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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:
Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 09:34

Thank you all. Poor thing keeps looking in his bowl Sad for food. He's not allowed to eat today for the ultrasound...

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fanoftheinvisibleman · 24/02/2014 09:59

Fingers crossed for you.

I see some of the posts mention Nutriment? I feed the standard one not the low phos one (no health issues) but just wanted to say don't be put off by the online only thing...they are great to deal with. In fact, I would recommend ringing and ordering as they are great for advice too. If you ring before 2pm it is next day delivery and you can give them a 'safe' place where they can leave it so you don't have to wait in. Mine was frozen solid and arrived 26hre after ordering. I can fit 8kg at a time in a freezer drawer.

Just wanted to give you the low down in case it sounded daunting!

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 10:02

Thanks Fan i will call them this morning. I rang the vets earlier to say i'd given him pasta, rice etc over the weekend and they said that was ok but better to get him on a tailor made diet so i can be certain he's getting what he needs. I think i'm just going to have to try everything and see what he likes and can tolerate.

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Gileswithachainsaw · 24/02/2014 10:41

Keep checking for up dates. Poor little hungry snoopy hope you have some luck finding him a food he likes.

hellymelly · 24/02/2014 16:17

All fingers crossed here, you have all been through such a rough time. Hope the scan results are positive.

LEMmingaround · 24/02/2014 16:55

Hoping that you got good news at the scan today x

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 17:34

Hi all. Thanks for the messages. I've had to come home without Snoopy as they want to keep him in to run all the tests they said they need to do - cue big fat tears from me again and lots of crying and barking from him - it was fucking awful, i can't keep driving like that it's not bloody safe!

SO another long protracted wait for me to find out further results and awaiting my daughter home who will be upset too that he's not here again. I can honestly say that if i lose him, i can't ever have another dog, this pain is horrendous and one i never understood until i got him.
Please keep sending good vibes to my little lad xx

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Gileswithachainsaw · 24/02/2014 17:38

Did they explain what they saw on the ultra sound?

Vibes still sending, come on snoopy xxxx

LEMmingaround · 24/02/2014 17:40

oh bless you - is his hydration still good after being on the drip at the weekend? The new vets sound good, and thorough and they wouldn't want to put you or him through anymore strain and expense if they didn't think it was worth it. Did they give you any indication from the scan?

moosemama · 24/02/2014 17:42

Oh I'm sorry namechange74, another stressful separation and more worry.

Did they tell you when to expect the results?

More positive vibes heading Snoopy's way and thinking of you and your family while you're waiting for news. x

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 17:47

Hiya, no they sent me away before they did anything at all. The vet talked to me about what had happened - we went through the last fortnight - then she said they need to do bloods and ultrasound, they also want to look for any internal injuries that may have been caused by the surgery. She then explained that they would probably do more bloods tomorrow morning to see if there's a difference overnight - i think they said they may put him on another drip.

This sucks. I'm supposed to be starting a big project tomorrow for the next 5 weeks. I don't feel like i can cope - that sounds so pathetic doesn't it? i'm just such a mess from this rollercoaster of emotion - everytime i think i'm going to know the prognosis, i don't, it's another 2/3 days away. I'm hardly sleeping and literally anything could make me cry. I'm 40 years old FFS.

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moosemama · 24/02/2014 17:53

Not pathetic at all. He's part of your family and as dependent on you as a small child, you are bound to be worried sick about him. It's been a horrendous roller-coaster of emotion from start to finish, any one of us would be feeling the same. Please try not to be so hard on yourself, you are obviously such a loving, caring owner. Flowers

Gileswithachainsaw · 24/02/2014 17:56

No not pathetic :( not at all, this kind of thing crushes you. Poor snoopy, I hope that vet never gets allowed near so much as a tamagotchi ever ever again. :(

Floralnomad · 24/02/2014 18:00

He really is in the best place ,and as he has vomited over the weekend will probably benefit by having more fluids ,at least they sound like they know what they're doing ,so you have done the best you can . Fingers crossed for a positive outcome for you all x

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 18:08

Thank you, i know he's definitely in the right place - they seem fabulous and were lovely to him. It's just going on and on and on and i want to know if he will survive not least to tell our DD and so we can all stop agonising over it.

