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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Life and Times of a Post-Surgical Dachshund

Your 'Long and Short of it All' host 'Joey' continues to recover well at home after his surgery!  It's a busy time, hence the lack of updates, but all your prayers and well-wishes have sure helped get him to this point.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  For those just joining us, here is Joey's diagnosis post surgery:

Post operative bilateral adrenalectomy and spleenectomy
Iatrogenic hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's Disease after removal of adrenal glands)
Resolving PTE (pulmonary embolism - blood clot in the lungs)
Resolving pancreatitis
Blunt tail trauma from tail wagging

This is a list of his medications:
Plavix 75 mg - 1/2 tablet orally once daily for 10 days.  This medication helps prevent blood clots from forming.
Amoxicillin 100 mg - 2 tablets orally three times daily for 14 days.  This antibiotic has been stopped for good due to nausea.
Metronidazole 250 mg - 1/2 tablet orally twice daily for 4 days.  This medication for diarrhea has been stopped because his stools were well formed, and it was possibly causing nausea.
Ursodiol 100 mg capsules - 1 capsule orally once daily with food.  This medication for "gallbladder sludge" has not yet been started because it causes nausea.  Will be started soon.
Prednisone 5 mg - 1/4 tablet orally once daily for life. 
DOCP 24 mg - injection for Addison's Disease every 25 days for life.  Next dose due September 13, 2010
Famotidine (Pepcid) 10 mg - 1/2 tablet every 12 hours to help with prevent stomach upset.  This was added a day or so after he came home because of continuing nausea.
Metoclopramide (Reglan) oral liquid (seen in amber oral syringes above) - 2.5 mg/2.5 mL every 8 hours.  This was added to his regimen on Friday because of nausea.
Cerenia 24 mg - 1 tablet orally daily for 4 days.  We asked the vet to give us this stronger anti-nauseant on Friday in case things got worse over the long holiday weekend.  Luckily, things have continued to improve, and vomiting didn't get "out of control" for us, so he didn't get any doses.  This medication can't be given for long periods of time, and he was getting this in the hospital, so we were just saving it in case of emergency.
Probiotics - We asked the vet if we could give him this to kick-start his intestinal flora.  He agreed that we could.
Rescue Remedy - one of our herbal friends suggested that we spray a little of this inside his ears to promote well-being.  He runs to hide when the bottle comes out!  It doesn't get sprayed IN his ears, but just on the inside flaps.

Thanks for all the tips on getting the pills down him.  We can't use peanut butter or anything fatty because of his pancreatitis.  We tried the pill pockets, but they didn't work either because he chews everything and found the pills and spit them out.  He's starting to swallow larger pieces of food now though, so if we coat the pills with canned dog food, we're getting him to swallow them.  Finally.

Diet:
Joey is getting different types of canned dog food that came home with him from the hospital.  He eats every 4 -6 hours.  Evanger's, ID, and the newest is WD.  Never in a million years did we think we would offer him food that contained corn and peanut hulls, but it is low fat and fills him up.  He is getting to the point that we may switch him to a low-fat kibble - and we're sure he'll hate it.  The internal med vet doesn't want him back on raw - he doesn't like the raw diet (no surprise there) - but he says we can start him back on it in a month or two "if we so desire."
We also make chicken and rice, or ground chuck (96% lean, cooked and then blotted with a paper towel) and rice for him.  We add fat-free yogurt to his food as well for intestinal flora support.

Exercise:
Joey and Maggie went on 20 - 30 minute walks every day over the holiday weekend.  We went to the park where he could walk off-leash at his own pace.  Maggie is the one who isn't really up for the walks!  Joey enjoyed the fresh air, and also spends a lot of time on the deck sunning himself.

Overall, Joey is doing very well.  His vomiting episodes are becoming less and less frequent - not sure if it's the metoclopramide which is finally helping, but it seems to be mostly bile that he is vomiting.  He gets pieces of low fat wheat bread several times a day between meals to help soak up the bile.  He hasn't vomited now since 5 AM on Sunday morning, so things are looking up in that regard.  He's happy and fairly active, although he understandably likes long naps, but then don't we all? 
Maggie is jealous of all the food and snacks that Joey is getting all the time, but we give her little bites of his food so she doesn't feel completely left out.  She's happy to have her brother home.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for update on Joey. We were on vacation and Mom just got back on PC to check things out. Joey your doing great buddy keep up the healing and getting better, we are woofing for ya all the time. PS: The Rescue homeopathic drops can be put on his nose too. It will help calm and re-assure him. Mom uses it on Shilo when we go for a ride in car as Shilo has a fear of cars and wind. Bark to ya later and we will keep sending prayers your way. Being home will spead up your recovery we are sure of that. Your friends from Quebec Canada

Jerry S. said...

