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

Glad you and Flynn are doing alright. Enjoying some quiet time after the past weeks of hectic nonstop activity to get ready for the surgery.

Oh lord yes, I remember the Christchurch earthquake, reading about it anyway and watching the news. That was horrible! So much devastation and loss, was just heartbreaking. I can't even imagine being there at the time. My family in California just seems to take them with a grain of salt. It is what it is sort of attitude. It seems to work for them. They've had a few big ones. I can't say I'm sorry to have missed any of them personally. They scare the bejebees out of me.

Sounds like a feet up, glass of wine kind of evening.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Poor Flynn has not been too well today, shaky and tired. I am hoping it is just part of recovery. He is eating OK, but the poops remain a problem, with him only doing very small amounts of mucousy soft brown stuff about a teaspoon full each time. He has gone about 4x today. I just wish he could do a big one to clear everything out. His tummy seems soft but he seems nauseous, licking his lips often. Still drinking ok but not much energy poor boy.

Hopefully he will feel better tomorrow otherwise I will take him to be seen, now we are back in local vet care and I am thinking maybe I should have stayed longer down by university.

Mabye I am expecting too much, but I cannot see any improvement in him today.

xx

Just keep an eye on him and if anything looks too off, take him to see your vet. You can always go back to the university if you don't feel right about something. Surgeries do take time to heal up from. Not just the wound itself, but it hurts when you move. So moving around, pooping, that might just take a bit out of him and he doesn't want to do it.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

I have just been out and bought pumpkin, so he is having some of that with his dinner and I am also going to cook some rice to go with that and chicken... hopefully that will do the trick. If you are still here can you advise on how much, he weighs approx 30 pounds. I am sure I can do a search on here and find it somewhere :)

I took him for a short walk and he did another little loose poop he is struggling to get it out so I think you are right Sharlene, it does hurt him to go. I guess it is better it is starting to move though. He has perked up after his walk, maybe he is bored and depressed not doing anything :confused: Twice I have been too slow to stop him jumping on the couch :eek: Glad I have this week off to keep an eye on him
Thanks xx

Pets who weigh less than 15 pounds = 1 - 2 teaspoons
Pets who weigh 15 - 35 pounds = 1 - 2 tablespoons
Pets who weigh 35 pounds and up = 2 - 5 tablespoons depending on size

I am using fresh pumpkin, so no spices.

Found it, courtesy of Harley PoMMon... thanks Lori
Posting it here in case i need it again :)

Trish, the pumpkin can be tricky, start with a tablespoon and see how that goes first. I wonder if he has some harder stool stuck inside, if so the pumpkin will also help with that. Sometimes when they have stool stuck inside you can get small amounts of soft, watery mucus stuff too.

Hoping you both have a better day today.:):)

Dont forget party at my house tonight:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I can sure imagine he feels better once it comes out, he just hates to push right now to get it out. Heck, Molly who doesn't have any problems with the pooping right now, tends to walk really slow like she's feeling like an old lady, but once she gets that poop taken care of, she is off running and carrying on like you a little puppy.
Amazing how it really perks them up to take a poop. LOL

I once was telling my husband, that you know, gee, I could totally understand how it feels good to get things flushed out of the system, but I've never felt the need to run circles through the house and bounce off the couches and chairs afterwards. I think we could be missing something in our daily constitutionals as Molly seems to enjoy hers Much more than us humans do.

Sharlene

Good mornig all,

Two poops already this morning, one slightly bigger and firmer but still soft and then another small loose one. Last night I gave him a little tummy massage to try to get things moving. I gave him 2 tablespoons pumpkin last night and another lot for breakfast plus the mushy rice and chicken. He likes it. Will see what happens today, I might go and see if there are any natural type laxatives in the pet store to gently help things along. He does not seem in too much pain, he has taken himself back to bed after breakfast. A little walk might be good for him too so we will go for that soon.

Thanks for your advice, I had a party to go this afternoon but not going so it looks like I am free for yours tonight Addy!!! That is funny about Molly enjoying her poops Sharlene, I am waiting for that happy face for Flynn!!

xx

Caution on the pumpkin... if you overdo it it could go the opposite direction so I think the walk is your best bet. I bet all is fine within 24 hrs. Wonderful news. Thought it was awesome that there was a hotel you could take Foxie to why you waited for release. Continued prayers sent, Kim

Hi - thanks for that Kim. I won't give him anymore pumpkin tonight.

