Ok This Time She's Really Having Her Surgery

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

So I was mistaken, Halle's surgery is tomorrow. Dec 14 was the date that one of the fosters was getting neutered. I am such a nervous wreck. Halle though, is bouncing around. I got home and fed her her final meal for the evening around 5. She had ran around the house rooing and bouncing around for an hour and a half. She chased Sam all over. She pranced around. I don't know what's gotten into that girl!! Maybe she's getting one last play before she gets "sore."

 

She FINALLY gave up begging for treats. She knows there are burpdog biscuits in the fridge and spent most of the night rooing by the door. lol She's cuddled up on the couch with daddy. Half roach. My tummy is in knots.

 

I called the vet to verify everything and the nurse made me nervous. She said that the meds they're using on her to put her under is the same thing they use in humans and it has a high complication rate for humans. Her DH was going to have surgery and they were using this drug (don't remember the name.) and she has been begging him not to have it done. That didn't make me feel very good but she seemed confident that everything would be fine for Halle.

 

Oy ok done venting. I'll post as soon as I hear from the vet on how she is doing.

[Bevd]

What a very strange thing for the vet nurse to say! I'm not entirely sure she should be saying stuff like that (in fact, I'm positive she shouldn't) and I think I'd need to mention it to the Practice Manager!

 

I'm sure Halle will be just fine

[Batmom]

The anaesthesia she's referring to might be Propofol. I think it does have a higher incidence of odd reactions in people, although AFAIK few of those reactions in people are dangerous. My vet much prefers it as an induction agent for sighthounds.

 

Hope her surgery goes well and she is a happier, healthier girl afterwards!

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Yes Propofol sounds like something she said. I Knew it began with a P but that was it. That makes me feel better that it is just something harder on humans. I had nightmares last night that the vet found all kinds of weird drugs in Halle's system and he was yelling at me trying to figure out what they were. She's so upset she didn't get her breakfast. I always feel like a bad mommy with holding food and water.

 

Ok we're off to the vet now. Thank you for your thoughts.

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Well I got a call from the vet and Halle's bloodwork didn't come back so well. They said her blood was so thick they couldn't get it to run. He spun it and finally had to call outside help to figure it out. Remember the dream I mentioned above? It came true!!!!!!! He called and asked if I gave her any meds. I said NO not at all.

 

He finally called back and said her kidney function is low. We're going to run more tests and discuss this in detail later.

 

[patricia]

In surgery (human) I have never seen an adverse reaction to Propofol. We use it on almost every case. What I have seen...and even though it has been rare...is Malignant Hyperthermia and trust me~it was touch and go and if I never see it again...it would still be too soon!

Sending many prayers for your little girl...I know she will be just fine.

Edited December 19, 2007 by patricia

[Guest Jennifer4719]

In surgery (human) I have never seen an adverse reaction to Propofol. We use it on almost every case. What I have seen...and even though it has been rare...is Malignant Hyperthermia and trust me~it was touch and go and if I never see it again...it would still be too soon!

Sending many prayers for your little girl...I know she will be just fine.

 

 

I don't recall any adverse reactions to Propofol either. We call Propofol "mother's milk" and use it on all of our vent patients if their pressures can tolerate. I also tell all of my co-workers that if I ever have to be put on a vent, they better make sure I get plenty of "mothers milk" or I will hurt them.

[Remolacha]

[patricia]

In surgery (human) I have never seen an adverse reaction to Propofol. We use it on almost every case. What I have seen...and even though it has been rare...is Malignant Hyperthermia and trust me~it was touch and go and if I never see it again...it would still be too soon!

Sending many prayers for your little girl...I know she will be just fine.

 

 

I don't recall any adverse reactions to Propofol either. We call Propofol "mother's milk" and use it on all of our vent patients if their pressures can tolerate. I also tell all of my co-workers that if I ever have to be put on a vent, they better make sure I get plenty of "mothers milk" or I will hurt them.

