Yesterday, after having my breakfast, instead of heading straight back to bed like I usually do, I started feeling sickie.
Whenever I feel like this, I always take myself outside to eat grass because that makes me throw up and then I feel better.
Often, it is just because I have not chewed my food properly and this way, I can eat it all back up again and make sure I chew it properly a second time. OK, I know that sounds disgusting to humans but actually, regurgitating food is a very normal thing for us doggies to do. In fact, wild doggies often regurgitate their food – this is why puppies have the instinct to lick faces because this triggers adult dogs to regurgitate the partially-digested food from the hunt.
Here is an excerpt from Stanley Coren’s book, How to Speak Dog:
“Licking takes on a further meaning a bit later in the puppy’s life, usually around the time that it is becoming less dependent on its mother’s milk. In the wild, when a mother wolf returns from hunting, she will have already fed herself on her quarry. When she enters the den, the puppies gather around her and begin to lick her face. To a romantic, this may look like a loving greeting with all of the puppies overjoyed at mother’s return after her absence of several hours. They are seen as simply kissing her in happiness and relief. The actual purpose of all of this face licking, however, is much more functional. Wild canines have a well-developed regurgitation reflex, and the puppies lick their mother’s face and lips to cause her to vomit up some food. It is most convenient for the mother to carry food in her stomach rather than trying to drag things back to the den in her mouth. Furthermore, this partially digested material makes ideal dining for young puppies.
It is interesting to note that our domestic dogs actually have a reduced sensitivity for their regurgitation reflex in comparison to wolves or jackals. Puppy-induced regurgitation is not as often seen in dogs unless the pups are not being fed well. When it does occur, it is more likely to occur in sharp-faced breeds that appear to be more similar to wild canines, such as the wolf.”
Of course, sometimes doggies throw up because they are REALLY sickie – but this is different from normal regurgitation. If you are interested, here is some more information:
- Normal vomiting in dogs & cats : http://www.wellvet.com/vomit.html
- The difference between vomiting & regurgitation in dogs: http://www.helium.com/items/1252298-dog-regurgitating-dog-vomiting-difference-between-dog-vomiting-regurgitating-dog-vomiting-foam
Because I am on the raw diet, I often regurgitate when I get given a raw meaty bone that is bigger than usual and if I don’t chew it properly…I will just puke the pieces back up again and chew it some more before swallowing again and then I’m fine.
My humans usually just let me get on with it – they just make sure that they feed me outside and leave me outside for about 10mins after my meal, in case I decide to “have seconds”! Hee! Hee!
But yesterday it was different. First of all, I had my weekly fish meal (salt-free tinned pink salmon this week) so there were no bones or anything hard to chew. And I have had this many times before with no problems. Also, I did not just puke once and eat it back up – I kept eating more grass to make myself sick and then throwing up huge clumps of grass everywhere!
(sorry for sensitive readers if you find this picture icky!)
Most of all, I just could not seem to settle down and go back to sleep. Now, those of you who do not know me well may be thinking “What’s the big deal? I don’t sleep either!” – but anyone who knows me knows that I always do the same thing every day: after breakfast, I take myself back to bed and am comatose till around 4-5pm in the afternoon when my human wakes me up to take me for my daily walk.
Sometimes, in the past, when my human was worried about me “being bored” (and since she is lucky to work from home), she would try to play games or do some training with me during her lunch break but – nah, am not interested…just want to snooze (preferably in the sun!). So if something is keeping me from sleeping, then something is really bothering me…
So my human started to get worried. Maybe I had eaten something poisonous? By 3pm in the afternoon when I was still eating grass (although I wasn’t throwing up anymore…nothing left in my tummy!), she decided to call the vet.
Most of all, she was worried about the scary sickness called bloat which us Danes often get, because some of the common symptoms of bloat are vomiting, drooling, retching and restlessness. Although my tummy wasn’t like a tight balloon and I wasn’t standing haunched over (other common symptoms), she thought it was better to be safe because if you get bloat, it is an emergency and doggies can die if they are not treated quickly.
The vet could only see us at 5:15pm so we had to wait a bit but actually, I was feeling a little better. I wasn’t vomiting anymore, although I still couldn’t sleep. Everytime I tried to curl up on my bed and close my eyes…after 10mins, I would start making weird swallowing/gulping noises again and have to run outside to eat more grass because I was feeling sickie.
Anyway, so we went to my vets (The Vets, Greenwoods Corner, Epsom, Auckland) and I was so excited to be going there that I made myself feel a bit better.
Hsin-Yi said it is just typical that whenever we animals go to the vet, we don’t act as sickie anymore!
I love my vets because I went to Puppy School there so I associate it with happy times from very long ago and I also always get treats from the nice reception lady and the nurses and my favourite vet, Marieke, always gives me lots of cuddles and talks to me in a squeaky voice and calls me “Bubba”. But I was really upset to find out that Marieke had left! Well, she hasn’t left completely – she is taking “a break” to do other things and so only comes to the clinic on Wed afternoons.
But she was not there yesterday so I had to see another lady vet - who was quite nice too, although she did not give me treats like usual because she said my tummy might be too sickie to have anything. She spent a long time feeling my tummy…
…and then she gave me an injection! 
