Callie Broke Her Leg - Update Post 220

[Bevd]

Awwww, her lovely little face

 

I'm sure she'll do much better once she's home

[Guest jettcricket]

Sweet baby girl.....she'll be so happy to be home and I'm sure her appetite will pick up.

Edited January 16, 2011 by jettcricket

[45MPHK9]

Sweet Callie. She has a beautiful face. Hoping she feels better each day. We are saying prayers for all of you. I can't imagine how much you must miss having her at home.

[Charlies_Dad]

Kim,

 

First off, Callie is beautiful. As for her eating, it can be very hard on them and with all the meds, they often do not eat as I mentioned to you in the PM. There have been a number of suggestions from others, you will just have to try anything. I know of a boy who only started eating after 5 days and what made him eat was....McDonalds hamburger! The vet supposedly was not impressed with the menu but his dad wanted him to start eating and by that time, he didn't care what he ate, he just needed to get something inside him. Once he did start to eat, then his appetite came back. So you may need to experiment and your Arby's idea is a good one!

 

We'll keep all of you in our thoughts and hope Callie is home soon as that will make her more comfortable.

[luvhounds2]

What a gorgeous, sweet face! Sending lots of white light & prayers for a quick, easy recovery.

[kikibean]

One thing I've had good luck with as far as getting dogs to eat is canned Merrick Grammies Pot Pie. I've only had like 1 dog refuse to eat that. Scrambled eggs might

tempt her too.

 

There's a Treats Unleashed on Manchester in Des Peres that carries the Merrick.

[Guest BluMommy]

What a sweet face. Keeping her in my thoughts and prayers

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

She is gorgeous.... hugs to you

[NeylasMom]

Aw, she is such a gorgeous girl. I love the white face.

 

I think the Arby's is a good idea. The other thing I just thought of that Neyla ate toward the end that I found somewhat random was some canned Nutro Natural Choice. It has chunks of meat and bits of rice in a gravy. I just happened to have it sitting around b/c someone had donated it or given it to me with a return so I figured I'd try it and she wolfed it down. Basically, I think you need to just go in armed with a bunch of stuff and see if anything strikes her fancy.

 

You might also ask if she's on an anti-nausea medication. I don't know if one would help or not, but I know the opiate pain med we tried definitely made Neyla nauseous and disinterested in eating.

 

Continued thoughts for a speedy recovery for your beautiful girl. Keep us posted.

[Remolacha]

she looks so cute with her pink piggie pillow

I hope she continues to improve, I agree she will probably start eating when she gets home.

[brindlebaby]

Just had a long reply typed on my cell and lost it when doctor called. I called myself at 1015am and was told doctor had an emergency so she was behind on her calls. I was able to ask nurse some questions though.

 

Still no interest in food. Will stand in cage, but will not do the floors... slick linoleum though so that's not surprising. Does go potty outside on concrete, but I don't think she is walking per say. Urinary catheter is out, but they can replace it if needed. Not on any kind of supplemental nutrition, doctor doesn't feel like it's needed at this time.

 

I'm going to go see her mid afternoon and take plain Arbys (doc was reluctant, but ok'd a tiny bit and will try the Merricks too. Nurse said she is panting a little from the meds they have her on today.

 

I'm at work today trying to make up as much time as I can so I can take off rest of week for Callie. Thanks for pms and emails, will write from home later.

 

That's all for now, will update after our visit.

 

xoxo,

 

Kim

[KF_in_Georgia]

Sometimes, McDonald's (or BK's) fish filet is tempting. I know groups that have used it to trap runaways; the smell was strong enough to lure the stray into the humane trap.

 

Scrambled eggs, esp. if you can warm them up just a bit. (find a microwave...)

 

And baby food--try a chicken formula and a fruit formula (apples, bananas) if she's ever shown interest in sweets. Again, slightly warmed will be best.

 

Good luck.

 

 

But don't worry too much. After surgery, dogs often are nauseated. And the longer dogs (or people) go without food on their stomachs, the less eager they are to eat something--for fear of upsetting those empty stomachs.

 

If she doesn't immediately eat when you get her home, you can try thinning baby food with warm water so that it's more of a "drink" than a "meal." Once she gets some nourishment down safely, it's likely she'll be more willing to expand her diet.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Continued good wishes for your Callie.

I have a pony named Calli.

 

When our 11 yr old Bandit did not want to eat, we tried several kinds of soft/moist dog food. She was only interested in cheese and peanut butter.

 

What got her eating 'real food' again was Tripe.

OMG...she gobbled it up so fast....it really stinks and smell does have a lot to do with their appetite.

 

We got Bandit Lamb tripe, as her diet is lamb-based, but you can get other kinds of tripe.

Comes in a can and we got it at a pet store.

Edited January 16, 2011 by BatterseaBrindl

[Guest VelvetEars]

She'll get there. Have faith. This entire experience has turned her world upside down, and the drugs will make her stomach off and can affect the smell/taste of stuff. One meal of arbys or mcdonalds will not kill her. She's fighting cancer, for pete's sake. She looks really good, all things considered. Would they let you bring Pixie in to visit her? I know she's funny about being around other people, but it might perk Callie up a little to see her sister?

[DesiRayMom]

I vote for McDonald's. I work at a vet clinic & have been nominated "make him eat lady."

Depending on the time of day, it's either a plain cheeseburger, or an egg mcmuffin. Unless they

have serious food allergies..... Just something about smelling McDonald's that they can't resist

 

Bite of hamburger, bite of hamburger, bit of canned food, bite of hamburger, bite of hamburger, bit of

canned food....pretty soon it seems like they figure out that their tummy feels better with food in it,

and we're off the hamburger & on regular food.