Sounds like you're keeping your Dad hopping with all the meds, Joey. Just remember that even though you're not crazy about a lot of what is being put down your throat, it's only being done because of the great love your Dad has for you. We all love you, too.

impromptublogger said...

I'm glad he is progressing. If you're worried about the fat - try using low-fat or nonfat cream cheese for the pills.

Christa said...

You know, WD isn't so bad. It finally helped Zep form his stools after 16 years of food allergies and IBD. We learn something new every day thanks to the famously finicky wiener dog bowels.
Bowel talk. Given that Joey is doing SO well, there are worse ways to start the week!Thanks for the good news. Christa, pack

Jayne and Annie said...

Hello, Joey, Maggie and Dad!! Thank you for the update - have been worrying and praying that all has been going well. So happy to hear Joey is coming along, a little bit each day. Joey, enjoy all the love surrounding you, and to Dad - May God Bless you for your loving, generous, caring heart and all you do and will do for your precious Joey. Love, Jayne and Annie

Oscar and Hans said...

Joey!

We are SO GLAD to hear all is well! As the weekend went on and there were no updates, we assumed the "no news is good news" mentality. Glad to see we were right!

It sounds like your dad and sister are doing everything they can to help you get back to 100 percent. Take those meds and make sure you have ample clearance before wigglebutting any more! We don't need any more "trauma"!

Best wishes for a continued smooth recovery!

--Oscar and Hans

Alicia said...

The picture of the meds, etc. certainly gives perspective to your schedule at this point. Maybe soon you'll get to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

You can do it Joey!!

masstransit said...

Loved to see today's date here, but held my breath as I scrolled down. Thanks Joey and Dad for keeping us posted.

P.S. Love to Maggie too.

Kim said...

YAYYYYY! So glad to hear that Joey is doing better. That's a boatload of medication and details to keep track of, Dad. Joey, be the good boy you are and take your meds so you can get all better!
We're glad you're enjoying the sun and walks in the park. Love, prayers and kisses for you all and for continued recovery from your scary experience. I bet it was just wonderful to be all together again!

Anonymous said...

Hi Joey, glad to hear that you continue to improve. Hopefully, the number of medicines will get down to only those required long term in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for taking the time to update all of us. We all appreciate how busy things are right now and look forward to updates when you can make them. But, certainly should be at the pace you set. All the best to Maggie and your Dad. We'll be keeping in prayer and remembering to thank the Good Lord for getting to this point.

Jolyn7 said...

wow! tat was really the full details! thanks so much for letting us know exactly how Joey is doing.

much love to him n Maggie! i'm sure he'll be back hosting this blog asap! :)

can't wait to hear more about Joey's progress n maybe a near future post of Joey & Maggie in their very own dachshund jacuzzi. ;p

From Jolyn & Jed

Anne said...

a double BOW-WOW to you Joey!!!!! yes, pills are terrible, but hey, they make us feel better. we are tail thumping glad that you are home with dad & maggie and even went on walks and sunning times too!!!

love,
Roxie Lou, Coco Beane and Auntie Annie Em

Anonymous said...

Dad Carson, we forgot to mention in our last comment that we are happy to hear that you have a devoted friend to give you moral support and help with Joey and Maggie. So pip, pip hurray to your friend, as we know it means so much to have a good friend when we need a friend. Cheers from LollyPop, Shilo, Sass and Maggie from Quebec Canada

dachseeguy said...

Joey, Carson, Maggie. Joey you are such a wonderful dog dealing with everything so that you can get better. Carson if you are not an all universe doxie parent i sure don't know who is. Maggie you are sending your sisterly love, I am sure. John and Ozzie so looking forward to the day that Joey is healed. keppup the great work.

kalyxcorn said...

yay! we are TOTALLY having a Joey party next Bucktown!

when the boys were on their meds and a weekly pillbox wouldn't do because they were getting things more than once a day (and believe me, the meds were still far less than what Joey's got going now), I printed out a giant spreadsheet with days as the columns and times as the rows and each cell was filled in with what to give and the qty and any special notes (with food, etc). It helped make sense of things that stopped after a few days, things that needed to be administered three times a day, some with meals, and helped everything. And I marked off each cell as it was completed, just to make sure I didn't suffer from any senior or sleep deprived moments.

Keep getting stronger, sweet boy! Hugs to maggie n carson, too! :)

Ruby and Penny said...

Hey Joey. Glad you are home and doing well. Stay strong and eat well.
Love Ruby & Penny

Debi and Ringo said...

Thank you for the update, we are so glad to hear that Joey is doing well! Hopefully once he is off some of the meds he will feel even better. We are still praying for you all.

Hugs & Love,
Debi & Ringo

nahlah said...

Thx for the update on Joey! I am very sad to hear that he is unable to have his raw diet. if my humans were unable to feed me raw venison, I would be so upset, it's my favorite. although when I'm sick, my mom cooks me chicken and rice and I like that a lot too.

