# I KNEW this was not going to end well!



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

I knew 100% that having Lacey spayed would not end up well, as she always has some reaction to whatever I have done with her, or something bad happens. While she made it through surgery like a trooper, she has been grumpy as all heck since the spay on Tuesday and the number of problems she has have just kept adding up in the past 48 hours. 
Firstly, she has been so listless and 'spacey'. She'll sit/stand for over an hour just staring at the wall. If I call her name while she's staring, she whips her head around like I'ved scared her, and gives me a super pathetic look.

She had a tooth extracted (though it looks like they may have taken up to THREE teeth out) and has been unwilling and now unable to eat anything but canned food since Tuesday. Judging by the stench that was wafting from her mouth last night, I suspect she has an infection in there. She also will not let me look at the spot they extracted the tooth/teeth from.

On top of that, she is now not eating or drinking on her own. I had to force feed her breakfast this morning and she wouldn't let me even go near her this afternoon. She's peeing way too often, and every time she goes, there is a drop of blood in the center of the puddle on the pee pad. I suspect she has a UTI. I hear they aren't uncommon in small dogs after a spay.

The only vet that was open today near here is the emergency 24/hour place that charges $200 to walk in the door. After a nearly $400 spent on her surgery, I absolutely cannot afford to bring her in there. I tried to call my usual vet, as she does house-calls, but she has not returned by calls.
Lacey is so miserable and I can't do anything about it until after my job interview in the morning tomorrow. I will be calling the vet who did her surgery the second they are open... 
Send some love and healing our way, ladies. (And if you could send me some patience, that would be great, too.)


----------



## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Oh, poor Lacey. I am so sorry. I hope she is okay- this doesn't sound good. Gosh, I never realized how much more extensive a spay is than a neuter, Toby was up running around the next day!

I am thinking of both of you and sending you well wishes. Please keep us up to date!


----------



## nabi (Nov 25, 2004)

Poor little girl....she must feel just awful.....do you have any pain meds to give her.....you could make some jello bloxs with cranberry juice , water and plain jello....it would help to keep her hydrated plus help with her UTI....hopefully your vets calls soon....


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

omg, this does not sound good at all. i hope you can get her seen by a vet as soon as possible. i'll be thinking about you and her and looking for an update


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

elaina said:


> omg, this does not sound good at all. i hope you can get her seen by a vet as soon as possible. i'll be thinking about you and her and looking for an update


Those jammies you sent us are my savior right now. She's been pretty cold, and they're keeping her nice and snuggly warm. She won't let me take them off. I think they're rubbing the itchy spot above her stitches for her, too. She hasn't been flailing around trying to bite at them since she got her jammies! :coolwink:


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

LaceyGirl said:


> Those jammies you sent us are my savior right now. She's been pretty cold, and they're keeping her nice and snuggly warm. She won't let me take them off. I think they're rubbing the itchy spot above her stitches for her, too. She hasn't been flailing around trying to bite at them since she got her jammies! :coolwink:


wow, thats great the jammies are helping  . but i'm really worried about her. sounds like she needs antibiotics, maybe some fluids cause she could be dehydrated if she's not drinking. how do her gums look? thats a way of testing if she's dehydrated.


----------



## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Hope was doing the spacey/staring off into space thing as well. I knew there was an issue as Ruby was not and they were both spayed the same day. I called the ER vet and they told me that she was not managing her pain well and that I needed to bring her in. I would call them (you may already have) and I would ask if they have a special rate for post surgical followup. Mine did. 

I sure hope that you can call them or get her seen soon.

Poor little peanut.


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

elaina said:


> wow, thats great the jammies are helping  . but i'm really worried about her. sounds like she needs antibiotics, maybe some fluids cause she could be dehydrated if she's not drinking. how do her gums look? thats a way of testing if she's dehydrated.


I've been forcing water and food into her. She won't let me look at her mouth, but I will not let her get dehydrated. She's not much of a water-drinker to begin with; I think she's getting more water from me than she would normally drink in a day. Don't worry! 
My interview is at 9AM and I will be home by noon, as they are keeping me a couple hours and it is quite a drive to get home from. I am hoping to get a 12:30 appointment for her. She definitely needs antibiotics. I'm certain of the UTI; not quite sure what's going on with her mouth.


----------



## Chi Nation (Mar 7, 2012)

*Lots of patients and get well wishes sent your way! Tell Lacey we hope she gets better soon. Hotchi, Olivia, Knuckles, and Justice are sending her many chihuahua kisses. 

