Dude's surgery **UPDATE 1/17**

[orangemm]

I am just in awe of what you and Dude have gone through; you, for persevering and making sure he gets the treatment he so desperately needs, and Dude, for hanging in there even with all the pain and misery he's known.

I hope he comes through this with flying colors and lives a happy, pain-free life. I just can't imagine what he's been suffering all this time.

Bless you and ((((hugs)))).

Gentle scritches to Dude............

[Killearn Kitties]

It's just heartbreaking to hear how this poor boy was left in the shelter, and he sounds an absolute treasure too!

I hope they have been able to offer you alternatives with Dude's medicine. I think you would both be traumatised trying to get pills in his mouth! It doesn't bear thinking about.

Please keep us updated on how he is doing.

[Randi]

Giving him the medicine orally certainly does sound like a joke!! Do they really expect you to be able to do that! And what about food? Will he be able to eat at all for the next few days? Oh, I wish he will, and hope there's a painkiller you can put into his food.

Fister once got some called Romefen, he only needed a half at the time, and they're pretty small.

I'm sending lots of good thoughts that he'll get better. Poor boy - give him gentle kisses from me.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad to hear that Dude should be painfree from now on. Maybe you could give him the meds by injection. Good luck and please continue to keep us updated.

[rg_girlca]

I am sorry I am just seeing this now also.

My goodness what a heartfelt story about precious Dude. Lizzie, you have a heart of gold.

There is NO excuse for this to happen to Dude. Okay, maybe leaving one root during the removal of teeth, but to leave all four, is unacceptable. This vet had to have known that this was going to leave Dude in pain.

I pray that his surgery went well and he will be back home in your arms very soon. He sounds like such a sweetheart and deserves to live the rest of his life pain free.

Bless you Lizzie, for all that you have done and are continuing to do for precious Dude. You truely are his Guardian Angel.

[orangemm]

How is Dude doing??

[Lizzie]

Many thanks for asking about Dude and sending your best wishes.

There were 14 retained roots in all, some fully exposed and so causing constant pain and irritation. I can't let myself think about what Dude has been suffering, though it often comes into my mind. I will talk to my own vet, and the specialist when I take Dude back for a check-up in two weeks, and get their input before I write to the Director of the shelter. I want to have all my facts just right. It came into my mind today that perhaps a tech. did some or all of the surgery, we've heard about them performing neuters quite routinely at some shelters. I can't imagine a qualified vet leaving in fourteen roots.

However, on to how Dude is doing - very well! He was already eating when I called for him at the clinic on Thursday evening. They laughed and said that he didn't want to leave his food as they put him in his carrier. He's been tucking into his wet food ever since and really enjoying it. It was good to see him sit on the bed and wash his face afterwards and I suddenly realized that I hadn't seen him do that much. He ate because he had to, in spite of the pain, but he didn't want to touch his face if he didn't have to. Another great sign is that when I do get his mouth open to squirt in his medicine, I can see that his gums are pink for the first time. Whenever he's yawned and I've take a quick peek before, they've always been very red.

The medicine is murder. He's still on pain meds, which have a narcotic base, so I wait half-an-hour for that to take effect before I squirt in the antibiotic. I have to wrap him in a soft robe and then tie the tie around his upper body. Then I put his head in a vice-like grip between my knees and wrestle with his head to squirt the med in his mouth, hoping that he doesn't choke. He gets most of it, that's the best I can do. The first day, before I thought of tying him in the robe, he hurled himself out as soon as the med was in his mouth, crashed into my night table, and overturned a full mug of tea which went drenched the remote, phone and clock.

The pain med is one that is absorbed through the gums so it needs to be oral. Once he's off that tomorrow, I may move to Clavamox tabs, crushed into a bit of wet food. The injections would have to be intramuscular because he gets sores (he's got two now) from sub-q injections. I can't do im injections on my own and would have to pay a tech to come in twice a day.

As for spoiling, well of course! Dude's idea of being spoiled is to spend lots of time with me, which couldn't be nicer for me too. He's on my lap now, leaning into my chest. I'm steeling myself to give him his next round of meds.