On Thursday Hamish, nearly 13, was acting normally, playing with the other dogs in the garden, yet today he is in the vets and I am distraught.

Friday he went for a short walk at lunchtime with the others and seemed OK. Early evening he seemed a bit stiff and looked like he didn't want to lift his head. By Saturday morning he could barely move, so I took him to the vets who took some bloods to check his red cell count as he looked a bit pale and prescribed some extra painkillers (he's already on Previcox for his ongoing arthritis and hip problem). I got very little sleep on Saturday night as he was moaning and groaning, obviously in pain, so phoned the vet and went to collect some extra painkillers and booked him in for x-rays today. He seemed a little brighter yesterday afternoon but overnight deteriorated again and today collapsed in the vet's waiting room having to be stretchered through at which point I burst into tears.....

I've just heard from the vet that his red blood count is lower, white cells are raised and the urine sample I took in showed higher than normal levels of toxins. The x-rays and ultrasound showed some cloudy areas, particularly around the spleen area and she thinks he is bleeding into his abdomen. With my permission she has decided to open him up and if anything can be done it will be, if not they will let him go.....

Keep everything crossed for my special boy.

Here's hoping the vet can do something to relieve his suffering.

Everything crossed for Hamish

Keeping you both in my thoughts and wishing him strength to pull through x

Oh my :-( Ihope he gets through the op will keep and fingers and paws crossed here x

Fingers crossed for your poorly boy.

Really hope something can be done for him, will be thinking of you xx

Fingers crossed he gets better soon

Oh my, really hope that he pulls through for you... Keep us posted of his progress, I have a feeling he will come through for you xx

Prayers for Hamish that all will be well. Definitely the longest wait when you don't know what the outcome will be. Will be thinking of you & hope it's positive news.

Fingers crossed for Hamish, I know this will be a very long wait for you, we're all hoping for a positive outcome.

Thinking of you and Hamish x

Sending positive vibes.  My eldest Bearded Collie collapsed when a haemorrhagic tumour on the spleen burst.  Her gums were white, and it was a long haul.  I had the tumour and spleen removed, and recovery was very long, but she is still with me.

I sincerely hope that all goes well when they have a look see.  Thinking of you.

Just had a call from one of the vet nurses. Not as bad as feared when they opened him up in as much as no huge tumours or ruptures, so they are going to biopsy the spleen and liver, although she did say the liver looked a little small and getting a biopsy from it is quite difficult. He's still on the table and will be for about an hour, and they will have a thorough look around at everything else whilst in there. So another few hours of waiting......

Thanks for all your good wishes x

I tried to post earlier but then had a powercut in the middle. Fingers crossed here! I so know the worry when it is an oldie. x

Nothing worse than waiting!  :-(

Have everything crossed here.  Do let us know the outcome.  Good Luck.  :-)

Latest news......biopsies taken from spleen, liver and pancreas which all looked slightly abnormal, and put on an urgent request to the lab, so results should be back tomorrow. Gallbladder was slightly enlarged. She can't really understand his rapid deterioration, so we can only wait for the results of the various tests and biopsies. He will stay in overnight having fluid therapy. The vet will phone me this evening with an update.......

Oh dear info hope it isn't too bad news and they can sort it out. You must be besides yourself with worry:-(

best wishes,pedlee.

Thinking of you and hoping you receive good news.

Worried would be an understatement!!! At least he pulled through the surgery, I just hope it's not all been in vain, but it doesn't sound too hopeful. At least if they'd gone in and found a tumour it could have been dealt with. It's just the not knowing.....

It's just the not knowing.....

I'm betting just about everyone on CD has felt the very same at some point, and will do again x.

Keeping positive for Hamish and you.

Whew!  You must be in a whirl.  I hate it when they are kept in. 

I can't say don't worry, but you do know that we are with you all the way.  Hang on in there.

{{{{  HUGS  }}}}

hoping you have better news in the morning, Pedlee, big hugs to Hamish xx

you will be going through the darkest time just now. you are in my prayers. x

I wish your old boy well.
I always feel sick myself whenever my old dogs are ill.

I've been thinking of you all night and the worry you must be going through. I pray you have good news today.

Hoping you have better news this morning.  Thinking of you xxx

Holding my breath for you this morning.

Have just seen your post, fingers & paws crossed here for you. Thinking of you, Lacy

Thinking of you and Hamish.

Sheila

Just checking in to see if there has been any news yet, hope he had a comfortable night and that the only news is good.

Hope that youve managed to get some rest and that the news asnt as bad as you feared.
Thinking of you.
Michelle

Nothing more to report really. He had a comfortable night so it's just a case of waiting for the results of the biopsies and tests. The vet will phone as soon as there is any news. If nothing to report she'll give me a ring later to let me know how he is in himself.

What is an additional worry is that the veterinary practice is unattended overnight, so I've spent all night worrying about him being alone if something should go wrong......

That is awful they shouldn't leave him on his own I would ask to have him back home if they can't provide 24 hour care :-(

Like Lucy says I would get him back now, I've never left any of mine at my regular vets overnight, no matter how ill as I always think they're better with me watching them continuously, and calling the vet if needed, than someone else (even if better trained) popping in occasionally. I did have to leave one overnight at the orthopaedic specialist, wasn't happy about it and wouldn't do it again.

Hamish will also be much happier at home with his mummy :-)

> That is awful they shouldn't leave him on his own

I think it is fairly common practice.  Unless it is a pretty large practice or hospital I don't really see how they could afford to have 24 hours staff without making it prohibitively expensive for the client.  On many an occasion they could be rostering or paying night staff and not have any overnight care to do!