GET WELL SOON LACEY!!*


----------



## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

Yikes, I would be really worried about the UTI, especially if you are seeing blood. I hope you can get her in to the vet ASAP tomorrow, but I am sure in her condition they will make room for her no matter what. It sounds like she has an infection where her tooth was extracted too. Poor girl, feel better soon Lacey!


----------



## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

Also, I don't want to freak you out but some of those symptoms can be symptoms of Pyometra, specifically increased urination and not wanting to eat. Apparently it is rare, but any leftover uterine tissue can cause pyometra after a spay. Just something to keep in mind in case she starts to get worse.


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

LaceyGirl said:


> I've been forcing water and food into her. She won't let me look at her mouth, but I will not let her get dehydrated. She's not much of a water-drinker to begin with; I think she's getting more water from me than she would normally drink in a day. Don't worry!
> My interview is at 9AM and I will be home by noon, as they are keeping me a couple hours and it is quite a drive to get home from. I am hoping to get a 12:30 appointment for her. She definitely needs antibiotics. I'm certain of the UTI; not quite sure what's going on with her mouth.


ok, i'll try not to worry. i'm a worrier anyways. i'm glad she's not dehydrated anyways and you are getting food and water into her. will be looking for an update tomorrow, i hope all goes well and she feels better soon and good luck on the interview


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

missy_r said:


> Also, I don't want to freak you out but some of those symptoms can be symptoms of Pyometra, specifically increased urination and not wanting to eat. Apparently it is rare, but any leftover uterine tissue can cause pyometra after a spay. Just something to keep in mind in case she starts to get worse.


Basically, Lacey takes after me. If something is rare or "1% of patients will experience such and such a reaction" it will happen to us. Soul dog, for sure. I'm trying to keep calm. If I didn't have this interview in the morning, I would be rushing her to the vet the second they were open. However, I cannot reschedule the interview, as the next opening they have for me is the middle of July, which isn't good.  Obviously if she gets worse, I will need to call the business and inform them of the situation. If she is the same as she is right now in the morning, she will be okay waiting a couple hours to get to the vet.


----------



## Suzn (Feb 8, 2012)

So sorry for the complications. I know you will take good care of your girl and will be praying for you both.


----------



## 4bsingreece (Apr 11, 2012)

I am sorry yoh and Lacey are going thought this. I have to tell you that I have had a "bad feeling" about spaying Chloe. Her spay date is July 31st. She just had a reaction to her shots and I am scared to death she will have complications. I am thinking about not spaying her now  I am sending you patience and quick healing for Lacey!


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

4bsingreece said:


> I am sorry yoh and Lacey are going thought this. I have to tell you that I have had a "bad feeling" about spaying Chloe. Her spay date is July 31st. She just had a reaction to her shots and I am scared to death she will have complications. I am thinking about not spaying her now  I am sending you patience and quick healing for Lacey!


I had the same "bad feeling" about spaying Lacey. She had very bad reactions to both her rabies and distemper vaccinations. She will not be getting the distemper vaccine again (she was so bad that even the steroid injection took a long time to do anything to help her). She will also be getting an exemption certificate for future rabies vaccinations as reactions get worse each time. I wanted to spay Lacey because she's soooo naughty and moody when she is in heat. Spaying also decreases the risk of cancers. I felt the risks of the spay did not outweigh the benefits.


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

On another, more positive note, I just offered Lacey a full serving of Blue Wildnerness canned food and she wolfed it down off a spoon after I warmed it up and added a bit of water!


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

LaceyGirl said:


> On another, more positive note, I just offered Lacey a full serving of Blue Wildnerness canned food and she wolfed it down off a spoon after I warmed it up and added a bit of water!


yay! LOL. good girl Lacey


----------



## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Poor Lacey! I feel for you. Odie had a hard recovery afterwards too. Hopefully you can get a hold of a vet and get some tests run. Odie wasn't interested in food for quite awhile (but she was having some pretty serious diarrhea), and the only thing I could get her to eat was yam baby food, a tiny bit of honey and maybe a couple of soaked soft kibble if I was lucky. We had to start giving her pedialyte too because she wasn't drinking water. I hope that nothing too serious is going on, and that she starts to make a speedy recovery! A UTI on top of her regular healing would be such a pain in the butt. Maybe there's an antibiotic that could double team the possible bladder infection and the infection in the mouth? The good news is that she thankfully never has to go through that again.