I took him to the vet this afternoon, he has gone about 5x today, small loose movements. He felt his bowel and put his little pinky in to check :eek::eek: no sign of constipation down low, he thinks it may just be slow bowel postop or a little colitis. So he prescribed metamucil for extra fibre and we will see how that goes. Temperature all good, hydrated too.

xx

Good idea to have the vet check him out. Always better to be on the safe side and have things checked out. So, he should in a couple days become more regular. Yay! :)

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

So glad he is doing so well despite the irregularity. He certainly is a trooper!!! I can imagine going through such a tough surgery would back him up a little. It sounds like things are starting to move along now:). I used to give Chey those Metamucil wafers. It was a treat to her:D. Still pulling for a normal dump!

He is not well again today. Still no decent pooping, lethargic and not so keen on his food or water but has had some of both. I was just in touch with his surgeon and he has told me to take him to local vet for bloods and they are to ring him if concerns. I am wondering if he needs abdo xray to check for any blockage higher up.

Poor receptionist as local vet when I just rang, she said my vet is busy and Flynn can see a vet that does not even know his complicated history and not till later thish afternoon, grrr so I asked her nicely to go talk to my vet... and he is in surgery but he will get the blood taken and then phone surgeon if any problems. They wanted me to just drop him off but I said, nope he is not sitting there in a cage waiting for hours. I so wish I was closer to the pet hospital.

It is a week today since his surgery, time has flown but I just wish my baby was doing better.

worried Trish xx

Trish,

I'm so sorry to hear that he isn't feeling well today. I'm glad you pushed for the receptionist to talk to the vet. Sometimes I just don't think they think before they talk! I'm also glad you are not going to leave him there. I am the same way. I certainly hope things will be okay and that this is just another bump in the road on the way to recovery. Thinking of you and sending positive thoughts your way!

Julie & Hannah

Trish,

Positive thoughts and prayers here also. No way would I drop him off at the vet either! The receptionist obviously didn't know all that he has been through. :mad: You mentioned colitis in an earlier post. I know Jasper can get to feeling pretty poor when he has colitis, and that is with no surgery involved. He has gotten backed up before also. I would ask for an abdominal X-ray like you mentioned. It is simple to do, and not very expensive. How does Flynns tummy look, does it seem distended at all? Might be hard to tell since he has an incision. Keep us posted Trish.

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

Oh no...... poor Flynn. I sure hope it is something fairly easy to overcome. He has done so well thus far. Have you asked Skye how Shysie's first couple of weeks in recovery went?? I know I read her thread, but I can't remember specifics.

Hang in there Trish. Gosh darn it! Still sending prayers!!

Hugs,

Ro and Chey

Good lord...sometimes the front desk is the most disruptive/difficult part of the journey. So glad you stood your ground - that's the last thing your poor baby needs is to sit in a strange cage nervously waiting attention. Way to go - keep it up... we'll be anxiously awaiting an update on the blood test.

Kim

Isn't that the truth, front desks can drive a pet owner up the wall sometimes.

Hoping for good news from the blood tests today.

Hang in there Trish! You're doing an excellent job staying on top of Flynn's recovery.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hi all
No results yet, 4 hrs since his blood test. I just rang to find out what's going on... could not speak to vet. Receptionist is leaving him a note to call me. I am just to used to the excellent service I had at the university, not used to all this waiting :confused:

Flynn has picked up a little over the day, eating again and I have got water into him by putting his chicken in a bowl of water so he has to drink it all to get to the chicken at the bottom. He does not seem in pain, so I have not given him the previcox today which is the only drug he is on, just in case it is upsetting his bowel. Just very lethargic, resting at every opportunity.

Ro - I had read Shysies thread, but went back on your suggestion to reread and she did have a few poop issues post op too. I still think it is his bowel that are the problem. Or maybe adrenal insufficiency?? If I do not get any satisfaction from local vet today I will pack him up and take him back to university tomorrow.

Thank heavens I took this week off too! Thanks for your posts everyone :)

xx

It does sound better than it did earlier at least. Isn't that just awful to have to wait on a vet to call you when you are trying to get their attention and say, "hello, need you Now not 5 hours from now" geezzzz

Hang in there. Maybe amuse yourself while waiting by imagining warts on your vets nose for every hour that he puts you off. :)

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

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

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trish

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??

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Dogs can still be suffering from pancreatitis and have normal levels in the amylase and/or lipase.

