Frank is home! - Recovery updates

Biogirl71

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Nov 5, 2010
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Since Frank is no longer at the emergency vet (yay!), I started a new thread to update on Frank's recovery process.

I picked him up yesterday and he was put on Xanax for the car ride. It worked wonderfully, no anxiety whatsoever. He was very sleepy and out of it though, so coming home was a bit confusing I think for him. He spent much of the afternoon and evening sleeping, except for when I had to wake him up for his medications. He had a bit of a hard panting episode, but he managed to calm himself down after a few minutes.

He is on 4 different antibiotics/antifungal medications. He has a medicine to help coat his GI tract and protect against acid reflux, which is a side effect of being on the ventilator. He has a medicine to also help get his gut flora back to normal. So I have set up an organization area on the table which shows which medicine needs to be taken and when. I don't want to miss anything!

He is eating well. He wants to eat more but I am just starting out giving him smaller amounts but throughout the day. I want to avoid any regurgitation. His stools are not good, which is to be expected from all that he went through and he feels the need to pee a lot, even when he doesn't have to, and I think that is probably a side effect of the catheter he had in at the vets.

All in all, our first night was not much sleep with the various times for medicine. I also kept watching him to make sure he was breathing normally. I am a giant worrywart. He is getting used to being back home and is into some of his old habits, which makes me so happy.

The vet wants me to steam up the bathroom and put him in it for about 10 minutes, three times a day, to act as a nebulizer. However, Frank gets upset when he hears the water running because he thinks he is getting a bath and I can't get him into the bathroom without dragging him. I don't want to do that since I want to keep him relaxed, so I think I will just get a humidifier instead. Or if anyone has any other suggestions that has worked for them, please let me know!

Sorry so long, but I am just so happy to have him back home and starting to act more like Frank. Thank you so much to everyone who has been cheering him on and following his progress. Your support means the world to me and Frank and my husband. :heart:
 

Bazza

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Jun 22, 2013
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YAY FRANK ! So glad he is recovering. You are doing a wonderful job caring for him, he is such a beautiful boy and thanks for updating us we are thinking of you all.
 

mer55

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What a great Relief to read this!! How about getting one of those vaporizers for kids- you can sit in front of it with him in a small room- he will love the cuddle time and won't think he is getting a bath!! You have been thru hell and back- but you had all of us with you every step of the way!! Prayers continue!! Keep us posted!! Hug Frank for Bogey!!! And one from me to you too!!!:angelhug:
 

Manydogs

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So happy for you all and Frank! My youngest son was always sick until he was about 5 and we had to do the steam thing-we also had a vaporizer in his room. I think that would work just as well, and won't stress Frank out! My best to you all-I know it is still stressful!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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So happy he is home with you and can get comfortable in his own space..... agree 100% with the vaporizer, it should do the job!
 

schimpfy

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Yay nothing better than being home glad he has a worrywart that way we know there is Love involved. How is Frank with taking his meds or how best do you disguise them. Wishing the swiftest of recoveries give him a scratch for us. Ps you can handle this no prob. Hugs and Tugs
 

aprilemari

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@Biogirl71 for the steaming, you could instead use eucalyptis oil. An indian friend gave me rubbery capsules filled with the oil once. you empty one of them into boiling water and put the hot steamy pot of water close to Frank, moving the steam towards him. It will clear up his congestion very fast and open up his nasal passages. I think this is one of the only things that helped Lola calm down during that frightful episode we had. I am so happy that Frank is home. so relieved.
 

ddnene

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I'm so glad to hear that Frank is home, and doing well :w00t: I hope that he continues on this path, and hopefully you guys can get some rest this weekend!!! :2thumbs:
 

bullmama

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Thank you for the update, so glad he's doing okay so far! Steamy bathroom DOES work wonders.... A humidifier would be good too but if you can talk him into doing the steam that would be the best option.


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dieMuttivonBifi

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sooo glad and relieved Frank is doing fine. baby steps to recovery, slowly but surely. though ofcourse i wish he'll feel better very soon! stay tough little man! you and your family and Frank are always in my thoughts. stay tough little man. youre lucky you have a tough loving mommy beside you :).
 
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Biogirl71

Biogirl71

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Thanks for all the helpful info. I am going to try the steamy bathroom again. I am hoping that now he has been home for a bit and is much more relaxed compared to yesterday evening, that he won't mind the bathroom too much. If that doesn't work, I will try the steamy bowl with eucalyptus oil. Unfortunately, I am on my own with Frank this weekend, so don't want to leave him to get a vaporizer. I haven't let him out of my sight for more than a minute. Right now he is sleeping in front of the fan with his favorite bone in his mouth. :)
 

brutus77

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So glad frank is home and recovering well. He sure is a fighter and your a great mommy!
 
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Biogirl71

Biogirl71

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Nov 5, 2010
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Cedar Rapids, IA
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Frank
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Yay nothing better than being home glad he has a worrywart that way we know there is Love involved. How is Frank with taking his meds or how best do you disguise them. Wishing the swiftest of recoveries give him a scratch for us. Ps you can handle this no prob. Hugs and Tugs

Aww, thank you for your well wishes! I need all that I can get. :) Frank is really good about taking meds, he will actually usually just eat them without anything since he thinks they are treats. However he has a bunch this time and some don't taste that good, so I have been putting cheese around them. When Frank was getting better at the emergency clinic, the vet couldn't stop talking about how good Frank was at eating. Well, that is Frank for you. Never one to turn down food. :)
 

Vikinggirl

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Hi, I'm so glad Frank is back at home, and is improving. Being at home will definitely help him heal, and TLC from mommy. I agree the bathroom steam would work the best, but if it stresses him out too much, then the vaporizer would work. Is it the running water that he stresses over?, or just being in the bathroom? If its just the water, then maybe you can run the hot water for a while, or the shower and close the bathroom door to steam it up, then shut off the water and bring Frank in there. You could also put the eucalyptus oil in the bathroom with the steam. I just wanted you to know that the excess peeing is also normal. Many medications can cause him to have to pee more, and also because he's been on IV fluids at the vets, so he has lots of extra fluids to get rid of.
 

NigelsMom

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Woohooo! Happy to hear Frank is home and on the road to recovery! Talk to him and let him know you're just running a steaming for him not a bath. He might just understand! Good luck!!
 

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