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Post by Thérèse on Jan 1, 2013 5:48:59 GMT -5
Onlky 1 and 1/2 days to go! That just seems much better, almost like it's tomorrow only because it's not 2 whole days.
Today has been mostly sleeping but it has been hotter today and Diablo has been mostly sleeping too. Only Rocket seems to not notice weather. Summer and Winter my guys can slow and snuggle more (ie. hot or very cold), they like mid seasons best. Rocket goes the same year round! Bandage is still on too!
Spoke to my Ma about the idea of going straight with amputation and could tell she was very hesitant at first but began to see that the pros, so far, are outweighing the cons, but will see what the vet says on Thurs.
Least my Sumo snuggler still loves a cuddle.
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Post by Heather on Jan 1, 2013 12:26:59 GMT -5
Good luck with your decision. I've avoided talking about Athos. I went for the difficult pinning. They brought in a special surgeon for Guelph who taught these things at the university. The surgery went smashing, it was great. My vet phoned totally elated.....then I got a call about 10 minutes later....she was sobbing on the phone. It was so hard. His heart had just stopped. They tried to revive him but it was just not possible. We talked and decided that the surgery was too long, too stressful. Would he have survived if I amputated....I don't know. The surgery would have been shorter. I don't just don't know. I'm not sure that it would have helped. He was so young. I know what my decision would be next time, thankfully, I've never had to make it again and I don't envy you yours. Good luck. Be strong little Sumo ciao
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2013 18:33:36 GMT -5
Just PM you!
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Post by Thérèse on Jan 2, 2013 8:32:05 GMT -5
Well Thurs is finally here, albeit just, it is about 20 past midnight.
I have to take Sumo in between 8 and 830am, although surgery will not be done til later. Surgeries are performed from about 10am onwards. Have told my Ma I will go nuts waiting at home to hear, so would like it if we could keep busy going to the markets etc.
Checked the pm, thanks Sheila.
Thank you for sharing about Athos too, Heather. That is one of my considerations in leaning towards just telling them to take the leg, length of surgery. If they go checking and attempting a pin, even if it is not done, that will lengthen the surgery and hence the risk.
I will post tomorrow night and let you all know what happened, but at this stage my instinct is telling me amputation will be best for Sumo (wish he could talk and tell me what he wishes). So barring the vet telling me something completely unexpected, that is what I am probably going to do. I am going to discuss the options but I am expecting that he will tell me that surgery and convalescence will be shorter, simpler and safer with amputation and that with no leg there will be no risk of later athritus which would, again, incapacitate him as he ages. If that is the situation then I really can't see that trying to save the leg would be worth the risks involved, especially when it would have an uncertain outcome too.
Thanks everyone for the support and I will let you know tomorrow night what happened.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2013 10:20:33 GMT -5
I have been following this thread, CLOSELY. I don't have much help, but candles will be lit and he will be cared for!
Good luck wee one! even with three legs, you'd probably be just as cute
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Post by Sherry on Jan 2, 2013 10:27:14 GMT -5
I agree with your reasoning completely Therese. Good luck, and yes- let us know when he comes out of surgery and how he's doing.
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Post by Heather on Jan 2, 2013 12:29:59 GMT -5
Good luck, we're all here. Hang in there little Sumo ciao
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Post by katt on Jan 2, 2013 13:18:11 GMT -5
Thinking of you and Sumo today. Please keep us posted. I hope the surgery goes well!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2013 22:14:50 GMT -5
Good luck and speedy recovery for Sumo!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2013 1:32:30 GMT -5
Only new here but been following the thread closely ... For what it's worth i think you are leaning towards the right decision as well, ferrets are nothing if not adaptable with challenges he should be up and about as quick as ever with just the three legs in no time at all.
That is of course aslong as the vet doesn't have some great news of other options for you today... Best of luck either way and fingers crossed for a quick recovery
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Post by Thérèse on Jan 3, 2013 6:57:13 GMT -5
Well Sumo has come through his surgery!
