The Return Of The Bladder Stones

Hello everyone. I know it's been awhile since you've heard from me. Right now, I live in a place that doesn't have dogs. However, I'm lucky enough where I can see Cookie, Gigi and Homer when I visit my family. Luckily, it's not too far of a drive. So, when I blog, you'll be hearing stories about me blogging from experiences outside of my home. It's my goal to do things more frequently and finding a balance between marriage, family, friends and my world online. Anyhow, this post is more about Gigi, so here we go.

In October 2014, I noticed that Gigi was having accidents in the house again and not eating. Not only that, but she would lay on my mom's bed all day and not budge. So it was time take her to the doctor again. Unfortunately, I had to switch doctors because the original one I had taken her to didn't have weekend hours. So I took her to the Petsmart in the neighborhood.

When I took Gigi there, they checked her over and we had x-rays done. From the x-rays, it was obvious the stones were back. They had prescribed Clavamox and she was eating the prescribed food. Taking her back on regular visits, there was little improvement and the doctor suggested that she may need to have surgery.

It occurred to me knowing that she had struvite stones, which are able to be dissolved, this place did not look at all the options. They looked at surgery as the be all and end all. There was no suggestion of a urine culture or other non-invasive treatments. I knew in my heart it was time for a second opinion. It also didn't help that the staff wasn't very compassionate either. For me, compassion goes a long way when it comes to those you love and the people who are responsible for their care. I also felt like I was being judged.

Time for a Second Opinion

One year later, I knew things shouldn't be this way When I got home, I decided to check my old vet's website. After seeing the hours, I noticed he now had Saturday hours in the morning. I quickly called to make an appointment. I brought Gigi in to get an exam and asked the doctor if it would give her the medication that he did in the past, because it seemed to work. I was hesitant about getting an X-ray because I knew in my heart from the way Gigi was behaving and struggling on walks that they were still there.

As the person taking her to the doctor, I had made some mistakes. I got a urinalysis first to see where things were and took a plan of action. It was getting scary because Gigi had become resistant to the original antibiotics. I shouldn't have tried to outguess my doctor. Because the urine culture wasn't done right away, it was hard to tell if the medicine was working properly or not.

So it turned out that the doctor ran the urine culture to see if there was any medications that Gigi's would accept. Out of the seven types of possible medications he ran against her blood chemistry, there was one in which she wasn't resistant. I realized then and there, it was time to me to let go and go all in with what the doctor was saying. We instantly switched the medication and I told my mom that she would need to give her a half pill twice a day.

This was a very long process, but after a couple of weeks, I took Gigi back for another test to see if the medicine would work and her body didn't build up another resistance to the medication. A few days later, I got another call and the doctor told me that the medication was working. We both were relieved.

Lessons that I Learned

This experience with Gigi and her bladder stones has been frustrating and incredibly fulfilling at the same time. I learned that no matter how scared you are, you can't try to second guess your doctor. I also learned that you have to go with your instincts. It's also important to build a foundation of trust with your vet and not to let incidents of the past cloud your thinking. Not all vets are the same. Because of my second veterinarian's unyielding commitment to finding a solution, Gigi didn't have to have an unnecessary surgery. I will always be grateful to him and his staff for their excellent care they gave my dog.

And Gigi? Because the stones came back after the first treatment, she will have to have prescription food for the rest of her life. The food is available by prescription only but it's a small price to pay to know your dog has a good chance of not getting the stones again. I'll also have to take her for a follow up visit in about four months.

Let's Discuss!

I love to hear what you have to say. So here is my question for you. Have you ever gotten a second opinion for your pet and how did it make a difference?

I appreciate you guys always coming here to support my blog. Have a great weekend!

It's All Related!

Gigi's Battle with Bladder Stones
What you need to know about Bladder Stones

A Tale Of Three Dogs

Cookie, Gigi and Homer (from left to right)

When you have three dogs, there's never a dull moment. Cookie, Gigi and Homer have all had interesting situations lately.

Cookie

Some of you may remember a few months ago when Cookie hurt her leg, and the vet's prognosis was that she needed surgery. Yet, a short time later, Cookie was able to walk better. The initial thought was, her CCL was completely torn and that she would need surgery to repair the tear.

It turned out that the x-ray wasn't read as easily as it should have been. Cookie's bone structure can make it difficult to get an accurate reading on an x-ray machine.

Future Steps

While it's most likely that Cookie won't have surgery, I hope to be able to take her to get another x-ray. If it turns out to be a partial tear, then I will do conservative management to get her back to her normal self.

It helps that her activity has been limited and that she doesn't use the stairs much. It has been said that animals adapt to their environment and in Cookie's case, this is correct. I am hoping to get her an x-ray that is more accurate to see the injury more clearly. In the meantime, I'm grateful that her condition has stabilized.

Gigi

A few weeks ago, Gigi had a huge bulge in her neck. I took her to the doctor that same week and after removing some blood from the affected area, it was apparent she had an infection. The area was drained and there was a sample sent to the lab for testing.

Ten days later, I received a call from the veterinarian stating that there was lab error. Shock that the cost for these tests cost me over 40 per cent of my veterinary bill, I went to the clinic to see if I could get a refund or at least a portion of the money I paid back since both tests were inconclusive.

Two days later, I get a call from the vet tech telling me that the infection "cleared itself up on the way to the lab" and that's why the tests didn't work out. Translation: You're not getting you're money back. Part of me was angry that this happened and felt this reason was fabricated and the other part felt like it was par for the course when it came to the vet.

The Lesson I Learned

In the future, I will be more scrutinizing about lab tests. It's my belief that many doctors take advantage of pet owners' desire to give their pets the best possible care and will suggest extra tests they don't need.

