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Post by gypsy on Sept 17, 2016 21:57:31 GMT
Oh no I can't believe this! Poor Alfie.  barley you must be so fed up and missing your little boy. He WILL be fine! He WILL get through this! You HAVE to believe it! C'mon Alfie xx |
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Post by barley on Sept 18, 2016 9:51:53 GMT
AHT just called. There is a slight improvement on yesterday but the whole time he has this ulcer and infection, it's weakening the structure of an already weak eye, the vet said it is only fair to warn me that worse case scenario would be him loosing the eye. But I know Alfie won't give up that easily so everything crossed... he can't come home yet and they don't really know when, it depends on how the treatment continues to go. I miss him dreadfully and I know he won't be happy there either but they're the best at what they do, so he is in good hands. Thank you all for all your support, I'll keep you updated xx
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Post by tonib on Sept 18, 2016 12:06:09 GMT
Glad there's been a little good news barley, just hope his recovery continues in that direction. Come on Alfie you can beat it  I think we've all got everything (never mind just fingers  ) crossed for Alfie & you. |
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Post by boxerluver30 on Sept 18, 2016 12:49:02 GMT
Just read what happened, sorry to hear he's still not well barley, keeping my fingers crossed for him x. Regarding his eye also hoping that the ulcer can be sorted out too. |
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Post by cazypops on Sept 18, 2016 15:31:43 GMT
Come on Alfie you can beat this sweetheart, we just know you can.
XX
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Post by orpheous87 on Sept 18, 2016 19:49:42 GMT
So sorry to read this barley Glad you've had a little bit of good news though. He will get though this, he's a little fighter! |
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Post by barley on Sept 19, 2016 19:10:02 GMT
He's still in the AHT but everything crossed he can come home soon. Bit frustrating today as didn't get to speak to the vet, only the nurse (who, don't get me wrong, is lovely) - I just wanted a bit more in-depth info on how he's doing. Nurse said vet is happy with his progress and he is starting to respond but we're still on very shaky ground. He is having Pardale for pain as his eye is very sore and is having drops every hour literally 24 hours a day. The nurse said they normally give a little tinned food mixed through the dry for dogs on the ward, as a little treat and to get meds in them, but as Alfie isn't allowed that because of his tum/pancreas, she's cooking him chicken & rice instead and she said he's got the whole team wrapped around his paw. Will apparently bark constantly in his kennel but as soon as he's let out, he goes and settles fine under the desk in the ward, so he is spending his days there, little sod lol. Today is the 4th night he's been away so the longest stretch he's ever stayed in the vets He had never had to stay overnight at all until he went in for his cataract surgery, and than was only 3 nights. It's becoming his second home! I've been doing a lot of doubting over whether it was right to put him through the cataract op in the first place. The vet said this isn't related to the surgery, he would have got the ulcer anyway and probably the infection too, and if the worst does happen and he ends up loosing the eye, at least he has one really good eye. Which is better than the situation he was in at the start, with two bad eyes. So I've got to hold onto that and knowing how happy he is being able to see. It's still rotten luck it's snowballed into all these problems after. He seems to get over one thing then struck down with another. His cataract op was excluded from his insurance which I knew and budgeted for, and all the post op complications like the inflammation and the need for the injection etc too were of course excluded as well, which was ok. Let's hope the insurance agrees with the vet in that this isn't related to the surgery as the ulcer & infection treatment has now surpassed that of the op which is insane!! |
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Post by barley on Sept 20, 2016 11:29:43 GMT
He's got worse overnight. Tomorrow morning he will need an op to either remove the eye or attempt to repair it by opening it, flushing out the infection and removing the ulcerated piece. If it works, he should keep his sight, but they obviously can't guarantee anything. So have to decide which to go for  |
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Post by alfiemummy on Sept 20, 2016 11:44:00 GMT
Oh no! So sorry to hear you've had more bad news barley That's a difficult decision to make |
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Post by scallywag on Sept 20, 2016 12:43:47 GMT
Oh what bad luck, how awful for you both, like Laura said what a difficult decision to make, which op will have him knocked out the longest, or will it be similar time span.
Hugs to you, have you been allowed to go see Alfie ?
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Post by caz2golden on Sept 20, 2016 13:10:42 GMT
So sorry to hear he has got worse Barley.
Hope the vets give you enough guidance / info to be able to make the right decision as to which Operation is the best to do for Alfie.
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Post by barley on Sept 20, 2016 14:15:40 GMT
He's going to have his eye removed tomorrow He's been through too much already, he can't keep going through op after op, he's too old and he's already lost two months in recovery, he's only just been able to go back for walks etc again after the original eye surgery. If we could say for certain this op would work, then fine but we can't... he might get another infection or ulcer, and then end up having to have the eye removed anyway, and that'd be another op. No eye = no problems. I am absolutely gutted it has come to this. Really, really heartbroken. But I need my boy better & at home. He will still be in a better position than he was before the original eye surgery. 1 good is better than 2 bad ones. |
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Post by meandmine on Sept 20, 2016 14:50:18 GMT
So very sorry to hear this news. Will be thinking about you both. Take care.
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Post by gypsy on Sept 20, 2016 18:07:11 GMT
So sorry to read this barley and frustrated for you! What a tough decision but I think I'd do the same as you. Totally understand your reasoning. Don't blame yourself for putting him through the cataract operation. You weren't to know what would happen and everything you've done has been with Alfie's best interests at heart. As you said, he will still be in a better position than he was before the op and you won't be in the position of always wondering 'what if?' Will be thinking of you both tomorrow xx |
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Post by barley on Sept 20, 2016 20:00:51 GMT
Thank you both. It's been a VERY hard decision to make When I spoke to the AHT tonight, having made up my mind during the course of the day, the vet actually said I had saved her a very difficult conversation as his progress today, or lack of, meant she was thinking he wasn't going to be a good candidate for the operation anyway. His eye is extremely fragile and there is no guarantee the surgery would work, or that he wouldn't develop more ulcers or infections. This year alone he has had a dental, lumps removed on two separate occasions, the cataract surgery, the pancreatitis stuff, that injection for the inflammation in his eye and now this... over ten nights in hospital, loads of GAs/sedation, countless blood tests... enough has to be enough, he'll be 13 in January. So whilst this is absolutely gutting, I have to hold onto the fact he has one good eye with great sight whereas before he had two naff eyes with little sight in either, so I hope he will keep his new found confidence as he's still better off than he was before. The recovery time for the surgery to attempt to repair the eye is the same as the cataract surgery, so no walks or playing with toys at all for one week, then ten mins only for further couple weeks, no offlead time, drops round the clock. And he can't have steroid tabs & drops this time which are the main things that help to keep the inflammation down last time (but triggered the pancreatitis). He would also have to stay in the AHT for four nights afterwards. Removing the eye removes all worries & risks of possible infection/ulcers or the need for further surgery. He should be able to come home tomorrow night and recovery time is as long as it takes for the stitches to heal. He can then, hopefully, FINALLY be able to get on with his life. Lots of tears shed, but I think this is the right choice for him. |
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) crossed for Alfie & you.