----------



## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Yay! Lacey ate!! Good news


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

Yes  She keeps giving me little bits of hope. Like, after I gave her a little bit of food, she toddled after me into the kitchen asking for more. Her ears were perked up and her tail was wagging happily. I was so happy to see her 'smiling' for a moment. Then, of course, she flipped out after her stitches touched the carpet in front of the sink, and she ran back into her pen where she's been all day.


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

She just ran into my room from her pen in the living at full speed wagging her tail. She's confusing the heck out of me! If she was in much pain, I wouldn't think she would be walking around, let alone charging into my room like she just did. She is now just walking around the apartment wagging her tail like nothing's wrong. Maybe she got a burst of energy from the food???


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

aww, she looks so cute even with the e collar on. thats great she's wagging her tail now. lol. she must be feeling better


----------



## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Maybe she needed to eat? Glad she's running around.


----------



## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

I am sorry Lacy is not feeling well. If the canned food is all she is interested in, I would keep feeding her that. She will get water and food from that. Taz had a hard time too. She kept throwing up and I had to take her back twice to get a shot for pain and inflammation. Canned food was all she could manage for a couple of weeks. I was soo upset and I am sorry you are going through this. I know right now it doesn't seem like it was worth the benefits but just in the last week or so there have been two people that posted about losing their dogs when they had pups and even knowing how hard a time Taz had with the spay, I would still do it again. I hope your girl is better soon. I will be thinking about you both.


----------



## teetee (Aug 25, 2011)

I'm so sorry she's not feeling well. I hope she isn't in much pain.


----------



## KayC (May 3, 2005)

So glad she is feeling better


----------



## briarrose (Jun 1, 2012)

Glad to hear that she seems to be feeling better. I hope she is on the mend. Will you be taking her in just to be sure?


----------



## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

I think spaying is harder on them than neutering. Poor Lacey. I do hope she is better soon!

What vet do you use? I am in Massachusetts also, but I am south of Boston.


----------



## ErinL (Apr 20, 2012)

How is Lacey doing today? Any updates?


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

Angel1210 said:


> I think spaying is harder on them than neutering. Poor Lacey. I do hope she is better soon!
> 
> What vet do you use? I am in Massachusetts also, but I am south of Boston.


I'm south of Boston, too! My vet just left the place she was working at, but she works at Assonet Animal Hospital a couple days a week. So, I had them do her spay. 

She's eaten 2 decent sized portions of canned food/water all on her own today. Great improvement over yesterday. She's peeing clear so I know she's staying well-hydrated. 

We have an appointment at 4:30. They're booked solid, but are going to squeeze us in because it's an emergency!

They told me to get a urine sample. Not possible...as she spooks at anything under her and she won't pee in front of me. I already warned them that I wouldn't be able to, and they sounded MAD. Like, HELLO.... if you were 3.5lbs would you want a container stuck under you while you peed? No? SHOCKING!


----------



## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Glad to hear she is feeling a little better and hope her appointment goes well. Keep us upated, please!


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

great little Lacey has her appetite back, and great her pee looks clear now  . i'll check back to see what the Doctor says later on


----------



## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

If you can't get a urine sample, they should be able to get one there with a needle. Penny had it done once, it was quick and easy.


----------



## proudpeyotemama (Feb 20, 2012)

Oh nooo, poor Lacey   We will keep you in our thoughts & prayers!! Ote is sending kisses her way!


----------



## theshanman97 (Feb 19, 2012)

awwww poor thing! ive got tillies spay on thursday and im TERRIFIED! hope she gets better soon! x


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

*MUAHAHAHAHAHA* :evil4: I win. I win! I WIN!!!!!

I had a brilliant idea. I left Lacey without a peed pad. I just put down the pad holder and prayed she would pee on that instead of the floor. I left the apartment for a little while to give her some privacy, and when I returned a half hour later, there was a BIG puddle on the tray! :cheers:
Whenever I get cole slaw from KFC, I keep the little reusable plastic containers. They're great for packing kibble for traveling...turns out they're also great for pouring pee into for the vet. :toothy7: 

VICTORY IS MINE!


----------



## Jennmay (Dec 31, 2011)

Sorry she is having a rough time. Looks like she is perking up. I hope she continues and is back to her self soon.


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

LOL, that is so funny how you got the pee !!! yay!!! . 
oh, and i love KFC cole slaw too


----------



## okchic (May 4, 2012)

Glad she is doing better!


