Dec 14th Is Halle's Surgery

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Quite a long time ago....a very long time ago I posted that Halle needed to have surgery on her "hoo hoo" but we didn't have the money at the time and the doctor didn't say she HAD to have it right then. Well her condition has gotten worse and I couldn't take her being uncomfortable anymore. I scheduled her surgery a few weeks ago but her vet is having carpal tunnel surgery. We're putting her surgery on a credit card. Shh don't tell.

 

Anway, she is going to have her sugery and someone very sweet on here sent her a no bite collar. Which I lost their name and address so we can return it afterward........(so if you see this PM me!!!)

 

A few people asked for presurgery, surgery and post surgery photos. I have three presurgery photos I can email as I can't post pics on here. Please PM me your email address and I will send them to you. Trust me, they are not pretty!! I feel so bad for the poor girl. I will ask the vet about surgery photos but I doubt he'll let me take any.

 

If you have any opinions on her condition please let me know as the vet is doing exploratory surgery. Not many vets around here have experience with hermaphadites. He said he would be reading and doing research prior to.

 

Thanks!

[jamngrey]

wanted to send well wishes for quick recovery and no issue surgery

[Guest argolola]

I have Halle on my prayer list. Please keep us posted.

[Guest vahoundlover]

Keeping Halle in my prayers.

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Thank you all. I don't think I would be as nervous if he knew going in what he was going to be doing! Ok maybe I would. The poor girl spends 90% of her time curled up cleaning herself. I put medicine on it but I don't think it helps and she enjoys when I do so much it creeps me out! I'm worried about post surgery because her and our min schnauzer are partners in crime. He'll be lost without her and she will be drugged up yet lost without him. They are very aggressive wrestlers so they won't be aloud to be out of the crates together plus we have to male fosters. I hope no stitches tear or we don't get any infections. Oh now I'm really nervous! ARGH!

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

So..................I am sitting here thinking of all kinds of questions for the doctor for next time we talk. What happens if something goes wrong in the sugery? What do they do? I told them I need them to call me if they run into extra costs. Should I give them a limit before the surgery incase something goes wrong? What if they have to revive her and it costs oh say $2000 extra. I don't want them not to do it but what if we couldn't afford it?

 

Oh I'm freaking out even more now!

[Greytlady94]

I sent you the "no bite" collar, and wow, that was a long time ago.

 

The surgery is called episioplasty or vulvaplasty. If the vet is not familiar with this surgery then he can consult with a surgical vet at A & M University vet school, I know they are familiar with it. I would think any vet school surgical department could be consulted. See this article link

 

My Renie wore an elizabethan collar for three weeks. She healed beautifully and has never had a problem in that area since. Renie's surgery was done at A & M.

 

Thank you all. I don't think I would be as nervous if he knew going in what he was going to be doing! Ok maybe I would. The poor girl spends 90% of her time curled up cleaning herself. I put medicine on it but I don't think it helps and she enjoys when I do so much it creeps me out! I'm worried about post surgery because her and our min schnauzer are partners in crime. He'll be lost without her and she will be drugged up yet lost without him. They are very aggressive wrestlers so they won't be aloud to be out of the crates together plus we have to male fosters. I hope no stitches tear or we don't get any infections. Oh now I'm really nervous! ARGH!

 

It won't ever get any better without the surgical correction.

[Greytlady94]

So..................I am sitting here thinking of all kinds of questions for the doctor for next time we talk. What happens if something goes wrong in the sugery? What do they do? I told them I need them to call me if they run into extra costs. Should I give them a limit before the surgery incase something goes wrong? What if they have to revive her and it costs oh say $2000 extra. I don't want them not to do it but what if we couldn't afford it?

 

Oh I'm freaking out even more now!

 

As long as the vet is knowledgeable on current anesthesia protocols, and takes the precautions of blood work first, before surgery, keeps her on fluids before, during and immediately after surgery, monitors her temperature, she should be fine. My vet also keeps an EKG before, during and after. Those are questions I would ask, "what is your standard protocol for greyhounds in surgery?" This surgery is external, it is not going into the abdomen, or any organ, or any bone.

 

I can't answer the question on extra cost. Only you can answer that for your dog.

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

I sent you the "no bite" collar, and wow, that was a long time ago.