 

More prayers for your sweet Callie.

[brindlebaby]

Sorry for the late update. I left the house this morning before 6am and didn't get home until 8pm. Played with Pixie and Sam and then took a warm bath and fell asleep in the tub.

 

I left work around 430pm, stopped at Treats Unleashed and picked up a small bag of Grammies Pot Pie, drove through Arbys and got a junior sandwich and also had a bag of her bedtime treats in my purse. My girlfriend who lives up the road from the hospital met me in the parking lot. The lobby was quite crowded and the girl at the desk apologized saying that there was no one there when I called a half hour ago to say I was on my way. We had to wait a bit, not long, until they escorted us back to the "mortuary room" as Herman called it.

 

I came armed with Callie's raspberry pink quilt as I wasn't pleased with the thin blanket they provided for her to lay on the previous day. Two girls carried her in and laid her on her side on the quilt. They brought another blanket that was more fleece-like, but still not suitable for a cold hard floor. It did come in handy for resting her elbow though.

 

While Callie still wouldn't eat, she did sniff and her ears perked up when I rustled bags. She definitely looks a lot better, more with it. My friend left after about an hour or so and I stayed a little bit longer. I sat on the floor and eventually Callie laid down and took a good nap while I rubbed her belly. Every so often she would take a big breath and sigh.

 

The incision site, while I can't see anything but a part of one staple, looks beet red and seems like it would be so painful. Her belly is flabby and the bare skin looks very irritated (not sure why down there).

 

All in all I am very pleased and relieved to see her looking so much better than the day before. Yesterday they had some sort of line in her tail and that is gone. She now only has her big bandage by her incision, and a port ?? on her front paw and one back leg.

 

I am so anxious to have her come home and while yesterday I was leary with all the lines she had on her, those feelings have left. I think she will be so much comfortable at home in familiar surroundings with her family around her.

 

On the way home I picked up an air mattress from my cousin that she brought when her dog had surgery this summer. I plan on setting it up in the front room by the front door, where we plan on taking her to go potty instead of the backyard.

 

I'm very curious to see what her surgeon has to say tomorrow since he hasn't seen her since Saturday morning.

 

 

One thing I've had good luck with as far as getting dogs to eat is canned Merrick Grammies Pot Pie. I've only had like 1 dog refuse to eat that.

Add Callie to your list Kelly, of dogs that refused poor Grammies Pot Pie.

 

 

Here's a new picture of our little girl. The first one was taken yesterday and the second, today... side by side, I think there's a marked improvement.

 

 

 

I have more pictures, but the files keep being too big so I guess I'm doing something wrong.

 

 

I'm going to talk to her surgeon tomorrow regarding if she's on anti nausea meds, if they can give her something to get her strength up and maybe even something to give her an appetite (is there such a thing?).

 

Thank you all for continuing to follow Callie's story, you are all giving me so much support which will help Callie if I stay strong for her and make informed decisions. and I don't even want to think of where we'd be without all of you by our side!

 

xoxo,

 

Kim

[AEB]

Good luck today. I hope that you get lots of informative answers from the vet. And it's good to hear of Callie's improvement (and she does look more engaged in her picture). I'm sure she'll be happy to be home. I can tell you that Sadie never would eat much when we went away and left her with the organization from which we adopted her. And she knew those people and had spent months there before. If she was at the vet's office she surely would not have eaten a bite. So, I'm sure she'll do much better once she's home.

[Guest BleuDog]

Your Girlie is looking sooooo much better!!!!

 

Continued Prayers and support coming to you both......

[kikibean]

I'm glad she's doing better!

 

Sorry, I should have specified the canned Grammies Pot Pie

[Guest VelvetEars]

In the first picture, she looks like "Woe is me......feel sorry for me...." In the second picture, it looks like she's trying to decide how much longer she can hold out on the food to maximize her sympathy factor.

 

I do think she's looking better. And remember that recovery is a slow process. She'll have good days, and she may have the occasional bad day. I have no doubt that once she's back home, in familiar surroundings, she'll find her appetite again.

 

The flabby skin may be the result of swelling that has gone down and her skin hasn't had a chance to catch up yet. Keep in mind that gravity will pull fluid and blood to the lowest point, so under her bandages will be a lot of bruising and whatnot that will take time to go away. If you can give her Arnica, that will help some. Even when her bandages are off, if you can rub arncia cream on her skin, it will help.

[Guest Vinnie]

Continued prayers for Sweet Callie. Vinnie loved plain Carls Junior cheeseburgers and McDonalds Chicken Nuggets as special treats that would entice him. Also, braunshwager or liverwurst to help hide pills and get his appetite going (he was a champion pill spitter, lol). Hope you get good news from the doc and your sweet girl can come home and start healing up. Don't get discouraged. At about the two week mark it is like a light switch turns on and all of a sudden they seem to be back to their normal selves. Vinnie didn't seem to care and just all of a sudden started running and playing, it's the strangest thing. Hugs.

[carronstar]

Continuing prayers and good thoughts for Callie.

[brindlebaby]

Had long update on cell and lost it... Callie may be coming home later today!! Im at work, will update later.

 

xo,

 

Kim

[JohnF]

Way to go Callie! Your Mom's going to help you thru this with loads and loads of loving attention in the weeks to come.

[seeh2o]

Sending healing thoughts for your girl, Callie.