Poor Maggie

[Hound dog]

Maggie was so excited early this morning when she discovered she got to go bye bye in the car with me and Travis. She loves riding in the car and doesn't mind at all that the only place she's ever gone in the car is to the vet because she adores the vets. Her appointment to be spayed was this morning. Maggie was confused when we left her behind but well behaved.

Picked her up about 4:30 pm. Travis rode with her in the back seat so she wouldn't be jostled around. Helped her into the house after she emptied her bladder for an eternity. Offered her a bit of water per vet orders......she drank, and tossed it back up again a short while later. I had her crate ready for her but at first she wanted no part of it, went and slept on Molly's comfy fleece bed instead. Molly didn't mind, she was worried about her.

Vet said to offer the water a teeny bit at a time and then offer a snack.......if she didn't retch and could keep it down then I could give the pain medications. It's after 11 pm and we've not gotten that far yet. She's not vomiting, but drinking or nibbling cheese causes retching. I don't think I'm giving her enough for her body to cause her to vomit. I'm afraid to push my luck with the pain medication right now.

Poor baby is obviously in a LOT of pain. I know spaying is a good thing (no unwanted pups) but when I have a dog that has a lot of issues with pain afterwards it always makes me feel like a class a jerk for forcing them to go through what is actually an unnecessary procedure. I'll get over the guilt, but it makes me feel bad all the same.

Right now her crate has been moved to the kitchen. (my computer desk is in the kitchen) Molly's bed is in it for her to lay upon and keep warm. This way she can be close to me without being bothered by the other animals and still feel safe.

Standing up is very painful for her, her body language all but screams it. I hope she's better by morning because she has no desire to make the trip outside for her last potty trip of the day, coaxing is not working. I don't think she's had enough water since she has been home for it to be that big of deal. I'll just lock her crate door when I go to bed in a few minutes. (I've left it standing open since she's been home)

Earlier she was licking the area quite a bit. I couldn't quite tell if she was cleaning the blood off the area around the incision or licking the incision, but if she continues I'll be picking up the cone of shame tomorrow when the boys go home.

That is another thing, I have easy child's boys tomorrow. Maggie will stay in the kitchen gated away from them. Darrin normally plays with her before catching the bus. Nana will have to explain about the surgery and just let him pet her cuz she'll be disappointed if he doesn't at least do that as they're "buds" and all.

So far Maggie is the worst I've had after spaying. Betsy wasn't so hot either but kept her water down right away and so could get her pain medications quickly. After which she was fine.

Sometimes it blows to be a doggie Mom too.

 

[InsaneCdn]

{{hugs}}
and extra {{hugs}} for Lisa, too
(the first ones are for Maggie)

 

[KTMom91]

Poor little fur girl! Hope she's not in too much pain tonight.

 

[DammitJanet]

Lisa, she is in bad pain. I am assuming they gave her ultram because that is what they gave Abby. Crush it up and mix it with a little bit of peanut butter or whatever her absolutely favorite liquid/mushy treat is and get it down her ASAP. Pain will just keep her from getting any better. Also dont let her lick the wound at all. She isnt cleaning blood, she is after those stitches. I didnt need to get the cone of shame, I just kept on Abby about not heading for that area by going...NO, every time I saw her and she learned. Besides that she was in so much pain she simply didnt want to move much. I told you how she sort of slept standing up leaning against the back of the couch because she hurt so badly. I think it hurt to lay down. It sounds like Maggie is in similar pain. Im not sure I would even worry about her crate tonight. Get her some very soft blankets and let her find a very comfy area that she can be in...I would take her lead. Put down papers and simply dont worry about accidents. It will only be a day or two if you give the medications.

You say your dogs are cheese nuts. Have Travis go get a can of squirt cheese and mix it in with that. I wish I had thought to tell you that before hand. But crushing the pill up is fine. It was the only way I could get the pill down abby. And then she slept and slept.

 

[buddy]

Poor girl. Boys are so much easier. JJ didn't even need his pain medications day two and you'd never know he had surgery. Hope she is sleeping now...... you too!

 

[HaoZi]

Poor Maggie! *hugs* to you both.

 

[Hound dog]

Janet, I'll see if I can crush up the pill and stick it into peanut butter or send Travis for that squirt cheese soon as he's up and about. I couldn't give it to her yesterday simply because water was causing her to retch too much, vet didn't want it coming right back up on her and not working, not to mention the additional pain of the retching.

I don't know if I'll be successful getting anything down her at this point. I can't get her out of the crate and I couldn't get her to even drink this morning. If I don't see some improvement (at least getting her to drink) by the time the vet opens I'm going to call them. She stopped licking the area at all. I think it just hurts too much. Not drinking is not good. I don't want her to get dehydrated and I don't know how long before a dog gets dehydrated. I'd just give her the pill the normal way but with her in the crate I can't get the right angle to make sure it goes down her throat.

The crate was her idea. I just had it ready for her so it would be as comfy as possible. Unless the other animals are just too curious and bugging them to death, I let a newly fixed dog pretty much pick where they want to camp out. Her final choice was the crate and she's not moving evidently. While she might not be thrilled with potty runs......well, she does need to move around some and I can take her via the back door so she doesn't have to deal with steps, straight shot in and out just a bit of a walk to the grass. Maggie will not go in the house, period.

