@debradownsouth hopefully it has been to the vet by now
Oakley-emergency surgery
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Cream cheese is a blessing for pilling. I also use cheese slices. Make sure the whole pill is covered in a gob and hopefully he will swallow it without chewing! Glad to hear he is home and healing with you.
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The healing power of the GI tract is amazing. I had a 6 month old puppy returned to me after a vet had to remove 6 inches of intestine from an absess that formed, when he botched the neutering and nicked something. The vet told the owners the dog had less than a 50% chance of living. I refunded their money and nursed him back to health on a diet of boiled brown rice and ground chicken. It took about 3 months for him to recover, but he lived to 15 and never had another sick day in his life till his stroke.
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Oh gosh I am so very sorry this happened but so happy things are turning out okay. And thank goodness they were able to help without cutting the intestines!
As for pet insurances, I had someone say theirs covers preexisting but frankly I can't find one. This is a great article on the the pros and cons:
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So I took today and tomorrow off work, I still haven't figured out what I'll do when I go back in regards to his pilling schedule and me not being around to supervise him with his incision. I have a friend who runs a dog boarding and walking business down the street who loves and seems to understand Oakley…she offered to help out and come pill and walk him...and I may try to put on the inflatable collar in his crate to minimize licking...he still hasn't pooped but the dr said if he's not regurgitating or throwing up or straining to poop (he hasn't even attempted to poop)..then he's likely just using all the energy from the food as fuel...and not to be worried. Still, I don't think I'll go back to work until he starts pooping. I'm unexplainably tired....I'm not doing a lot physically, just tending to him but perhaps emotionally..I'm so tired so I sleep when he does. True to Oakley fashion, he's starting to perk up and be a funny boy....a little too much running around for my liking but nothing I can stop..hope by Wednesday I can feel more comfortable going to work...
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Fingers crossed he squeaks out a poop for you today, even just a minuscule one! If you are feeding him small meals it may take longer for his bowel to get full enough for a poop? I don't know if that is medicall correct or not, but it sounds feasible?
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I'm unexplainably tired….I'm not doing a lot physically, just tending to him but perhaps emotionally..I'm so tired so I sleep when he does.
Care taking is hard work and it is exhausting. you've had a surge of adrenaline, worry, sleepless night, etc. It's not unexplainable at all. Very normal. Be sure to take care of yourself.
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I hate to count my chickens just yet but dare I say I think we are out of the woods…on our walk at about 3:30 today Oakley pooped!!! Unusually dark but a good, healthy poop..never thought of be so happy to see one! Still not going to work tomorrow because the pilling is still every two hours but he is acting more like himself, spending more time trying I get at his incision (indicative he is feeling better)..and other than yesterday morning and night he hasn't needed the tramadol. String cheese seems to be working for pilling, some of the larger pills I cover in honey mustard dressing then put in a piece of cheese to hide the smell. So happy to see him trying to get into mischief and being a punk. Finally feels like a good time to sit down and have a glass of wine!
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…or two glasses
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Three cheers for Oakley, wonderful news.
Jolanda and Kaiser
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Ava has tempted me to dispense with the glasses and go with the bottle. On more than one occasion. I would expect no less from Oakley.
Oh, well, they say red wine helps you live longer, so perhaps that will counteract the negative impact of the stress.
Cheers!
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Aww poor little man!
Pooping is an excellent sign. I'm a vet tech and from my experience you are considered "out of the woods" 6 days after a foreign body surgery. We did a surgery yesterday on a dog that ate a rope toy. @__@ -
Thanks crazysenji- the Vet hospital told me 3-5 days after a GI or stomach surgery is the safe zone…there's such a possibility that with these surgeries the incisions on the organs can reopen themselves....surgery was Friday night...so I'm close to the end of that window...still on edge but of course him having a bowel movement really made me happy...it wasnt a normal color, it was dark but of very good size and consistency....and he seemed to have no discomfort which I was nervous about. I can't wait for life to get back to normal...he's going to have his incision checked ten days post op--> I think that'll be my moment of relief...certainly his med schedule is tiresome...but that should get a little easier starting Thursday...when two of the meds will be off the list to give...he started pulling on his leash today (very normal for him)...and I'm finding myself having to yell at him for running from window to window to watch the happenings....
Thanks everyone for the kind wishes and prayers..really helped to have the support from people who understand...times like these I remember it's hard to be single and not have someone there worrying with you!
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Ava has tempted me to dispense with the glasses and go with the bottle. On more than one occasion. I would expect no less from Oakley.
Oh, well, they say red wine helps you live longer, so perhaps that will counteract the negative impact of the stress.
Cheers!
Agile and Pamela: I'm a firm believer in a chilled bottle of red wine..or perhaps a great margarita considering the weather were havin here!! Also a believer in the benefits and stress relief they provide
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I just went through a similar situation with my Kobi Saturday. She didnt eat anything we know of but has a stomach issue which
could have been caused by who knows what. Biopsies sent in. Sleepless weekend. And she too cracked the vets office up eating through
her iv cords etc. -
Hope he is doing well. Nemo ate part of a towel and luckily they were able to pull it out through the stomach similar to Oakley. That should make the recovery easier. Hang in there!
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Thanks nemo….unfortunately I have to go into work for two hours tpmrorow. I'm super stressed bc I don't want to leave Oakley alone with his fresh incision...also he still needs round the clock care...not happy about going in so now I'm taking Wednesday off...Oakleys ER vet called to follow up and is super please he already had a stool, she wasn't expecting him to this soon. Unfortunately I have to work an overnight this Thursday (10p-7a) so both his vet and I thought it best for me to drive to the hospital she works at Thursday nights ( 45mins away
) so she can supervise him to ensure he's not getting at his incision, walking him because he can't be alone that long of a time at least until next week...it'll be a lot of driving, I'll be tired and it's another 45$ but it's the best thing for him...my vet carefully reminded me to reserve my happiness until the two week mark bc Oakley has a lot going on and while the outside incision needs 7 days to heal the inside part needs two weeks...and Oakley lives to lick and both incisions or scabs!...but since he's done well with the stools, she's having me cut down his metronidazole to nothing after tonight's midnight dose and tomorrow morning dose...and cutting his metacloperamide to two times tomorrow instead of three and so forth. Lastly, I'm going to be cutting his small food intake into larger quarter cup hamburger and rice four times a day instead of 4tbs every three hours.My biggest issue is getting through tomorrow morning stupid work meeting...I feel like it's the wrong thing to do to leave him alone...that and working 9-2 Thursday...trying to catch some sleep...leaving at 7 to drive to ocean state vet hospital then to work 10p-7a then back to the hospital then home....Oof, I really want this weekend to come!!
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Can someone stay with him for the time you have to be away tomorrow? The neighbour you mentioned before?
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If you can't get a dogsitter, can you take him to your vet for a few hours of cage rest while you're at your meeting? I know he doesn't like the vet, but he would be supervised. Or maybe sedate him– not ideal, but maybe a short-term solution? Or even take him with you to your meeting (sedated, if necessary)? Or perhaps you could Skype or VC into your meeting from home? Or use a puppy cam, if you have one. (If not, that might be a good solution for next time.) Or take him to work and have someone else watch him while you're in your meeting? I'm the Queen of Creative Solutions! I couldn't leave Spencer alone the last nine months of his life and I can't leave Ava alone now, so I know that it can make life very challenging.
But I'm thrilled to hear he's doing so well!
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Tell them your car wouldn't start, or that you are sick, and stay home. How much are you going to contribute to any meeting when your thoughts are elsewhere the whole time? You would be doing them a favour by not attending.
