Symbra

[krissn333]

As an aside from the arrythmias, has Symbra been given Amicar? It helps with post-op bleeding. Pinky started it the day of her surgery and took it for 5 days afterward. I think it made a huge difference. She also had to have a platelet transfusion.

[dmswartzfager]

We just got back from visiting Symbra. She didn't really seem to recognize us, but that was not surprising. The incision really does look pretty good - some mild bruising along her belly, and a little edema in her remaining rear leg, but nothing like some of the bruising horror stories I've seen and heard (and nothing like Blitz's bruising and edema after his exploratory abdominal surgery).

 

She perked up when she heard me rattle the treat bags, and sniffed at a few of the food items we offered, but didn't want to try to eat any of them. When I speak to the surgeon tomorrow morning, I will ask about adding an anti-nausea medication to her regimen. Her attitude seemed to indicate that her tummy is upset, and she does have a fentanyl patch, and Carrie completely lost her appetite when she had one of those on after her toe amputation... a few hours after removing it, and Carrie. was ravenous.

 

Overall, her heart rate has come down, but her arrhythmia is still present, which is why we can't bring her home. The side effect of the arrhythmia is collapse and death... so we'll wait patiently for the medicines to correct that.

 

She did get up to get some water and was able to get up unassisted, but you could see her thinking her way through how to manage it. She was a little wobbly trying to drink from the bowl in the back corner of her nice big cage, so Brian held the water bowl up for her, and she drank a decent amount in her usual sloppy way, getting me and some of her bedding wet. She then settled back down, missing-leg-side down. Guess she was tired of me checking out her incision.

 

I left my smelly pajama top with her, and she had plopped her head down on it a few times while we were there.

 

I also chatted with one of the vets with whom I work. She did a little quick research, and she suggested I check on two things that may be affecting her heart - ask when the last packed cell volume/hematocrit was done to check for a slow bleed somewhere, and also inquire as to whether they felt her pain was being managed. It seems this type of arrhythmia can be caused by the pain that is being experienced - my vet had a case recently with a similar presentation, and as soon as she treated the very unhappy pancreas, the arrhythmia went away.

 

The surgeon will be in tomorrow morning and so the tech suggested I call around 8:30 to find out what the plan would be.

[krissn333]

Continued good thoughts for your sweet girl. I hope the arrhythmias just knock it off and go away!

 

Pinky had a patch and did okay with it, but if she hadn't, we were going to use Deramaxx, tramadol, and gabapentin to manage her pain. For her, Deramaxx controlled pain better than any of the heavier stuff.

 

Pinky also wanted to lay on her stump a lot. Just after surgery we were worried about bleeding (she needed the platelet transfusion after she'd been laying on the incision), so we tried to keep her laying on the side with the remaining leg. That also controlled the pain and swelling in the stump, by basically keeping blood from pooling in that area.

 

Pinky was also wrapped up until her staples were removed 2 weeks after surgery (she had 2 or 3 bandage changes in that time). I really think that keeping her wrapped helped keep the swelling down and kind of culled that throbbing sensation that happens with big surgery.

 

Hoping Symbra will eat soon...it's good that she's drinking though!

[dmswartzfager]

Just spoke to one of the other surgeons (she did Frazzle's LP tie-back surgery, though I doubt she remembers that). She was already addressing some of my concerns even before I spoke to her - they were working on getting Symbra's packed cell volume to check for any anemia/slow bleeds. She had already decided to add Reglan to Symbra's IV drip as an anti-nausea medication. I mentioned to her about raising Symbra's water bowl since she had done better when Brian held it up for her, and she said they had a way to raise the bowl so they would do that.

 

I asked whether they thought Symbra's pain was under control; she felt that it was, but recognized that it could be a cause for the arrhythmia. She said Symbra is allowing them to change the Tegaderm dressing over the suture line and is otherwise getting up and moving around pretty well, and that she is in less pain each day. I explained about the fact that Symbra had shown no signs of limping at any point, and was even running around like a looney just a few hours before the leg broke, so I was concerned that she was being super-stoic about any pain. I feel like I at least planted the seed, and we'll see what comes of it. I'll make sure Dr. Kortney (our regular DVM) addresses that with the surgical team again tomorrow (I have no hopes that Symbra will be allowed to come home today).

 

We are going to head out to the store shortly and get some baby food and whatnot along with our weekly shopping, then head over to see if we can entice her to eat.

[Batmom]

Hoping today finds your girl doing better so that she can come home.

[TheFullHouse]

Hope today finds her doing a lot better and maybe with an appetite.

[Remolacha]

Good to hear they were already addressing some of your concerns! I hope her arrhythmia is under control soon and she can come home

[Guest hannahmom]

Sending hugs and caring thoughts

[dmswartzfager]

We just got back from visiting. She seemed to recognize us today, and was overall more alert than yesterday. We tried tempting her with food, and while she sniffed at everything and even licked a few things, the only thing she ate was about a slice and a half of cheese. We took her out to go potty, and other than trying to make a beeline for every hallway we passed (is this the door to escape from here?!?) she did pretty well. I was holding her sling, and I was using it mainly for a little bit of guidance, more so than support. She was tired when we returned, and drank some water, and settled in.

 

Her heart rate was much lower today, usually in the 80-90 range, rather than the 120-180 range we were seeing last night. Still has the arrhythmia - I saw a few go by on the ECG, but I'm fairly certain the surgeon this morning said they were happening less frequently. Certainly with the pulse rate much lower, things are starting to look up. Her left rear leg looks a little more swollen today, however, and when I touched it to see if I might be able to massage it a little, she pulled her leg away, so I left it alone. The tech told me the surgeon was aware of it.

 

We'll be going back later tonight to see if we can tempt her with some food. She has some hospital food in her cage with her, so it looks like they are just leaving it there so she can eat whenever she feels up to it. I might run by the vet clinic and steal some a/d and/or nutri-cal on our way over...

[krissn333]

Pinky's remaining back leg had quite a bit of fluid for about a week after her surgery. I did alternating ice and heat with it and I'd massage it around to redistribute it. When she'd get up to go out, it would pool down to her ankle area. When she was laying down, I'd try to elevate the leg and redirect it up her leg to try to get it to reabsorb.

 

It was a bit painful for her to have me do that at first, so hopefully you'll be able to do that with Symbra soon

 

Any word on when she might be able to come home?

[dmswartzfager]

No word on when she will be able to come home. The next update from the surgeons will be tomorrow morning, and I'll be pushing hard for them to do whatever it takes for her to be able to come home as soon as possible.

[MP_the4pack]

I've just caught up. I hope she can make it home soon.

 

I'll keep her in my prayers.

[Guest patgam]

Symbra is still in our prayers.

[Guest verthib]

[Guest greygirls2]

Hoping your baby girls is doing better today and can return home to you soon. Sending her lost of positive healing energy and prayers.

[carronstar]

Checking on Symbra today. I hope this is the day she can come home with you.

[EllenEveBaz]

Sending good thoughts for your baby girl.