Hi All

Sorry that this is not a very pleasant topic but I need some advice.

I took my 9 month old staff for his first run off the lead last Monday which he enjoyed immensley. He ran around a lot and was knackered after. After such a milestone we were really dissappointed to find when we returned from eating out that he had vommitted. I wasnt too concerned at the time as he tends to throw up every now and again because he is so greedy!!

There was alittle grass in his sick too.

However, he woke me later that night an had vommitted big time. I still wasnt too concerned though as he seemed his normal self. By morning he had thrown up a few more times so we went to the vets where he checked him over, gave him a jab and said to come back in 24 hrs. When we got home from the vets he vommitted again and this time it was mostly bile which smelled awful. By the next day he was right as rain and I began reintroducing food by feeding chicken and rice little and often.

We have been for our 2nd walk off the lead again today and in a different area of the park and when we got home he vommitted twice again. Nowhere near as bad as last time but none the less still not nice. He is mad as a hatter and is as we speak tearing up and down the living room skidding on the laminate flooring so I know hes ok but it seems to me that there is a link between the vommitting and the vigourous running in the park and I am at a bit of a loss. There are no trees in the area, just grass which he doesnt deliberately eat but does end up eating a little of when he grabs his toy off of the ground. However, I wouldnt expect this small amount of grass to make him as poorly as he has been.

Has anyone experienced anything like this before and have any suggestions?

The only thing I can liken it to is when I used to run at district sports when I was younger and Id throw up after every race! I was told it was something to do with lactic acid and eventually grew out of it. Could dogs suffer from anything like this and if so what can I do as it seems such a shame as he enjoys his runs so much? I also can afford to keep going to the vet after every walk!

Answers on a post card please.

Many Thanks in advance.

Buffy (6 months) has been sick a couple of times if shes had a mad one in the garden, like her mad half hours of racing but this only happened a couple of times - sick everywhere! nice :)  and hasn't happened for a month or so. Food too close to exercise could do it, as you never feed a horse for an hour or so before of after moderate to hard  excercise in case of colic. luckily they can't be sick.... ergh that would be nasty- dog sick makes me gag!  I would love to know the answer - good luck in your quest!

Now better go both my partner and buffy are passed out on the couch, i'm not sure who to send for a wee wee before bed first!!

It's the same as horses you shouldn't feed a dog before exercise or an hour after, if you do feed it wait a few hours first to be on the safe side same goes for drinking to much.  He might have just picked up a stomach bug from the park, especially if loads of dogs visit there.  If it only happens when he is running around for a long time, i would cut his running around short to eliminate the cause.

Warm regards Susan.

Thanks for your thoughts but he hasnt been fed near to the time we have been out. The first time it happened he did drink a lot when he came back but the 2nd time he didnt. I would say that he had maybe picked up a bug, but twice? Im not sure.

His running time isnt very long anyway only about 5 to 10 minutes as he is still young I dont want to overdo it, so you can see my predicament.

I wonder if theres perhaps anything homeopathic that I can give to strengthen his tum? Let me know if you have any thoughts on this. Seeing as the 2nd time was less than the first I wonder if hes just getting used to the excersion as we dont have a very big garden and this is the first time he has had a good run. Maybe he'll grow out of it.

Thanks to you both for your help.

Ill let you knwo how I get on.

Caroline x