 

The surgery is called episioplasty or vulvaplasty. If the vet is not familiar with this surgery then he can consult with a surgical vet at A & M University vet school, I know they are familiar with it. I would think any vet school surgical department could be consulted. See this article link

 

My Renie wore an elizabethan collar for three weeks. She healed beautifully and has never had a problem in that area since. Renie's surgery was done at A & M.

 

Thank you all. I don't think I would be as nervous if he knew going in what he was going to be doing! Ok maybe I would. The poor girl spends 90% of her time curled up cleaning herself. I put medicine on it but I don't think it helps and she enjoys when I do so much it creeps me out! I'm worried about post surgery because her and our min schnauzer are partners in crime. He'll be lost without her and she will be drugged up yet lost without him. They are very aggressive wrestlers so they won't be aloud to be out of the crates together plus we have to male fosters. I hope no stitches tear or we don't get any infections. Oh now I'm really nervous! ARGH!

 

It won't ever get any better without the surgical correction.

 

YAY! I'm so glad you saw this! I have felt so bad and always comment to DH that we "stole" someone's collar! You'll have to PM me with your address so I can send it back. So sorry to have stolen it this long but it actually happened to work that her surgery is in two weeks.

 

*****I keep telling her it will only be two more weeks. I did have to laugh though because I used Kodak gallery to look at the pictures I took of her "hoo hoo" and in the bottom it shows you what it would look like on a coffe mug or t shirt. I laughed so hard. Could you imagine waking up to that around your coffee?! ewwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

Can I do anything for her prior to her surgery? Should I push extra fluids? Thanks for all the support. I am trying not act too nervous for her sake. I know they said you pass on feelings to the animals and cause stress.

 

[galgrey]

First, I'm glad the surgery's scheduled and she will soon have relief. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.

 

Second,

 

I did have to laugh though because I used Kodak gallery to look at the pictures I took of her "hoo hoo" and in the bottom it shows you what it would look like on a coffe mug or t shirt. I laughed so hard. Could you imagine waking up to that around your coffee?! ewwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

First, I'm glad the surgery's scheduled and she will soon have relief. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.

 

Second,

 

I did have to laugh though because I used Kodak gallery to look at the pictures I took of her "hoo hoo" and in the bottom it shows you what it would look like on a coffe mug or t shirt. I laughed so hard. Could you imagine waking up to that around your coffee?! ewwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

 

*grin* I have pictures I can send you if you'd like one. Maybe I'll get before and after mugs made for the vet!?

[Burpdog]

If you have any opinions on her condition please let me know as the vet is doing exploratory surgery. Not many vets around here have experience with hermaphadites. He said he would be reading and doing research prior to.

 

I'm confused about what surgery she is having. Has this vet ever done one?

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Her vaginal opening is very very swollen and bloody. She always has an infection. she has seen several vets and all want to do surgery. One said her flap is too big, two say she is a hermaphadite. All in all she is having exploratory surgery. The vet is going to go in and see what is going on and correct it. She has a very large part of her area that is swollen and looks to be a small penis that sticks out. It used to barely show but now it sticks out very far and looks very painful. I took pictures because a few people wanted to see before and after pics. In the pictures you can see the whole area is very bloody and swollen. They're not sure exactly what is going to need to be done. No he has never done this surgery before. He is doing what research he can. No vet I have taken her to has done it before and I figure there always has to be a first for a doc to have done it before. The one vet in town that has done it before is about three times the cost of my vet. We've used this vet (before moving) since we were children. He has cared and still cares for my entire family's pets so I truly trust him. He's very well read. The surgery will be done with lasers in his son's office.

 

He's sure that he will have to do some reconstruction he just doesn't know how in depth it will be.

[Guest daisies5]

Have you looked into getting a Care Credit card? My dog just had a $2000 surgery and I put the charges on care credit with no interest for 12 months. If you don't have it yet, you can check it out at www.carecredit.com. I have used this card many times in the past, every time you charge to it, it's no interest.