Got to the vets and said I would tell him where I was at and why and he could let me know if I was way off base with anything. He agreed that he thought amputation was the best option (and seemed relieved like he had been steeling himself to advise me to go that way). He did say that both ops held the risk of an artery in the vicinity and that if that got cut the animal would die but other wise while both were long surgeries for a ferret the pinning was definitely the longer and more risky and complex of the 2 surgeries. So I signed the papers to amputate and left. We had discussed when he would come home and I was told that while for an amputation they would normally keep the animal overnight that, that, was to ensure the animal was kept quiet, but a ferret in a cage was not necessarily going to be quiet so that they would keep him pretty much til close (630pm) but that he could then come home and be kept in the carrier at home to keep him quiet.
I would have gone nuts at home waiting so I spent the day wandering round shops with my Ma and sister (who is in town from Tas for a few weeks with her family). I figured I could get by til about 3pm but then would get very edgy. For normal surgeries like desexing etc. they usually say ring at 3pm if you haven't heard. I knew this was a long one and it might be later but knew I would start clock and phone watching round 3ish. I managed to hold out til 445 before ringing and the receptionist told me he had come through the surgery which had just finished 15 min ago. Figured the vet was waiting for him to fully wake up and asked her to get him to call me when he could.
once the shops were closing etc. even though I hadn't heard back I figured just head to the vets (might hear on the way and we would already be heading in the right direction) because if he was going to end up staying overnight then I wanted to leave some food he was familar with for them to feed him. Got there about 625pm. The vet checked him and said that he was good to come home then.
The surgery had gone well but when he was shaved he could see puncture wounds from the dog. They musn't have bled much at all because I had checked and seen nothing when I first got him back after the altercation and the vet had checked on his initial visit too and even noted on file no puncture wounds. After the leg was off he checked it over. Surprisingly the nerve was not damaged, so the not attempting to bite when being strapped or checked over (read squeezed, prodded and manipulated) was just Sumo being a sweetie. The break was slightly lower than it had felt (because we were going straight to amputation he didn't do a pre-op x-ray) but still in a difficult place but it would have been able to be pinned, although the pinning would have been tricky to do. However the puncture wounds increased the probability that what would have happened is that while it could have been pinned (although the break was straight and they usually take longer to heal than one that is angled) he very likely would have developed osteomylosis (think that's what he called it) which is basically an infection that gets inside the bone (because of the puncture wounds this was very likely). That means when we came to the checking how things were going after the op and convalescence time we would have found the osteomylosis and had to amputate at that point, so looks like, at this juncture, direct amputation was the best choice (even though you can never really know what would have happened) ie. we just went straight to Go. Now there is no bone for the osteomylosis so we should be good there.
Anyway stitches should be removed about 10 days hence but because Jelly's booster for her initial vaccine was due the 18th so we are just going to do both then.
He has to be confined to rest for 2 days but then can do as much as he is comfortable doing. The vet said I can strap him or make a makeshift collar or whatever to stop him messing with the stitches if required but truthfully they mostly can't manouevre to get them at this stage. I said he had friends that might though. He has to keep away from them for a while. When he is ready to be with them I will probably put a bit of Sudocreme on. I used Sudocreme when Spooky dog had her knee surgery years ago once the initial wound had healed a little and not only did it stop her messing with it but I think it helped it heal faster.
He is still to have the metacam and has some clavamox to have just as a precautionary against infection. When I picked him up he seemed pretty alert and reasonably happy considering. He is currently down in the darkened lounge room in the carrier resting. He has most of his upper torso shaved and a big y shaped wound with stitches, so looks kind of sad. I am never good about taking pix when one of my guys is sick, injured or ill because I know I won't want to be reminded (you only got the strapped one because the bandage was so cool) but I will see how I feel a bit later and maybe take some but don't hold your breath.
Anyway thanks for the support and advice and shared stories to help me decide what to do and to get us through the waiting. Now it's just forward and hopefully he heals quickly and well and adjusts to his special three legged status.
Thanks again all
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Post by Jeremy's Boggle on Jan 3, 2013 8:43:09 GMT -5
So glad he did so well with the surgery. Hoping for a speedy recovery.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2013 8:44:03 GMT -5
Oh thank god! i was practically holding my breath for him. I'm so happy that he got through alright!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2013 8:50:33 GMT -5
Oh this was such a relief to read. I'm so glad he pulled through the surgery! Heal quickly, little one <3
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2013 9:00:48 GMT -5
I'm so glad he came through it well! Get well soon, Sumo!
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