Thursday, December 18, 2008

Sydneys operation and the complications

Well Sydney went into surgery just 10 days ago and the tumor in his testicle was removed along with his testicles. The growth under his chin came back benign thank God. However several days after his neutering his scrotum sack began swelling and swelling to the point it looked as though his testicles had magically grown back by themselves. The area was warm and the sack became more expanded and very hard to the touch. I called the vet on Friday 4 days after the operation and was told its normal its post op bruising. I didn't feel this was correct but respect the doctors advice. Come Saturday I'm so worried how hot and hard this is getting I ask my husband to take Sydney to Central in New Haven. They tell him its normal sometimes it happens.In fact they kind of snickered at him like he was over reacting. Put cold compresses on it I am told.His entire groin area is hot and tight to the touch. He is acting lethargic and finding it difficult to walk. On Tuesday one week after the operation I am back at the doctors office after I notice puss coming out of his sutures. She looks at him and suggest more compresses and antibiotics to fight the pus in there. I am shocked that no one has suggested lancing the tissue and relieving the awful pressure building in there. On Tuesday the doctor who did the operation was back at the office and told me to meet him at Central right away he didn't like the idea of puss in the area. So I met him and his assistant at the hospital. Poor Sydney was in so much pain and discomfort now I was mentally tormented by it all. The vet gave him a fast acting narcotic that last 10 minutes before they wake back up. My job was pulling his tongue out and keeping his jaw open so he could breath while the vet lanced the scrotum and putrid sludge poured out of the poor dog. He used a tool like a screw driver and really pushed on the area almost like a liposuction procedure.Sydney's jaw was starting to clamp down and I was afraid he'd bite his own tongue off when he awoke or break my fingers. The vet quickly passed a rubber tube through the scrotum and stapled it in place/. He was then given morphine.The doctor put a mouth guard on Sydney because he could feel how powerful his jaws are and the poor guy was capable of biting the vet without intention.I kept blotting and coaxing the infection out .The doctor was shocked at the amount of infection and I could have wrung everyone of their necks. There was no need for this suffering...the skin all the way up towards his anus was hot and tight and full of fluid. So Sydney and Beebs are living in the basement right now until his wound stops dripping.I have tons of towels and blankets that I keep changing he is also on cephalexin again.the photo's are gruesome and the sound affects as the doctor manipulated the wound were horrible.I swear the dog could feel the lancing the way his voice changed.Anyway..he is acting better and more chipper at present. The big lesson or one of many...NOT having a temperature does NOT mean you don't have an infection. Also if the animals owner says over and over somethings wrong you can bet..they know better than anyone that something is wrong. We spend hours and days, weeks and years with these family members and I know when I see a change for the worse.I'm exhausted. Beebs is fine the old gladiator. I know the doctors meant well but they really screwed up on this one.

No comments: