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Stomach Testing and Surgery

bluebear
January 31st, 2008, 01:22 PM
Hi:
I am writing today to find out some information in regards to Radiography, 1st view, omnipaque oral administration etc. My pride and Joy Bear is 11 1/2 years old and on Wed. 3rd October/07 he started to vomit in the morning and wouldn't stop.

I took him to the vet by 10:00am and they did these test and then found an obstruction in the exit of his stomach and performed surgery. It was a piece of a plastic lid from a take out cup that he could not pass and it was also sharp, which may I add may have caused some irritation also. He now has to wear a basket muzzle for I do not want this to happen ever again.

The doctor called me after the surgey and was very upset and informed me that when he was putting the stuff in bear's stomach to do the xray's that it started coming out of his nose. The doctor couldn't figure out why it was coming out of his nose. I won't go there as I am very upset that I was not there for him to stop the doctor from injuring him. So the doctor realized he put it in his lungs instead. oops.

He said he was up all night reading about it and come to the conclusion that since they use the product in the spine of animals it should just dry up. I had to take him back in as he is gagging and swallowing like he is trying to either get something out or down his throat and he sound's like he has a cold or flem in his throat. I took him to the doctor and seen the younger lady this time and she informed me that his lungs sound good and the only thing she could do is either wash his lungs out or maybe do an xray on his throat. She also recommended pepsid. This was the beginning on January 11th 2008. Within a week he was not keeping his food down. Throwing up his supper in the morning with maybe 6 kibbles left. I switched his food from senior meat protein to a fish protein food. I also stopped the pepsid. He is doing much better now, but still makes a funny noise when breathing. It sounds like flem in his lungs or something. I am so afraid to take him to the vet again and he is now terrified to go. I do my best now to help him myself as I get a lot of this ( He's old ). I really don't by that as he was fine until after the surgery. He was NEVER sick all his life.

Does anyone know that if this stuff is going into the lungs of a dog and out his nose that it may cause problems for life. I realize human's take 3 plus years to heal organs that have been worked on, the doctors say that dog's can't talk so they are unsure. Would their organs not take 3 years to heal also. Like his stomach. Am I just worrying to much. He is still very spirited and after reading some of the thread's I am gong to try and slow him down from eating so fast as I feel he does this also, hand feeding may help this. He is also on apo-meloxicam 7.5mg 1/3 a pill a day and glucosamine 1000mg a day. Given with food alway's. He is 32kg. Perfect weight.

Most important for me is to know if this test being given incorrectly has caused him to end up being chronic in his problem and I just have to let time tell. :pray: :confused: :sick: :yell: :cry:

Love4himies
January 31st, 2008, 02:21 PM
I would be taking him to a different vet office. Poor Joy Bear.

bluebear
January 31st, 2008, 03:46 PM
Thanks, I am in the midst of doing that also. I have been getting a lot of input from other people when I go out to the stores as living on the island does not give you much to choose from. Vet's are very expensive so this time I am trying to get referrals. However everyone has a different opinion, different reason's, but I think I have found one. Thanks again.

hazelrunpack
February 1st, 2008, 12:25 AM
I'm glad you found another vet to see--if only for your peace of mind. :grouphug: Poor Bear has been through quite a lot.

I have no experience with lung damage, but I do know that stomachs do not take 3 years to heal after surgery for an obstruction--even if they've been irritated by the foreign object. Our Gauge was up and his old self again within a few weeks of having major gastric surgery to remove a matted clump of dried grasses. So I wouldn't worry about Bear's tummy taking three years to heal :grouphug:

:fingerscr that lungs and trachea heal as quickly! With luck it's just a temporary irritation from the imaging liquid and the tubes and anesthetics used during the surgery and will eventually resolve.

Please keep us posted about what the new vet says, okay? And best of luck with Bear!

bluebear
February 1st, 2008, 11:29 AM
Thanks so much hazelrunpack. That put's me at ease. Bear is doing better since I changed his food and stopped the pepcid. He still breath's funny sometimes, I'm hoping this will clear up like you say in time. I'm going to be changing his food again to a lower protein and higher fiber food but fish protein based still. I worry that he may put on weight with a high calorie food 495 cal per cup. 44% protein and being such a low fiber 2.5% I feel he is not feeling full as I only feed him 3/4 cup in the morning and at night. The new food is Core ocean formula it's only 350cal per cup and 7% fiber and 34% protein. I just hope they are small kibbles as he does not chew much of it and the hand feeding did not go well as he just swallowed what was in my hand. It is still not a senior formula. :frustrated: It seems that I cannot find a senior formula fish protein base for dogs. I just hope :pray: that 34% protein is still not to much as he is going on 12 this June and I'm not an expert on dogs and protein and I do not want him to become overweight as I feel he will have to eat this type of food for the rest of his life. Thanks again hazelrunpack for your reply greatly appreciated. :pawprint:

hazelrunpack
February 1st, 2008, 09:51 PM
If you haven't already, you might want to start a new thread in the food forum about the food you've decided on for Bear. Maybe some of the food gurus on the board will have some suggestions for you. :D

bluebear
February 2nd, 2008, 07:18 PM
Thanks Hazelrunpack