A Blitz Update

[dmswartzfager]

(Written yesterday, but couldn't post until today due to internet issues...)

 

Blitz is finally starting to gain weight and is more alert and part of our family. He has gained a pound in between Monday and Thursday, after holding steady at about 61 pounds for a few weeks - so we are up to 62.5 pounds. We are just over three weeks post-surgery, and he needs about 9 more pounds for me to be happy.

 

He still has three staples in his belly - the edges of the incision in that one spot kind of curled themselves under so the "cut" sides were no longer touching. It will heal, or so I've been assured, but it will take a little bit longer. I anticipate taking those last staples out next Thursday.

 

His stool is now solid, and has been for about 3 days now. It would've been solid for almost a week, but we had a set back when he swiped about 3/4 pound of raw hamburger meat off the kitchen counter last weekend - he had one pretty solid stool that I was so excited about, then he ate the hamburger and we were back to square one for a few days, including one vomiting episode.

 

His appetite is ravenous - more than once, he has woken us up in the middle of the night as we hear him pacing around looking for food. We put the loudest, most jingley tags on him that we had, so that we would hear him moving around (but didn't hear him that night last weekend - we were tired!!!). Anyway, we feed him whenever he shows signs of being hungry. He is currently on Hill's z/d ultra hypoallergenic dry and wet, and getting something like 5 cups of kibble and 1.5-2 cans of wet every day, spread out over 5-6 feedings. He desparately wants the girls' raw diet, though. Thank heavens he really likes the wet food - I'd really be fighting him to eat with just kibble available.

 

The referral vets finally decided what medications to use. Since he is still urinating a lot with the pred, they want to use Azathiomine (AZA) in conjunction with the pred (rather than increasing his pred to 30mg twice daily - he's on 10 mg twice daily now), hit the inflammation hard, and taper off both drugs - the pred first, then the AZA. He does have to get bloodwork done with these drugs, and with the AZA in particular, to make sure his WBC count doesn't drop too low. If I am understanding things correctly, he will be off all medication for the IBD in 6 weeks.

 

I did some serious soul-searching after the exploratory surgery and wondered if we did the right thing, because the basic diagnosis is moderate IBD, and I was very much like, I can't believe we put him through that just to get a definitive IBD diagnosis. I talked to our acupuncture vet, who is just not someone to push surgery, and she said to her, it was the right thing to do. There was an unknown mass on the ultrasound, and vascular irregularities. They found that his spleen was twisted when they went in (the mass of unknown origin) and luckily nothing in the spleen had died off. She said it was far better them to go in, do the biopsies for IBD for the definitive diagnosis, eyeball the mass and the vasculature, and check everything out rather than having us wondering what was going on in there. Also, even though they didn't know the spleen was twisted, it was luck that they were in there and able to put it back under a controlled situation rather than going in there as an emergency splenectomy and having to keep him stable at the same time. She said her first emergency surgery (she works two nights a week at an e-vet clinic) was just that - an emergency and the spleen was just completely dead. I don't feel completely doubt-free, but with her reassurance, I feel a little better about the whole situation.

 

Blitz and I went on a very short walk this afternoon - maybe ten minutes. He was supposed to be on strict bed rest for the first two weeks after surgery, then, since I didn't want to be cleaning up liquid poo from someone's front lawn, we haven't been out for walkies since his restrictions were lifted. Anyway, he did well, and I might've walked him a little longer, but it was very humid out there today, and I didn't want him to overdo it. He gets excited about going on rides and going for walks.

 

He has started following us around the house again, and this evening, he actually pounced on a stuffy and gave it a good shaking for about ten seconds. He then came over to me, all pleased with himself. He loves to be loved, and happily greeted Dr. Alison (acupuncture vet) with lots of wags and sniffs when she came over on Wednesday to evaluate him. He bolted off the dog bed and trotted through the kitchen and office to greet Brian when Brian came home this evening, even though I was petting him at the time. In fact, Blitz moved to be in the office with Brian when Brian went to go play on his computer about an hour ago - he may end up being a Daddy's boy.

 

I guess that is all I can think of for now. I anticipate that we'll be able to get his weight back on, albeit more slowly than I had originally thought, and with walks, we'll be able to get some muscle back on him, and with the food and medication and a little bit of Eastern medicine, we'll be able to get him back on a "normal" food and hopefully prevent another flare-up of his IBD, and we'll live happily ever after.

[Guest Tenderhearts]

You must have ESP as I've had Blitz on my mind and was going to PM you!

 

I am glad that he is getting better.

 

I can certainly understand your second-guessing the surgery, but glad your mind has eased a bit on that.

 

Blitz is still on my prayer list, and will continue to be there!

:hope :hope :hope

[Guest Becki]

That is good news. Thanks for letting us know!

[Burpdog]

I've been thinking about him too. He is making progress, and that is wonderful!

[turbotaina]

So glad to hear he's improving, Deanna

[Guest bowiebears]

Deanna,

 

So glad to read this. I was just about to send you a PM to ask what was up!

 

Once he's better, perhaps we should see if we can plan a get-together for Dowland and Azalea with your furkids!

 

Prayers and good thoughts continue.

 

--Isaac

 

[Guest crazy4greys]

I 've been looking for an update since I returned from Dewey.

 

I am glad things are getting back to "normal" and that Blitzy is starting to be his goofy old self again!

[grey14me]

so glad to hear Blitz is on the road to recovery continued prayers :hope

[patricia]

Such wonderful news!

[Guest LindsaySF]

I'm so glad that he seems better!

 

Him getting sick after swiping that raw hamburger meat makes me think that he is one of those dogs that just really really can't handle raw, because of his IBD or whatever else. It's good that he likes the food he is on now. Hopefully he continues to improve on it.

[nyGreys]

Wonderful news! So glad he's doing better.

[Guest vahoundlover]

Great news!!

[Guest LolasMom]

I'm so glad he's feeling better.

[Guest Aggie94]

[Batmom]

Really good to hear he's improving -- you must be relieved-and-a-half!

 

I don't see what you could've done other than the surgery, and it seems a good thing you did it when you did it.

[Guest ss556]

I'm very happy about this update. Keeping paws crossed. Hugs to Blitz!

[Guest PiagetsMom]

Good to hear that Blitz is on the mend! Sending good thoughts for a complete recovery for your boy

[galgrey]

I'm glad he's finally on the road to recovery. It sounds like you did just the right thing with the exploratory surgery. Keep us posted!

[Devotion]

Blitz is in good hands with you. You made the right decision, don't judge yourself. Blitz is VERY lucky to have landed in your home!

[Lilysmom]

I figured things were still a bit crazy Deanna and I didn't want to bother you but I am so happy to read Blitz is doing better. You know I'll continue to pray for him and don't forget I'm only a phone call away if you need anything.

 

Karen