# Exploratory surgery



## toadnmeme (Jun 7, 2014)

Hi all. My 11 month old is in hospitalization due to vomiting, lethargy, and dehydration. His symptoms started 48 hours ago and he has been at the vet and on an iv for 6 hours now. The vet ruled out toxicity from blood work, as well as Addison's disease and now thinks it is a blockage due to a suspicious spot on an x-ray. He is recommending exploratory surgery tomorrow morning if he does not pass anything tonight to stage off necrosis. He has not had a bowel movement in 48 hours. 

My question is: the vet recommended not doing a barium treatment because he felt it would most likely not help and that it could complicate surgery. I am wondering for those of you who have been through this, or are vets or technicians, is this too soon or should I wait it out a bit? The vet gave the three options: wait, barium, surgery and recommended surgery tomorrow. I have heard from others their dogs passed a blockage after a few days of iv and waiting. 

Anyone have advice or experience with this? I don't specifically know of anything he swallowed. I know surgery is a big deal and comes with complications of it's own. Just want to do the right thing for my poor pup!! 

Thanks!


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

I can't help with this very tough decision toadnmeme, but my thoughts and prayers are with you... my best is some serious energy to get a good poop out of your pup... I am working on that now... Positive, healing energy to you and your pup..
I bet it is hard to poop with an IV in your leg, I hope he gets to walk a bit, for stimulation??
Please keep us in the loop as to how your little guy is doing??? :'(


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I don't know if I would want to take a chance on losing a good portion of the intestine.
On tough calls like this, I go with the vets recommendation.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Do you trust your vet?

If you do then you should follow their recommendations. If not, get a second opinion.

A blockage can only be caused by something being in there, and based on what you're saying it's the ambiguity of the condition that makes surgery so scary. So, what I'd do is find out if there's some other type of imaging that might help clarify what the "Spot" is, you might feel more reassured the surgery will be successful in resolving the problem, and that's what you're after here: Reassurance and a fix.

If he doesn't improve, you have to do something, so I personally would want more tests or images that would reassure me and the doc that it is indeed an obstruction, and that it probably wont pass, and that surgery is both necessary and also as safe as possible. Maybe if you had more of all you'd feel better?


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## toadnmeme (Jun 7, 2014)

Thank you all. Just talked to the vet. No improvement so they are going to x-Ray one more time to be sure and then surgery :-(
I think this will give me peace about moving forward with surgery.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Will be thinking good thoughts for you, and your boy.


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Aww, good luck! Hope he's back to feeling like a crazy V soon. It seems like sooooo many V's get blockages and need surgery, especially when they are younger. I would love to see stats comparing them to other breeds! 

My husband thinks I'm crazy cuz I'm always happy to hear that the dogs pooped (or the horse). I don't panic if they are pooping. But 48 hours with no poo would have me really worried. I'm glad you got him to the vet so quickly. I know some dogs pass blockages on their own, but I'd be climbing the walls while waiting. Better safe than sorry!


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## lyra (Nov 2, 2012)

I hope all goes well.

All these decisions come down to a balance of risk. I suspect in this case, the relatively low risk of surgery is less than leaving a potential problem get much worse and prove to be life threatening.

Let us know how it goes.


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## Rbka (Apr 21, 2014)

When he was 10 months old, my guy passed a tin foil "GU energy gel" wrapper after more than a day of vomiting, dehydration, refusing food, etc. I was so relieved when I saw that piece of glinting aluminum foil come out of him!

Let us know how things go, hoping for good news!


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## toadnmeme (Jun 7, 2014)

Update on Peet: He just got out of surgery. All went well. It was a sock, they took pictures and saved it for us, how nice smile emoticon Thank you all for your support!! It's been a long couple of days. Picking up my boy later today so he can recover at home.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Glad it went well. A sock, huh? They do get into the weirdest things...


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