Help Please..

Christie H

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Ok so Abbott had his eye surgery yesterday and came home around 530.He was vomiting off and on all night so we took him in this morning to get a shot for nausea and he still can't keep anything down.I called the vet after hours line and have got no response.We have tried rice,chicken broth,saltiness without salt,water,Pedialyte..We are at a loss.He wants to eat and drink but throws it up.Any advice would help.
 

2BullyMama

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I see you are logged off so i am hoping the ER got back to you and you are on your way to the vet.

Sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers to you and Abbott
 

Vikinggirl

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Ok so Abbott had his eye surgery yesterday and came home around 530.He was vomiting off and on all night so we took him in this morning to get a shot for nausea and he still can't keep anything down.I called the vet after hours line and have got no response.We have tried rice,chicken broth,saltiness without salt,water,Pedialyte..We are at a loss.He wants to eat and drink but throws it up.Any advice would help.

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Hi Christie, vomiting and nausea is normal after surgery due to pain, medications, stress from the surgery and from not eating. I did look up other causes of vomiting after surgery, and I found this article. I hope it helps.


Vomiting After Surgery

Dog Upset Stomach After Surgery

So you picked up your dog from surgery and now he has an upset stomach? This is not very uncommon; actually, if you read through your post-op instructions you may find some information in regards to preventive measures you can take to prevent this annoying vomiting. The receptionist or vet tech should also have warned you about this possibility. However, how can one know if the vomiting episodes are normal or not? When should one be concerned? What is causing the vomiting in the first place? A good place to start is learning if your dog is vomiting or regurgitating. Following are some explanations for vomiting and regurgitation in dogs after surgery.

Why Does my Dog Have an Upset Stomach After Surgery?If your dog is vomiting after surgery, you are rightfully concerned. Your dog should be recovering, instead he is sick, retching and vomiting! Fortunately, there are some explanations for this, but itā€™s best to let your vet know if your dog has repeated bouts of vomiting without an explanation. Even though uncommon, there are cases where dogs may develop complications.

Dog Vomiting from Drinking Excessive WaterYour dog may likely have been very excited coming back home, then add the car drive and saying hello to your other family members. All this enthusiasm along with the car drive may likely have caused him to pant, and he may be very thirsty. So he may start drinking, and drinking and drinking. Next thing you know, a little bit later, he brings up all the water he drank. Itā€™s best to limit the water to frequent but smaller amounts, suggests Veterinary Care Specialist of Southeast Michigan. Giving ice cubes to lick may be an option if the dog is nauseous after surgery.

Dog Vomiting From Feeding too EarlyMost post-surgery instructions for dogs recommend feeding your dog a few hours after coming home. This is for two reasons: 1) some dogs are so excited to come home they may wolf their food down and vomit it back up 2) some dogs may have nausea as they recover from the anesthesia and eating too soon may trigger vomiting. Usually, the instructions state not to feed food or water for the first 3 hours. Then, a small amount of food and water can be given and the amounts can be gradually increased over the next 24 hours. In some cases though, dogs may not want to eat or drink until the next day, according to Csnip.

Side Effect of MedicationsMost likely, your dog came home with some medications to give to help him recover. Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and pain medications such as Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx, Metacam are known for causing upset stomach in dogs and sometimes ulcers. Common side effects of these drugs include appetite loss, vomiting and diarrhea or tarry stools. Consult with your vet immediately if you notice side effects as these can suggest liver or kidney damage or damage to the dogā€™s digestive tract. Your dog may also have been prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection. Read this article on dog upset stomach on antibioticsfor more information. Steroids may also contribute to vomiting and risk for ulcer.

When giving medications to your dog, make sure you follow directions carefully. Some medications are best given with food to prevent stomach upset. It may difficult at times to tell which medication is causing problems if theyā€™re given together. Consult with your vet for the best approach. He or she may suggest a different drug, tell your to discontinue it or reduce dosage. Your vet may also recommend stomach protective drugs. He or she may even suggest trying giving different drugs at different times to determine which one is causing trouble. Never give NSAIDs along with other NSAIDs or with steroids.