My vet does and it is only a small practice and they have even taken one of l cats home with them over a bank holiday weekend.

I would never use a vet that didn't . I am sure Hamish would be much better off at home

They say there is somebody there until about 11pm and then someone will be in again at around 7am, but that's 8 hours unattended. I'm really not happy, but he is on a drip and was catheterised last night, so not sure it would be possible to bring him home. I'd be more than happy to pay extra for someone to be there just for peace of mind if nothing else.....

I agree bring him home,I left one of mine in for 3 nights a few months ago,never again will i let a poorly dog stay in vets overnight again,as they are totally on there own.
Sheila

sorry we must of typed same time,if hes on his own anyway ,he would be better off with you,you can always take him back during the day,

Sheila

> I'd be more than happy to pay extra for someone to be there just for peace of mind if nothing else.....

I think 8 hours at even minimum wage, and I expect anyone of any use would be rather more, would be a very expensive option for most people.
As you say if they have fluids, drains or catheters they probably are better in the sort of facilities the vet can offer.  I expect he slept and I don't think you should fret about it :) 

Its so worrying when we have to leave our beloved furkidz.
Some years ago, my old Golden boy had to have a small op.   They had some emergency at the surgery during the day and as a result, the op wasnt done till about 3.30 and they said that as it was late and as he was so dopey from the anesthetic, we should leave him there overnight and collect him on the following day.
I refused and went to get him as soon as I finished work that same evening.   I was wearing a fitted skirt, stockings and high heels....and he was VERY dopey but SO thrilled to see me.   He was a big boy - no way he could be carried! - so he walked (like a drunk!) and I followed him on my hands and knees to keep him upright and eventually, we made it to the car without incident!  Tucked up in his own bed, in his own house, with his own humans, he could recover at his leisure.
Your situation is a little different because of the IV and catheter and he may also be very sleepy and not aware of his surroundings.   Is there any chance that you can sit with him at the vets for awhile instead of taking him home? Just so that he can hear your voice and smell your smell?
I do hope that things turn out well for him.   You must be sooooo worried.
Michelle

>Is there any chance that you can sit with him at the vets for awhile instead of taking him home? Just so that he can hear your voice and smell your smell?

I'd be quite happy to sit with him in the vets all night, but there are probably rules about such things and I doubt it would be allowed. I don't want to go in for him to see me and then get upset when I leave.....

My old vet has 2 practices and the poorly animals would be transferred to which ever one was on call that night, I wouldn't leave a sick animal unattended at the vets, he could pull out all the lines,be in pain,start vomiting etc.and no one there to witness it.

As a night nurse for decades it would be like me switching off the lights and going home for the night.

The canulla can be taped in place, the catheter clamped and released when he is home with you and you would have the peace of mind that he wasn't alone.

> As a night nurse for decades it would be like me switching off the lights and going home for the night

In the modern, non nightingale wards you can't be in everyones room all night.  When you are satisfied that the patient is stable you leave them to rest rather than keep distubing them as sleep is also important. 
I'm sure if the vet did not think the animal was stable or would not settle he would probably make other arrangements and I really don't think Pedlee should be made to worry any more than she is.

I wonder what the insurance would say about leaving animals over night without any cover ?

A patient would also be able to call for help where as an animal would not.

I don't think anybody is trying to make Pedlee worry we are just voicing our concerns that we share her worry and would ask to have him home.

> I wonder what the insurance would say about leaving animals over night without any cover ?

I expect they know it is common practice.

>I don't think anybody is trying to make Pedlee worry we are just voicing our concerns that we share her worry and would ask to have him home.

That's fine  :)  I just don't think it is necessarily the best option given the fluids, catherer etc, the disturbance of a journey home at 11pm and back again at 8am.  I honestly think he is best left quietly resting there.  If he wasn't having any therapy from tea-timish I probably would bring him home but he is.
Vets are used to doing this and have set ups that minimise the risk of lines being removed etc.  After all, when animals are with them during the day they will be left for hours at a time during surgery and operating lists.

My vets now have no overnight cover so pets are transferred to a larger practice about 10 miles away - you have to do the transfer yourself but there is excellent cover overnight.

Not ideal but better than a pet being alone overnight.  You can only ask if you can spend the night with him - but hopefully you'll get positive news later and he'll be able to come home.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you xxx

> I wouldn't leave a sick animal unattended at the vets, he could pull out all the lines,be in pain,start vomiting etc.and no one there to witness it.
>
>

Same here.  But I use a practice that has overnight care.  I recently had an animal in for surgery following major trauma.  The jugular had been torn, and I was in no doubt that he was bleeding out.  I wrapped him in a blanket and put the seat belt around both of us, while he pumped blood out all over me.  He was admitted immediately, it was out of hours.  I was kept up to date by phone and advised that they nearly lost him under the anaesthetic.  I was phoned at work the following day  and told that he would need to stay in another night. 

I was distraught, and drove straight to the hospital.  In the meantime his blood pressure had plummeted and I was allowed to go into the operating theatre and see him.  I only had to open the incubator and touch him to know that he didn't know me, and I couldn't give him 24 hr care.  I was told that he would be given his own nurse and vet during the night.  I phoned twice that night, and as they needed to monitor him I was told that I could phone for a chat at any time.  The nurse even tried to tempt him by putting chicken in the microwave to get him eating - this was at midnight.

The cost for all this care, including surgery?  £610 and worth every penny.