Update on Rudy
Rudy was already being prepped. His eyes were glazed, bright red, and distant. His mouth was dry & his gums were blue. I don't think he recognized me. I held him while they got him ready. Everyone was running. Within minutes he was open on the table. There was an obstruction...a sock. The vet removed it, but we don't know the extent of the damage yet. I stayed with him in his kennel most of the day. It took a long time to get him to wake up & breathe on his own. He had four units of fluids yesterday alone. We were told that there were no guarantees he'd make it through the night, but that he was getting better, albeit much slower than the vet had hoped. He did remind us, however, that Rudy was in extremely bad shape prior to surgery. Last night was awful. We were so sure we were going to lose him. He is on killer antibiotics as the vet is worried about infection & whether or not his digestive system can recover. I didn't want to wait for the early morning call so we headed right down. They weren't officially open but we saw the other dogs from the surgical wing come out, one by one, for walks. I burst into tears when Rudy WALKED out the door on his own four legs. We ran over to him & got a little bum wiggle. Then he pulled the tech to the grass & peed the world's biggest pee. He is much stronger today & I am again sitting in his cage with him, typing this on my phone. His temp is now normal (It was 42.6°C on his way in to surgery...now it's 38.0°C) His heart rate is down from 220 to normal & his incision looks good. He is not officially out of the woods yet as he's still not eating & pooping but the signs are encouraging. I am sorry for not updating sooner but as you can imagine I have been busy. I slept for two hours last night but couldn't bring myself to write about this last night, when things were much more bleak. Right now he only wants water so we mixed it with some stinky cat food in an attempt to get something down. He's had some, but it's still mostly water. What he appears to want most is my Aero bar....I'd give him pretty much anything he wants at this point, but I definitely draw the line at that! Anyway, I'm now at the point of rambling. Rudy says hi & thanks you all for your warm thoughts & concern. We're hoping to have even better news to share soon. Right before surgery I could actually see the life slipping from his eyes. Our vet said every minute counted at that point. This morning he's mugging for attention & staring down the cat in the kennel across from him. We are all very grateful for how well he's doing. He just flopped over & is now sleeping on my legs. With the long weekend upon us (Canadian Thanksgiving) we are really hoping to bring him home soon. |
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| OMG! I was so worried when you hadn't posted and an obstruction is so awful! What a terrifying ordeal! I am relieved that he is showing such positive signs and really really really hope that he pulls through this! My thoughts are with you. Wishing for the very best. I am glad you can be with him right now because I am sure that helps a ton. Looking forward to even better news soon . . . |
| Thanks so much for the wonderful news. I know things are slow going but it sounds so much more hopeful. I am sure you are exhausted but try to get some rest. Rudy knows your there for him and I am sure he knew it last night even tho he couldn't respond. We lost a basset because of swallowing a small ball. Our vet at the time didn't have an x-ray machine so no way of knowing until they did surgery. He hadn't been as sick previously as Rudy so it took longer for the vet to decide that surgery was called for. They were thinking cancer and not an obstruction, by the time the surgery was over he was too weak to recover. I am sure all of us have beening thinking of Rudy since you first wrote so I am sure we'll all be very relieved that things seem to be looking up. |
| Oh my gosh, I'm trying to type through tears. I was so worried about Rudy and so thankful for this update. Hugs to you all and I'll keep Rudy in my thoughts and prayer. |
| ^^^ Me too. I'm so relieved to hear he's stable. Prayers that he continues to improve.  |
| no dry eyes here// but rudy is a fighter so and in there keep us posted .. i think rudy did this just to keep up his blog never a dull moment with him |
| Tracy, I'm glad the vets were able to remove the sock in time and that Rudy is doing better. Did the docs give you a prognosis? I'm really hoping for a speedy and full recovery. |
| OMG! Somewhere along the week I must have missed the posts about him being sick! Thank God they found what was wrong and were able to remove the blockage. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Rudy I tell you, stories like this with socks, etc causing so much problme, makes you a real tidy, neat freak! Hope he continues to improve. |
