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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

very sick puppy - hand holding please

260 replies

namechange74 · 12/02/2014 14:58

My pup was castrated yesterday due to a lost testicle - we were advised this was sensible as it could cause cancer in later life if not removed. I collected him from the vets at 2pm and he has been vomiting ever since - all through the night, all day today. He can't even keep water down. He is clearly disorientated and occasionally gets up and tries to run somewhere before falling over.
I am so worried and upset. I've called the vets and am taking him at 3:30 but sat here and just wanted some support really before i go.

OP posts:
Coconutty · 20/02/2014 08:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mama1980 · 20/02/2014 08:15

Have nothing useful to add I'm afraid this Is just awful Hmm I'm desperately hoping your pup pulls through.

Christmascandles · 20/02/2014 08:16

Namechange I've just come across your thread and I am so sorry. You poor thing. The first vet is awful, but you know that. I'm so pleased your formally complaining.

You did the right thing having him castrated as an undesended testicle can cause problems later in life. You didn't know first vet was rubbish.

I have three dogs, one a pup and I know how I would feel.
Sorry I feel like I'm waffling on Blush but I've got a migraine and can't think straight but wanted to say I'm thinking of you and I truly hope namechangepup is ok Thanks

basildonbond · 20/02/2014 08:46

I've just booked basilpup in for castration - out vet does a blood test beforehand to check platelet levels and liver and kidney function and if anything abnormal shows up they won't operate that day - I also won't be picking him up until 4:30 (op will be done between 12 and 1:30) so he should be fully recovered from the anaesthetic before going home (with pain meds) - it sounds like that should be standard practice and am appalled that vets can vary so widely

Floralnomad · 20/02/2014 09:10

Pre-op bloods are generally optional IME , I always have them irrespective of how old the pet is , just so that I feel I have covered all the bases that I can . I hope you get some good news about your little boy x

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/02/2014 09:20

I'm so glad your complaining. I know it won't help your little puppy but you could well spare someone else this pain :( you are doing the right thing. DONT blame your self for this. Not ever. It's a routine op and you could never have known this would happen. I've seen countless neuters and spays and never seen what your poor boy has been through.

I think you should let your dd see him and say good bye if it comes to that. Or she may well spend years wishing you had let her :(

I hope today brings better news. Keep fighting puppy xx Thanks

LEMmingaround · 20/02/2014 09:38

Pre-op bloods were optional at my practice - they were available to all, but at extra cost and would only really push it for older dogs as young dogs generally sail through an anaesthetic. Sadly, sometimes things do go wrong, thankfully it is rare, but not unheard of. That is besides the point - i can't help but think it was lack of care that caused, or at least missed this. I would want to know if the vet had assistance during the op - so a nurse to monitor observations and adjust anaesthesia levels accordingly. This is the vets responsibility but the nurse is there to carry out instructions and relay any issues to the vet as he is busy with the surgery.

I am so glad you are complaining because if he took this blaze attitude with you then he will be like it with other clients, you don't know this may have even happened before.

I just cannot understand his attitude, if we had post-op complications then we would fall over ourselves to make sure the animal had appropriate tests and treatments, but it is clear to me that there was a problem right from the outset and he should never have been sent home.

permaquandry · 20/02/2014 09:48

Oh namechange. Am really keeping everything crossed for little pup. God bless him. Please let us know how he is. Wish I was a vet and could fix him for you. Thanks To you all.

LEMmingaround · 20/02/2014 09:48

Hopefully, you will get good news and your pup will pull through but if the worst does happen then i wouldn't allow your DD to be there. Let her see him before hand, but otherwise its not fair on either her or the dog as she will be so upset it will upset him. It isn't traumatic in any way, as he already has a drip then the medication will be given via the drip and he will just go to sleep. Praying for him tht he pulls through.

Someone said upthread that you did the right thing having him castrated and they were exactly right - it would have caused him problems later in life, it is also better to castrate all male dogs as a matter of routine so you have nothing to feel guilty about. This was not your fault, at all Flowers

Marrow · 20/02/2014 10:10

Namechange - so sorry, have just read this thread and I'm appalled. Really hope that you get good news about your poor pup today. Glad you are complaining and hopefully preventing any other animals from suffering in this way. The man sounds barbaric.

Tiredemma · 20/02/2014 10:15

THis is appalling treatment- your poor pup.

moosemama · 20/02/2014 11:16

I am horrified and appalled at the treatment your poor pup and you had from the first vet. Glad you are reporting him to the RCVS.

Please don't blame yourself, we all have no choice but to put our trust in those we believe to be professionals/experts sometimes. There was no way for you to know what this vet was like - you acted with only your pup's best interests and heart.

