mega oesophagus - experiences good and bad please.

Your vet sounds a complete star. I'm glad that you've had some positives with Ruby this past weekend.
I hope your review meeting today goes as well as possible.
 
misst said:
Dab dab vet said last night it seems more of a regurgitation. She just sort of opens her mouth and it comes out. No retching etc. She is worse if she is allowed to walk/sniff in their garden and better if quiet in the kennel. I am hoping it's not that but having googled:rolleyes: a lot it does seem to fit with everything. Obviously I'm not going to PTS now but my feeling is if it continues I cannot manage her like the websites say. I just feel guilty as of course they all talk about their commitment and love for their pup/furbaby. But she is a 2 yo dog not a pup or a furbaby and loves her active, naughty, poo eating, underwear stealing generally joyful life. I am just overthinking as usual I hope.
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Sometimes the biggest act of love you can give to an animal is to let it go with peace and dignity. I do wonder with some of these FB groups whether they are just keeping the dog/cat/horse alive for the attention and comments they recieve such as what perfect "parents" they are.... If it was one of mine I would PTS.
 
Today Ruby went back to the vet for a review. Senior partner met me in the waiting room and we had a chat in her office before one of the newer vets examined her and senior partner had written instructions in the notes regarding investigations to be done etc.

Vet was quite new and I had not met her but she was super. Ruby vomited (I think a proper vom not regurg) at 05.30 this morning, a small amount of old food but no slimey fluid like she had been doing. She was retching first which was why I think it was a vomit.

She did not want any breakfast but had a big wee, a drink of water and a large very normal poo :-).
Her temp is fine, HR ok, but she is lethargic and not really eating much. She enjoyed her walk on a lead but hasn't done much but sleep since getting back. She is just not herself.

Mega oesphegus has been more or less rule out thank god! However a test for addisons disease is being done 1st thing on Thursday and other bloods will be done at the same time. Stool samples are being sent off. She will probably have other investigations and is booked for a few hours in the vets to do what needs doing and to reassess. I can take her back anytime but she does not appear in pain, she does not have an obvious infection and she is not critically ill. Her gums are pink and she is well hydrated.

So another 36 hours to watch and wait unless she suddenly deteriorates.
 
maisie06 said:
Sometimes the biggest act of love you can give to an animal is to let it go with peace and dignity. I do wonder with some of these FB groups whether they are just keeping the dog/cat/horse alive for the attention and comments they recieve such as what perfect "parents" they are.... If it was one of mine I would PTS.
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That is how I feel if it is this diagnosis. When I read the sites at 5.30am the other morning I jut felt a complete failure at my "lack of commitment" and my "failure to keep up hope" to quote one person speaking about advice from vets to PTS. I needed a bit of rational balance from people on here. Hopefully it is not her diagnosis but we don't have anything specific to go on at the moment. She is comfortable for now.
 
Ratface said:
Your vet sounds a complete star. I'm glad that you've had some positives with Ruby this past weekend.
I hope your review meeting today goes as well as possible.
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My vet has been bloody marvelous and so is his partner :-). A couple of bottles of something will find their way to the surgery for sure.

I settled the bill so far today (she is insured so cost at the moment is irrelevant). I was expecting a massive bill given she has had xrays, bloods, scans, a laparotomy, IV fluids, 3 nights stay including a Friday and a Saturday. She has had various urine tests, IV antibiotics, IV anti emetics, oral meds to bring home and genuine care. So far including today which was "free" it has come to £1,330.00 which I thought was very reasonable. I was expecting more!
 
Amymay said:
Sorry if you’ve already said this, but have they run bloods?
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Yes on admission and after admission - they don't have the kit for the addisons test but have ordered it and it arrives tomorrow to get her tested specifically on Thursday. Her bloods were pretty unremarkable. Low potassium which is opposite to what you might expect with addisons but she was dehydrated by then. Minor raised inflamatory and infection markers but very minor. I don't think they have a run a tox screen.
 
Sandstone1 said:
Must be so worrying for you, poor little dog. Really hope you get to the bottom of it.
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Thank you. I hate seeing her so lethargic and I could get her sent to a referral centre but my vets have always been so good and never hesitated to refer on anytime they felt they needed to. So I am worried, but I also think she is not actively suffering so we will just watch and wait. Husband I are home almost all week together this week and we are making sure one of us is in the house with her at all times. I am not good at waiting though :-) When she is awake she is waggy and interested in life.
 
Well at least one of the real nasties seems to have been almost ruled out. That has to be a bonus. Funnily enough I was going to ask have they tested for any sort of toxicity but I am guessing that would have showed up in some of the other tests they have already carried out?