Anonymous said...

I've been lurking around your blog for some time, and I'm glad to see that joey is on the mend!

just my two cents... (i'm sure you have a fortune by now)... if its still in the lineup, has your vet suggested liquid amoxicillin? When my mini Ernie developed some diarrhea due to a tummy bug, the vet gave him regular old pink bubblegum flavored amoxicillin that you'd give a child. Ernie thought the stuff was CANDY and sucked it down with glee!

Podgirl said...

ARF ARF WOOF WOOF Good boy Joey.

Schatzi

Jeanne said...

Wow, thanks for the detailed update on Joey! We're sending more positive vibes for continued improvement. Smooth dappled mini 'Poe' thinks that chicken and rice sound wonderful, and hopes that Joey can get back to his raw diet sooner rather than later. (She adds that the one time she had to take metronidazole, mom had to cut the pills into small chunks and feed each chunk to her in a spoonful of lowfat cottage cheese.)

Three cheers for dad, for taking such good care of the spotted boy!

Unknown said...

Thanks for letting us know that sweet Joey is on the mend. I'm sure that Maggie is a little jealous of the special food -- our boys are like that. You better have 2 of everything or break 1 in half!! Having had a sickly dog myself - I can appreciate the time spent, the worry and the absolute commitment to providing Joey with the best care possible. And he is healing because of it.. what a lucky doggie!! Keep up the good work and Leo and Hogan (and Mom) from Va Bch continue to send loads and loads of wishes for Joey to continue on his healing path!!

Paul Rasmussen said...

Bing! Good job Joey. Love., wags and wiggles from Poncho.

Whit said...

I remember when my Milo was post-back surgery, I never realized you could put so many meds into such a little body! So glad to hear that Joey is continuing to improve! It's great to see other dedicated owners that go the extra mile for the dogs they love! Joey (and Maggie, too!) is certainly a very fortunate dachshund!

MD Girl said...

Whew! You had us worried again! I guess no news is good news, yes? (We check this page every day so when we don't hear anything we get kind of worried!) So happy that Joey is doing so well. He's lucky to have you! Love from Colorado from Coco and her mom, Maggie.

Shar, Sawyer, and Abby said...

Don't worry about having to take so much medication, Joey, because that will decrease in time. It is a small price to pay for the gift of health, for which your dad is so valiantly fighting. Keep heading toward that happy ending....

Taffy said...

Joey it sounds like you are doing great! We are so glad to hear it too! Here's a tip for dad: You can boil the ground chuck and then the extra grease is gone with the water or you can rinse the fried with hot water to get rid of any extra grease. We learned our lessons with greasy paper towels....that is how Twix got pancreatitis ....eating papertowels from the trash can that had bacon grease on them.
Joey, make sure you get some extra tummy tanning in. That vitamiin D surely will make you all better ;o)
Hugs to all 3 of you,
Twix and Moma

Anonymous said...

Joey- keeping soaking up the love of your family and the sunshine on your walks! Glad to have your news! Big friendly high paws to your Dad and Maggie. xoxo Fern the sausage princess in Montreal, Canada

bloghunds said...

We are wagging for joy! Go Joey! From your pals, Mimi & Patty.

Jablana said...

nice to hear your getting better joey! keeep that up!! were here for ya! kisses to the three of you from Lea!!!:*

Anonymous said...

We are relieved that Joey seems solidly on the mend. We will continue to send good karma to your brave little fella and hope that Maggie stays healthy and sturdy and happy while her sweet brother gets back to his old self.

-- Rosie, Felix, Maisy and Mom.

Anonymous said...

(waggy tail #1)

(waggy tail #2)

(waggy tail #3)

(happy doxies reading about Joey's progress)

H/T/C

Unknown said...

just a note to say toby (woof) & i have been following joey's tale and are truly happy he's on the mend. keeping you in our prayers!

pat & toby

doxie mama said...

Great news about Joey! We've had crossed paws for him. As a suggestion, you may want to consult with a vet who practices traditional chinese vetrinary medicine. Our beloved vet uses food therapy along with acupuncture, herbs and conventional medicine, and the food therapy has done wonders for pancreatitis along with the general dachsund touchy stomach. i cook for the pack with the rice cooker - just like Roger Ebert. The Chi Institute would be able to steer you to someone in your area.

Anonymous said...

Praying for you sweet Joey. Thanks for keeping us posted.

The Sheridan Avenue Boys said...

Hope Joey is continuing to do well. We've been thinking about you and we're sending lots of hugs your way!

Anonymous said...

Hey Joey! Big "keep on getting better" woof from the north of Germany. Don't you guys say "Time is a healer"? So: healing takes time. Take your time! Your dad and Maggie will give you any support you need... and for the moral support you have all of us! Go, Joey, go! Yours, Tobi

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