[alanckaye]

Hi, I had a couple of questions and after searching couldn't find an answer so if it's ok I'll put them in one thread. Yesterday Karma was drinking water - she drank and drank (in the morning). Then she started to make a noise almost like she was going to vomit but more concerning than what I've come to know as the vomit warning. She continued and I thought she had something caught in her throat so I did the only thing I could do was pound on her back between her shoulder blades. That didn't do any good so I put my hand on her throat and it felt like her throat was in a spasm as she made this noise. She wanted to go outside so I went out with her and she vomited a large mass of white stuff along with the small amount of food she had in her stomach. I share a banana with them and there were chunks of that. She started eating leaves and grass like a goat and threw up again. After eating some more grass she came in and seemed to be ok but I was concerned all day.

Secondly - KD and Karma are 18 months old and I usually put them in their crate for bed time when I go to bed @ 10:30 or 11PM. KD absolutely refuses to go to bed, instead lying on the couch looking all (I don't want to go) but she will spend most of the day lying in her crate. I know the couch is more comfortable than the crate but (they are 18 mos>) I don't know what they would do if I let them stay up during the night to have the run of the house. We would be in our bedroom - door closed and when I'm in there taking a nap Karma lies near the door smelling under the door until I come out. I know there is no hard and fast rule but does anyone have advice on when it would be or under what circumstances it would be ok to leave them sleep on the couch? thanks

 

[SheetsSM]

I hope Karma feels better. As for the magic age for earned freedom, it's dog specific. I would caution you from allowing one of your puppers to refuse the crate if you gave them a command...it's your call for the sleepy time on the couch. As I work during the day & my girl is crated, I make sure to minimize her crate time during the rest of the day/night hours, at night, she's baby-gated in my bedroom (she's usually conked out in bed with me). I also did this with my fosters once I knew they weren't going to destroy the room while I slept, only one of my 30+ fosters had full run of the house at night. As for sleeping on the couch, is there a way where you can dog-proof the room or contain them to that area? Just make sure you don't give them too much freedom too fast.

 

[BeauShel]

I think the only way you can tell if they are ready to stay out of the crate is to let them spend one night or day out. If they destroy something then nope not ready. But dont get mad if something is destroyed or chewed.
My Shelby stayed in a crate for almost 2 years because she chewed everything but Bama stayed out after 6 months.

 

[alanckaye]

thank you - I don't think they would destroy anything. I'm just not sure they sleep all night and they are too big to sleep in our bed, besides they would be walking around on the bed at night licking our faces. I just don't know if they would be at our door waking us up but you are right. I need to give it a try one night. The couch is theirs now anyway so it wouldn't matter. What about her throat thing, has anyone had anything like that happen? I'm afraid it will happen when they are crated or I'm gone. I leave them out of the crate and they have the run of the house if I go out for a few hours. They only destroyed the dining room berber carpet but it was already in bad shape. thanks

 

[Merlins mom]

Merlin has done something similar to that when he drinks water too fast, but it doesn't happen very often. It sounds like from your post that this is the first time that's happened to Karma? Hopefully it'll just be a one time occurrence.

Re leaving them out of the crate at night. Maybe you can babygate your bedroom door rather than close it for a few nights. That way you can hear if something is going on that shouldn't be! Like I was told here when Merlin was a pup....baby steps!

 

[alanckaye]

Merlin has done something similar to that when he drinks water too fast, but it doesn't happen very often. It sounds like from your post that this is the first time that's happened to Karma? Hopefully it'll just be a one time occurrence.

Re leaving them out of the crate at night. Maybe you can babygate your bedroom door rather than close it for a few nights. That way you can hear if something is going on that shouldn't be! Like I was told here when Merlin was a pup....baby steps!

Yup, the first and hopefully the last. So you think it may be from drinking too fast? Hope so. Good idea on the baby gates. I'll give that a try tonight.:crossfing

 

[Karen519]

Alanckaye

ALAN

I agree the only way to know is to leave both of them out and night to see what happens.

As far as the throat noise, I have seen my Senior GOlden Ret. Smooch (10 years Old) do that-both of my dogs drink lots of water and there is nothing wrong with them as far as diabetes or kidneys are concerned.

Do you watch what they are doing outside? It may be that Karma ate something you shouldn't have outside and then was trying to get it to come up

CAN ANYONE ELSE HELP ALAN with this problem????

 

[paula bedard]

I hope Karma won't have a repeat performance of her throat spasm. My Sam did this but only when he was a Senior and was later diagnosed with mega esophagus. I'm sure your girl was just taking in too much water too quickly and probably choked a bit which brought everything back up. As for crating or not, I never used a crate at night past the first week of having the pups home. I closed the bedroom door and made sure there was nothing that a curious pup could get hurt by within his reach.
Good luck.