I am not surprised she is tired and a wee bit lethargic, She really has been through the mill as have you too. I really hope she chirps up and finds some energy soon, that would be very reassuring. Hang in their little Ruby, still hoping that this just turns out to be one of those head scratchers that you very quickly recover from.
 
Thanks Mrs J. When she was admitted we all thought it was going to be a straightforward case of obstruction probably due to eating a small toy or stick or something. Then when opened up and everything had stopped working I think the vets were just surprised and made of diagnosis of idopathic ileus. They are a small local independent practice and I know they do a lot of their own stuff but I bet a tox screen would be out of their remit. I am pretty sure it wasn't done. In a way I am sort of unconvinced it would have made a massive difference as basically they treated symptoms and gave supportive therapy which is often the treatment for poisoning.

I am hoping she is just feeling knocked about and upset. She is lying on a big soft fleece that she loves, fast asleep on OH lap. She will sleep with us again tonight.
 
Amymay said:
Can you ask them to run bloods again and fox screen as well?
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Unless she is worse tomorrow I will wait until very we go first thing Thursday. They are going to re run usual bloods, do the addisons disease test, stool test and rescan if any more vomiting etc. I will ask about a tox screen but I would guess it is too late. Her liver function and renal function were normal once she was rehydrated.
 
I have't read all the comments but talk to your vet about using Pramin[Metclopramide]
Dear Daschound[18 months]unwell since adoption,finally in May had a massive turn,much like your dog.
Rushed to specialist vet[three hours away] and after every known testand scan diognosed with a defomity of the duodenum,delayed gastric emptying hence the regurgitation etc.
Twelve weeks later on 10mg twice daily and 10 mg Losec once daily,no problems at all,happy,gaining weght etc.
 
DSB said:
I have't read all the comments but talk to your vet about using Pramin[Metclopramide]
Dear Daschound[18 months]unwell since adoption,finally in May had a massive turn,much like your dog.
Rushed to specialist vet[three hours away] and after every known testand scan diognosed with a defomity of the duodenum,delayed gastric emptying hence the regurgitation etc.
Twelve weeks later on 10mg twice daily and 10 mg Losec once daily,no problems at all,happy,gaining weght etc.
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Thank you. She's been on metaclopramide since day one. Initially IV now twice daily orally. She was also on ranitidine which is similar to losec.

She is better than last week but still not right. She brought up some undigested chicken from last night first thing this morning. She's going back in tomorrow for further investigations so I will mention this.
 
Thanks again everyone :-).
Well no more vomits after the one first thing. Looking for food this afternoon but very picky, if it isn't roast chicken breast it is not worth eating.
Had a short cheerful walk this morning and then a long sleep.

This afternoon more perky and has had 2 more small meals of chicken. Drinking well. Pooing and weeing well. Another short walk at 5pm on lead.
Asked to sit on husbands lap about an hour ago while he was working at his desk. She then climbed onto the desk to look out of the window and growl at the dogs passing on the footpath outside the window! Best naughtiness yet :-). Fingers crossed for tomorrow and a continued upturn in events :-)
 

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I forgot to add that for the first 8 weeks everything he ate was pureed,think baby food,now he has mashed, again no lumps. He is still on Losec and probably will be on both medications for a long time if not forever.
Some will tell you
"'XYZ'gives lab rats cancer"
Everything gives lab rats cancer.
We are going for a happy life which may or may not be shorter.
Also for got to say he has four small meals a day,with probiotic and yoghurt added.
 
Today Ruby went back to the vet and had more bloods and good going over. They are actually pleased with her. She did vomit at 3am once some grungy liquid that smelled of roast chicken but ate her breakfast and kept that down. After the vets she had some chicken again and tonight she ate dog food!!! Very expensive food designed for small yappy type dogs but nevertheless dog food. She ate at 5pm and it is nearly 8 and she has kept it down. She is on omeprazole and metaclopramide and has stopped the antibiotics. We have to send poo samples daily for 3 days.
If she has to be managed on very sloppy food or these meds then that is fine. She just needs to be dog who is naughty and happy and well.
So I will stop annoying everyone with this unless something interesting happens :-)
Thank you so much everyone.
 
misst you are not annoying anyone with this, myself in particular I can assure you. I am now heavily invested in Ruby's recovery and eventual diagnosis. Her well being updates are firmly integrated into my daily internet browsing! ? I hope things continue to improve and I also look forward to updates until she is completely out of the woods, most especially if you attach more Ruby pics at the same time. (Can you tell I really miss having a JR terrorist in my life? ?)
 
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