Please may I have a hand hold

[wombatron]

DDog2/my boy has been admitted to the Queen Mother Hospital at the RVC yesterday.

He's had gooey eyes for a few days, then I bumped into him on Tuesday evening and he screamed. Whipped him off to the vets Thursday as he was fine in general but the eye looked a bit cloudy- ulcer was found and medication was given, including tramadol.

Yesterday, luckily we have friends staying, after id gone to work they text to say he was super stoned and vomiting. I rushed home and took him straight up to the vet where they said it looked like the ulcer was melting and he needed to have emergency surgery. Admittance to RVC was agreed and off I went.

As we're leaving the vet the bloody diarrhoea started, and by the time we reached RVC his stomach was swollen and it was almost pure blood looking.

So now my poor baby is battling what we hope is gastro and an eye ulcer. They've admitted him for what will likely be the week. He's gone into the oxygen chamber to help him. He's too sick to operate on for the eye which may rupture at any point, worst case there is he may lose the eye. But when I had to leave yesterday, he was so lifeless, like he'd given up. I'm an hour away and won't make it there quickly if I need to and I won't know how he is until they call sometime this morning.

I'm heartbroken. I feel lost. His sister is starting to miss him. I should have taken him to the vet as soon as his eyes were gooey. He's 10 so not young, I held him in the car before going in and didn't want to say goodbye to him, I'm willing him to be strong but it's killing me.

[Imsorrylhaventaclue]

unmumsnetty hugs to you, OP. My dog spent 3 days in the RVC a couple of weeks ago after an emergency referral in the middle of the night. It really is the best possible place, if anyone can fix him they can. It’s desperately hard when they’re not at home and you’re just waiting for news though

[SureIusedtobetaller]

Hand holding.
Fingers crossed for him. Don’t know what else to say but thinking of you. I know how I’d be feeling if it was my boy. Really hope he turns the corner- he’s in the best place.

[tinstar]

Have had 2 dogs undergo treatment at the RVC and they are absolutely bloody brilliant.

Not sure I would have whisked any of mine off to the Vet immediately with a gummy eye either.

Fingers crossed for you and your pooch.

[Beetle76]

How horrible for your hound. He’s in the right place to be helped. I hope he’ll be ok. x

[wombatron]

Thank you all. I'm comforted by the fact that it looks like an amazing animal hospital. It's the waiting. I'm torn between wanting them to call now, but being happy that they said 10.30/11am is normal - they'll call before if it's emergent - even later if he's doing well and they have other emergencies. I just want to know my baby's ok.

[ScreamingValenta]

Hoping he will be OK .

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I'm so sorry. He's in the best place - genuinely the best place - it's like the equivalent of Great Ormond Street Hospital for dogs as opposed to a children's ward within a local hospital. If they can't fix him no one can.

Do try and visit when you can - it will lift his spirits no end.

[Imsorrylhaventaclue]

I'm torn between wanting them to call now, but being happy that they said 10.30/11am is normal - they'll call before if it's emergent - even later if he's doing well and they have other emergencies. I just want to know my baby's ok.

Yes it’s very much no news is good news. If anything had happened they 100% would have called you - no call means either no change or an improvement. When you do get a call, the vet will be happy to speak through his case in as much detail as you like so it’s worth waiting rather than having a 30 second call with a quick update first thing. It is hard though.

[noitsnotteatimeyet]

When my dog was in the RVC they called me at 2:30 in the morning to let me know the procedure had been successful and he was going to be ok. Crossing everything that your boy will recover soon

[wombatron]

I've been told not to visit. He's quite attached to me and they would be concerned that he could rally for me, but then go into depression when I left which I understand. If I could, I'd curl up in the cage with him for the whole time he's there. Still no call, I am assuming I'd have heard by now if the worst had happened overnight. No news is good news, no news is good news, no news is good news....

I'll come back and update when I've heard something!

[wombatron]

Here he is. Chill game is strong with this one. My baby! He's just the most loving dog I've ever met. Fingers crossed!

[bluetongue]

You poor thing. I’ve seen the RVC on telly a few times and it looks amazing. Please know you’ve done everything you can for your boy

[MrsMozart]

Everything very tightly crossed.

[wombatron]

Still nothing. I'm looking at the car keys desperately trying to refrain from driving there and waiting outside for the next week. Irrational I know. Thank you for your lovely kind words. I feel I've aged 10 years in 24hours

[Dodie66]

Why don’t you call them?

[BiteyShark]

Hand hold here. I would phone them and ask for an update as it's awful clock watching

[wombatron]

I tried calling. Reception closed at 12.30 and there's only the emergency line. They did say that it may be later and I guess if they are busy it causes delays. I don't want to chew up the line when there's probably a very good explanation as to why they've not called. I will wait till 3pm

[wombatron]

I called. They are very busy but they do operate on a no news is good news policy she said. The lovely Jack (I'm assuming Jack is lovely because he has my boy) will hopefully be calling me this afternoon.

[Imsorrylhaventaclue]

Assuming it’s the same Jack then yes he is 100% lovely and took wonderful care of my boy. He also seemed good at following up (even called me at 8pm one evening this week to follow up on medication) so if he hasn’t called it’s just because they must be completely swamped. The wait’s horrible though.

[wombatron]

@Imsorrylhaventaclue internal medicine? It's wasn't Jack but a lovely Irish lady who's name I have forgotten in my panic.

So he's better, no blockages or obstructions but his poor tummy is distended and filled with gas. They think his colon has slowed so they are medicating. Eye I have no update on other than they are medically managing for now. He's still got some pretty nasty and bloody diarrhoea and it's bloody.

It's going to be a very long week I think, but progress is heading in the right direction at the very least. I won't rest easy till he's out of surgery, but what a fantastic team of people at that hospital.

Thank you for your lovely support so far. I was a mess this morning.

[wombatron]

Not internal medicine, I think he's in the ICU at the moment

[BiteyShark]

My dog has had a couple of admissions for several days and it's horrible so sympathies. The house will feel terribly empty as it's amazing the noise and general space they take up following you around.

Really hope he gets better soon

[wombatron]

Thanks BiteyShark

I have one at home and just hearing one set of paws following me is weird, can't imagine what none at all sounds like. Hope your mutt is well x

[chocaholic73]

Hope your boy is doing OK. The RVC really is brilliant and the best place for him.

[wombatron]

He's doing very well! Eye looks to have started healing by itself so because of the gastro he seems to have evaded eye surgery. Fingers crossed, he's potentially coming home Friday!

Dreading to think what the bill will be, but at least I'm bringing him home!!!