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LEMmingaround · 24/02/2014 18:23

I wasn't going to mention this but i think its ok to now. I lost my beloved dog to kidney failure so do have more experience of this than i would like. I was really worried about snoopy over the weekend because animals tend to rally once they are on a drip, even in renal failure because the drip is effectively doing the kidneys job for them. When we lost my boy (he was ancient and it had been ongoing) i knew it was the end when being on a drip only fixed him for a matter of about 12 hours, he would be back to normal self after 24hr on a drip but crashed quickly, i had to let him go :( Snoopy has done really well and im encouraged that he did so well over the weekend and feel quite hopeful for him and you xxx

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 19:07

Hi Lem i'm so sorry to hear about your dog Sad and am touched by your sensitivity towards me by not mentioning this earlier.

The vet has just called. His renal values have reduced since Friday but they are still high (not in the normal range) so they're putting him on another drip for 48 hours. His liver enzymes are up so they are running more blood tests to check his liver too. Ultrasound showed his kidneys appear to be normal size and shape.
It now seems that there is potentially a liver problem as well as a kidney problem.

And so the wait continues and another 2 days without our Snoopy.... wine o'clock. x

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LEMmingaround · 24/02/2014 19:13

More encouraging news there regarding the ultrasound. My boys kidneys were totally broken down on ultrasound. I am guessing here but I think you need to ask the vet if they think this could be due to anaesthetic overdose. Did they say what sort of anaesthetic they used at the original vet?

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 19:29

I've no idea what anaesthetic was used but yes she did mention it's probably a result of anaesthesia and steroidal something?

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LEMmingaround · 24/02/2014 20:13

possibly NSAIDS (non-steriodal anti-inflammatory) meds, so ibruprofen is one of these and may have been given post op (even by your new vet) to prevent inflammation. So that would affect the liver enzymes yes. I just wondered really (remember its been a long-time since ive been in an op-room) whether they used a gas anaesthetic along with oxygen, which can be monitored and levels altered during the op according to observations or whether they used a heavy sedative (dom+ket usually) which is what we used to use for cat (but not dog) castrates. The only reason this is on my mind is that you said that up-thread that there was only the vet and his receptionist at the other practice. The sedative doesn't generally require a second person to monitor as once given it isn't alterable and generally we used to give an antidote (sorry, cant remember what it was) to wake them up (cats). This would not have been appropriate for your dogs operartion as he would have had to be given a high dose to keep him asleep for quite an invasive (albiet routine) op and he should have been given an induction followed by gas aneasthesia. Your new vet should have had access to this information as it is something that would be listed in the invoice for the op. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense, just thinking where a problem would have arisen with the aneasthesia - i also remember you saying he wasn't fully awake when you fetched him and they give him something to wake him up. A gas anaesthetic (iso-fluorane i thinks) would have limited affect on the liver, a deep sedation though would most likely lead to raised liver enzymes iirc.

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 20:28

Hi Lem - i'll try and find the invoice - it's the one piece of paper that i don't have in his 'file' - i've no idea what i've done with it.... i'll also ask the current vets (specialists) if they have this on record. Yes you're right, they said they could give him something to bring him round when we went to collect him.

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ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 24/02/2014 20:31

I have read this whole thread with my heart in my mouth. I really hope Snoopy pulls through. I have a Snoopy toy nearly as old as me and he has survived an awful lot so I have decided it is a good omen for your Snoopy. I really hope so.

Original poster
namechange74 · 24/02/2014 20:41

Thank you Toffee i hope nobody ever has to go through this, it was a routine operation and unfortunately Snoopy is one for whom it has gone wrong Sad - seemingly because we used a shit vet. I just so hope he comes through.

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cashewfrenzy · 24/02/2014 20:47

Just wanted to say that ibuprofen is really dangerous for dogs, it isn't licensed and it won't have been used by either vet. It is very toxic and is a common cause of poisoning in dogs who gahaveve been given it by well meaning owners.

Wishing you and Snoopy all the best :)

LEMmingaround · 24/02/2014 21:34

of course cashew you are right, i was just using ibruprofen as an example of an nsaid that the op might have heard of - probably not the best choice of example :)

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