Berber carpet and dogs: a cautionary tale

[a la izquierda]

My dog has epilepsy and an OCD associated with his focal seizures. As a result, he has "lick fits" in which he licks the floor/carpet constantly. The other night, he ingested carpet, really cheap Berber carpet. He vomited up and passed what we thought was all of it. But apparently, some was impacted in his jejunum. He was taken in for emergency surgery this afternoon.

The vet said that the carpet fibers really tore him up inside because of their construction. She ended up taking out about a foot of his intestines, fortunately in the jejunum area (not as involved in absorption from what I gather). If he survives the next 48 hours, he should be good. We'll behavior modify and life goes on. Unfortunately, we do not own, so the crappy carpet stays. He's eaten undies before and passed them...the Berber would not pass.

Berber carpet can kill your pets if they're dopey enough to eat it. Please beware of your pet eating things they shouldn't.

[williesgirl]

1. good vibes coming your way during this rough time.

[meti57b]

2. May he recover and have many more happy years with you!

[Walk away]

3. I am sending all my best to the both of you.

Thank you for the warning. It's especially important for puppies who will eat anything.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Hoping your furkid makes a full recovery!

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Hoping your wayward one makes a full recovery.

[a la izquierda]

6. Spoke to the vet this morning...

and my little trooper seems to be doing well so far (he survived the night, hurdle number 1).
Thanks for your kind comments.

[Walk away]

7. This is very good news! I'm sure your baby is going to be fine.

I guess you will be ripping up a lot of carpet! Maybe there's hardwoods underneath.

[a la izquierda]

8. I wish I could, but we're renting

We're on the market for a home. It will not have carpet, and if it does, I will enjoy tearing it up (I really hate carpet anyway...so gross).

[IrishAyes]

16. I'm a carpet hater too

Although I'm partial to nice area rugs on hardwood. The cheap white linoleum the previous owners put down on my kitchen floor is peeling up now, but I don't mind because underneath are the original wide-plank oak floors. The house is 100. I can't wait to get rid of those linoleum tiles. Would've done so long ago but this place was about to fall down when I got it, and renovation has had to creep at a snail's pace. For the rest of the downstairs someone glued indoor/outdoor carpet down so there's no rescuing those wood floors - I'll have to sand and then paint them deep burgundy. Upstairs is covered with hideous wall to wall carpet probably from the 1950's but at least it looks like a traditional install.

Let us know when you get your house and we'll celebrate with you.

[a la izquierda]

17. hopefully next spring.

My husband wants to open a boarding kennel. So we're looking got a little farm.

Carpet, blech!

[IrishAyes]

19. At least you're on the same page

I've heard of huge arguments between the berber vs plush crowd.

[a la izquierda]

20. Oh no. I hate all carpet.

Part of it is the fact that I never had it growing up. When I live in Mexico, it's marble, tiles, or wood.
The other part is that with dogs, it is much easier to sweep and mop than to deep clean.

My husband isn't a fan of carpet either, so we're good No fighting over something that petty.

[IrishAyes]

21. You're not only compatible, but wise.

I've often heard that we should keep both eyes wide open before marriage, and one eye shut afterward. Meaning don't fight over petty things.

[frogmarch]

9. Continuing good vibes

for your little trooper! I hope he recovers completely and is soon home again.

[DainBramaged]

10. Vanilla ice cream

look it up.


My beloved ex's dog suffers from seizures, A small cup of vanilla ice cream a week has done more to stop them than the medicines he took.


And he is himself again.


NONE since December, none.


Try it.

[a la izquierda]

11. Oh you're kidding! I will have to try it...

once he's able to resume normal eating. My husband will appreciate this as well.

Thanks for the tip!

[DainBramaged]

22. Here

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/ice_cream.htm


Some of our Guardian Angels have found that a Rescue Remedy Sundae can be helpful following a seizure. The Rescue Remedy Sundae is made by putting a little Rescue Remedy on a small amount of vanilla ice cream as soon as a dog is safely able to eat following a seizure. If your dog does not respond to Rescue Remedy you can use plain ice cream. You should use a good all-natural, preservative-free ice cream, such as Hãagen Dazs and please only use vanilla. It takes only a very small amount - too much can do more harm than good. For dogs under 50 pounds, a teaspoon or two is plenty; 50-100 pound dogs can handle about one or two tablespoons; and dogs over 100 pounds can have a scant 1/4 cup.

The reason behind this is that blood sugar levels often drop drastically before or during seizures and the ice cream will bring the blood sugar level back to normal. The way it works is the sugar in the ice cream will bring the blood sugar level back up to normal while the butter or fat holds the sugar in suspension so that it doesn't cause a sugar rush which plain sugar or honey or molasses would. Bringing the blood sugar level up too quickly is not good which is why we recommend ice cream. Also, bringing the blood sugar level up to normal can help to prevent additional seizures. Low blood sugar itself can cause seizures. If your dog has very obvious pre-seizure behavior and you give a little ice cream before a seizure happens, this can sometimes stop the seizure altogether. Please be sure to thaw the ice cream a bit by letting it sit out on the counter or "zapping" it in the microwave briefly - you don't want to chill your dog too much or have him gulp down frozen ice cream.

