Vocal Voices

Today hasn't been a good day. She has regurgitated twice again today and seems a little under the weather. She has also developed a cough and I am worried about pneumonia, which is quite a high risk with this condition. She had her last dilation on Thursday - regurgitated a small amount on Friday, was sick on Saturday about 30 minutes after eating and then regurgitated twice today.

She is due back at the vets again in the morning for another balloon dilation - her fifth. But we have decided that I will have a heart to heart with the vet to ask if he really thinks it is worth continuing. If he isn't around when I get there (I don't have an appointment, I am just dropping her off) I will ask for him to ring Mick before they operate.

Its a really hard decision as in herself she still seems fine and is eager to go on walks, etc.

We are finding it really hard and stressful. We think she has just turned a corner and then she will regurgitate and we feel as though we are back at square one again. We aren't sure if regurgitation now and again is to be expected whilst she is still going through the whole dilation process. We are both on edge the whole time waiting to see if the food will come up and the whole family are suffering for it.

If Dan feels that it is working and it is worth carrying on then we will continue. We are both so torn as neither of us really know what to do for the best.

Oh Deb, I really really feel for you, for all of you. I was thinking of Millie today and hoping no news was good news. I don't really know what to say, but I hope you get to see Dan in the morning and can get some answers that make sense and hopefully are positive

I'm hoping the outcome of the chat with him tomorrow will be positive.

My biggest worry though is that each time she is sick/regurgitates it inflames the stricture and sets her back a step. So if it keeps happening it is as though each dilation is pointless.

But we don't know if it is "normal" for her to regurgitate every now and again whilst she is getting better. You know, a little set back but still big steps forward.

Hopefully Dan will enlighten us more tomorrow.

It would just be so much easier if she was lying there looking ill. But she isn't. Other than looking like a little skeleton she still fetches her ball to play with, gets excited at the thought of going for a walk and spends the day sniffing around the kitchen looking for food.

When I spoke to him on Thursday after the last op he did say that it would be a long slow job to get her better, taking weeks, and that we shouldn't become complacent. So maybe today was a blip - we just want someone to read a crystal ball and tell us what to do really.

I can imagine, but I think if she is still well in herself then that has to a positive point and a reason to continue.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((Debih)))))))))))))))))))))))))) I really hope you can all find a way forward with this xxxxx

Oh Debih I do understand how it would affect you all as a family - Millie is a big part of your family, of course she is xxx

I really really hope the prognosis is a good one xxx

Oh Deb, so sorry to read that Millie's not had a good day. Hoping so much that Dan can put your mind at rest tomorrow with some positive answers (((((((Debbie)))))))

To be honest, I think it is more a blip for me than Millie. I crisis of confidence so to speak.

I will probably wake up more optimistic in the morning.

I hope you do wake up more optimistic, Debih.

Millie has come so far and is such a fighter, let's hope it is just a blip.

I do hope tomorrow is a better day and that a chat with the vet helps.

Minnie has had an attack(?) of her colitis the last day or so, and it's still hard to know what to do, it's just a case of do it and hope for the best really. She's had absolutely nothing except her own food so no clue as to why. At the moment she's asleep so presumably more comfortable, but will wait and see how she is tomorrow, and if it carries on then another trip to the vet.

In case it might help, as soon as her stomach starts making noises, I don't feed her at all. She usually gets fed twice a day, and 2 small dog biscuits afternoon and evening. She had a normal meal last night, but this morning was pacing the garden and then was sick (yellow liquid, her usual) so had no breakfast, no biscuits this afternoon.
She'd been going out/pacing/not happy all day, but late afternoon obviously started to feel better. I gave her about 1/3 of a portion of food after we'd eaten tonight, and she wanted more but we waited half an hour, then gave her another third. And tonight she wanted biscuits as usual so she got one, in her Kong.
This morning though, despite the pacing etc, she wanted and was eager for her walk as normal.

She's been a bit like this again the past week or so, this is just how she is, and how we've had to get used to it. Most of the time she's now fine but this rears up and we don't know why. She has to have no food whatsoever apart from her (anti-allergenic) food, and Winalot small biscuits, literally nothing else. No dog treats, no hide chews, nothing, they all make her ill. That's no problem at all since it's best for her, but then a worry if she's had nothing else and still gets poorly
I just hope it might help to see that other dogs have problems too and they can be got around, but we don't always know exactly what's best.
That's all come out as a bit of a ramble, sorry