Guest juliagulia630 Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Just got a call from our ortho med student, Leza. James is doing ok in the ICU. No complications during surgery and he is handling their pain/sedation cocktail great. He is even snuggling with the med students who volunteer to pet the dogs in ICU. Our oncology resident is Dr. Hmelo and I can't remember our surgeons name at the moment. She is asian. So far so good. They say the next 24 hours are touch and go as the anesthesia wears off. Thank you all so much for your healing thoughts. I can't wait to get him home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Sounds like he's doing as well as expected-- how are you? Do you have an idea when he can come home?? Take this time to prep the house and try to get some sleep before his release-- won't do him any good if you don't take care of yourself. Please continue with the updates. Good boy James--first hurdle over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45MPHK9 Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Continued good thoughts for your James. Quote Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog Always missing Murray Maldives, Bee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and Holly Oaks Holly“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“ -Bob Dylan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tydyelady Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Good healing thoughts for James coming from the PNW. Quote Mom to Toley (Astascocita Toley) DOB 1/12/09, and Bridge Angel Opie (Wine Sips Away) 3/14/03-12/29/12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Sounds like he's doing as well as expected-- how are you? Do you have an idea when he can come home?? Take this time to prep the house and try to get some sleep before his release-- won't do him any good if you don't take care of yourself. Please continue with the updates. Good boy James--first hurdle over! THIS! Don't be in too much of a rush to get him home. Evaluate your ability to care for him and the situation he will be in at home. Do you need to build or buy a ramp for any outdoor stairs? How will he get in and out for potties? Is there a place for him to sleep and one of you to sleep with him? Do you have enough groceries in so you don't have to leave him? Does he have a secure, non-slippery place to eat and drink? Do you have some cooked chicken or ground beef and rice in case he gets an upset tummy or to tempt his appetite? Just some things to think about. We opted to have Dude stay another night due to our having four other hounds at home, and giving him a chance to be steadier on his feet and getting around. Glad he's doing so well! You go James! Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigorangedog Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Just seeing this. SO glad the surgery went well!! Let me know if I can help with anything during recovery! I've done this twice recently. (See the link in my sig for my What To Expect guidelines.) Sending all the VERY BEST wishes for James!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mychip1 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Hope James continues to do well!!! Quote Robin, EZ (Tribal Track), JJ (What a Story), Dustin (E's Full House) and our beautiful Jack (Mana Black Jack) and Lily (Chip's Little Miss Lily) both at the BridgeThe WFUBCC honors our beautiful friends at the bridge. Godspeed sweet angels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest juliagulia630 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Hello everyone! James is doing amazing. He even was running on leash when he was outside to potty tonight, tail wagging. They are weaning his pain meds slowly as suture line care is oviously tender for him. Couple issues we are dealing with...We got a call earlier after they were changing his dressing, giving medicine, and checking vitals (all taking 2 hours) that James bit one of the techs. He was in his cage and they admitted to reaching over his suture line which may of been touched. Poor guy. This is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever known so I know he is hurting. The other issue we are dealing with is that he will not eat. We left our food and he has been refusing that and all other food they have there. I have Jane (Thanks, Jane!) bringing cooked ground beef to them tomorrow. Anyone have any other ideas as they can't change him onto oral pain meds until he eats?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedFawnMom Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 (edited) I'm so glad to hear that the surgery went well. And oh my gosh, RUNNING on leash, on day 2 post-amp? That boy is going to be just fine as a tripawd. I am so happy for you and him that it's not osteo and that the amp will be curative. Don't let the bite scare you - they are not themselves when in pain. It's a good reminder for you to be careful at home, though, and to muzzle before checking on his incision. I hope the bite wasn't serious - was the tech ok? As far as the loss of appetite goes, maybe he's nauseous? Could they give him a little Cerenia or maybe just some Pepcid? Pepcid makes a huge difference for Lucy when she has an upset tummy. We brought boiled chicken for Lucy when she was at the animal hospital and she gobbled it up, but wasn't too interested in the kibble. Keep us posted. Edited March 3, 2011 by RedFawnMom Quote Always missing our angel Lucy, a four year osteo survivor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigorangedog Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I was also going to suggest the Cerenia. Either that or KFC. No, I'm not kidding. Kentucky Fried Chicken strips were the ONLY thing Whitey would eat in the ICU. They actually asked us to go out and bring back another box so they could feed it to him later on. As for the bite... Looped up on pain meds, they don't know what they are doing. I still have a scar from Apollo post-amp. He came home less than 24 hours post-amp because vet offices FREAKED HIM OUT and he was in a panic there. So he was still on major drugs when he came home. I was trying to help him lie down on his bed, and he politely said "no thank you" by biting the **** out of my nose. He meant it, too. But otherwise he was the gentlest, sweetest boy of all time. It's the meds, not James. Glad his mobility level is so great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Greyhounds will often not eat post-surgery in the hospital. Try meat puree baby food, liver pate, McDonald's hamburgers, KFC chicken - anything he normally LOVES. As we've found with Dude, faster is easier as far as getting around. The momentum helps makes up for the lack of an extra leg for propulsion. Walking is the hardest thing - it's too bouncy and requires a lot of effort. We just let Dude find his own pace and rhythm. He stumbled and almost fell a couple times, but it's all part of the process. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stripeyfan Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 for James. Hope he is doing ok today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yankeegreyhound Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I hope James is doing well! My Sara is right behind him, amputation tomorrow, so your threads have been giving me hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packmom Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Eating while in the hospital can be the last big hurdle for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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