Guest Ola Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 I'm so happy for you and Alex. You sure have come a long way from last week! He's a lucky hound to have you to help him. {{{}}} Speedy healing vibes Alex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gr84me Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 This is wonderful. There's no place like home; he'll improve so fast you won't believe it! There's nothing like mom and dad's TLC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cestbarb Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 What wonderful news. now you can all rest a little easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Just got back from vacation - so excited to hear the happy news. How are things going since Monday? Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vahoundlover Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Wondering how Alex is doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyndiW Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Alex is doing great. Last night was the first night that he didn't wake us up for a 3am feeding. I am just so thankful that he is eating and eating all the time that I would wake up every hour to feed him if he wanted it. We are trying to feed him at least every 3 hours. He is still having some constipation problems but the dr is not worried and said to try some Metamucil sprinkled on his food. This lasted 3 feedings and now he is onto us; he won't eat any more food that has been "sprinkled." We went back to see the surgeon tonight for an incision check and for more blood work. He either looks great or I am just getting used to the emaciated look. I really thought he had gained some weight but the scale tonight only showed about .5 lb since Saturday. He must really look better though because the surgeon was ecstatic when she ran out into the waiting room to see him. He has definitely gained a lot of strength back. Each day he is doing more and more. Monday he greeted me when I got home from work and yesterday morning he actually watched me leave. Then, last night he played with his favorite stuffy!! Oh, how I have missed that squeaky sound. The 4 hour round trip tonight did not wear him out at all. He has been following me around ever since we got home; he has been really watching me cook some special food for him!! He developed a pocket of fluid today at one end of his incision. This really concerns me because it has been 10 days since the surgery and the incision is almost healed. However, the surgeon was not concerned. She said it was where she had one of his drains and if it was infected he would have thrown a fit when she messed with it tonight. She is supposed to call us later with some of the blood work and the rest will be back in the next 2 days. He goes back Saturday to have the staples removed. Hopefully this pocket of fluid will disappear soon and not get bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Oh, gosh, it's good to hear he's doing so well! Re constipation: ask vet about adding a little oil to his diet. If vet wants fiber added only, try the flavored metamucil wafers. Apple Cinnamon are The Bomb, my dogs eat them as treats when needed. Re fluid pockets: They happen sometimes, especially with incisions on the underside of the dog. It's a gravity thing. As long as it isn't red, sore, etc., it should be fine. Sometimes they can take quite awhile to go away. Many many hugs and smiles headed your way. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PiagetsMom Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Thanks for the update! Glad to hear that Alex is recuperating nicely and sending good thoughts for his vet visit on Saturday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 See if you can try pumpkin, it is high in fiber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotaina Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 :yay Sounds like he's coming along nicely Quote Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi."Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 (edited) This is such great news. So glad to hear it!!! Edited August 30, 2007 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vahoundlover Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Glad to hear he's doing so well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighsayer Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Such happy news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 Try a little oatmeal or All Bran cereal. Tastes better than metamucil Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gr84me Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 That is great! I think you created a miracle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyndiW Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I went into my local vet's office to pick up some things and the original vet was there that opened Alex up to begin with. I think she is really worried that I feel she caused this mess or that we are out badmouthing her. (Well, my husband may be but...) I really do not feel any anger toward her. We will never know why he got this terrible infection. Maybe it was something she did (or didn't do) or maybe he is just prone to infections. The main vet and owner of the animal clinic has always been very good to us and she called me at home last Sunday to check on him and talk to me about everything that had transpired. We are just so thankful that we have our boy home and he is on the mend!! It just doesn't seem right to be upset about anything when we were given this miracle. Joe is going to buy some Metamucil wafers tomorrow. In the meantime, I did try the oatmeal suggestion for fiber because we have plenty at the house and he has always loved it. It took him 20 min. to eat tonight so he could purposely eat everything in his bowl and leave the oatmeal. Stinker!! I fix oatmeal about once a week for a snack/add-in to their evening meal and it is always a hit with all the boys. He also won't eat baby food anymore which he was licking out of the jar last week. He hardly wanted the hamburger either. He just wanted to eat the dry food. Of course we are thrilled to have him back on regular food but we are also trying to get in extra protein and fiber. I will also have Joe pick up some pumpkin. The boys have eaten and loved that on occasion too but I think he is really suspicious of us right now trying to sneak stuff in this food. He does seem to love the boiled chicken. Last night I steamed some vegetables and that seemed to get things bulked up a little from what I saw today. I think this problem will resolve soon from what I can tell. The surgeon did call late last