ROCKS IN STOMACH HELP!!!!

Hello everyone,

Im just wondering if someone could help me!! I took Ralphie to the vets about two months ago because i could hear rocks in his stomach when ever he would run about!! I took him to the vets because he was also being sick and had the runs...i think they all thought i was mad lol!! being able to hear rocks in a dogs stomach was something they had never been told before! he had a listen to his stomach and said he couldnt hear anything and gave me some food to settle his stomach and some prokholin to help pass anything that may be in his stomach...a month passed and in the middle of the night ralphie was sick and puked up a rock which was about 3 inches long...not small but no massive so i was pleased that what i had heard was right..he had rocks in his stomach or a rock...so i thought!

Last night i woke up and could hear ralphie running up and down the hallway so my partner let him out...he had the runs really bad!!! there was some blood and he was also weeing at the same time which was strange...like he couldnt control his bladder...few hours later he was sick everywhere and again puked up another rock which was bigger then a 50p peice!!! Im calling my vet first thing to make an appointment for an x ray because i think its best to get them surgically removed rather then waiting for him to just pass them....i was wondering if anyone else on herer has gone through the same process and how much it cost for the x ray...he will need to put under because hes a wriggler...and if anyone has a dog that had to be cut open to get the rocks removed....i want the x ray to get this problem solved once and for all...but partner is worried aboout ther isk of being put under and the op etc and all the stress when he could just pass them...we just want to do whats right and whats best for ralph no matter what the cost...can anyone please help thank you

Last year my bully had to have an operation to remove foreign substances from his stomach. The whole thing, including x-rays, intravenous feeds, hospitalisation & the operation itself came to over £2500. Luckily he's insured & all I had to pay was the excess of £75 and an admin charge for a direct claim of £20.

P.S. How is he picking up these rocks?

Haven't gone through this myself. They will eat anything though. You are doing the same thing I would do myself with going to the vet. Hope everything works out.

Ralphie doesnt actually eat rocks he accidently swallows them....he has a really bad obseesion with big rocks...when i walk him he will grab one and not let go of it so i have recently managed to use his favourite toy to get him off this whole chewing rocks issue....Ralphie is insured! i would have to pay the excess of £85.00...how does it work? do you pay then you get given the money back or do the insurence company just pay it for you?? never made a claim before xxx

We pay in advance and then get reimburssed.

Good grief......poor Ralphie

I would be doing the same, take him to the vets for an x-ray and get things sorted out for the poor boy. It certainly sounds like a strange choice of chewing matter, but they do tend to chew on all-sorts.

I really hope all goes well for you and Ralphie so he can start feeling well again.
Good luck

Dee86 wrote:Ralphie doesnt actually eat rocks he accidently swallows them....he has a really bad obseesion with big rocks...when i walk him he will grab one and not let go of it so i have recently managed to use his favourite toy to get him off this whole chewing rocks issue....Ralphie is insured! i would have to pay the excess of £85.00...how does it work? do you pay then you get given the money back or do the insurence company just pay it for you?? never made a claim before xxx

My vet's rules state that you pay up front & then claim off the insurance. However, they will do a direct claim if the bill is over £100, provided you pay an admin charge of £20 plus the excess. All vets differ, and you should ask them how they work things at that particular practice.

As to picking up rocks, if it's causing problems like this, you may need to muzzle him while out for walks until he gets out of the habit. I know it sounds drastic, but it'll be a lot safer in the long run! Someone I meet quite regularly walking Dempsey has her bitch muzzled for exactly that reason - she plays with stones, tosses them up in the air & sometimes swallows them trying to catch them!

Good luck, hope you get on ok at the vets, please let us know.

Thanks guys!!

I shall keep you updated!

xxx

wow hope Ralphie gets on okay...

Sounds like abit of a dangerous habit he has...will be interested to see how he gets on at the vets. I have heard of dogs eating allsorts of things over the years..

My mum found a Kelpie pup when they had their farm 10 odd years ago who did this. He was probably 3 months old and wondering in the street. He was all skin and bones the poor little guy. When I'd take him out in the paddocks he'd eat rocks. He did stop it though. Good luck with Ralphie!

Good luck at the vets!

At our vets you can make a direct claim if you can't afford the bill aslong as you pay the excess, which we had to do recently as we couldn't afford the whole bill.

hope all gose well and you manage to break the habbit soon

Wow poor Ralphie, just read this not something I have heard of before though I have seen instances where dogs have swallowed other freign objects (socks, knickers, kids toys etc). Not sure about the cost but I would extimate it to be well over £1500 because of the after care and cost of anesthetic etc.

Good luck, hope it all goes okay

Oh poor boy. They are complete nightmares for eating everything and anything and it's us that have to panic and worry then fork out for the vets bills!

Hope he gets on ok at the vets and they get him sorted.

I would be cheeky and ask for a discount cos they didnt take you seriously about the rocks when you first went in and they could have sorted it sooner and saved him alot of discomfort if they had!

hope you get sorted

Hello all,

Forgot to let you know how it all went

Ralphie went for his op and had three large rocks removed...poor boy, they were amazed with how well is stomach had coped with them being in there as usually an obstruction as large as his could of caused problems but he was fine..i have kept the rocks as a souviner lol!!

He had to be spoon fed for about a week after, he recovered so well which was the most important thing..cost £750 all in all which was not as bad i was expecting it to be.

Hes as right as rain now...and with alot of patience and his favourite ball...hes not interested in rocks anymore so thanks to all who helped with advice and costs etc.

Dee & Ralphie

Only just read all this and was feeling really worried for you, so glad to hear all ok now!!

Great news! I'm glad it all went well

Great news, glad the recovery went well!

i bet you so relieved,he must have had a big tummy ache with all those rocks inside its nice to see some one else on here from the island

yeah so glad it all went well.. and I bet you are happy he has lost interest in rocks!! he must have been feeling shocking with those rocks inside him.

give Ralphie a cuddle for me!

So glad heis fine now! Must have been terrifying!

glad everything is ok

Glad all went well. Is there no end to what a staffie will attempt to eat?