[mrssabes]

Fabian (3YO) was compulsively licking his paws a few days ago (Thurs), which he does from time to time when he’s stressed. (My husband was out of town for a few days and Fabian was waiting at the door each night for him to return, so I thought that was it.) I was also taking Fabian on daily walks at a nearby hiking trail. His eyes were a little watery from the pollen, which happens every year for him at this time of year.

A day and a half later (Friday middle of the night into Sat), he’s “got it coming out both ends” . I withheld food earlier in the day (Sat) to give his stomach a break and he seemed to bounce back by early afternoon: barking at chipmunks and squirrels from our sliding glass doors. I put every single bowl of his through the dishwasher twice. I washed all his bedding. We didn’t go hiking and stayed close to home. He went outside only to go potty. I kept the windows closed after seeing the “yellow chalk dust” of pollen all over my car. His poo also got more solid. He was drinking lots of water and his gums looked great. He ate a normal dinner, with some FortiFlora I added. My husband got home Sat night.

This AM (Sunday), Fabian’s poo was totally back to normal and he ate a usual amount of breakfast with FortiFlora. He had lots of energy and seemed back to his usual self. I left the house for several hours with my husband taking care of him. By the time I got back, all hell had broken loose. Fabian had vomited up a kibble dinner, had cake batter consistency poo, and there were small puddles of bile on the floor. My husband had taken him for a few small runs and a car ride while I was away, without my knowledge. They’d also romped in the grass and around our large oak tree. (It’s grass/oak pollen season.) Fabian had also been licking his paws again after doing so, although my husband insisted that he’d thoroughly wiped Fabian’s paws after they came back in..

I did some online research and found that seasonal allergies can manifest as diarrhea and vomiting if it reaches their gastrointestinal system. Might this be what’s happening? There has been no new food, no new cleaning solutions, no new toys, etc. for months.

I’ve been home for a few hours and Fabian is drinking a lot of water, his gums look great, and he’s sleeping at my feet. We’re going to give him a bath after he wakes up and will limit his time outside ‘til we can figure out with the vet what’s going on. We also plan to put him on pumpkin later tomorrow after giving his tummy a chance to rest again. Until then, should I also be giving him a half-tablet of Benedryl? (The vet-recommended dosage for a dog of his size.)

Thanks for your feedback and advice.