If I can get her to take some water this morning I think I'll try crushing the pill up and putting it into peanut butter. I dunno though, I've never had success with that method with any dog I've owned. They smell the pill and refuse to eat it. (guess they all had good noses) I'm hoping she's getting hungry enough it will work.

Got to do something though because her pain level is pretty darn high right now. Think I'll even skip the water and just try the peanut butter trick. I think she'll be a lot better if I can get her pain level down some.

Poor baby.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Poor darling. It does break your heart to see them like this. I hope she's a bit more rested today - it's just going to take some time. Gentle hugs to poor Maggie girl.

 

[Hound dog]

Well, I just couldn't stand seeing her in so much pain. I crushed up the pain medication (I have the right equipment to do that properly) and mixed it with a spoonful of peanut butter. My hope was she is so hungry she'd go for it without worrying about the unusual smell of the pill. I got lucky and she licked every last bit of it up......pill and all.

I dunno what the pain medication is, but it's a once a day deal.........so if she'd lose it, she'd be scr*wed for the whole day. If it doesn't seem to work, by darn I will call and get something stronger for her because as I said her pain level is over the top. Each dog is different and does differently. But for Maggie's body language to be so profound that she is in pain, it must be horrible.

She's in for some spoiling I think. Since once the boys leave I need to do a pet food run anyway I think I'll pick her up some canned food to go with her regular kibble to entice her to eat. Peanut butter did get her to drink a decent amount of water. So far no retching.

 

[buddy]

Might want to watch her carefully, if it is a once a day medication it might be time released so not to be crushed but JJ got a once a day and it was basically an anti inflammatory and it could be cut. So hopefully that is what she got too.

 

[StressedM0mma]

HD, the retching is more from the anesthesia than from pain. If she were one of the last to be spayed in the day, it was still in her system when you picked her up. She should be feeling much better by this afternoon, and practically back to her old self by tomorrow. Just be sure to keep her incision dry. Puppies tend not to bother them, but sometimes if it is itchy they will lick or chew. Don't want that to open up. If she doesn't have a cone of shame, just try to keep it covered with a belly band of some sort when you can't keep an eye on her. Hope she is feeling better soon.

 

[Hound dog]

Buddy, vet said hers could be crushed ok when they gave it to me. It's the anti-inflammatory type too.

Betsy took hers several times a day, could not be crushed and had to be given the old fashioned way. So did Precious' when she had it done. Molly came home acting normal except she never again wanted any part of any vet. It's taken her years to finally come around with her super nice one, now she'll take a treat from her.

Maggie has a bit of a sensitive tummy anyway. If she does not eat breakfast, she'll start retching. In other words, she needs to keep a little bit of something in her tummy most of the time to prevent retching. She doesn't eat much at breakfast, just enough to absorb excess stomach acid.

She's sleeping. I don't think she slept well after I went to bed. Hopefully she'll get some real rest with the pain under some control and then feel better.

If she won't leave the wound alone, I can go pick up the cone of shame anytime. Vet is less than 5 mins from the house. But she's leaving it alone so far this morning.

 

[TerryJ2]

Aw, poor Maggie! I agree, the retching was most likely more from the drugs than the pain. And since she has a history of a weak stomach, this will be slow to go for a day or two.
I always feel so sorry for the dogs when this happens. They don't have a clue. They just want to feel better.
I remember the first dog I had spayed and she also urinated forever when we got home. The vet fills them up with-fluids and drugs for the surgery and it's got to come out sometime!
She spent a few days on the couch, trying to lift her head, staring at me with-huge brown eyes. So sad!
But they heal so much more quickly than we do. Days as compared to months.
{gentle hugs}

 

[InsaneCdn]

I hope the boys spoil her real good and proper today!

 

[Jody]

I hope Maggie feels better soon. Poor baby.

 

[BusynMember]

Is Maggie better today?

My little baby, Chloe (avator) will need to be fixed soon (sniff). I know how much it hurts when our furbabies hurt. Honestly, for me they are almost like kids since my kids are pretty much gone most of the time now.

 

[Hound dog]

The pain medications have started working and Maggie is much improved. Which makes Mommy feel better too.

She ate a couple handfuls of kibble, yes I spoiled her a bit and hand fed her. She's drinking. Retching has stopped for now. (I hope completely) She even made the trek out to potty, which in order to avoid steps is quite a walk, which actually was good for her. Maggie still hurts, obviously, but it's not that omg I don't dare breathe sort of pain anymore. She even managed a nap with real deep sleep instead of cat napping. (she's napping again now)

I hate to watch them go through it. But I also don't want to deal with a litter of unwanted pups I can't afford either. Or deal with an adolescent dog trying to be a Mommy...... been there done that got the tee shirt hope to never do it again. After volunteering with the dog pound and seeing so many unwanted dogs.........nope. Too many out there already need homes without bringing more into the world.

 

[buddy]

Glad she is a little better. Anesthesia is so brutal for some! Poor little girl.

 

[cubsgirl]

I'm glad Maggie is doing better - poor thing. You did the responsible thing having her spayed even though it hurts her for a little bit.

 

[Hound dog]

Oh, my goodness............

Now? I'm having to discuss with her why she's not allowed to play. omg

She keeps bringing me her stuffies and she wants to play tug o war and fetch with them. LOL I'm guessing this means she's definitely feeling better.

She ate her dinner and is up and moving around now much better, less stiff/sore posture than before.