Vomiting From AnesthesiaAnesthesia can be tough on the body and some vulnerable dogs can be susceptible to complications.The kidneys are particularly vulnerable if the dogā€™s blood pressure gets too low for too long while under. The pancreas and intestines may suffer as well when thereā€™s low levels of oxygen. Vomiting more than once or twice over the course of 24 hours may be suggestive of organ problems. Even though vets run blood work prior to surgery to ensure important organs are in good shape, itā€™s important to re-run these tests if a dog presents repeated vomiting after surgery. Urine specific gravity, complete blood count ad serum biochemistry profile with electrolytes should be re-checked; however, early kidney problems can be difficult to detect. An ultrasound may be also helpful. Fluid therapy can help improve blood flow to organs that have suffered as a result of low blood pressure, explains Resident Vet, a board-certified veterinarian. If your dog has been vomiting repeatedly or for more than 24 hours, consult with your vet.

Vomiting from ComplicationsSometimes the vomiting is caused by complications from the surgical procedure. For instance, if a dog has undergone an enteretomy, which involves cutting open the intestine, and a section of the intestine is removed, the chances for complications such as peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum from leakage in the abdomen) are high.Symptoms suggestive of peritonitis include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and fever.

Vomiting from Unrelated ConditionsAnd then of course, vomiting may occur because of something totally unrelated with the surgery. Your dog may have gotten into the trash can, swallowed a sock and all those many other causes of dog vomiting that donā€™t fall under the post-surgery category.


Dog Regurgitation After Surgery

If your dog appears to be actually regurgitating and the food brought back up appears similar to the way it went down (not digested), there may be some possible explanations that may be linked with surgery and anesthesia. Following are some examples of things that may go wrong.

Being Fed Before SurgeryFor a good reason vets emphasize the importance of fasting the dog several hours prior to surgery. This is mainly for your dogā€™s safety so that there are less chances for him to inhale stomach contents into the lungs. When your dog goes under, his body and bodily functions are ā€œput to to sleepā€, so even the simple action of swallowing is no longer possible and the gag reflex is also gone. On a full stomach, those stomach contents may come back up and end up in the dogā€™s airways, which can lead to esophagitis and pulmonary aspiration.

According to the Israel Journal of Veterinary Medicine, gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a complication that happens more than suspected. It may be triggered by anesthetic drugs such as acepromazine, isolfurane, xylazine, morphine, halotane and atropine since these drugs reduce the tone of the gastro-oesophageal sphincter causing it to relax. Because this effect is not apparent, as the acidic gastric content sit in the esophagus undetected, (unless the veterinary nurse notices fluid in the mouth) itā€™s often referred to as ā€œsilent reflux.ā€ The only sure way to detect this is by checking the pH of the esophagus. Fasting is one of the most crucial preventive measures to prevent GER and esophagitis which occurs when the esophagus undergoes prolonged exposure with gastric acid. As little as 20 minutes contact is enough to cause damage to the esophageal lining.

While a case of esophagitis may resolve within 2 to 3 days, things though get problematic when itā€™s severe enough to cause a narrowing (esophageal stenosis) or stricture (esophageal stricture). Affected dogs will have problems keeping food down which causes persistent regurgitation, according to Vet Surgery Central.These dogs tend to tolerate liquid meals much better than solids, and over time, if left untreated, they may start getting malnourished and lose weight.

Typically, most dogs will regurgitate within 2 to 3 days from the day the dog underwent general anesthesia, explains veterinarian, Dr. Gene from Ontario Veterinary College. The stricture develops because of a poorly healed case of esophagitis. What happens is that if the esophagitis is not treated properly, every time the dog vomits or regurgitates, the esophagus is further traumatized, leading to a vicious cycle. Itā€™s important to take care of the esophagus by protecting it with medications. Pepcid, sucralfate and anti-emetics may be needed, explains veterinary surgeon Dr. B

Improper Use of Endotracheal TubeWhen a dog undergoes surgery, an endotracheal tube is inserted through the mouth so to keep the airway open and allow an adequate flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The endotracheal tube is characterized by a cuff which inflates so that the trachea is sealed and prevented from aspiration of gastric contents. Generally, the chances for regurgitation are most likely to occur shortly after the dog is anesthetized. This is a good time for veterinary nurses to check for signs of fluid in the mouth. During surgery, the dog should be positioned in such as way as to allow any reflux to escape from the mouth easily.

After surgery, the tube should stay inflated until the swallowing reflex is back and the dog can protect his airway, explains Brenda K. Feller, a veterinary technician specializing in anesthesia. Failure to do so, can cause regurgitate to pool in the dogā€™s esophagus since the dog is unable to swallow, which may cause damage. Should regurgitation occur after the tube is removed, the dogā€™s head and neck should be extended and the head kept in a down position with the tongue extended, so the regurgitate can flow out.

