Flynn 11 y/o Foxie Cross - Right adrenalectomy- Good Bye Flynny We will miss you

Flynn started vomiting this afternoon, still had trouble getting hold of local vet so I rang university and spoke to them. Managed to get him into local vet before the practice closed for antinausea injection and also repeat bloods as sample had haemolysed. The results they had were ok, but bilirubin and potassium elevated but that is probably due to bad sample, pancreatitis test did not work beacuse of poor sample. They were repeating amylase so did another blood test.

University is still suspecting probably pancreatitis flaring and they prescribed low fat royal canin gastrointestinal food for Flynn and pancreatic supplement and a gin and tonic for me!! The registrar Kat is awesome and spent a lot of time talking to me and said this is not unexpected with such a big operation. I feel like I have munchausen by proxy via dog :eek:. I told her I was about to bundle flynn in the car and race down there, but she said no no no, that is not necessary! She told me she is happy for me to call her any time for advice.

Since his antinausea injection he has drunk about 500ml, eaten some chicken and has just taken himself off to bed. A friend of mine came over and we have polished off most of a bottle of wine, so hopefully both of us will be feeling a bit better in the morning.

The local vet when he called me back said if any problems overnight, I am to call him even though he is not on call as he would rather see Flynn himself and start IV, than have whoever is on call in the city deal with him. We do not have 24hr ER service here, you have to call and the local vet practices take turns on call. So that is reassuring.

Argggh I just want him well
xx

Local vet just called me again now 9pm at night with updated amylase and it is twice normal, so likely mild pancreatitis. But Flynn stable at the moment, kept latest fluds down. He said not to push food. They have a supply of the university recommended food so I have to go pick that up first thing. Hopefully he behaves overnight. xx

On the good news front, his ALT and ALP have gone down heaps. Last ALP was in the 900's now it is 350ish. YAY

Well, darn. I don't know anything about pancreatitis. Is it something that will eventually settle down with diet and or meds?

Hi Trish,

I've been following Flynn's progress. I'm glad the gal told you that what Flynn is going through is not unexpected after an adrenalectomy. As you know, it is perhaps the most difficult surgery a dog can have. It's normal to have some "bumps" in the recovery process after such a major, major surgery.

My surgeon explained to me that the pancreas gets jossled around some during the surgery, and it is a fairly old pancreas. Shiloh didn't have any problems in that regard but some dogs do. I have no idea if Flynn's pancreas is acting up but if it is, it's something the professionals know how to handle.

I know it's tough for you right now but I totally expect Flynn to get better and better as the days and weeks progress. But remember, he endured a serious surgery and it's going to take some time. Shi stayed in the hospital for 3+ days after her adrenalectomy. After I brought her home, she rested and slept alot and I encouraged her to do so. She'd go out in the yard, do her business and come right back in and rest. But she just methodically got better and better, stronger and stronger. Two months post-surgery, she was an exceptionally strong, healthy and happy 12 year old girl.

Ken

Whew I'm very glad that the University is cool with you calling them if concerned and the vet (yours that was in surgery) sounds like he is back in the game and Flynn will come through this hopefully fine and dandy. You might be a bit worse for wear, keep the wine bottles handy. :)

What Ken said, I think is very reassuring, and he has been down the road before.

Take care, hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hi Ro, yes they think it will settle down. Hopefully just inflammed pancreas due to moving it in surgery, it does not like to be moved! But it needs to rest to heal.

Ken - thanks for your words of wisdom, is it very reassuring to hear form someone who has been there and done that. :)

Sharlene - I am regretting the wine now :cool: feeling a little under the weather.

Flynn slept fine, but this morning I could not coax him to drink anything. He ate a few bites of chicken. He asked to go outside about 4am for a wee and poop, but I had got a lot water into him last night he was pretty good when he went outside then heh had energy and trotted out. But he was quite lethargic this morinng though, I opened the front door, he walked out about 10 paces and lay straight back down.

I have just dropped him into the vet as I think he needs IV fluids, I do not want him getting dry and if he has some through the day I can bring him home later this afternoon. Vet was in a meeting so did not speak to him, waiting for him to call back. I think Flynn needs pain relief too, he is not really sore like he was immediately postop but I did hear a couple of squeaks overnight that might indicate he is tender. I had stopped his previcox so he has not had any pain relief for two days. Will discuss with vet when I get the chance.

ugh, wine head, not good. :(

Hope you hear something positive from the vet today.

hugs,
Sharlene

I hope he will be feeling better soon! It sounds like you have a wonderful vet and it's great that they are so helpful!

Julie & Hannah

I have got him home, he still seems a bit nauseous and has had another anti nausea injection just before he left. Bowels moved and a little firmer, he just ate some of his new food and about 5 mins later was hanging his head and I thought he might be sick but he hasn't yet.

I got a copy of his bloods and I do not know what the vet was looking at last night when he told me ALP was down because its not. It has gone up to 1566 iu/l (13-87), how disappointing when I thought we had something going Flynn's way. His amylase on the bloods sent to the lab is normal 1013 iu/l (329-1074) compared to the in house one done on same sample which was 2590 (300-1100) which i guess makes pancreatitis less likely??
Other abnormals:
Potassium mmol/l 5.8 (4-5.4)
NAKR 25.2 ratio (27-36)
CHOL 10.8 mmol/l (3.27-9.82)
ALT 243 iu/l (23-88)
AST 65 iu/l (18-51)
CK 930 iu/l (74-385) but that is probably due to surgery.
CL 101 mmol/l (106-117) probably due to vomiting
WBC 5.3 (6-15)
LYMPHAB 0.7 (1-4.8)
WBCRAW 5.4 (6-17)

I am wondering if it could be gastritis, will see how he is in the morning.
xx