night and his protein levels are slowly going up and his liver enzymes are slowly going down. She said it could take about two months to finally level out to normal but she hopes for lots of improvement in the next 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tiegra Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 So happy he's home and doing better. Keep up the greyt nursing. Hopefully he'll be 100% in no time. Dani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvAPuppy Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I went into my local vet's office to pick up some things and the original vet was there that opened Alex up to begin with. I think she is really worried that I feel she caused this mess or that we are out badmouthing her. (Well, my husband may be but...) I really do not feel any anger toward her. We will never know why he got this terrible infection. Maybe it was something she did (or didn't do) or maybe he is just prone to infections. The main vet and owner of the animal clinic has always been very good to us and she called me at home last Sunday to check on him and talk to me about everything that had transpired. We are just so thankful that we have our boy home and he is on the mend!! It just doesn't seem right to be upset about anything when we were given this miracle. Joe is going to buy some Metamucil wafers tomorrow. In the meantime, I did try the oatmeal suggestion for fiber because we have plenty at the house and he has always loved it. It took him 20 min. to eat tonight so he could purposely eat everything in his bowl and leave the oatmeal. Stinker!! I fix oatmeal about once a week for a snack/add-in to their evening meal and it is always a hit with all the boys. He also won't eat baby food anymore which he was licking out of the jar last week. He hardly wanted the hamburger either. He just wanted to eat the dry food. Of course we are thrilled to have him back on regular food but we are also trying to get in extra protein and fiber. I will also have Joe pick up some pumpkin. The boys have eaten and loved that on occasion too but I think he is really suspicious of us right now trying to sneak stuff in this food. He does seem to love the boiled chicken. Last night I steamed some vegetables and that seemed to get things bulked up a little from what I saw today. I think this problem will resolve soon from what I can tell. The surgeon did call late last night and his protein levels are slowly going up and his liver enzymes are slowly going down. She said it could take about two months to finally level out to normal but she hopes for lots of improvement in the next 2 weeks. Oatmeal is great for the liver if you can coax him to start eating it again. I learned about it from my IG list and it brought my girl's enzymes down to normal when they've never been normal before. And did it in only six months. (she is on other liver meds as well, the oatmeal is an addition). Bake it in to treats, mix it in the food, syringe it if you have to but I became a huge believer in the power of oatmeal!!! Quote Angie, Pewter, and Storm-puppy Forever missing Misty-Mousie (9/9/99 - 10/5/15)Fort Wayne, Indiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vahoundlover Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I am so happy for you guys and Alex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyndiW Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Just talked to the surgeon. His pancreatitis (sp?) is getting worse so he has to go on chicken/rice only - 950 calories divided into 6 small meals. She also said there was a new LF prescription dog food for this exact problem we could pick up tomorrow when we take him in for staple removal. This explains why he vomited this morning. It really scared us because he hasn't vomited since he got home. He is starting on Prilosec instead of Pepcid. His clotting is back to normal so he gets to go off the Plavix. Other than these small ups/downs, he is acting perfectly normal and seems to have all of his strength and energy back despite being so emaciated. Since he won't eat the cooked oatmeal (I think he doesn't like the texture now for some reason), can they eat it raw or would this be too hard on the tummy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 Just talked to the surgeon. His pancreatitis (sp?) is getting worse so he has to go on chicken/rice only - 950 calories divided into 6 small meals. She also said there was a new LF prescription dog food for this exact problem we could pick up tomorrow when we take him in for staple removal. This explains why he vomited this morning. It really scared us because he hasn't vomited since he got home. He is starting on Prilosec instead of Pepcid. His clotting is back to normal so he gets to go off the Plavix. Other than these small ups/downs, he is acting perfectly normal and seems to have all of his strength and energy back despite being so emaciated. Since he won't eat the cooked oatmeal (I think he doesn't like the texture now for some reason), can they eat it raw or would this be too hard on the tummy? What about a flavored oatmeal? Don't know if sugars are an issue b/c of his pancreatitis and I would say go for an all-natural one (not processed stuff with artificial sugars) but maybe a little sweetness would coax him into eating it. You could even mix it half and half with plain? Or what about sweetening it yourself with a little yogurt mixed in or something like that? So glad to hear how well he's doing. Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyndiW Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Alex is vomiting rice and chicken now. The scary thing is we weren't feeding him anything that had much fat in it but the pancreatitis has continued to get worse. After vomiting again this morning (chicken and rice), I have decided to only give him the Royal Canin Digestive Low Fat (LF) and this was the surgeon's suggestion. I just hope he can at least keep that down or I am afraid we will have to put him back on IV fluids because his weight doesn't look so good today. He had only put on 1 lb. this week but it had made such a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chigal950 Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Oh boy, I hope he stabilizes soon. Sending good thoughts your way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trevdog Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Sending lots of good thoughts to Alex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FrostyBottoms Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 :hope :hope :hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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