She was not sure what my sickie was but she said it was definitely not bloat (whew!) and maybe that I had “caught a bug”…what does she mean? I have not been trying to catch any bugs at all!! (Not since I ate that bumblebee by mistake and it made horrible buzzings in my head…)
Anyway, she said that injection was something called an “antiemetic” which will stop me feeling sickie, because she agreed with Hsin-Yi that I was just eating lots of grass because I felt sickie and I thought eating grass would make me feel better but actually, eating so much grass on an empty stomach is probably not a good idea either…
Well, I did feel a little better when we went home although I still felt very sorry for myself. Especially because Hsin-Yi would not give me any dinner because she said my tummy needed to have a rest. Humph! But I’m starving!! Anyway, she came and gave me cuddles on my beanbag for a long time, which made me feel better…
And at bedtime, as a special treat, she took my beanbag bed into the bedroom so I could sleep with my humans. Ooh! I was beginning to like ‘being sickie’! I was actually feeling much better by now but hey – I discovered this really cool thing: I could make my human jump out of bed and take me out into the garden if I acted a bit sickie! It was great! I loved all the attention and I could wander around the garden sniffing stuff while she stood there waiting for me…
I did this lots of times and was having great fun but then at 3am, Hsin-Yi got really grumpy and said she was not playing my game anymore. She was very sleepy and tired and cold from standing in the garden. She said I had had a wee, a poo (nice, normal, firm one!) and a drink and had not vomited for many hours so I was fine and just having her on! So she put my bed back in the living room, sent me to my bed and stomped off back to the bedroom.
Well, I guess it was fun while it lasted! 
Anyway, I was pretty tired too by then (remember, I’d missed out on my sleep in the day!) so I was quite pleased to be settling back into my bed where it usually is and everything was familiar again and I could relax and go to sleep…zzzZZZzzz…
This morning, I was back to my normal self and I was STARVING but Hsin-Yi said I could only have a small meal so that my tummy doesn’t get sickie again. I got a bit of boiled rice and tuna fish in spring water…it wasn’t much but it was YUMMY!! Tonight, Hsin-Yi says I can go back to my normal raw diet although I will start back on raw chicken necks first ‘coz they are much easier to chew. Yay – I can’t wait!!
Gosh, Honey, what an ordeal you went through -- all that vomiting and not being able to sleep and going to the vet and getting the shot and being starving and up all night! I sure hope you are really feeling better now!
oh honey! Sorry to hear you're not feeling well! Bloat is a very scary thing, especially for big dogs, and we're glad you weren't bloating!
Darwin likes to eat grass too, and it's fine as long as she throws up outside and not on the carpet in the house!
Glad you're feeling better Honey! It's scary to be sick; it makes my human worry because I can't talk her language to tell her what's wrong!
Man, I know what that's like. I have soft poo poo and my humans give me a lot of grief for it. It's not my fault. We keep changing food again and again. Good grief. Enough of that, man. I like sleepies, though. I had a good dream recently. Honey rocks! I hope I dream about honey soon.
Well, we dogs didn't mind reading that but Jan was grossed out and the kitties were laughing at us. They're too refined to eat "seconds."
Glad you're feeling better.
Honey, so glad you're feeling much better now. It sure isn't fun to be sick, although the extra attention is hehehe..
So sorry to hear about your day of being sick. I can wake my mom up from dead sleep when I start getting sick. motherly instincts I guess. Hope you are back to your old routine tomorrow. =)
Poor Honey, glad you are feeling better!
WHEW!!! We're so relieved you're OK!!! What an ordeal!
Play bows,
Zim
Sorry you were sick Honey. I hope it was a temporary sickie and that you are better.
Jackal
Well those pictures were rather graphic Honey but the important thing is that you are feeling better. I hate having a sick tummy and if I retch, Barbara gets slightly hysterical thinking I am going to bloat. Glad that you are feeling better and I hope you are back on your raw diet soon.
Your friend,
Niamh
Glad it's not bloat, Honey. Feel better soon!
Honey, I´m so glad you´re feeling better now!
xoxo
Thor
We were glad to see that woo are feeling better!
I know woo had your pawrents furry anxious --
Great nighttime game BTW!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
whew, Honey, you had us worried all through your post. We are glad nothing serious was wrong but sorry you had to feel sickie. Mom says she would have been as grumpy as Hsin Yi was, but would never had lasted that long. You would have been out of the bedroom a lot earlier. See, she really likes to get her sleep.
Hope tomorrow is a good day and that you get your regular breakfast.
Happy Howl-o-ween, the OP Pack
oh my, Honey. You had me and mum worried there for a minute. That bloat sickie is not something to mess with in us Great Danes (or any of the other gorgeous pups who are prone to get it!)
we are so glad it wasnt the B word. Also super woofing glad that you are feeling better!
wags, wiggles & slobbers
Murphydog
Poor Honey! It's no fun to be sick, is it? Glad you're feeling better. Hsin-Yi was very smart in taking you to the vet just to be sure it wasn't something serious. I used to have a cat that was sick a lot so he and I were frequent visitors to the vet's office. It's always better to be safe than sorry, I say!