[Greytlady94]

Her vaginal opening is very very swollen and bloody. She always has an infection. she has seen several vets and all want to do surgery. One said her flap is too big, two say she is a hermaphadite. All in all she is having exploratory surgery. The vet is going to go in and see what is going on and correct it. She has a very large part of her area that is swollen and looks to be a small penis that sticks out. It used to barely show but now it sticks out very far and looks very painful. I took pictures because a few people wanted to see before and after pics. In the pictures you can see the whole area is very bloody and swollen. They're not sure exactly what is going to need to be done. No he has never done this surgery before. He is doing what research he can. No vet I have taken her to has done it before and I figure there always has to be a first for a doc to have done it before. The one vet in town that has done it before is about three times the cost of my vet. We've used this vet (before moving) since we were children. He has cared and still cares for my entire family's pets so I truly trust him. He's very well read. The surgery will be done with lasers in his son's office.

 

He's sure that he will have to do some reconstruction he just doesn't know how in depth it will be.

 

The surgery itself is reconstruction surgery, there shouldn't be anything "exploratory" about it. I am positve if he consults with Ohio State or any other vet school they will know what needs to be done. Is this a vet who has been out of school a long time? Could you print out the info that is available online and take it to him? Look under "episioplasty" or "vulvaplasty". This is not a totally unusual problem in female greyhounds. See this link, it has pictures and everything. epsioplasty with pictures

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Well I think he couldn't classify it as reconstructive surgery because he doesn't know what all he will find. I have all confidence it will go well but my "mommy" side keeps saying what if they find a tumor, what this what that......I'm probably going to go nuts before the 14th!

 

I'm going to print off a lot of the information from these sites and take over to him. He is an older gentleman probably a good 5-10 years from retirement. Not old enough to keep up with the times though. He does all his surgeries by laser now.

 

thanks guys

 

[Burpdog]

I'm sure if you call Ohio State, U of Penn, Florida State or Cornell, you'll find someone who has done a similar surgery for him to consult with

 

There was a girl in Arizona that had surgery maybe 3 years ago or so who I think (and this is from memory and we all know how that is) was a hemodraphite. Does anyone remember this girl? I believe her surgery was successful.

 

Sending lots of prayers.

[Greytlady94]

Her vaginal opening is very very swollen and bloody. She always has an infection. she has seen several vets and all want to do surgery. One said her flap is too big, two say she is a hermaphadite. All in all she is having exploratory surgery. The vet is going to go in and see what is going on and correct it. She has a very large part of her area that is swollen and looks to be a small penis that sticks out. It used to barely show but now it sticks out very far and looks very painful. I took pictures because a few people wanted to see before and after pics. In the pictures you can see the whole area is very bloody and swollen. They're not sure exactly what is going to need to be done. No he has never done this surgery before. He is doing what research he can. No vet I have taken her to has done it before and I figure there always has to be a first for a doc to have done it before. The one vet in town that has done it before is about three times the cost of my vet. We've used this vet (before moving) since we were children. He has cared and still cares for my entire family's pets so I truly trust him. He's very well read. The surgery will be done with lasers in his son's office.

 

He's sure that he will have to do some reconstruction he just doesn't know how in depth it will be.

 

What you are seeing as a "small penis that sticks out" is clitoral hypertrophy from testosterone given to keep females from going into heat. From Dr. Stack....scroll way down link

Edited December 3, 2007 by Greytlady94

[Greytlady94]

I'm sure if you call Ohio State, U of Penn, Florida State or Cornell, you'll find someone who has done a similar surgery for him to consult with

 

There was a girl in Arizona that had surgery maybe 3 years ago or so who I think (and this is from memory and we all know how that is) was a hemodraphite. Does anyone remember this girl? I believe her surgery was successful.

 

Sending lots of prayers.

 

Are you thinking of the greyhound in New Mexico?

[Burpdog]

Might have been NM. Do you remember?

[Greytlady94]

Might have been NM. Do you remember?

 

this one?

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

As the time nears Scott and I are becoming more and more nervous. Something feels a bit off. I don't know why. Scott mentioned that maybe I can call OSU and see if we can travel down and stay while she has surgery. Has anyone been there to know their procedures? Or maybe there is someplace closer that does the same kind of work?

 

thanks

[HopeForHounds]

As the time nears Scott and I are becoming more and more nervous. Something feels a bit off. I don't know why. Scott mentioned that maybe I can call OSU and see if we can travel down and stay while she has surgery. Has anyone been there to know their procedures? Or maybe there is someplace closer that does the same kind of work?

 

thanks

 

Send them an email and see what they say. Dr Couto and his staff are excellent and extremely greyhound savvy. greyosu@osu.edu