Snowie is constipated. Last poo was Thursday morning. He is in so much discomfort, trembling in pain. I spend my waking hours rubbing his tummy or drying him because he keeps going into the pond, I guess cos it brings some relief. Last night I lost count of the number of dips he took between 1.30am and 4.30am after which I passed out on the sofa with the door to the garden open. Apparently Snowie kept taking dips cos my husband found us at 8.30am and Snowie was very wet and lying on the carpet inside near me.
It’s my fault. I feel too awful. I walked him on the beach promenade on Wednesday morning. He found a huge bone, looked like it been a roast leg of something. Discarded into a flowerbed. He wanted to settle down and eat it. I needed to get home. So I carried it home (in a poo bag) and then let him gnaw it at home. I didn’t think he’d eat the entire thing! He left some long shards. I should’ve been more vigilant but I’ve been working very hard.
So on Thursday I expected a huge hard poo. Which happened. But not enough came out. And then he proceeded to squat and poo out liquid and anal gland juice. I don’t think he has anymore anal gland secretions left!
This continued through the day. Endless squatting with no production.
Friday to the vet. Our vet on sick leave, pulled a tendon. Young locum. Very ditsy but sweet. Suggested we start with Locsan (a liquid laxative that also absorbs a lot of water and helps the poo along) plus pain meds and a probiotic. She couldn’t do an enema, they weren’t equipped for it. I’m guessing she was alone and just not experienced enough, who knows. She said if he didn’t make a poo within 24 hours, then we should try an enema at the big emergency hospital. She wanted to initially X-ray under sedation; we’re discovering this is now the first thing they suggest, before a hands on examination. We asked what she would do with an X-ray. Nothing. And we weren’t keen on yet another sedation especially if there was no enema involved because Snowie has had several GAs in the past few months. She said because he was perky and cheerful, she didn’t suspect anything worse than constipation.
No luck for the next 24 hours.
Saturday morning off to the emergency hospital some distance away. Lovely vet. He did an anal exam and pulled out “gravel”—the chewed up bone. Suggested an enema there and then. Sedation not necessary if Snowie could cope given how many he’s had, didn’t want to give him another.
He said Snowie “was a trooper” with no sedation. Sweet boy, he is very accommodating with being prodded. But unfortunately the enema didn’t accomplish a complete wash out, just a small amount of “gravel” came out. He said he didn’t suspect a sharp bone causing a blockage because no blood. So, just compacted “gravel”. Said the Locsan needs time to move through the gut to the blockage to soften it up. 2-3 days. Keep feeding Snowie to keep up peristalsis. Wasn’t worried about necrosis, said the gut can expand a lot.
Well, if there is no poo by tomorrow morning we are changing vets and taking Snowie to a specialist physician vet with his own equipment and not owned by a big corporate like our lovely vet has sold to. Since she sold (and then later came back to work for them), we’ve experienced unnecessary procedures loaded onto our bill and a constant stream of inexperienced locums. The highly recommended vet we want to change to is also some distance away, but we’ve had enough of our regular vet. At the emergency hospital we coincidentally met a guy who also goes to our vet, also had enough of inexperienced locums, his dog also sick and not treated properly the first time. Shame, he was so angry and upset, his lovely Viszla drooling and clearly not well.
Apologies for my long ramblings! We just need a good poo!!!!!
It’s my fault. I feel too awful. I walked him on the beach promenade on Wednesday morning. He found a huge bone, looked like it been a roast leg of something. Discarded into a flowerbed. He wanted to settle down and eat it. I needed to get home. So I carried it home (in a poo bag) and then let him gnaw it at home. I didn’t think he’d eat the entire thing! He left some long shards. I should’ve been more vigilant but I’ve been working very hard.
So on Thursday I expected a huge hard poo. Which happened. But not enough came out. And then he proceeded to squat and poo out liquid and anal gland juice. I don’t think he has anymore anal gland secretions left!
This continued through the day. Endless squatting with no production.
Friday to the vet. Our vet on sick leave, pulled a tendon. Young locum. Very ditsy but sweet. Suggested we start with Locsan (a liquid laxative that also absorbs a lot of water and helps the poo along) plus pain meds and a probiotic. She couldn’t do an enema, they weren’t equipped for it. I’m guessing she was alone and just not experienced enough, who knows. She said if he didn’t make a poo within 24 hours, then we should try an enema at the big emergency hospital. She wanted to initially X-ray under sedation; we’re discovering this is now the first thing they suggest, before a hands on examination. We asked what she would do with an X-ray. Nothing. And we weren’t keen on yet another sedation especially if there was no enema involved because Snowie has had several GAs in the past few months. She said because he was perky and cheerful, she didn’t suspect anything worse than constipation.
No luck for the next 24 hours.
Saturday morning off to the emergency hospital some distance away. Lovely vet. He did an anal exam and pulled out “gravel”—the chewed up bone. Suggested an enema there and then. Sedation not necessary if Snowie could cope given how many he’s had, didn’t want to give him another.
He said Snowie “was a trooper” with no sedation. Sweet boy, he is very accommodating with being prodded. But unfortunately the enema didn’t accomplish a complete wash out, just a small amount of “gravel” came out. He said he didn’t suspect a sharp bone causing a blockage because no blood. So, just compacted “gravel”. Said the Locsan needs time to move through the gut to the blockage to soften it up. 2-3 days. Keep feeding Snowie to keep up peristalsis. Wasn’t worried about necrosis, said the gut can expand a lot.
Well, if there is no poo by tomorrow morning we are changing vets and taking Snowie to a specialist physician vet with his own equipment and not owned by a big corporate like our lovely vet has sold to. Since she sold (and then later came back to work for them), we’ve experienced unnecessary procedures loaded onto our bill and a constant stream of inexperienced locums. The highly recommended vet we want to change to is also some distance away, but we’ve had enough of our regular vet. At the emergency hospital we coincidentally met a guy who also goes to our vet, also had enough of inexperienced locums, his dog also sick and not treated properly the first time. Shame, he was so angry and upset, his lovely Viszla drooling and clearly not well.
Apologies for my long ramblings! We just need a good poo!!!!!
‘s for Snowie and that poo happens quickly and 
‘s for you 