For sure! Please give me Lidocaine first though!

[Guest Tenderhearts]

Well I got a call from the vet and Halle's bloodwork didn't come back so well. They said her blood was so thick they couldn't get it to run. He spun it and finally had to call outside help to figure it out. Remember the dream I mentioned above? It came true!!!!!!! He called and asked if I gave her any meds. I said NO not at all.

 

He finally called back and said her kidney function is low. We're going to run more tests and discuss this in detail later.

 

Prayers that they figure out what is going on soon! :hope :hope

 

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Ok I have a few questions for you greyhound health savvy people.

 

The doctor said Halle's Creatinine levels were slightly elevated which is showing problems with the kidneys. I read that OSU did a study that levels up to 1.6 are normal in greyhounds.

 

He also said her blood was extremely thick and that he didn't know why. I read that greyhounds can have sludge like blood because they have to pump more oxygen through it. It said that if a human tried to pump that blood through their heart it would go into failure but a greyhound can handle it. Can anyway confirm this? Maybe there is nothing wrong with my girly????

[Batmom]

Sounds like greyhound normal blood values. Creatinine can be a bit higher than the high end of other dogs' normal reference range; what that reference range is (whether 1.6 is high or not) depends on the individual lab. If the BUN and BUN:creatinine ratio are normal, a slightly high creatinine doesn't indicate kidney disease and isn't anything to worry about.

 

Blood being "extremely thick" is probably a reference to HCT or PCV. Greyhounds can run up in the high 60s; totally normal.

 

Here's a basic reference to greyhound blood values: http://home.comcast.net/~greyhndz/blood.htm

 

 

Some more valuable references for you and your vet in the greyhound section here:

 

http://www.animalmedicalcentreofmedina.com/library.htm

 

The articles are authored in part by GT member feemandvm, who is a vet there.

[Burpdog]

If I remember right, this vet is not familar with greyhounds. Creatine can run up to 2.2 or 2.3 with a normal BUN and it's normal. As Batmom mentioned, HCT of over 60% can be normal for a greyhound. Huston's last test results was 59.4 or 59.6%

 

I know you want to use this vet because you like him but it sounds like he is a good vet unfamilar with the breed. My concern is surgical care and post op care.

 

Can you get him to call Ohio State? Your window is narrow because I am sure they will be breaking for the holidays.

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

Well I did call OSU however the surgery prices were about $1,000 more than my vet not to mention both of us losing three days of work and paying for gas and hotel stay, food etc. Turning into a $2500 plus surgery instead of a $600-$1000.

 

Not that we don't want the best for our girl. I'm going to print this information and take to my vet in the morning. I want him to learn all he can because he will be caring for Halle through out the rest of her life. I will talk to him about speaking more with OSU or we'll ave to take her there for the surgery. I'm not concerned about him doing the actual surgery. I am happy that he recognized something wasn't right and withheld surgery it shows he cares about their well being. I think I'm getting him a greyhound health book for Christmas.

 

 

[Guest argolola]

Sending prayers and hugs.

[Guest greyhound1]

[Greytlady94]

$2500.00 would be a reasonable amount for this surgery. Add to that, OSU knows what they are doing with greyhounds. This poor dog has been miserable living with this for a long time now.

[Guest greyhound_mommy]

$2500.00 would be a reasonable amount for this surgery. Add to that, OSU knows what they are doing with greyhounds. This poor dog has been miserable living with this for a long time now.

 

I understand that but if I can have the same surgery done for $1000, and that won't be "six" days off work between Scott and I. Honestly we cannot afford the surgery, hotel, gas, food, and to each miss three days of work. If it could not be done here I would definately do it in a heart beat. She has been miserable for a long time and I spoke to my vet today and he said that he does feel there is something wrong with Halle because of other symptoms she has like drinking way too much water for her levels.

 

We talked today and we're going to go and run some urine tests and see where the outcome leads us before diving right into a surgery that isn't for a life threatening condition.

 

My poor baby.