H is for howie and...
 Yep our guy went in for a neuter (complicated one) last Thursday. All week I knew something wasn't right when I looked at his belly a big bulge. We took him to the vet this afternoon, and they are keeping over night and doing surgery in the morning. UGH. I am exhausted, mostly with stress of worrying for the past several days and trying to keep Howie calm and entertained. Please keep Howie in your thoughts as he goes through another surgery. peg |
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So sorry. Poor Howie! You are in our thoughts. Laurie and Oscar |
| Poor boy!!!!! Get well soon !!! Howie~~~~ |
After 24 hours, puppies tend to act like nothing ever happened (we'd be in bed for a week whining!  ). Have you tried crating him? I know... dogs can still get wild in a crate.  We had to keep Kobuck calm last year after a cryptorchid neuter. I slept with him in his bedroom until he healed up. I took the mattress off the box spring (no frame) and removed it from the room. It prevented him from jumping up on anything and causing problems. I had to carry him the first 5? days everywhere he went... vet's orders. I never had those particular orders before and was thankful it wasn't 90 pound Bumble I was carrying!! Nope, it wasn't fun but he healed up fine-http://oesusa.com/index.1430.jpg (Crating and PJs) http://oesusa.com/index.1433.jpg (Kongs) http://oesusa.com/index.1460.jpg (Company the last day of his confinement  )If you're still having problems keeping him calm, ask the vet for a medication that will slow him down a bit for the first 3-4 days maybe... or long enough for the healing process to get a good start. I know this has been stressful... thinking of you both.  |
| Those are great photos. The PJs are a perfect idea to stop the licking, much better than the cone. Mark & I decided to have Howie stay="board" at the vets an extra few days. It is hurts to think I am leaving him there at the clinic. I know it is for the best, he can heal and they can keep an eye on his incisions. Monday afternoon we will bring him home. So that gives him 4 days of quiet and confinement. And at home we can do the same for another 6 days, again. peg |
| Oh poor Howie and poor you. Great that your vet will do that, though. I hope that it helps him heal up all the faster. |
Oh poor Howie!  My Mom's poodle had a hernia after her spay too. My Mom found it very stressful as Charlie is not a girl who likes to rest. They got through it though and Charlie is fine now.  Wishing you and Howie all the best for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery from this set back. |
| Jaci I love the pic of the pink PJ's. |
Poor Howie, now having surgery again  If I may ask - what was wrong the 1st time that you call it a complicated neuter? |
| Howie will be fine. You may need to move a crate into the family area so he can be with his uprights. We did that with Sam when he had his PTLO. Outside was by short leash only...tho originally also with support for his hips....which you won't have to do. Read to him, talk to him, give him a good chew item......those few days will go quickly. |
| Thanks for the ideas...I'll use them. Howie was cryptorchid. The one testicle was WAY up inside his belly the vet told me it was challenging to get to it. By the length of the incisions it looks like it was. Last week when we brought Howie home the first thing we did was look at his incision, just to have a visual baseline of what it should look like. At the time I did notice the bulge. I was told at the clinic that there would be swelling...so I thought the bulge was the swelling they were referring to. I called the clinic 4 time in 6 days to ask " was this bulge normal?" Of course over the phone each person I spoke to did not understand what I was referring to. The actual bulge was in an odd place so no one clued in that it was a hernia. And of course with the blizzard we could not get to the vet, he is in another city. So yesterday was the first chance we could get the Howie in for a check up. We really did keep Howie contained for 6 days and he had a harness & leash on when we went out to the yard, it helped to keep his paws on the ground. I am bummed today just thinking about him..he is in surgery now. Yesterday when we went back to the clinic, Howie pushed his way through the doors, he was happy to be there. And when the vet took his leash Howie gladly bounced along. It is comforting to know Howie likes the place at least!  I'd welcome and other thoughts or advice, peg |
