June 2010 - Trilby Slater
Trilby - SOSS-A-GES!!!
Trilby is a 6 year old black and tan very affectionate Doberman whom, despite the odds being stacked firmly against her has bravely fought her corner and come out triumphant.
Trilby was first presented to the vet in May following a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea, and she was also slightly dehydrated. The vet gave Trilby some antibiotics with advice her owners to starve her overnight, she could be offered water mixed with a re hydration sachet and then slowly introduce small amounts of boiled rice and chicken later that day. A faecal sample was also sent for analysis.
She returned to the surgery the following showing very little improvement in her condition! The veterinary surgeon suggested x-raying Trilby’s abdomen to check for any foreign bodies, such as toys, sticks or bones which may have been chewed, swallowed and lodged in her intestines. Trilby was admitted to the ward and placed onto intravenous fluids and a general anaesthetic was administered. The x-rays revealed some abnormalities of the intestines and gut, the decision was made to go head and perform and exploratory laporotomy. This revealed adhesions between the tip of the greater omentum and the descending colon also a very tympanic (bloated) and enlarged caecum. Trilby’s appendix was also enlarged so a typhlectomy (removal of the appendix) was also performed.
She was hospitalised over night and had a speedy recovery considering the procedure that had been performed. She was placed onto intra venous antibiotics and strong pain relief. Two days later Trilby was allowed to go home on antibiotics and instructions to be slightly spoilt, not that her owners needed any encouragement! Unfortunately her first night at home did not go smoothly and she suffered yet another bout of diarrhoea and a serous swelling appeared around the surgical site. She was given more pain relief and further antibiotics. The swelling had reduced the next day and Trilby was again on the mend, although daily check ups and temperature monitoring by the vets were carried out.
Five days later Trilby once again returned to the surgery and was presented with a small fist size swelling upon palpitation of the anterior abdomen, the vet suspected that she had suffered a gut twist episode or further adhesions. She was admitted for more x-rays and another exploratory laporotomy. This did reveal further adhesions within the abdomen. Trilby was placed onto intravenous fluids and a combination of antibiotics and gut protectants.
The following day Trilby was well enough to go home, the following few nights Trilby was up and down in her demeanour and stronger pain relief. Trilby soon decided that being tableted was not so much fun and so, the only way forward was to mix honeycomb and bread together to hide the antibiotics! Unfortunately for her dedicated owners this lead to Trilby deciding that bribery was most definitely the way forward and suddenly developed a taste for Waitrose sausages and chicken, which of course must be hand fed!! Never the less Trilby was eating, and not suffering from any diarrhoea or vomiting.
In early June Trilby visited the surgery for a blood sample for haematology, this determined if she was well enough to finally complete her on going course of antibiotics. Her appetite had returned back to normal, pleasing her owners but possibly not Waitrose! The bloods were all clear and Trilby stopped her antibiotics.
It has been three weeks since her antibiotics stopped and Trilby has continued to improve greatly. She is now a very bouncy, very happy, dog, with an ever increasing appetite, even if she is rationed as a special treat to one piece of chicken per day!
