Did they give you any guidelines on how to prevent future accidents? No more bones and stress, that's it? Any positive means of prevention - as in adding something to his diet/environment?

Well, obviously you didn't smack him hard enough. Big dogs can take a little more than little ones.

Hopefully everything is finished now. Heal him up and get back to normal.:smile:

Glad he's better Natalya. I know how frustrating it is with these things that don't have clear answers.

 Quote: steve strom

Glad he's better Natalya. I know how frustrating it is with these things that don't have clear answers.

Yup, and I'm getting a little tired of it, as unresolved maladies are about the only thing Oscar is fond of picking up - still don't know what happened to his knee a few years ago that led me to 3 ortho specialists and a close call with CCL surgery... only to heal on it's own with just R&R. Dumb@ss.

Michael - I'll definitely work on hitting him harder to keep this from happening in the future.

And Ana, since the diagnosis was so wishy-washy, there wasn't much the docs could say as to future prevention. They advised against feeding raw with bones (though they would have said that if he had been suffering from a broken leg), but the nutritional adjustments I'll likely make (daily probiotic, possibly switching to grinding all his RMBs) will come from advice and experience on this forum... I have yet to meet a vet with the kind of nutritional knowledge that exists here on Leerburg. And I guess I won't ever make the beast stay in downtown Manhattan ever again...

~Natalya

How are you both doing?

Thanks Aimee,
We're doing much better today. Yesterday I was finally able to get back to some semblance of work, and Oscar slept soundly next to my desk. He still seems a bit slower on walks, but we're not going very far anyway - I think it'll take a few more days till we do anything like a normal outing. The good news is that he's consistently alert, interested in what I'm doing, following me to the kitchen... just like always. I never realized how many times I check to see what his reaction is to things that I do throughout the day, but he's always paying attention, and I'm always aware of that - I sure did feel the absence when he wasn't here.

The course of meds he's on definitely fills up the day - I have to keep a log of what hour I give which pill to keep it all straight (it works out to something every 3 or 4 hours). He takes pills easily when they're in a little blob of his food, but they've got him on one liquid med that looks and smells a little too much like Pepto for my taste - he HATES it (I would do), and while he's a trooper about it, I feel terrible having to corner him, wrench his jaws open and squirt it down his throat... he always gets a party and a big spoonful of food afterward though.

All in all, I think he's making great progress.

~Natalya

Good boy.:wink:

Wow, I was gone for the weekend, and I come back to read of the incredible journey you have been on with Oscar.
I am so glad to hear that he is doing much better.

Each day that he is better,I can imagine you are filled with such relief.
Natalya, your sig pictures are always so fun to look and see what you have posted. Oscar is the most photogenic dog I have ever seen.
Such a handsome boy he is! Give your fella a hug and snuggle for me!

I feel your pain, Natalya. I'm constantly watching Ripley these days, thinking, "Is that normal?" The scare from his spleen hasn't left me yet.

Glad your boy is home with you, giving you lots to do while you work out his meds. Hope he's back to normal soon.

Meredith

 Quote: meredith hamilton

I feel your pain, Natalya. I'm constantly watching Ripley these days, thinking, "Is that normal?"

Yes, this part is nerve-racking... and after only a few days of being excited to see my boy on the mend, I noticed yesterday evening that he had wet his bed a little while sleeping... and then did it again this morning... UGH! He's gotta gimme a break at some point!! I've got an appointment to see our regular vet tonight, since the place he spent the weekend at (which has regular vets, as well as emergency care) didn't have an opening until saturday... I'm pretty sure he's got a UTI, as this same thing has happened before after a long bout of tummy troubles, and it was easily cleared up with antibiotics. But darn it!!

~Nataly