| Hope Howie feels the same way after his extended stay. Nothing better than a dog that bounces INTO the vet's office, rather than ones that do immediate U turns. Mo's response after 3 U turns is to climb onto the furniture and stare out the window at the car or lean against DH and tremble. I no longer take her into the exam room.....last time she sat and I pulled her across the entire lobby.....skidmark. At least with DH up front I can nudge from the rear....... |
| Well, then yes, he had a bit more - even before this surgery! More like a spay, actually, for amount of surgey. I hope this is it, so Happy Howie will still like going to the vet! |
| same thing was with my duffy when he was a pup i was so worried but all came out find.. hang in there |
| Just sending hugs. Update when you can |
Howie is awake and eating.  The young vet tech did not give me much information. So tomorrow I will go to the clinic and take a few treats and quiet toys for Howie to have during his stay. I can talk to the vet and get more info.Now Mark & I can have a restful evening. thanks for asking, peg |
| Here we go AGAIN! Today, Saturday, Mark & I went to the clinic to drop off treats and toys today . I was informed by the vet tech that the surgery did not work, they need to go in and fix the hernia again. So Monday Howie is having his 3rd operation in 11 days. I just feel sick for our puppy. Please keep Howie in your thoughts on Monday morning. Hopefully he will be home comfy in his bed by Thursday night.  peg |
| Oh, this is distressing news. Poor Howie. You continue to be in our thoughts. Laurie and Oscar |
| Oh noooo... did they say why it failed? Sending Howie healing thoughts and hugs to you both. |
 pic of duffs hernia not sure if you can see it |
| oh no...poor Howie... Hopefully the 3rd time's the charm! |
| Oh poor little lad. And tough for you guys too. |
| I hope all goes well! Poor little fellow. |
| Poor Howie and YOU!!!! prayers and healing thoughts heading your way!!!! |
| Thinking of Howie and of course you too! |
| Oh no!! Poor Howie. Such a bummer, I hope this time sorts it for good. Thinking of you all and sending positive thoughts your way. |
| Awwww poor Howie. Hopefully soon he will be home sleeping in his own bed..Hugs to you all. Lisa Frankie and Mattie |
| Oh wow! I wonder why the surgery didn't work?? Walter had one as a puppy as well and he was fixed right up with his surgery. He was in pain the first night and then totally fine after that. Hopefully Howie will be just fine after this next surgery! Paws crossed for you guys. |
| Thanks for all your well wishes. Howie is out of surgery and eating.  I spoke with the vet. He said that the hernia was there since Howie was born. That is why this past Friday when the vet went to repair the hernia for the first time, he missed it. He said he was looking for a hernia related to the surgery. Howie's hernia was in a very unusual location. Our vet has never seen anything like it...3 inches long on the far side of the belly near the top Howie's hip. Howie is all fixed up. Now we need to keep him confined and calm for 2 weeks.  We will bring him home Thursday evening. Maybe Howie Mark & I all need some pills to get through the next 14 days.  Any other advice for a confined pup? peg |
| Great news! Hope he recovers quickly! pegspup wrote: Any other advice for a confined pup? peg Alcohol? (...for the uprights at least)  |
| I'm confused...so they went in and operated Friday for a hernia, but they never even knew where it was?? They actually did a surgery?? If so, I would be looking for another vet! Did you know the hernia location? or was it found later on by someone else? |
| I'm confused too. Usually you know there's a hernia because you can see and feel it. Therefore you know where it is. Were they basing the diagnosis on other symptoms, like no bowel movements and assuming hernia? Although that doesn't really make sense either. |
| To be fair, when Howie was on his back on the operating table, the bulge would fall to his back, so it could not be seen or felt, even when the vet had him opened up. The first surgery they did repair a very small hernia. But the large bulge one was caused by a separation in the muscles. As my vet said very rare and unexpected. This hernia was huge, so it did not appear as a normal 'bump' through the skin. I'll get more detailed information when I have a face to face consult with the vet. I totally trust this vet, and am thankful Howie was in his hands. Fortunately the clinic is covering the cost of the hernia operations  Now we wait for Howie to heal. peg |