| Well, here's the latest on Rudy. Our vet's office closes at one on Saturdays, and because of the long weekend it won't reopen until Tuesday at eight. One of the vets, the second most senior there was the one Rudy was passed on to for today. He was very impressed with Rudy's progress when we first got there. We heard from one of the techs that Dr. K (the vet) would not let Rudy go home until he started eating. Now, they don't have anyone on over the weekend, but that vet is known for going in every few hours when they have a case that needs it. But, it would mean we couldn't see Rudy until Tuesday, and would only get updates from time to time. He'd be alone in between visits from Dr. K, which made me crazy. They kept the clinic open two hours later (they had some emergencies) and fifteen minutes before the vet came to do the final check Rudy ate some dog food from my hand. He'd been drinking the "cat food soup" we made throughout the day. He went over what to do for Rudy, and what to watch for with his meds and stitches. I asked specific questions about what an "emergency" would look like, and we'll rush him in to our local emergency vet, without hesitation, if anything goes wonky. He was willing to release Rudy to our watchful, full time, care. So, Gordon took him to the car, and I paid the large, but worth every penny, bill. The first vet who saw him was no longer the vet of record, and our own vet had taken over. While the bill was large, he gave us a hundred percent discount on several of the line items, and a ten percent on everything else. He is truly a saint. We've asked him to please charge us for his services, but he so frequently comps stuff. And on top of that, he's officially known as one of the top vets in Western Canada. I worship him and just wish he lived at our house. I was talking with the tech who rang it up, and she filled me in on a few things. So, here's the story. When I dropped Rudy off at eight yesterday morning I was an hour ahead of schedule. I had done so because he was so weak, and I felt that it was better for him to be sick there than with one of us. He went into the kennel, and the vets don't arrive for an hour. One of the techs (who we've always been huge fans of) knew he had a standing order for xrays from the night before, so she took him in early. He was so docile, and weak (and she knows him well....she's held him for his anal glands before) that she sounded the alarm. She checked the x rays and ran to get help. Our vet came in early, and was walking by when he saw a sheepie. He asked if it was one of Tracie's as he came running. (My parents were there with their dog and heard this, too.) Rudy had crashed big time. He was almost completely out of it, his heartrate was more than double what it should be, and his temp was through the roof. Our vet immediately began immediate shock interventions, and the whole office stopped dead to help. Once I arrived they showed me his blood sample. It was thick, like molasses. The tech who told me this said it was like a scene from ER. He called to get me, and before I arrived he prepared the staff for the very real chance (he said) that Rudy would die on the table. (We're very big fans of the staff and have a pretty strong relationship. Although any dog being in trouble would concern them, being one of our sheepies was an even bigger deal.) The fact that he made it through the surgery was amazing, I've been told. His intestines were a dark, purpley black colour (I watched from three feet away on the other side of the glass. I knew it was serious as I wasn't invited to gown up and come in as I usually am.) Once the sock was out you could actually see the colour begin to change. While that was a good sign, we were told it wasn't a guarantee. The vet said that he'd noticed some evidence of movement, which is good, but that prayer wouldn't be a bad idea. Rudy was in intensive care all day. He needed his nose suctioned frequently and they kept turning him over from side to side. Right before we had to leave, he started sitting up and tracking people with his eyes. We got a lot of feedback from the techs that it was amazing to see. I already shared that he went for a walk this morning. We did another this afternoon before leaving the clinic (mind you it was very short). He decided to eat a little right before three, and got up HAPPILY (without assistance or difficulty) and climbed into the car to go home. (We are monitoring everything very closely of course.) Right now he and Hudson are snuggled in the TV room with Daddy. I'm off to make him some boiled chicken and mashed potatoes. The vet wants him to graze on that throughout the day. We have two antibiotics. One is super duper, and the other kills the few things the first doesn't. He also has metacam for pain. On the way out of the clinic, we were told how happy and amazed everyone was that he was strong enough to go home. He's still got a lot of recovering to do, and there are no guarantees, but the word miracle got thrown around a lot. Regardless of all of this, I'm just delighted to have Rudy Patootie home. I know he's got a long road ahead, but he's clearly so happy to be here. And that has to help. Also, Hudson gave him a sniff and then a kiss on the mouth, but is being super gentle with him. He sure seems to get it. Thank you all so much for your warm thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. They certainly helped Rudy. Here's hoping he has smooth sailing from here on in. |
| So happy you have him home with you, we all know you'll watch him like a hawk. How nice of Hudson to be so loving. I think everyone recovers better at home so still keeping our fingers crossed. Please update us as often as you can. |