 

[alanckaye]

thanks everyone - Karma has been fine, it seems maybe she just drank too fast because it was just after drinking but it scared the crap out of me. As for the crating @ night. We tried it for three nights - the first two were good - the third morning Karma was wining and barking under my bedroom door @ 6am. I'm retired and like to try to sleep in a little since my job afforded me little sleep - I do value the sleep I get so last night they were back in the crate again. I think I'll give them a few more months and maybe every now and then let them stay out, depending on how tired they are that day. thanks for all the concern. Oh, I watch them when they go out, usually walk with them around to make sure they do their business but my wife opens the door and lets them both out @ the same time which I don't like because they chase and catch lizards, frogs etc. I take them away because I know they will vomit @ night. She has no idea if they even do their business. I try and tell her but she's hard headed. Maybe that's where the girls get it from.

 

[Taz Monkey]

Taz started staying out of the crate when she was about 2.5. Sage, my lab mix was about 8 months, and Sydney, my beagle mix is 6 and is still crated. They all sleep in my bedroom though uncrated at night. Is there a reason they can't sleep on your bedroom floor? That way they could be out of the crate and also near you, which is probably why they're whining at the door for you.

 

[Heidi36oh]

All of mine where in the crate for a short time, I used the baby gate on Chloe until about 6 month ago, she was ready to be out.

All of mine sleep in the bedroom or downstairs in the living room, let's just say they got the run of the house, with no problems!

 

[laprincessa]

Max did the gag/cough kind of thing yesterday and then yakked up a massive wad of grass. And then he ran around like a lunatic and was fine the rest of the day. I think they do these random things just to mess with us.

 

[alanckaye]

ya, I'm noticing it more and more then they eat grass and barf but it's scary while they are doing it. Makes you feel helpless and wondering if they have a real problem. As for keeping them in the bedroom - I'd love to but our bedroom is small and I can feel my face being licked in the middle of the night plus I'm trying to keep one fur free zone in my house. As it is now I have hair blowing in my face at night and they only go in there when my wife lets them. Karma can jump up on a very high bed like a freaking gazelle.

 

[alanckaye]

the girls are still in their crates at this time - as for the throat spasm - I forgot I posted on Karma - lately KD has started doing the same thing when she drinks water too fast. On new years eve with all the fireworks, KD becomes so afraid she trembles and her heart beats rapidly as she breathes heavily. I lay half in the crate and half out and held her in my hands - that seemed to help - I got her a cup of water and she drank it down then started with the throat spasm thing - she stopped so I felt everything was good then tonight I heard her drinking water and she started with the same thing - I patted her on the back then felt her throat and it was in a spasm as she seemed like she was in distress. This is a scary thing - I don't know the signs of bloat but that's the first thing I think of and it scares me.

 

[Claire's Friend]

Are they sisters (blood related)? It sounds like it could be the beginning of mega esophagus to me. You might want to have them checked out by a vet. I would have the vet run a thyroid panel on them. ME is sometimes caused by low thyroid. Do NOT let your Vet tell you they are too young for thyroid problems, they are not. Good luck, I hope this is easily resolved.

 

[alanckaye]

yes they are blood related sisters. now you've got me in a panic - but I appreciate your input - are there other symptoms or signs of a low thyroid? Crap! Their mother died @ age 6 but we always contributed that to the stress of having three litters - they were the only two from the last litter and mom died while giving birth. Now I fear there is some inherited problem from the mom.

 

[tonisaysss]

we started letting layla sleep out of the crate a few weeks ago. she doesn't have any interest in stuff other than toys and holds it for potty in the morning unless she gets sick. . we leave the bedroom door open and layla still insists on the couch. she has NO problem waking me up by dropping toys on my head or licking me if i sleep too late though.

i spose it varies from dog to dog.

hope all is well and your problem is easily solved! poor babies.

 

[NuttinButGoldens]

I have a gate on the bedroom door. Gilmour sleeps in the bedroom with me.

Hi, I had a couple of questions and after searching couldn't find an answer so if it's ok I'll put them in one thread. Yesterday Karma was drinking water - she drank and drank (in the morning). Then she started to make a noise almost like she was going to vomit but more concerning than what I've come to know as the vomit warning. She continued and I thought she had something caught in her throat so I did the only thing I could do was pound on her back between her shoulder blades. That didn't do any good so I put my hand on her throat and it felt like her throat was in a spasm as she made this noise. She wanted to go outside so I went out with her and she vomited a large mass of white stuff along with the small amount of food she had in her stomach. I share a banana with them and there were chunks of that. She started eating leaves and grass like a goat and threw up again. After eating some more grass she came in and seemed to be ok but I was concerned all day.

Secondly - KD and Karma are 18 months old and I usually put them in their crate for bed time when I go to bed @ 10:30 or 11PM. KD absolutely refuses to go to bed, instead lying on the couch looking all (I don't want to go) but she will spend most of the day lying in her crate. I know the couch is more comfortable than the crate but (they are 18 mos>) I don't know what they would do if I let them stay up during the night to have the run of the house. We would be in our bedroom - door closed and when I'm in there taking a nap Karma lies near the door smelling under the door until I come out. I know there is no hard and fast rule but does anyone have advice on when it would be or under what circumstances it would be ok to leave them sleep on the couch? thanks

 

[Claire's Friend]

No don't panic, I think it's just something you need to check out. Thyroid is one of the easiest and least expensive things to fix. Make sure you ask for the 6 panel test.