[ Post a Response | Dog Chat Message Board - Get advice on dogs here ]
Posted by Margaret on January 14, 2009, 6:49 pm
91.105.7.36
About 20 months ago I became a failed fosterer with a little Staffy girl who has been used as a breeding b###h. On Monday, 5th January she went in to have 2 lumps taken off, the operation went well and she had come round, then she started to struggle to breath. Her breathing was life threatening so one of the Consultants was sent for. I am lucky, my vets have quite a few consultants.
Adam put her under again to see what was wrong with her breathing, he found her voicebox badly swollen so put her on a drip to see if it would reduce, unfortunately it didn't so he had no choice but to do a temperary tracheotomy.
Wednesday Ellie was watched very carefully, she did struggle a couple of times but came round, they tried to cover the hole to see if she could breath on her own, she couldn't so another consultant, Joachim operated on her and shorterened her solf pallet which was so long it had damaged her voicebox so he had to do some repair work on that as well. They were then waiting until Friday to see if she was healing well enough to take the tracheotomy out.
Thursday the temporary tracheotomy started to cause problems so the decision was made to put a permanent one in, If the vet hadn't done this Ellie would have died. Although this is a permanent tracheotomy she could eventually heal enough for this to be taken out by my vets seem to think this won't happen.
Friday Ellie could breath properly, probably the first time in her life she could so was feeling fit and well. Ellie decided that she had been in the kennel long enough and started to destroy it so a bed was put in the coridor where the computers are, with a water bowl, a harness put on Ellie and she was attached to one of the tables. Ellie had a wonderful time, everyone was given lots of Staffy kisses and cuddles and the staff used to play with her as well.
Ellie continued to improve over the weekend and had a wonderful time with the staff, even the night staff were playing with her.
Monday morning Ellie had to be put back into her kennel because a lot of dogs were coming in for operations and were she was could have been dangerous to her but again she tried to destroy her kennel. It was before 8am when I had a phone call to ask me to go and pick her up as soon as possible, she had been put with the ladies who do the insurance claims and was quiet but couldn't stay there.
A week after she went in Ellie came home. 
I was terrified, everytime she coughed I was there cleaning her up. She came up to bed with me, she had a lovely night's sleep, I couldn't sleep in case her coughing didn't wake me up.
Tuesday I took Ellie back to the vets for them to check, she mugged the vet and nurse because she was so pleased to see them, gave them lots of Staffy kisses and cuddles. The vet was really pleased with her progress over night.
Ellie can never wear a collar again, she can not have a bath or go swimming but she is able to breath better than she has ever been able to before. She has adapted very well, still coughing but that is supposed to go as well. Adel the vet has a pug with a tracheotomy in who is living a normal dog's life so was able to give me some tips as an owner not a vet.
It all happened so quickly I didn't have time to work out if I wanted to put her through this or not, it was a case of this being done or she died, I am very pleased that I did let them put a tracheotomy in Ellie, once she has recovered she won't have any more breathing problems.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread