Years ago I was left in charge of feeding our young dog while my parents went out of town. The dog in question was a young red Irish setter known more for it’s grace than it’s smarts. Case in point it actually jumped out of the window of a moving car driving on the highway. Never fear, apparently in Irish setter DNA, the tuck and roll technique is built in- Darwinism at it’s best I guess.

So not having a lot of experience in dog feeding I gave the dog one of those handy beef burger type servings- these were supposed to supply the dog with a full day of nutrients and came in handy easy to use portions. The dog happily devoured that and seemed to look around for more food. I took that as a sign it was still hungry and fed it another and another and another portion until it had eaten all six of these meals. At which point my dog literally groaned and sank to the floor with a stomach that looked like something out of aliens- you know a foreign body inside.

Yep, this was a totally overfed dog- jeez no one told me that many dogs will just eat and eat and eat and eat. A warning would have been nice. I did panic thinking I had killed the dog and a call to the vet assured me that the dog would probably be fine but I was an idiot. No news there!

Dogs do have many stomach issues for a variety of reasons, but there are some signs that might help you realize when it’s okay to just let them be, or if it’s time to call the vet. Below are 10 signs your dog may be sick. 

1. Loss of appetite. 

2. Changes in personality. 

3. Unexplained weight loss. 

4. Excessive drinking or urination.

5. Stiffness or difficulty in rising or climbing stairs.

6. Sleeping more than normal, or other behavior or attitude changes.

7. Coughing, sneezing, excessive panting, or labored breathing.

8. Dry or itchy skin, sores, lumps, or shaking of the head.

9. Frequent digestive upsets or change in bowel movements.

10. Change in activity level.

Check out the new Unleashed Episode for more tips!