Sticks1977 Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) Our labrador, Fraser is still not eating after his desexing operation that he had late on Friday morning. I am starting to get a little concerned as he has now gone from late Thursday night to present without any food, and not even taking an interest in any of it - which for a labrador seems rather odd! He was able to eat half of his normal dinner on Friday night but as I found late yesterday when scanning the backyard for his droppings, I also found all the food from the day before (Friday) that he had brought back up. On Saturday morning (around 11.00am) we took Fraser to the Vet (I was thinking that he had kept his food down, as I had not scanned the backyard before we took him) and told them that he had been vomiting liquid and spending a lot of time by himself on Friday night through to the early hours of Saturday morning. The veterinarian gave him three injections - Metacam, Noroclav and Metomide - to help with nausea and vomiting, an anti-biotic and also an anti-inflammatory/painkiller. He was also producing a fair amount of drool and his temperature was 39.3 which she said was slightly up. She mentioned he should have some rest and if still not well to come back Sunday morning to collect some more anti-biotics and pain medication. He rested all of Saturday and spent a lot of time by himself in the backyard sleeping while I tried to keep myself entertained with housework, I thought he was starting to feel better around dinner time as he came to greet me at the door when I came home with take-away. Later in the night after watching a movie he was back to how he has been throughout this weekend - dreary, unwell and looking very tired - we put him to bed at 10.30pm and left the doggy-door open for him to go outside if he needed. After the Vet at 11.00am yesterday, he has only had a small drink around 6.30pm that I know of. Should I be all that worried that he has not really eaten in 2 and a half days? I am also thinking of obtaining a second opinion and perhaps visiting another Vet as we have tried him with his breakfast and other food this morning and he still takes no interest. Any replies would be welcome, I do not mean to come across as stressed or worried - I am just concerned that perhaps there is something more to it than a simple desexing operation. I am located in Cranbourne West, Victoria so if anybody has any recommendations for a reputable Vet in the area, please let me know. Regards, Shaun (sticks1977) :D Edited January 13, 2008 by Sticks1977 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 I have desexed a lot of animals and sometimes they may not eat the day of the operation but other than that have they don't normally refuse food. Check to see if he is dehydrated by picking up the skin. It should snap quickly back when released. If it sags slowly he is dehydrated and may need fluids intravenously. Only once have I had a cat refused food, she was still dopy and out of it for a couple of days after the op. She spent those days at the vet on a drip and is fine today. Take him back to the vet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 To me, I think I would be concerned, it sees a long time to be unwell after desexing. I think I would be going back to the Vet and if they don't seem helpful find another Vet for a 2nd opinion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheree_e4 Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Try seeing if a friend could feed him,after mum and dads dog was desexed he did the same thing with them so I went around after 2 days and I offered him food and he ate - not sure why he ate for me and not them though. If that does not work take him back to the vet for a check up - I have never seen a dog starve themselves for to long. It could also be that his throat is irritated from the tube so it may be slightly painful to eat,see if they will give him a tolfadine injection(long acting pain killer) and some rimadyl for at least 3 days (provided he has had blood tests to make sure he is healthy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 Hi, ..by now, I would have thought he would be eating something, and wanting to do more.... I would phone your vet or another, and get him checked this morning again. Sorry he hasn't bounced back :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks1977 Posted January 12, 2008 Author Share Posted January 12, 2008 SUCCESS!!!! :D I went to check on Fraser (asleep on our bed mind you!) before and earlier I had offered him some dry food which he did not want any of. I brought with me some trusty "Schmackos" and he actually ate them. I then followed up with some of his dry food which he took out of my hand. About half an hour ago I went down to Coles and grabbed a regular bbq chicken and he has eaten all of the chicken meat (didn't give him any stuffing, fatty bits or skin). Tried him again with some Schmackos and his dry food and he is not wanting either - perhaps the chicken is heaps more tasty and appealing! It is such a relief now though - I hope that he is able to keep the chicken down and will digest it all... will try later today with some more bbq chicken (we have a chicken fillet in the fridge) and then ease him onto his own food again. I also rang the Vet to let them know he is eating, the nurse will check with the vet surgeon to see whether he requires any further medication. We have to head out to a 60th Birthday later today but hopefully Fraser will still be up for eating when we come home, at least he has had something now though - thanks to all for replies and support! Regards, Shaun (sticks1977) :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Ah Good. Just give him little bits..not full meals, and don't offer more of the chicken and schmakos... if he is hungry and feeling better, his normal food should look tasty! He may decide that this new chicken diet is what he prefers... :p Having re-read..he has eaten all the meat of a whole chicken? He shouldn't be hungry then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 He should be inside also- not lying around outside where his wound might get contaminated. