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Advice re PTS decision please

34 replies

Atantrumaday · 27/02/2017 12:34

Hi all,

So my beautiful goldie had emergency stomach surgery for an obstruction on Saturday. He's not a chewer, but had randomly decided to swallow a dishcloth and it got caught in his stomach and intestine.

On removal they intestine was tugged about a fair bit and as a result doesn't appear to be functioning properly.

He rallied after surgery and we were really hopeful, but today the sphincter muscle in the small intestine appears to be constricted and he's quite poorly again.

The vets have given a muscle relaxant in the hope it helps the sphincter relax and normal function to resume but if not the options will be further surgery or pts.

He's almost 10 and he's lost a third of his body weight so pretty weak and compromised.

He's my first dog (have got another too but he was first) and he's just the perfect family dog in every way so I'm finding it really difficult to make a decision. I desperately want him back but I don't want to put him through more surgery when it's probably quite risky.

Any advice?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 27/02/2017 12:36

I would ask the advice of the vet. Ask whether they think the surgery is realistic given his weakened state.
I'm so sorry. You must be so worried. Flowers

GahBuggerit · 27/02/2017 12:51

agree ask vet. 10 is stil a decent age imo and worth surgery if theres a good chance it will work.

you have my sympathies must be awful x

Atantrumaday · 27/02/2017 13:05

Thank you both.

The vets have said the same as Saturday - that he is compromised so they can make no guarantees but there is always a chance. I guess I need to ask them to put a percentage on it.

OP posts:
SirSidneyRuffDiamond · 27/02/2017 13:05

Something very similar happened to my last dog (except it was a stone that did the damage). He was 5 at the time and was given a cocktail of drugs to get his guts working again. Day 3 he got up and ate a tiny amount of food, normal service was resumed rapidly and he made a full recovery so there is some hope. However we had discussed euthanasia and had agreed with the vet that if the drugs didn't work within a certain amount of time there would be no further surgery and we would let him go.

Atantrumaday · 27/02/2017 13:10

SirSidney thanks that's really helpful. My gut (no pun intended) instinct is not to put him through more surgery. I think I would be doing it for selfish reasons if I did.

They're giving him more drugs shortly and I will know more by 4pm if they're working or not.

It's still less than 48 hours since surgery so maybe there is hope if yours picked up on day 3.

Thanks again.

OP posts:
GahBuggerit · 27/02/2017 16:18

gosh i have j6st remembered a colleagues dog didvthis, ate a toy orcsomething, had surgery but itcwas touvh n go afterwards, dog went downhill quickly, colleague in tears but the day after shevsaidvit was like a switch had been flicked and doggie was right as rain

dont want to give false hope but.....? my own dog had a near fatal accident a few years ago, k was convinced i was going to lose her it was ifcshe just gave up but within a few days shecwas like a puppy again.

they do love scaring their hoomans im convinced of that. sincerely hoping doggie is ok xxxx

tabbymog · 27/02/2017 16:44

I'd talk your vet's advice through with your family and see what they think. Maybe DC (if you have them) are too young to really appreciate the implications but it will help them if they're involved. Just watching reruns of Supervet it amazes me how well even young children cope with this situation.

Further in the future, when you wonder again, and again, whether you made the right decision, you'll always know you made the best decision you could at the time. It helps. Best wishes to you and your family, and your lovely dog.

Opentooffers · 27/02/2017 16:59

I can tell you that in a similar way human guts often stop working after major abdominal surgery, its a fairly common reaction to being messed about with and it does take days to start working again so I'd say its a bit soon to expect normal function yet. Unless an obstruction has occurred, or damage, rather than a temporary paralysis of the gut, further surgery would be less likely to help the guts recover. Don't lose heart if the medication has not had an effect yet today, may just need a while longer.

Atantrumaday · 27/02/2017 17:20

Thank you all.

He has kept a small amount of food down this afternoon and the vet sounded a bit more positive, so I will keep hoping.

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 27/02/2017 17:25

Sending positive thoughts Atantrumaday.

SleightOfMind · 27/02/2017 17:26

Oh you poor things.
It's terrible when you're stuck on the emotional rollercoaster but trying to weigh everything up logically to do the best for them.
Thinking of you and keeping everything crossed for improvements tomorrow.

Hidingtonothing · 27/02/2017 17:35

No advice as have no experience of what's happened to your Ddog but just wanted you to know I'm thinking about you and hoping and praying Ddog will pull through Flowers

Atantrumaday · 27/02/2017 17:37

Thank you all - you're very kind.

OP posts:
Atantrumaday · 28/02/2017 13:44

Just thought I would update. He is bright in himself they have said and has been eating well (little and often) and keeping it down.

However, he continues to regurgitate small amounts of bile type fluid. They've had him on a drip of anti-sickness and that helps while he's on it but as soon as he's off he's sick again. They now thing his esophagus might be inflamed from all the sickness so they're giving him another drug to try and help it settle.

Basically they don't really know I don't think. The vet said they'll keep him in again tonight and if he's still regurgitating tomorrow they will have to discuss further surgery to open him up and see if they can find the problem.

Finding it so hard to deal with Sad

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 28/02/2017 13:57

Thanks for the update. So hard to just have to sit and wait. Hope they can get him well. Flowers

Hoppinggreen · 28/02/2017 14:33

Sending kind thiughts to you from a fellow Goldie owner xx

SleightOfMind · 28/02/2017 17:05

So glad there's an improvement! That's great compared to yesterday.
Fingers crossed for you.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 28/02/2017 21:18

It is hard to deal with OP, but you've got to hang on in there, your boy needs you to. He does sound as though he could be improving, keeping food down etc. Give him a chance, and be kind to yourself, you're doing the best you can. 🌸

QueenofLouisiana · 28/02/2017 22:13

Hoping he continues to improve. Thinking of you.

Flippetydip · 01/03/2017 22:17

Any news? It must be horrible for you.

Atantrumaday · 01/03/2017 22:39

Sorry - I meant to post an update earlier but had computer issues!

He's home. Not under the best circumstances however, as there was a new complication this afternoon.

He's continuing to regurg although less often and less volume. Eating well too which is good.

However, his legs and op site have swelled up and the vet thinks it could be to do with a particular protein that is lacking due to the op.

They basically said bring him home for a couple of days as there's nothing more they can do.

So he has a cocktail of drugs, has to be fed cooked chicken 4 hourly and is currently asleep on my feet Smile

Obviously desperately hoping that as the vet said, there's a small chance it's all just taking longer to settle, but if not then the vet has advised not doing further surgery and just letting him go Sad

He will be treated like the King of Dogs that he is while he's here and if love can cure him then he has the best chance possible.

Thanks all for your support x

OP posts:
Noitsnotteatimeyet · 01/03/2017 22:42

Fingers and paws tightly crossed for you Flowers

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Flippetydip · 02/03/2017 09:41

Thinking of you, and of the King of Dogs. Flowers

Atantrumaday · 02/03/2017 09:56

Thank you both - Flippety that's made me smile and well up...

He had a really good night, slept loads, regurgitated a small amount of fluid at 11pm but hasn't since and that's 11 hours now. He's had all of his tablets and eaten 3 small portions of chicken and seems happy and comfortable, although exhausted.

I rang the vet and they sounded pleased that he's gone that long without a regurg - it's the longest he's been they said.

Also, hard to tell, but the swelling on his right paw does seem to have gone down a bit.

Don't want to get my hopes up but these must all be good signs...

OP posts:
pigsDOfly · 02/03/2017 10:42

Everything crossed for you and him that this is a sign of improvement. Flowers

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