| I am so happy that he is at home with you and I hope that he (and you guys too!) recovers soon. |
What a terrible time, I wish Rudy a 100% recovery  |
| OMG....so very glad Rudy is doing better! What a horrible scare. Praying for a full and speedy recovery! |
| I've only just found your post. I'm so glad the news seems good! Keep getting stronger Rudy, you really have to quit your sock habit, its too dangerous!!!! |
| Rudy is napping in the TV room, but has gotten up twice on his own for a drink. The vet wants him to keep hydrated, and Rudy seems to be on board with that. The grazing is going well. He's been eating small (very) amounts of boiled chicken, minced, and mixed with mashed potatoes. Hudson's desperately trying to get his fair share. The first dose of pain meds that we are to give just went down well too. So far, so good....said with caution of course. And I DO think that being at home has really made a big difference for Patootie Rudy. |
| holding on to he is getting better paws crossed ... and you hang in there for our boy |
| Tracy, You said they found a sock. Forgive me if you've covered this already, but did they find the sock in his stomach or his intestines? |
| Everytime I read this post I cry. I'm so glad Rudy is home and doing better. Fingers crossed for a full and quick recovery. Make sure mom and dad take care of themselves also. Hugs to you all Lisa and Frankie |
Just catching up on this post and all I can say is - WOW!! SO glad Rudy is home and on the mend. I agree that a part of his quicker recovery is from the fact that he's home with his family. OMG, I just can't even imagine how scared you were!  Gentle hugs to Rudy, please!! |
| I'm so glad to hear Rudy is doing better. How scary! I was feeling bad that Simon was having the weekend issues too - with labs being delayed (the send outs) until Monday...but a HOLIDAY weekend - so much worse!  I feel the same way with home care being better than stuck in a virtually deserted clinic...Troy (my vet) Always lets me take my animals home and care for them....and I guess being a nurse makes me want it even more!  My gang is adding in prayers that Rudy continues on the mend and he has no setbacks from infection or necrotic tissue.  |
| I have tears streaming down my face...I can't even imagine what you were going through. It looks like things are on the upswing and my prayers are with you that they continue that way. And really Rudy...give up the socks. |
| Oh dear - we also have first hand experience with a bockage and they terrify me! (I'm the neurotic lady at the dog park who picks up ripped tennis balls & toys that people leave behind) I am so glad Rudy's home, mobile & drinking. I've figured out the silver lining of this situation - its a long weekend so everyone gets an extra day at home to be thankfull with Rudy, without having to take sick time from work!  Thoughts & well wishes are being sent from everyone at our home. |
| Tracie, I am just reading this now. My dad had a massive heart attack last week (he is doing well). We love talking about Rudy so much. I read his blog to my family all the time. Rudy is so lucky to have such a dedicated family. Our thoughts are with you and him as he continues to recover. GO Rudy!! |
| Rudy's sock was stuck in his intestines, quite close to the end. The vet who did the surgery said it was quite damaging all the way along, like trying to move a cheesegrater or sandpaper through. We're very much on the lookout for infection, and in fact, the morning I took him in he smelled infected. You couldn't miss it. Now he's almost completely free of the smell. His fur's quite messy (spot washed and carefully dried of course, and he needs a bath, but it will have to wait), and in the really messy places you can catch a very faint whiff of what had been. He's taking his antibiotics well. Last night, early in the evening, he made his first poop. It was an ugly one, but we'd been warned. A lot of the crud that was left from the surgery needed to pass and it did. But the fact that his bowels moved anything is GREAT news. He slept on the bed with me all night, with some panting and it was pretty stuffy in there, even with the window open as it's been unseasonably warm here. (He's on pain meds, but he's sore. His incision was pretty much his whole belly. I will never forget the sight of our vet opening him up and diving in with both hands, pulling out what seemed like miles of intestines in seconds to find the problem. It was definitely not a fine, delicate surgery.) Anyway, whenever he woke up (and thus I woke up) I brought the food and water to him, and he did a good job of snacking very lightly throughout the night. He's definitely still interested in food, but wanted no more than a few tablespoons at a time, which is fine. This morning I brought him about a half cup (maybe a tad more) in the bowl. I expected he'd take a few bites, but he attacked the bowl and snarfled it all, wanting more. I'll give him another bit in an hour or so as we don't want to overdo it, but he's definitely doing better with the eating. Rudy sends his love to all. |
