Question About Lack Of Drinking After Surgery

[Guest skywalker]

Hi all!

 

As many of you know Boggs went into surgery Tuesday to get 3 teeth removed (he had a really bad abscess), grade 3 cleaning and tail amputation of 4". We have had Boggs since Halloween and up til Tuesday's scheduled surgery he drink like a fish! We were feeding him Eukanuba. Now he'lll only take small dribbles of water to drink but will eat the hamburger and rice" mixture we were told to feed him for 5-7 days after the surgery. He also use to pee like a race horse as well, and that has also slowed down.

 

Any suggestions as this has me concerned and I am not about to bring him back to that vet due to her mis diagnosis of his abscess in the first place (she said it was pink eye!)

 

Please help.

Denise

[Guest Energy11]

I might be a UTI, especially with the "peeing like a race horse," and you might want to get some follow up blood drawn, to be sure his kidneys are working ok after the surgery.

 

I'd at least give the vet a call, describe what you are describing here, and see what he/she thinks. Good Luck!

 

p.s. if you do have to vet him, I'd find another vet. Energy had some extractions years ago, and developed eye swelling. As a paramedic, I knew he was developing an abcess, but when the vet looked at it, he said, "he must have scratched his eye when coming out the the anesthesia!" ... Needless to say, it got MUCH worse, he end up at the E-vet overnight with IV antibiotics. I made the vet refund every cent of the procedure, and never went back!

Edited November 20, 2009 by Energy11

[Guest mcsheltie]

Do a skin test to see if he is dehydrated. Pull up some skin on his shoulder, it should go right back into place. If it tents, he's dehydrated. Press on his gums with your finger, the color should return immediately. Gums should be pink and healthy colored. Not pale.

 

I have had them get dehydrated after surgery and then they do not feel well, so they drink less. It is a vicious circle.

 

Will he eat if you add warm water or warmed sodium free broth to his food? If you try water, let it sit for a few minutes first to make it broth like. Small frequent meals with water added is a good way to get fluids into them.

 

If he doesn't start drinking soon I'd at least call during regular hours. Better now than the evet this weekend.

Edited November 20, 2009 by mcsheltie

[ahicks51]

What you're feeding him now might contain more water than what he's been fed normally. He's on hamburger and rice, yes? If he was eating kibble before, the reduced salt and increased moisture of the food might be offsetting what he would normally eat.

 

We feed ours raw, and when we switched from kibble, the reduction in water intake was striking.

[Batmom]

Do mcsheltie's test for dehydration. Gums should also be fairly wet, not too tacky (dry/sticky). If he doesn't seem to be dehydrated by those tests and he seems to feel reasonably well, he might be just fine. He should have gotten fluids during his surgery and will be getting more water in his food (beef and rice). The previous drinking like a fish might have been because his mouth hurt; if it hurts less, drinking less.

 

If you feel he really should drink more, add some more water to his food and/or mix 50-50 water and broth, water and apple juice, water and milk if he gets along with milk; or just water with a spoonful of honey stirred in. Don't put it in his water bowl; put a cup in a small people bowl and hold it for him to drink. Seems more like a treat that way and usually slides right on down. Couple cups a day on top of what he's getting in his food should be plenty unless he's doing a lot of panting.

[Guest skywalker]

Do mcsheltie's test for dehydration. Gums should also be fairly wet, not too tacky (dry/sticky). If he doesn't seem to be dehydrated by those tests and he seems to feel reasonably well, he might be just fine. He should have gotten fluids during his surgery and will be getting more water in his food (beef and rice). The previous drinking like a fish might have been because his mouth hurt; if it hurts less, drinking less.

 

If you feel he really should drink more, add some more water to his food and/or mix 50-50 water and broth, water and apple juice, water and milk if he gets along with milk; or just water with a spoonful of honey stirred in. Don't put it in his water bowl; put a cup in a small people bowl and hold it for him to drink. Seems more like a treat that way and usually slides right on down. Couple cups a day on top of what he's getting in his food should be plenty unless he's doing a lot of panting.

 

Everyone - Thank you so much for all the advice. I had my husband do the hydro test and he is fine. Hubby even said Boggs started to drink a little today so that is good and you may be right about the liquid in beef and rice. So that had been combatted.......thank again! I love you all!

Edited November 20, 2009 by skywalker

[Guest Energy11]

My males hardly every drink, as I add A LOT of water to their food, twice a day. That surely might be the difference. Glad to hear he is not dehydrated! Good Luck!

[Guest Greensleeves]

I second everything Batmom said, particularly this:

 

The previous drinking like a fish might have been because his mouth hurt; if it hurts less, drinking less.

 

If you feel he really should drink more, add some more water to his food and/or mix 50-50 water and broth, water and apple juice, water and milk if he gets along with milk; or just water with a spoonful of honey stirred in. Don't put it in his water bowl; put a cup in a small people bowl and hold it for him to drink. Seems more like a treat that way and usually slides right on down. Couple cups a day on top of what he's getting in his food should be plenty unless he's doing a lot of panting.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking, and also how we handle dogs that aren't thirsty when we need them to have a drink (like the night before surgery, knowing they won't get another drink for 18 hours or so).

 

But... I was also going to say don't be so hard on your vet about the abscess. We've had 5 of them here, and sometimes they can trick you. Even our e-vets said they can easily look like other problems (like a bee sting, in Rusty's case), and it can sometimes take a second flare-up to be sure that's the problem.

[Guest skywalker]

But... I was also going to say don't be so hard on your vet about the abscess. We've had 5 of them here, and sometimes they can trick you. Even our e-vets said they can easily look like other problems (like a bee sting, in Rusty's case), and it can sometimes take a second flare-up to be sure that's the problem.

 

It's not the fact totally of a misdiagnosis from the vet - it was the fact she wasted a week insisting it was pink eye and the mass kept getting bigger and bigger and his face was totally swollen - he looked like the target dog! Then when I took him back to her at 9:30 in the evening 2 days before we scheduled surgery for an emergency of him gouging his face with his paws to get the abscess out himself - that broke the camels back. I have since found another vet who I trust very much and who will be taking care of both of my babies.

[tbhounds]

Another way you can check for dehydration is to feel his gums--if they are tacky then, yes he's dehydrated. One reason your pup is not drinking as much post-op is because I'm sure he had IV fluids (or should of had) during his surgery.

[Guest mcsheltie]

I've had them not drink well after a dental. Especially if they had a lot done. Usually they'll still eat. I think it is because dogs will swallow their food without chewing, but drinking involves more use of the mouth. In a couple days the soreness wears off and they go back to drinking. That might not make any sense to anyone else but me tho

 

I always keep sub-q fluids on hand. I've had a couple go south quickly. ALWAYS on the weekend.

[Guest skywalker]

I've had them not drink well after a dental. Especially if they had a lot done. Usually they'll still eat. I think it is because dogs will swallow their food without chewing, but drinking involves more use of the mouth. In a couple days the soreness wears off and they go back to drinking. That might not make any sense to anyone else but me tho

 

I always keep sub-q fluids on hand. I've had a couple go south quickly. ALWAYS on the weekend.

 

Boggs starting drinking again yesterday! Whoo hoo! Thanks all!

[Guest Energy11]

WAHOO!!! Very good newS!