14 days I now give half a tablet a day each morning and she has been well for over 6 weeks. Suggest you try.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Buscopan is an anti muscle spasmodic and used widely at the hosp. I have problems with Kali and her tum at times, makes an awful noise and obviously gives her pain. Sometimes she'll vomit other times she won't, she'll eat grass all day though.
She is and always has been barf fed so I have even tried her on a good quality wet and kibble (much against the grain ) but it happens with either food. Zantac doesn't help neither does milk of magneisia. I give her probiotic yogurt. The vet was pretty useless actually so she still lives with the discomfort.

Think I'll go back and ask the vet (a younger one this time)and ask if she can have Buscopan and see what they say. 
Thanks for that.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

My collie cross Ziggy had the same thing for years - you could hear the noise from across the room sometimes, and she was clearly in pain from it. 

She was on Skinners hypoallergenic salmon and rice back then, after trying a whole gamut of other foods. I found the Skinners was the best of what I tried. Then I changed her food to cereal-free, rice-free. Orijen at first. I did an instant switch, sure the food was causing it, so reckoned one more mouthful of the old stuff was one too many. Instant cure, the gut-churning has never happened again!
Both my dogs are on Fish4Dogs now. Ziggy is well and happy.

Nature diet is OK, but it does contain rice. Maybe that's your problem too. Slippery elm is great, buscopan may well work - but these things are just alleviating the symptoms. Removing the cause is the best long-term option.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I phoned the vet this evening and they do prescribe Buscopan so am taking her on Friday to give it a try. I have tried so many different food though I have to admit I haven't keep a record of what she eats to eliminate it. I had a feeling pigs trotters did it so I stopped giving them but like I said she still gets it on tinned food and wainwrights. Don't know why I thought BARF could be the problem since I've been feeding it since she was eight weeks old but you try anything at times even if you don't really agree with it. :frown:

I'll start a chart and stick with it but when it doesn't happen for a while I bet I forget to update it.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Been googling Buscopan for dogs and seem lots of people use it :thumbup: Found many on Champdogs so reckon PF are a bit behind with this drug. Will post how it goes but it all sounds very positive from other posters and the symptoms are exactly the same as Kali's, loud tummy sounds, yellow vomit, manic grass eating, unable to settle, very bad wind, restlessness and completely off food. Apparently all signs of colic. 

Buscopan is used in horses and cattle too for colic.


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## car0 (Dec 22, 2012)

hi, i have a border Colie mix heeler and he have the samething. i was wondering if you have found what was wrong with you dog so it can help me to findout about my. i have change his food from Healy advantage to Orijen few weeks ago and i thought it was gonna help but today his stomack is growling non stop. he went to all possible test and after 800$ bill!! the Vet said he was in good health..(i very happy about it but it doesn't fix the problem) . i find out it is worse went is empty stomack so i try to give him lots of small meal during the day. he is 3 years old. thanks. occasionnelly his gonna trowup small yellow stuff and he lost a lot of hair but other wise, he is happy and actif dog.


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