Got up first thing this morning to check the forum to see how Rudy was doing. So glad to hear he's eating and pooping. Hopefully this is a great sign he's on the way to a full recovery.  Hugs to you all Lisa and Frankie |
babysheepie wrote: Got up first thing this morning to check the forum to see how Rudy was doing. So glad to hear he's eating and pooping. Hopefully this is a great sign he's on the way to a full recovery. Hugs to you all Lisa and Frankie Me too!  What wonderful news this morning. Keep up the great work Tracie. |
jcc9797 wrote: babysheepie wrote: Got up first thing this morning to check the forum to see how Rudy was doing. So glad to hear he's eating and pooping. Hopefully this is a great sign he's on the way to a full recovery. Hugs to you all Lisa and Frankie Me too! What wonderful news this morning. Keep up the great work Tracie.me 3 yaaaaaaaaaa |
| ok rudester, let's try a dull moment or day or even a week. sheesh  thank goodness your vet is aces. thank goodness mom and dad rushed you off to him. thank everyone here for all the prayers. now, you're gonna have too listen and behave better than ever before, otherwise the entire family will have to move back to alligator country because it's just too dam cold to go sockless up there.  extremely glad you're on the mend badness. |
| Yay! Such a great update! I am crossing my fingers that it is smooth sailing from here. Go Rudy! Go Tracie! |
| First thing I did on here was look for Rudy's blog and so very happy that mommy wrote for him. He will have quite a story to tell once he's better and mostly it s/b about not eating anything but what mommy and daddy give him. I know things are looking up but not completely out of the woods, everyone is keeping him in our thoughts. Also thinking about Simon, hope there's good news there too. |
| Things seem to be steadily improving for Rudy. He had another BM this morning, and this one was greatly improved over the last one, so that's a good sign. He's also eating more than yesterday. Twice he's gone from laying quietly to jumping up and pouncing on Hudson. Hudson can't understand why as soon as he tries to pounce back someone grabs him by the collar and orders him to sit. "Awww Mom...he started it!" Rudy's still pretty tired. After a short burst of energy he sleeps for an hour or two, which is as it should be. We're still monitoring him very closely of course, and keeping him as quiet and calm as possible. It would be nice if he'd help out with that last bit. |
| What wonderful news!! |
| That's sounding really good, keeping my fingers cross! Been thinking about Rudy all day, so don't worry about posting lots of updates! |
| Oh my goodness, I rarely read this section, so I had no idea Rudy was so sick. Wishing Rudy a speedy recovery. Hugs to all of you. |
| Rudy has been a presence in our home since his adoption. I read his blog almost daily but have been off line for a few days. Our thoughts, best wishes and prayers are with Rudy and your family......he couldn't have found a better home Kathy ( Chauncey ) |
| GO RUDY! GO RUDY! Maggie said to tell you how much she misses your blogging! Try to sneak away, would ya! |
| Im glad your baby is getting better. Thanks for keeping the updates going. Give Rudy hugs. |
| What a scary ordeal for you guys. Soooooo glad he's doing well now. Give Rudy a pat from me and a stern warning to stay away from the laundry! |
| I had to come and check out how Rudy was doing. So glad that things continue to improve. GO RUDY!!!! |
| Great to hear good news about Rudy!! I hope our boys both keep improving...we love them so much!!  |
| Oh goodness...I missed this as well! I hope Rudy continues to feel better! Go Rudy-Go Rudy! |
| My heart has been in my throat since I read about Rudy's struggles. So happy to hear that he is getting better every day. Laurie and Oscar |
| How's Rudy doing today? Hard to keep him quiet yet (I hope)? |
| I'm so glad that Rudy is doing better. That is really scary. |
| OMG I don't know how I missed this! My Rudie had surgery to remove a corn cob stuck in his colon a little over a year ago, so sorry your Rudy joined the club! After Rudie's surgery he had a very very sensitive stomach for months. He battled diarrhea and had several really bad bouts that led us to the ER. Eventually though everything settled and he is now 100% back to his normal self. We'll all be thinking of Rudy and hoping for a full recovery very soon! |
| Good poop is always a good sign!Here's wishing you more good poop and some good news all round! |
| He's had good poops since yesterday. Today's looked just like before. I updated our vet and he was very pleased. Rudy goes in for suture removal/recheck next week, and he suggested bland diet for a few more days, but things look really good. Now we're just being hypervigilant about this NOT happening ever again! |
traciels28 wrote: Now we're just being hypervigilant about this NOT happening ever again! Since I read your original post, David and I have been working hard on getting our house in order. Rudy's experience shook us up! |
| Glad he is doing better!! and keeps getting better!! |
Hooray for Rudy!  |
| Yeah Rudy!!!!!!! |
| So glad to hear that Rudy's doing so well. So scary for you guys! Lots of hugs! |
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