My angel boy, Harley, had chronic pancreatitis, one time I had his amylase and lipase checked along with a spec PL test and those enzymes did come back within the normal limits but his spec PL test came back with an elevated number confirming the pancreatitis.

The best way to diagnose and monitor pancreatitis is with the spec PL test.

Hoping Flynn is feeling much better real soon.

Hi Lori
Thanks for that, I was just googling to get a better understanding of pancreatitis tests and read that, i wonder why they did not do those tests as well.

They have given me oral liquid temgesic for pain, I gave him a dose when we got home and he has perked up quite a bit, even took himself to his toybox to select a toy to destroy :D I hope he is still feeling good in the morning.

xx

Trish,
Has Flynn's cortisol level been checked? I am wondering if it might be low. Is his remaining adrenal gland functioning normally?

I have learned with everything that Jasper has been through that the electrolytes get affected also when the cortisol goes low. A low Na:K ratio can be indicative of Addison's, and from the results you posted, it looks like this is low for Flynn. I don't see the Na level posted, is it normal? I hope he feels better soon.

Tina

No his cortisol hasn't been checked, his sodium is normal at 146 (141-153) I will check this out with his vet in the morning.
Thx for the tip
Trish xx

Tina - I got quite worried when you wrote about the addisons and started searching the medicine cabinet for prednisone! I only found one 20mg tablet from 2004!! :eek::eek:

So I emailed Flynn's surgeon... it is now just before midnight and bless his cotton socks he must have been at his computer and replied straight away as below....

The potassium is only just up, and probably consistent with a mild dehydration etc. All other blood works are OK, so although it can be difficult to completely rule out addisons I don't he has it. Also, there is no real reason for him to develop it. I mentioned the possibility that Flynn could develop it post-op when we didn't know for sure what type of adrenal mass he had. Now that the mass has been confirmed as a phaeo, there is no reason for him to develop addison's postop so the other adrenal doesn't need to 'kick in' - it should be working just fine!!

Kate wasn't in today, but will run things past her tomorrow.

For the moment, hold tight, keep Flynn hydrated and comfy and try not to get too anxious. Pancreatitis is most likely and can take a while to settle fully.

Kate is the IMS... so we will see what she has to say tomorrow, poor Flynn I keep poking him to make sure he is OK, he has had the temgesic so all he wants to do is sleep!

Well he is right about the anxious part :o

Crikey, what a saga this surgery has turned into... hope your not getting too sick of Flynn updates :rolleyes:
xx

We will never get sick of Flynn updates!!! We are all pulling for him and want to know how he is during this post-op period. As if the actual surgery wasn't stressful enough, then add all of his ups and downs post-op. ugh!!! I am sorry you guys are going through all of this. The surgeon told me that the first two weeks after the surgery are rough. I guess he was right. I hope he gets better...continued prayers sent your way.

here thinking of you and Flynn

Hi

Heard back from they university, they want ACTH stim test done. So I have just dropped Flynn off for more bloods. I also asked them to repeat electrolytes and also the spec PL test. They want me to keep him off the previcox, continue antinausea so I will get a shot of that to give him tonight when it is due and continue low fat diet.

Flynn seems better again this morning, he ate, did the best poop since surgery :D:D much more formed - still not normal, but I will take it!! Less lethargic, he came face to face with a HUGE bulldog in the vet waiting room and gave him a woof :D so he must be feeling a bit better!

I am wondering about gastritis, I remember in Kim's thread her dog Annie with the pheo had trouble with ulcers. A few months back Flynn had a dental and they found ulcers at the back of his mouth. Quite often when I take him in the car to drop him off on my way to work, he hangs his head in the back seat and this is always after eating. I have asked surgeon about that and is there something we could try?

Phew, another day another potential problem :confused:
xx

We Love the Flynn updates. Don't stop, we'd all go into major panic attacks!
*tap tap tap, anxiously awaiting the spec PL and ACTH test results. tap tap tap
Patience is soooo over rated

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Good memory on my Annie's ulcers... keep in mind that the guy that did the endoscopy had been doing them there for 25+ years and never seen anything like it. That said I do think gases were formed as a result of the pheo.

Not sure if you can get it but in the US we use Slippery Elm Bark (SEB) in powdered form for gastric issues including pancreatitus. Many vets use it as their secret weapon. It's cheap and easy. Worth a shot but I would be sure to talk to your vets about it since you have so much going on. IT is all natural but you want to use it 2 hrs before or after giving other meds if I'm not mistaken.

Hope this helps. YOu can google and read about it. Kim