When Gigi had her infection, she was tested for both aerobic and anaerobic infections. If I had only done one test, it would be an accurate enough indicator of what she did or didn't have. The extra test was unnecessary, but I didn't receive the cost breakdown till after I paid.

While this vet has always been caring towards my animals, I will be trying a new vet in the future. I was recommended a vet through a family member and think that at least, this new vet will be more upfront.

Homer

Homer is a fearless dog. He will chase any rabbit and chew up almost anything. He loves to patrol the backyard and barks with pride to protect his territory. However, the 4th of July changed all that.

Homer became a different dog. The bold dog who loved to prowl the neighborhood, couldn't wait to get home and wouldn't budge until I headed in that direction. I thought that once the holiday was over, he would be fine. However, the next few times I tried to take him out, he would act the same.

It seemed unreal. Even after the holiday was over, he would still hear noises on his walk that resembled firework sounds.

Steps To Getting Past The Fear

After talking to one of my friends on Twitter(@fearfuldogs), she informed me that you have to be proactive with sound phobias since they only get worse.

While I can't control how Homer feels about darkness, I can control how he goes outside. Last night, I took him for a car ride before sunset. He loved being in the car and being at the park put him in a neutral environment. Other options are taking him to the off-leash dog park, the dog beach and the local pet store. While I can't do that all the time, it's good to know that's an option I can use.

I think it will take time, but with persistence, I hope to get his phobia more manageable.

Let's Discuss!

Have any of you experienced problems that were similar to the ones written in this post? If so, how did you handle it?

Related Posts

A Rough Road Ahead
Cookie Update
The Unforeseen Affliction
One Little Firecracker

A Rough Road Ahead

Hi Everyone,

Many of you may know Cookie from this blog. Yesterday, my mom and I took her to the vet. It turned out that she needed x-rays. After we came back to pick her up, we found out the news:

Her right ligament had completely snapped.

I am devastated. She was just back to herself, having the stamina to handle two walks a day. Now, she has to use her left hind leg to walk and her weight has ballooned to 28.5 pounds (12.9 kg) which was a shock. We had been measuring out her meals and it still happened. I think part of it is due to her breed because Cocker Spaniels love food and can gain weight easily.

The Prognosis

It is imperative for Cookie to lose weight. I will probably be getting a high quality food like Bil-Jac light since it doesn't require as much food to feed your dog as other dog foods do. Without Cookie losing the weight to get back to a manageable size, she won't be able to have the necessary surgery to repair the ligament.

Cranial Crucial Ligament Surgery

This surgery is ideal for dogs in Cookie's situation. Without the surgery, she will not be able to have full mobility of her legs. With the surgery, she will be able to walk using all four legs again.

The surgery is very expensive. With my current income, the only way I'll be able to do it is with financial aid. I will be checking all of the resources to see what's possible for Cookie. Thank you all for stopping by. I will keep you updated on Cookie's status.

Let's Discuss!

Have any of you had dogs in the same situation as Cookie? What steps did you take for your dog?

The Oscar Foundation

When I was a kid, my dog Casey would greet us when we would come home from school. One day, Casey got hit by a car when he went outside. His injuries were massive, including a broken hip. We weren't sure if he would walk again, and it took two months for him to be able to walk again. Even so, he walked with a limp. At that time, dog wheelchairs or carts were not available.

Sometimes, when you own a dog, there are times when a dog will need surgery such as Casey's and the costs are not affordable. This was the case with Oscar. Oscar was found in a dumpster at only eight weeks old with his body shattered and his jaw broken. After considerable surgery Oscar was able to walk but it was decided that using a cart would give him the best quality of life.

The Oscar Foundation was established to help pet owners who are in similar situations to have the opportunity to afford these complex surgeries. Their application has strict requirements and will give a person the chance to give their pet the care they need when there is no where else to turn.

If you would like to learn more, you can learn more through their website. Since this is a non-profit organization, they will accept donations as well.

Let's Discuss!

Have you had a dog in your life that needed a serious operation like Oscar or Casey?

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Gigi After Dental Surgery

Hello Everyone! Just wanted to let you know that Gigi turned out to be a real trooper. Everything went ok. We still don't know what caused the tooth to crack but did learn that her tooth was like this for quite some time.

I will bringing her in for a follow up visit because the area that the tooth was removed from was large and she needed sutures. I also will be administering pain medication and antibiotics until the prescription runs out. Now that the initial medication has worn off, Gigi is feeling the soreness from the extraction. Still, even after all that, it was well worth it, and the peace of mind knowing she'll be more herself now is priceless.

Thanks again for stopping by. Have a great day.

At The Vet's Office Part II

Hello TKD Friends!
Sorry I have been a stranger. I came back from being away for a couple of days to find out from Mom that Cookie (my little gray dog) had injured her rear leg. She loves to jump down from this table that she perches herself on when she looks out the window. The table was about three feet high. She was excited to see me but was holding her rear left leg up when she was walking.

We took her in this afternoon and the vet had to take some X-rays to see if her CCL (Cranial Cruciate Ligament) was torn. At best we could hope for a sprain. At worst, surgery would have to be completed. When we returned, after the tests finished, we went back to the office. Since Cookie is the breed of dog that has short legs, the vet had difficulty with the X-rays. After some time, they were able to get a fairly good result.

It turns out that Cookie may have a slight tear. It's not 100% torn but the knee joint is very inflamed. The doctor told us we could wait it out and see her back in a couple of weeks or have the surgery. Since the X-rays weren't 100% definite, Mom and I chose to wait it out. We have to take her back on the 13th.

Anyhow, I just want to thank you all for stopping by. If you would like to see my other vet's office post check out this link here.