This week I got to experience yet another trip to the vet for yet another of Cami’s mystery ailments. She has an amazing ability to spend all weekend throwing up and then recover nicely by the time we make it to the vet’s office on Monday. ("Who me? I’m not sick!")
I wrestle with the same problem a lot of pet owners do: when is it time to take the critter to the vet? Certainly some conditions are obvious, and you rush right over there. But some dogs, like Cami have an annoying habit of losing their lunch at the slightest provocation. So I try not to act like an overprotective "mom" and hustle off to the vet every time Cami has an unfortunate digestive event. You kind of feel like a nincompoop when you bring your ostensibly healthy dog to the vet.
Most vets advise withholding food for at least 24 hours if a dog throws up. The idea is that by avoiding food, the dog’s digestive system can "rest." Cami just gets annoyed. She has had virtually every test for all kinds of horrible problems. So I know quite a bit about the problems she doesn’t have.
Fortunately, whatever her problem is seems to be fixed with a standard run of antibiotics. My theory is that she might be prone to getting some kind of low grade infection. Cami is a hedonist by nature. Her motto is "if it feels good do it." So maybe her corollary is "if it feels bad, heave it on the carpet."