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 thats good news ;biol up the carcus from the bbq chook & make a broth with it; add a desert sp of vegimite & pour it over his kibble to make it softer he may have irritaton of the throat from the tube during op;dont give him to much fatty chicken ;but keep up the fluid intake ;stick withit sticks were thinking of ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Yes I too would not be letting him outside too much or he could get an infection at the operation site(which he may have already and that is why he is off his tucker). I would try him with small meals more often- if he keeps that and his water down well and good , if not get him back to the Vet pronto. with a temp like that I am surprised your Vet did not place him on intravenous fluids as that is elevated, especially for a dog that has had surgery. Watch for diarrhoea etc as when a Vet gave my avatar girl Metacam she had a severe allergic reaction ( explosive diarrhoea etc) and was on a drip at the Vets for nearly 3 days.With metacam etc sometimes the reaction can take up to 14 days to show itself so keep a very careful watch on your dog, I can understand giving the metamide for nausae and Noroclav( Clavilox) for infection but why the metacam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks1977 Posted January 13, 2008 Author Share Posted January 13, 2008 (edited) I would try him with small meals more often- if he keeps that and his water down well and good , if not get him back to the Vet pronto.with a temp like that I am surprised your Vet did not place him on intravenous fluids as that is elevated, especially for a dog that has had surgery. Thanks for the advice Rex, I have been keeping a keen eye on Fraser today as he is starting to come back to his normal self that I used to see so often before his operation. He has been great with his food this afternoon and tonight, we have mainly been feeding him cooked chicken and have only been giving him the meat from the breast and also mixing it in with his dry food. He has been keeping down his food and also has been going to his water bowl so I think he is on his way to recovery. I had a look at his wound just before and there is no redness or major swelling that I can see. They left his scrotum from the operation and that is dark brown and slightly red in appearance. There also is not many stitches which is surprising to me, I thought there would have been a larger cut, but the incision cut is only about 1 inch in length that i can see. with a temp like that I am surprised your Vet did not place him on intravenous fluids as that is elevated, especially for a dog that has had surgery. When we took him back on Saturday morning because of the previous night of vomiting the vet surgeon mentioned that one of the dogs had vomited in their cage on Friday (the day Fraser had his operation) and she was not sure whether it was him or not - it got me thinking "wouldn't it be on his record if it was him?!?" Seems a bit un-professional if she did not know whether he was the dog who was sick or not in the cage. My partner also mentioned to her that he was in for a gastro related illness about 2-3 weeks ago and she remarked "oh, i thought he was in for something a while ago" - again you would think they may look at his medical file and history??? Watch for diarrhoea etc as when a Vet gave my avatar girl Metacam she had a severe allergic reaction ( explosive diarrhoea etc) and was on a drip at the Vets for nearly 3 days.With metacam etc sometimes the reaction can take up to 14 days to show itself so keep a very careful watch on your dog, I can understand giving the metamide for nausae and Noroclav( Clavilox) for infection but why the metacam? I noticed he was having a poo after his dinner tonight and he let off a fair bit of 'gas' and also a fair bit of liquid came out of his behind (it was dark brown in colour) with a solid stool (Edit: upon closer inspection of that stool, turns out it was the end of one of his rope toys, a small rope knot with some frayed rope on the end of it). I am not sure whether the dark brown liquid is due to the drugs he has been on - but better to have it out than in if you ask me! I have been frequently looking around the backyard and this is the only dropping that I have noticed so far since this morning. Your answer would be as good as mine in regard to the injections, she gave him three injections and said each was for a specific thing: - To stop nausea and vomiting - An antibiotic to help with any infection (she mentioned this was the biggest of the needles) - Anti-inflammatory/painkiller to cope with any pain of the operation To be truthful I am not very happy with the Vet at the moment and will be looking to go elsewhere once his stitches are removed in about 10 days. I was surprised that I was given no information sheet and after reading some replies here I am equally shocked that they allowed him to have food after the operation. Perhaps they are a good vet for the basic areas of veterinary healthcare but we have had our fair share of issues this weekend! I think in the future I will take Fraser to another Vet, we will have to travel for another 5-10 minutes in the car but I think it will be worth it in the long run. I do not know whether it is allowed in this public forum to name the Vet in question. But if not, you can PM me and I shall inform you - if you would like to know. Again thanks to all for the replies and the support - it is greatly appreciated as I am a first time dog owner (have grown up with pets, but never owned one in my own home). I shall inform you all of any other changes and also his progress with healing from the operation. Edited January 13, 2008 by Sticks1977 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 13, 2008 Share Posted January 13, 2008 Oh..well, maybe having an empty gut made the rope toy segment irritate his insides ,and gave him more of an upset stomach... ? Maybe. At least that is out now!! Indestructable toys may be what you need to buy................. The vet not knowing if it WAS Fraser who vomited is a worry... Good luck with it all, Glad you;re happier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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