Risk Factors for EsophagitisThere are also several risk factors that makes certain dogs more susceptible to esophagitis and strictures. One of them is older age. It appears that older dogs are more prone to this kind of complication. Another risk factor is the type of surgery being performed. It appears that abdominal surgeries increase the chances for esophagus damage. The time frame a dog is fasted also appears to play a role. According to Galatos and Raptopoulos 1995a, prolonged fasting increased the chances for reflux, and the refluxed fluid appeared to be more acidic, and thus, more damaging. The use of propofol was also associated with higher risks than the use of thiopental.

The Bottom LineVomiting and regurgitation may be some signs of side effects and potential complications after a dog is discharged from surgery. Should the owner notice repeated vomiting and regurgitation itā€™s important to notify the vet. Should reflux be noticed in a timely manner, the dog can be given gastroprotectants such as sucralfate, ranitidine and cimetidine. Antimicrobial therapy may also be started and x-rays may help determine if thereā€™s any signs of aspiration pneumonia. Left untreated, esophagitis may lead to stricture which is far more complicated to treat.



 

NewEnglandBully

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Keep trying to give him ice-chips until someone gets back to youā€¦12 hours is too long, he needs to be seen. If they aren't getting back to you, do you have another er vet you can call?

If you have a sports/water bottle, you can put electrolyte water in there and give in small doses.
 
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Christie H

Christie H

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We are going to a neighboring ER because we can't reach anyone which I will be letting them have it on Monday for giving us info that was not followed up on.We just gave him some pumpkin to see if that would settle his tummy and it's been about 20 minutes with no vomit so I'm hopeful but he went in at 9 this morning for a nausea shot but has vomited throughout today and we haven't even been able to give him his mens because he can't keep anything down.So I think it's time to go to the ER.Im calm but not calm.
 

2BullyMama

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We are going to a neighboring ER because we can't reach anyone which I will be letting them have it on Monday for giving us info that was not followed up on.We just gave him some pumpkin to see if that would settle his tummy and it's been about 20 minutes with no vomit so I'm hopeful but he went in at 9 this morning for a nausea shot but has vomited throughout today and we haven't even been able to give him his mens because he can't keep anything down.So I think it's time to go to the ER.Im calm but not calm.



I so hear you..... please keep us posted, I hope it is just a side effect of the meds in his system. :hug:
 
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Christie H

Christie H

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I'm thinking it is he was sensitive to it last time but was ok after the shot but it's lasting longer this time.He isn't lethargic and gets up and down and his gums are still pink.
 

bullmama

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I wouldn't try to even feed him too much today, maybe just a 1/4 cup of rice/chicken. Just a bit. Just try to keep him hydrated.
 

CCandMurray

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Christie I'm so so sorry you and Abbott are going through this :( I wish there was something I could do to make it better! I hope you get some good news at the ER vet please keep us posted
 

TyTysmom

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Hey Christie, sorry about poor Abbott. Honestly I wouldn't feed him anymore for now. Let his belly settle a bit. You said they gave him a shot.... Was it Cerenia? I'm leaning towards it being a side effect from his surgery & he'll feel better by tomorrow. Please keep us posted on what the ER vet says. Sending hugs!


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Christie H

Christie H

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Thank you everyone so far he has kept the pumpkin and some water down so fingers crossed.I will keep everyone posted.
 
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Christie H

Christie H

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Hey Christie, sorry about poor Abbott. Honestly I wouldn't feed him anymore for now. Let his belly settle a bit. You said they gave him a shot.... Was it Cerenia? I'm leaning towards it being a side effect from his surgery & he'll feel better by tomorrow. Please keep us posted on what the ER vet says. Sending hugs!


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I'm not certain what the shot was but he's had one before after a previous surgery.My husband took him to get it.Im leaning toward side effects also.
 

TyTysmom

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I'm not certain what the shot was but he's had one before after a previous surgery.My husband took him to get it.Im leaning toward side effects also.

I'm sure that's it. It comes in pill form
too, we have some on hand & Tyson's been on it before too. If he's had some fluids, I'd just let him relax for tonight even if he's hungry. It's worse to keep trying and he continues vomiting. I'm willing to bet that he'll feel better by tomorrow however still stick with chicken/rice for now.
It's very common after surgery bc of the Meds, etc that are wearing off.


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