[Auntie Bush]

12. That happened to the dog of a friend of mine. What happens is the dog starts eating

a little strand of the rug and it unravels and the dog can't stop as it never comes to an end.
How can they stop eating after it's down his throat? So the dog isn't so stupid as to eat a rug.
My friend's dog had to be operated on too and did fine...but none of his intestines had to be removed so that made his recovery easier.

Also, rugs are safe as long as they don't unravel like knitted things. I put down Berber carpets once and if you pull a thread the whole edge of the rug comes off...makes it difficult to make a nice seam. I'll never buy Berber rugs again! I have nice carpeting now and only one 1/2 inch thread comes off at a time when pulled.

Sending healing vibs your beloved dog... Please get some sleep and try not to worry...he's going to be OK. (I know, easier said than done)

[a la izquierda]

14. Thanks for your message.

It's so nice having him home after 4 days

[a la izquierda]

13. Update:

We brought my little guy home today. He is resting comfortably next to me.
Thanks for all the kind words.

[IrishAyes]

15. Came late to this thread

But I'm very happy to hear of the good outcome.

Some people might think I'm a little harsh because I won't let my JRT run loose in the house unattended until she's at least a year old, maybe 1 1/2, but she has a taste for electric cords. I'll have to spray them with something bitter, but I'm not about to trust her.

[Walk away]

18. There is nothing harsh about being safe...

If people want to take the chance of giving their puppies free access to their homes while they are out then 99% of the time their dogs will be fine when they come home. It's just like "off leash" other than in the country, the park or a well fenced yard...I would rather be safe 100%.

[TorchTheWitch]

24. that's really what you should do

Sometimes with some dogs it needs to be longer. It's only been in the last several months that I've been able to trust Yoshi letting him have the run of the house when I'm out. So far so good. Now he can tell when I'm going to be leaving the house and goes right upstairs into the bathroom to his comfort place in that little space between the potty and the sink. He must just go to sleep there while I'm out since most of the time he doesn't hear me coming and only comes downstairs to greet me after I've already let myself in. I'm not sure if he stays there the whole time I'm gone if I'm out for hours, but I haven't noticed anything amiss when I come home. Ever since I got him the bacon flavored Nyla bone he has no interest on chewing on even my boots or my slippers anymore.

[IrishAyes]

26. Didn't know nylabone had bacon flavor.

I'll have to buy some. Thanks.

[TorchTheWitch]

27. I didn't either until I saw one hanging on a hook by the register

when I was buying a bag of his food. I thought it might have been chocolate flavored by the look of it even though it's a light brown or even dark beige color (I couldn't think what other flavor it could be - for some reason I figured beef flavored would be a lot darker, but I don't think they make beef flavor anyway). I had previously gotten him the same bone only in chicken flavor but he sniffed it once and ignored it. Eventually I gave it to one of my neighbors who had recently gotten a boxer puppy and was gnawing on everything as puppies tend to do. The Boxer puppy whose name I can never remember loves that bone though. When I read on the package it was bacon flavored I thought maybe Yoshi would like it better though I don't eat bacon myself, so as far as I know he's never tasted real bacon or smelled it. So, since it was on half price sale (I can never seem to resist a good sale) I thought what the heck, and I bought it for him. When I brought the groceries in the house he got all excited sniffing the bags, popped his head in the bag with the bacon flavored bone and tail going waggy waggy ran off with it to his binky to chew on before I even got a chance to get it out of the packaging.

He LOVES that bone. When he's not chewing on it he hides it in his binky by kicking and pulling at his binky to ball it all up in there which he only does to things he REALLY doesn't want any phantom creature to steal. Sometimes he takes it upstairs to chew on and then being too lazy to take it all the way downstairs to bury in his binky he'll just bury it in my bed. Now I have check the bed for his bone all the time before climbing in, but it's worth it since ever since I got it for him he has no interest in chewing on my footwear. Actually, I don't think he's stolen any of my dirty socks since I got it for him either. What is it with dogs that they want to chew on stuff that smell like your feet? He never chewed on my dirty socks, but he always liked to swipe them and just hang out with one hiding it under his bum or his belly when I'd catch him at it like "Sock? What is this sock thing you speak of?"

Well, speak of the devil, guess who's lying in the hallway chewing on his bone right now? Any minute now he's going to suddenly get all happy and roll on his back on top of it kicking his legs in the air.... "Yeah! I loves loves loves my bone!" He's such a dork.

[a la izquierda]

23. My little guy was back and the vet today.

High fever, diarrhea. Ultrasound negative, bloodwork showed an infection. Fluids and antibiotics, and he's snoozing comfortably.

Sigh. Poor guy.

[TorchTheWitch]

25. well that stinks

Hopefully the antibiotics will clear up the infection and he'll be back to normal in no time.

[a la izquierda]

28. He's pretty well back right now.

He already stole my spot on the bed (I'm off today), and ate all his food. The vet said occasionally after a major surgery pets need a few more weeks of meds.