Our dog was in an accident yesterday

[Saucepanman]

He was hit by a car, when he got out of the house whilst the front door was left open momentarily. We've got builders in and the door has been open a lot, but he never normally goes out and is closely watched. Something must have caught his attention when all of ours was turned. He's stayed at the vets overnight and I'm to ring shortly for an update. I've had next to no sleep and feel sick. No advice needed, just wanted to talk to someone.

[noddingoff]

Floralnomad, why do you think the vet's treatment plan so far was bizarre? They scanned him at the start, saw free fluid and drew some off. It was blood but the dog seemed bright enough and presumably not going deathly pale and weak, so they applied a pressure bandage in the hope that the blood vessels would clot and the internal bleeding stop. Which it did. When the Marv didn't continue to improve as expected, they suggested a rescan and placement of a feeding tube. When Marv got rescanned, they found the bile (which not have been evident at the start as it would has been a very slow leak and not visible on scan) and have correctly advised the OP that the options are euthanasia or exploratory surgery to see if the damage is fixable.

[Floralnomad]

As I said I'm not a vet and maybe the vet has been led by the finances of the OP ,but I have had numerous animals with a vast array of issues and my vet has always seemed to be much more proactive about doing scans ,X-rays and invasive procedures .That said I've known my vet a very long time and he knows I have an open cheque book .

[hellymelly]

op I am so sorry. Livers do recover, a friend of ours had damage to his liver recently in a car crash, the liver had a large wound but he has recovered. I also am surprised it has taken the vet this long, loss of appetite etc are all signs the liver isn't working well. (Mellydog1 died of liver problems, I don't know why I didn't suggest it sooner as everything you've posted has pointed to that, I am sorry, am distracted by personal stuff at the moment).

[Saucepanman]

The saddest news. Marv went down for surgery. The vet noted that he was more jaundiced today and his belly more swollen. She called me mid surgery to say that what they found when they opened him up meant that no amount of money or level of skill could give him a chance, and we sadly agreed to let him go to sleep. We are heartbroken. I am trying to come to terms with our decision to let him stay at the hospital, as I can't help but feel I am abandoning him. But I don't want to bring him home to bury, or bury him in a grave. Thanks for all your help and advice.

[basildonbond]

Oh poor you and poor Marv - such sad news - RIP Marv

[VivaLeBeaver]

I'm really sorry. Its heartbreaking.

I lost my dog during a routine operation last year and couldn't bring her back and bury her. She was a large dog and I also knew that we would get another dog and was scared about a new dog digging her up. We just had her cremated as cheaply as possible so didnt get the ashes back. I didnt feel that either having the ashes or having her buried in the garden would be helpful or comforting in any way.

[Floralnomad]

Sorry to hear this news ,you did the best you could for him sauce .

[Owllady]

Are you having him cremated? (That's fine sweetheart) and I am sorry :( xxx

[hellymelly]

Oh Poor Marv, op I am so sorry. What a tragic end to his life. I buried my dog by the hedge in the sun in our garden, but what to do afterwards is such a personal thing, there is no right or wrong. It is what you do when the animal is alive that counts, and you loved him and cared for him and gave him the best chance of survival. I feel very very sad for you that it has ended in such a heartbreaking way.

[noddingoff]

Sorry to hear the news Saucepanman. As hellymelly says, it's what you do for them during their life that matters, though FWIW at any vets I have ever worked everyone is always respectful towards the pets' bodies after their owners go, especially since most of us have lost pets of our own and try to treat animals as we would like ours to be treated.