| Two hernias?? That makes it tricky!! Poor Howie, I'm glad you're not having to pay for all this. Get well Howie!!  |
| Home. We brought Howie home tonight! We could not stand being away from him for another day. Howie is doing well. Staying pretty calm....I think he is a bit sore. The drive home was about 40 minutes, we ate supper together, I brushed his coat for 15 minutes on the floor with him. Howie went outside did his business, and now he is snoring away in a gated hallway. Mark said he has never seen me so anxious. I was a wreck when we went to pick Howie up. Just me being 'nervous nelly'. It is 8:30 pm, I am going to bed, I can rest now that my pup is back under our roof and sleeping comfortably. Goal for the next 10 days..no jumping or running. good night folks  peg |
| Aw Peg...I had no idea of all the surgery. Poor Howie!!!! Nigel and Bella send sheepie white light for a quick recovery. |
| So pleased that your baby is back with you!! Give him extra kisses on the nose from me! |
Yay for Howie being HOME!!   |
| Great news that Howie is home. I bet he has the best nights sleep, safe in his own bed. |
| Glad to hear Howie is home and seems to be doing well. Now maybe you and he can have some quality sleep. |
| Glad to hear he's home! I would also be extremely anxious with Mady at the vet for so long. |
 I am so glad Howie is home and safe ~~Now you can take care of him and give him lots of mommylove!!!!! He certainly deserves it~~~ |
| I am a wreck. Anyone with words of wisdom for me? I guess I just don't know what to worry about and what is okay (normal). I am afraid to have Howie move in fear of tearing the large internal incision. He slept well, sort of, I think he was a bit restless. And l notice he doesn't really want to lay (lie) down too long. At night we have him in the cool hallway just outside our bedroom. 4 ft x 7 ft long. He had room to stretch out. This morning we cuddled on a mattress that I put on the floor (no jumping). He had a good chew on a rawhide and went outside for 5 minutes. I put him back into his hallway as I was getting ready for work. He had 2 accidents. He never does that. Is this normal after surgery to 'go' in the house? I don't care about the mess, I'm concerned for him. This morning just before I was leaving he would not settle. Howie was digging in a blanket I left for him, swimming in his water dish, and scratching around for missed kibble. I again was nervous to go out and let him have that much movement. So I put him in his crate. He really can't stretch out in the crate. So now I am concerned he will be unconfortable. He is on liquid Medicam for the pain, antibotics, and another pill to help with loose stool. The vet was great in giving us the information about the surgeries. It really does help to understand what he repaired. We don't have much experience with what to expect with recovery, what the incisions should look like, so this is what causes me to stress. How will I know if something is wrong? I sound like a worry wart. And in this case I am. I typically am the gal in the middle of an emergency keeping everyone calm. Not with this Howie thing, I am a wreck. Please help me understand what is normal after surgery. thanks, peg |
| I would keep him crated when you are out. It will keep him quieter. I don't know much about hernia surgeries, but it is torn/seperated muscle, and inactivity will mean less muscle use. I am sure he will be fine, it is hard on us when our babies are unwell. |
| Okay, so after my last pathetic post I pulled myself together. Howie is healing well and staying fairly calm. We are doing some great training during this recovery time. Wendy I followed your suggestion of using the crate more and it is working. Howie and I slept together last night for the very first time! We both slept sound. Here is a photo of a bed in "Howie's room". We lowered the bed to reduce jumping.  My husband Mark & Howie relaxing together. Howie has been spoiled rotten with every kind of doggy treat. I think he secretly likes the cone on him head...sympathy votes = more treats. peg & conehead howie |
| Yeah Howie!!! I like your ROOM!!! |
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