I will keep everything crossed that he recovers and will be thinking of you all tomorrow.

Sending positive vibes and lots of love and light to your boy. x

Original poster
namechange74 · 20/02/2014 12:52

Just back from Build a Bear - lovely time with friends which really helped today.

Sadly for Little, i wasn't aware that you could or should have pre op blood tests run, it never occurred to me and certainly wasn't presented as an option. I will ask my DH to get the surgery report from shit vets today - if they'll give it - do they have to? what would this be referred to as does anyone know?

Anyway, i have news... new vets (senior vet) called when i was out to say that Little had had a good night and is showing small signs of improvement Grin I am desperately trying not to get carried away with myself as it sounds like he is nowhere near out of the woods but the fact that he isn't worse is enough to make me cling on to some hope for the little guy.

They have him on his special diet (which he isn't happy with apparently but they said they've ways of encouraging him to eat it) and he is drinking, weeing and not being sick so i'm guessing these are all good signs. They are doing blood tests tomorrow so just got to wait it out. We are going to visit him at 3pm.

Any ideas on first steps with shit vets gratefully rec'd.

OP posts:
Aked · 20/02/2014 12:58

You need to put a formal complaint to the vets concerned in writing, and see what they come back with. There is a guide HERE of how to complain to the RCVS if you need to take it that far.

Your latest update seems promising, poor little guy. Really hope he pulls through.

For what it is worth we wouldn't routinely offer pre-operative bloods on such a young animal, particularly if his pre-op clinical check didn't flag up any reason for concern.

Floralnomad · 20/02/2014 12:59

Get the current vet to ask for his records ,that is normal practice when you move vets . Do not be surprised if the vets account of events is different to yours because it probably will be . That will not affect your complaint as the current vet will be able to say what kind of a state your puppy was in when he first saw him . Hopefully they will all act with complete honesty .I hope he continues to improve .

Aked · 20/02/2014 13:05

We recently had a young cat in at work that had gone into acute renal failure after being spayed (at another vets). She made a full recovery, so it is possible.

Your new vets will be checking her renal values regularly, to see if there is any improvement. Hopefully they will be able to update you with those when you see her later on. Thanks

Aked · 20/02/2014 13:07

Sorry HIS. Confuddled myself talking about the cat!

Original poster
namechange74 · 20/02/2014 13:08

The current vets have the records actually - they got them the day we moved Little to them. I think i mentioned up thread that the new vet was appalled both by his cone/collar thing and by the stitches, so much so she wanted to re-stitch him. I think they were all appalled wholesale to be honest, they saw us carrying him in there unable to move and were shocked we had returned him to the 1st vets on 2 consequtive days to be told he was a drama queen/milking it.
For now i guess i'll get through this (whatever the outcome tomorrow) then focus my energies on reporting him.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 20/02/2014 13:11

Have they not rechecked his bloods today ?

Original poster
namechange74 · 20/02/2014 13:15

They said they're doing it tomorrow - should i ask them to do them today?

OP posts:
LEMmingaround · 20/02/2014 13:27

I think its ok to do the bloods tomorrow, they will be wanting to see if there is improvement in the renal function, it will take time so its probably better to wait until tomorrow tbh. The best indication is his general condition. It does sound like he is picking up a bit, this is good, really good, but please be aware that the telling time is when they remove the drip, he needs to be able to maintain on his own, fingers crossed that in a young otherwise healthy dog, he will pick up.

Regarding the pre-op tests, they wouldn't be offered as a routine op for a young dog and if i had been the nurse admitting him, providing his obs were ok and he seemed otherwise healthy, to be fair, i would have probably told you not to bother with them.

We don't know at this stage if there was a problem during the anaesthetic that wasn't picked up or if there was an underlying problem. Either way, the after care, or lack of it, has lead to renal failure which could have been avoided.

Floralnomad · 20/02/2014 13:28

If he were mine I would want them done daily just incase if they're worsening you can do something different .

Floralnomad · 20/02/2014 13:31

At the vets I use the pre OP bloods are offered to everybody and its your decision whether you take them or not .

Original poster
namechange74 · 20/02/2014 13:34

just thinking, when he was at home he would look like he didn't have a care in the world - for a while - then he would crash around then slump on his bed, so i need to remember this - this is probably what he is looking like to them at the moment... trying to think positive but not overly optimistic if you know what i mean.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 20/02/2014 13:38

I'm sure they are doing all they can for him x

Re the blood tests they are usually available to everyone but the vets I worked in, they were rarely taken up in a young healthy dog in for a quick routine castration.

Usually just urged for older animals, animals with pre existing conditions or those undergoing a more major surgery.

I really hope he keeps fighting x