So what a Summer... our last runs due to temps were on the 28th June, we had hoped to keep running for longer but the Uk is having another hot, sticky summer. This was approx the same time we had to finish last year, however, we have had other kennel matters on our mind including a big operation for Mars. Mars had been under the weather for a while and we had stopped running him even though he was still mad for a run, and he was in the vets to get to the bottom of it every week, for quite a few weeks, for tests, more tests sent to specialists, x-rays, scans, radiographs, food changes, meds etc and the vets couldn't find what was wrong with him, he had started eating less and less and he wasn't his usual self. Interestingly when they examined him they said because he was so muscley on the stomach that it was very tricky to externally feel what was going on in his tummy area. After several weeks of this we were pretty desperate, we could see him fading in front of our eyes and we took him to the vets who decided to open him up to see what was wrong. We were told at the beginning of the op that he might not make it through and that they might have to give him sleep during the op, you can imagine how we were feeling, feeling emotional as I type this. So, they opened him up and found a soft rubber obstruction that had obviously been in there sometime. We aren't sure where he would have picked it up, maybe debris from the forest or free run field or around the house. This had lodged itself in such a way and because it was so soft due to all the stomach acid that had broken it down, it couldn't be detected by an x-ray, the rubber object had a hole in the middle, with food passing through and it is thought the object was likely in there for at least 10 months! Good lesson to learn that x-rays aren't conclusive and to always question results. We were in some way relieved to hear this news as we had been thinking a tumour. But he wasn't out of the woods yet, the obstruction was twisting as it was trying to pass and was very very close to rupturing the gall bladder which the vets said would have poisoned his system, so we really got it in the nick of time. The obstruction and 8 cm of gut was removed. The vets told us it was touch and go whether he would recover but they didn't appreciate the toughness and spirit of a Siberian! A few hours after his op he was taking a very healthy interest in cats on his little walk! A few more days and nights in the vets being monitored and we were able to bring him home. Because of how big the op was on his stomach we were feeding him a tablespoon of Hills Science plan pate every hour and then we gradually upped it to every two hours, every three and then after a few weeks of gradually building his food levels up, we could start introducing his normal food, no bones yet though. He had lost almost 4kg and at this date we have got him back to his pre-illness weight of 24kg ish. The Vets are astounded by his recovery time, these dogs are so mentally tough! In the op they had used very thick internal stitching which takes 120 days to dissolve, they used the thicker stitching as he is an active dog, unfortunately Mars developed an allergic reaction which took the form of redness to the wound area, this which was soon remedied by antibiotics and the wound area has completely healed. Today, he is great. He is himself, weight is on track and he is eating three meals a day and apart from the shaved look, we have our boy back with us. So grateful to our amazing Vet Inga and the whole Isle Valley Vets team who took first class care of our boy during his recovery.
So, we have had a pretty quiet couple of months looking after Mars and the rest of the dogs. Summer baths and worming treatments and of course lots of dog loving and husky cuddles and just a few more grey hairs! Comments are closed.
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