Hey Rox, For the past 3 nights, Archie has been sick during the night. Nothing solid just yellow liquid (like bile) with grass, mud and other crap in it. Is it just his way of clearing out the shit or is it something I need to be concerned about and probably get checked out. He seems like his normal self and his mental loopy phases are getting longer. Thanks in advance.
The hint is the fact that there's grass in it. If your dog eats some grass, it's guaranteed they're going to puke.
You'll find he's probably eating some grass right before bedtime (probably when he goes out for his last poo) and that's what is doing it. If he's acting normally, then he's fine. Most dogs eat grass, so in his case it's nothing to worry about.
Although I don't want to panic anyone, it's a good idea to know what to look for if your dog is ill. In general, the things to look out for in a dog who is ill are:
1) Are they acting out of character? A lot of people assume that a dog acting out of character has developed a behavioural problem..not so. When we feel ill, we get grumpy and act out of character. So if your dog isn't feeling well, and getting grumpy, telling them off isn't going to help! Get them checked out by your vet. Just because you can't see that something's wrong, it doesn't mean there isn't something wrong.
2) If you do think they're acting odd, check their gums - they should be a healthy pink. If they look pale, they are not feeling well (could be dehyration), if they look very red, then they could be constipated, or have a build up of stuff in their system.
3) Be vigilant, and check their poo. You can't be squeamish about this I'm afraid - poo tells you a lot about the health and wel being of your dog. Blood in poo can be present for a few reasons, some more serious than others. Sometimes it can be because they've got nasty worms, sometimes it can be because they've eaten something that has scratched their stomach lining, and in the worse case scenario it can mean they've picked up a nasty bug. If it's a nasty, you'll see other symptoms, including lethargy, change of gum colour, loss of appetite and they will often also refuse to drink their water. So, try not to worry if you see blood in the poo, but just be aware that if they exhibit other signs of being ill, get them to your vet as soon as possible - especially if they are lethargic and refusing to drink.
NEVER feed your dog human chocolate - it has a chemical in it which is toxic to dogs, and can shut down their liver.BE CAREFUL if you buy woodchippings for your garden - a lot of these carry bark from cocoa plants - which carry the same chemical that is toxic to dogsMAKE SURE you use dog friendly slug killer, etc. A lot of products out there are not dog safe - it only takes a moment for a curious little dog to eat the wrong thingRAISINS AND GRAPES are also toxic to dogs - as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic with dire consequences - it can cause acute renal failure.I guess the toxicity of chocolate and raisins are the reason why you don't see many dogs in the cinema with a bag of pick and mix.
Just a general tip at the end here: get your dog insured, and make sure you get a policy which covers an illness for the lifetime of the dog. Dogs can develop long-running illnesses (such as diabetes) which can be very expensive. If you get the right policy (M&S are supposed to be good), you'll be saved a lot of heartache and expense in the long run.
Very sound advice mate....I know the weather is now cooler but your advice certainly seemed to work and the dog is now right as rain....Much appreciated...Thank's.
Good news...Thanks for letting me know.