Paw holding needed. Neutering surgery went badly wrong - TMI warning

[BlackbirdSingsInTheDeadOfNight]

We had our beloved 12 month old golden lab girl neutered last week. All went well and she came home that evening with dissolvable stitches and the standard very fetching lampshade thing on her head.

Four days later, DH popped out for less than two hours leaving her alone, and came back to find that somehow she'd managed to pop her scar open and - apologies for the grossness of this - her insides were hanging out of the hole. DH wrapped her up in a towel and rushed her to the vets where she went straight into emergency surgery. Her liver was the bit that had been hanging out and was severely damaged, and as a result the vet has removed more than 3/4 (probably nearer 7/8) of the liver.

She's now home on antibiotics and liver support medicine, and mostly sleeping or lazing in her basket, but when she's awake she's fairly perky, eating and drinking. We're now on a waiting game as if her scar becomes infected or her liver doesn't sufficiently recover then we'll probably lose her. Regular blood tests and liver function tests start next week.

We are heartbroken that such routine surgery - which wasn't even essential - has ended up going so badly wrong. That our beloved dog, who unofficially is an autism support dog to DS1 as well as being a friend to us all - was completely fit and healthy only a week ago but is now seriously ill. We know this was a freak occurrence, and the vet has been absolutely brilliant and we know will continue to give her the best care they can.

If anyone has any experience of severely damaged livers in young dogs then please share - and please hold my hand and her lovely soft paw.

Wolfie pup and I are holding paws and thinking of you.

You poor thing. What a nightmare.

Don't feel bad. You did the right thing and something nearly unimaginable happened. No one could predict that happening!

Flowers and hugs for all of you

Blackbird - I hope your girl recovers ok. She looks a beautiful dog.
For those of you struggling to use the cones, we successfully used 1 of these following an op

www.amazon.co.uk/Buster-279805-Inflatable-Collar-M/dp/B007GH3UES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484355606&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+surgery+collar

hells the inflatable collars are a really good idea unless your dog manages to make a hole in it ... our dog's lasted for about 5 seconds

blackbird how did the liver function test go? Fingers and paws crossed here

Thank you Wolfiefan and Wolfie for the hand and paw holding, and everyone else for being so kind.

Good old Fluffy - the best named 3 headed killer dog ever! Xanthe's collar is definitely big enough to fit him.

Noitsnot the first liver test is now going to be in 9 days' time, it was supposed to be this coming week but it's been postponed to the following Monday. We saw the vet for an external check yesterday, though, and so far so good - scar isn't currently infected and otherwise she looks OK, she's just very quiet and floppy still. Hopefully once we know what's going on inside her, we'll get a better idea of what's going to happen long-term.

Oh god, you poor things. Our girl had a less than ideal spay experience though far less dramatic -- she managed to get her rear paws to the wound and kick it, and obviously the collar doesn't do anything to prevent that. I wonder if your girl did the same?

Paws crossed for her here.

What diet or supplements is she on to support her? You might be interrested in looking up milk thistle for liver support and regeneration.

And very easily digested diet.

Oh look at that little face - she's gorgeous OP.

So sorry this has happened but pleased she's on the mend. Paws firmly crossed for her. May I ask how exactly it split ? Have to make the decision whether to have my boy done :-(

empress - male animals (and men!) have been routinely castrated since antiquity. Its a different ball game to spaying.

Oh bless her - everything crossed that the liver function tests come back with good news. Poor sweet girl

( ErrolTheDragon at 'ball game'!)

Just wanted to share our amazing excellent news! Xanthe had her first liver function test today and her liver is (somehow) working nearly perfectly! The vet is rather baffled, as are we! In spite of being left with only a tiny scrap of liver, it's regenerating well and doing what it needs to. So she's been given a (nearly) clean bill of health! Presumably it was a huge advantage that she was a young and very healthy pup before all this happened. Can't put into words how relieved I am. She's still sleepy a lot of the time, but maybe she's just becoming lazy!

Thank you all so much, virtual paw holders. x

Oh, that's brilliant news, I'm so pleased for you all! I guess she's busy inside regenerating, and also if she's not very active then will need to eat less, so less work for her little liver to do. Hopefully she'll start to feel a bit livelier come spring.

I've only just come across your thread and was so pleased to hear the good news. Virtual paw/handholding for all while your beautiful girl gains strength.

Yay that's fantastic news

I was literally holding my breath as I saw this on active and clicked on it. Fantastic news. Way to go Xanthe. Have a long and happy life sweet one.

Thanks everyone and thanks for being so kind when we were so worried about her.

This morning I was woken up by her sticking a paw in my eye and slobbering all over my face. Best wake-up call there's ever been!

So pleased to hear of her amazing progress. (Just watch for her suddenly thinking she's completely fine and bombing around like a mad thing until she realises, actually, that hurts!)

This is scary, poor pup. Delighted to see she's on the mend :)

We may need some photographic evidence of her recovery of course...