Dear Honey
We are very happy that you are feeling better again. Sickies really worry our humans and you are such a special dog, so we are happy that things are on the road to recovery.
We were rather amused with our own
mom…because now she cant eat her breakfast
Lots of licks (and that is not for food!)
MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA
hi honey!
we're glad that you feel better, sickie feeling is no fun!
whoopie!
el'bow knows that because he had someting realy scary a year ago, his tummy was very very big, he had air is in tummy and that is very dangeris! but after a day is was ok
so sleep alot! and get beter
slobbers
El'bow & Hauwii
Honey! I am so glad you are feeling better. I bet your sickies photos scared some doggies, but big dogs make big vomits, right? I am glad you enjoyed your make Hsin-Yi take you into the garden game while it lasted. That is a fun game for me too, but you have to watch out for the grouchies.
Sorry you are starving. You are skin and bones. I hope you enjoy your usual yummers foodables today.
Slobbers,
Mango
P.S. Momma says she is at her "wits end" to figure out what games to play with me that don't involve bouncing. I WANT TO BOUNCE! I even bounce when we do boring target practice.
Glad you're feeling better Honey:)
Oh Honey. We're so glad you are feeling better. Being nauseated all day is so horrible.
Love Ruby & Penny
Poor Honey! Glad you are better and hope that bug is gone for good!
That's a lot of bomit, Honey! I'm sorry you had such a hurty tummy, but I sure am glad you are feeling better today.
I'm glad you're feeling better, but it sounds like all the attention you got when you came back from the vet was pretty nice!
*kissey face*
-Fiona
Oh Honey -- get well soon!! not only haven't you been feeling well, but is also being punished by not being fed!! hope you'll be OK soon!
We are glad that you are feeling better now.
Cinnamon eats, or puts in her mouth, anything she finds on the street, so our humans are always worried that she might get sick sometime…
Poor Honey!
I sorry you had the being sickies, I know how not nice that be. Hey, sometimes I like to eat things twice. Especially offal, I eat that too quick Mum says. I good with chewing my bones though.
I hope you feel 100% better now.
~lickies, Ludo
Hi, Honey!
I am so sorry you were sick!
Glad to know you feel much better now!
Take care
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza
Honey, sorry you were feeling sicky! I also puked a little while ago and it was no fun for the pawrents… though they did give me special treatment (minus the skipping dinner part… that's animal aboose!) Hope you feel 100% soon!
xoxo,
Brownie
Yes I took your advice and is working very well. I bought a clicker and she seems to do really well with it. She was very good in class today, had some distractions but all and all did very well. The instructor even used her as a demonstration and she did very well. Thank you for everything =)
That sounds like quite the ordeal! Glad that you are feeling better!
Poor Honey! Glad you're feeling better, being sick is no fun at all. Mica's new nocturnal activity is to do the Poke-a, not to be confused with the Polka. He walks all around me and Mom, poking us with his little round feet. He just won't settle down. Sometimes Mom gets up and give him water from the faucet or feeds him again, but lots of time, she get impatient and shuts him out of the room!
Hope you get bedroom privileges back!
Your pal,
Petey
Hi, Honey and Hsin-Yi. What an ordeal -- for you both! I agree with what Sprinkles commented, that it's better to be safe than sorry. I'm very glad to hear that Honey is fine now.
Honey, having a blogger for an owner makes you used to the camera coming out in all situations, I guess.
I wasn't grossed-out by the photos -- I actually find that sort of picture reassuring, because I can have a look at them when Penny's sick and know that it happens to other dogs, and know what normal vomit looks like.
As I said in my post about Penny vomiting also, it's a worry when you dogs do that. Penny actually took till today to vomit up the grass she ate, and it was in a greyish-black runny liquid, so I guess it had gone further through her system. It was eaten on Saturday night but didn't come back up till Monday morning! (I must confess that worries me a little, but she looks okay and is eating and pooing okay.)
poor poor honey!
Oh Honey! We hope you're OK now!
Sorry about the treats but the new vet really couldn't give you one!
Kisses,
Rufus and Indie
We are so very sorry you were feeling sick Honey. It is not fun to vomit! We are very glad that the v-e-t took care of you and you are feeling better. We bet that was fun making Hsin-Yi get out of bed so much!
Oh poor baby, what a rough day you had!!! Good to hear you are feeling so much better now!!!
Hello, Big Honey Dawg-
Gud job milking yer upset tummy fer all it wuz wurth!
I am glad yoo ar feeling better.
Yer pal,
Luda
I'm so sorry to hear that you were sick. It does sound like you made the most of it by getting extra lovin's and trips outside. I knew you were a brilliant girl, even when you're not feeling up to snuff you're still brilliant!
Honey, I'm so glad you are feeling better. Being sick is horrible! And you looked so ill, not like your normal happy self. I'm glad Hsin-Yi and the vet were able to make you feel better. As for playing on it? You sound just like my human pups, when they are trying to play up their illnesses to get to sleep in my bed or stay home from school! Clever doggie!