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

$172 later, and we still don't know what's wrong. The urine test showed a little bit of bacteria, but not enough to say "INFECTION!". Her breath is horrendous, but there's nothing wrong with her teeth. She'll be on Clavamox twice a day for 10 days (oh joy...) and a pain medication (metacam; an anti-inflammatory) for 5 days.
She peed on the one rug in my whole apartment right when we got home even with me screaming my head off at her not to do it......and then I tossed her onto the pee pad where she peed a flood and then 5 minutes later, another flood. But nooooo.....nothing's wrong with her. UGH I HATE THIS.


----------



## LBChi (Mar 12, 2012)

oh poor baby, and poor you....Its frustrating after spending so much $$ and there is no resolution. I hope she gets better soon is the clavomox and antibiotic? that with the pain med should hopefully help her a lot.


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

LaceyGirl said:


> $172 later, and we still don't know what's wrong. The urine test showed a little bit of bacteria, but not enough to say "INFECTION!". Her breath is horrendous, but there's nothing wrong with her teeth. She'll be on Clavamox twice a day for 10 days (oh joy...) and a pain medication (metacam; an anti-inflammatory) for 5 days.
> She peed on the one rug in my whole apartment right when we got home even with me screaming my head off at her not to do it......and then I tossed her onto the pee pad where she peed a flood and then 5 minutes later, another flood. But nooooo.....nothing's wrong with her. UGH I HATE THIS.


wow, another 172. ??? that seems like alot. i know the urine test must be expensive, and the meds, and the exam but seems like alot...
I'm thinking she's peeing more because she's taking in more water than usual. you said she's only eating canned and that has water in it. 
my girls would of found the rug to pee on also. i cant keep any scatter rugs around at all, they think there to pee on.


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

LBChi said:


> oh poor baby, and poor you....Its frustrating after spending so much $$ and there is no resolution. I hope she gets better soon is the clavomox and antibiotic? that with the pain med should hopefully help her a lot.


Yes, it is an antibiotic. The pain med appears to be helping a bit already. She hasn't been flailing around trying to eat her belly as much since I gave her today's dose. 



elaina said:


> wow, another 172. ??? that seems like alot. i know the urine test must be expensive, and the meds, and the exam but seems like alot...
> I'm thinking she's peeing more because she's taking in more water than usual. you said she's only eating canned and that has water in it.
> my girls would of found the rug to pee on also. i cant keep any scatter rugs around at all, they think there to pee on.


Yeah...they charged me another $55 for walking in the door, and it was 56.50 for the urine test. The rest were charges for the meds. I only make about $50 a week currently. Hours got cut waaaaay back at work.  I have NO idea how I'm going to pay that credit card bill next month. Oh, well. I'll worry about it then; right now I just need to get her better!


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

i think i would question that 55 dollars to walk in the door. i would think it would count as a recheck seeing she was just there for surgery. a recheck visit should be less. they shouldnt charge you the full exam fee.... thats my thinking, its just not right... if it were me , i think i'd call up just to question that. Its proabably is what they charge but, not right!!
Too bad you dont live closer to me. my vet doesnt charge those outrageous prices. she's very fair


----------



## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

Most vets here would be at least that much. The walk in the door fee is an "exam" fee. Sometimes a single practitioner vet can waive the fee but most have overhead and cost to consider too...It is one of the big reason I carry insurance because of the fee to be seen in case of illness or something. It can add up fast. It does sounds like she is carrying an infection though, when Rico had his teeth extracted I was surprised that there was no unpleasant smell in his mouth. I am with Elaine about the rug thing....Rico would Probably decide that that was some new piddle pad and wee on it straight away !!


----------



## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Can you give her a little cranberry? Get the pills and put it on her food? This might help if it is an UTI


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

Wheeeeee! Lacey refused a bowl of canned food last night, so I offered her a bowl of Ziwipeak instead. She happily ate the WHOLE THING without my assistance. This afternoon, she wolfed down a bowl of Blue Buffalo Freedom! She's finally back on hard food and she wanted MORE!


----------



## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

That is great news! Hope she is more herself each day!


----------



## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Glad to hear that she's eating again! Any improvements with the bladder issue?


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

jesuschick said:


> That is great news! Hope she is more herself each day!


We have a theory in regards to her 'mood behavior.' She's been acting much like she would act when she would be going into heat. Grumpy, then happy, spacey, then fine. We think that she could be undergoing hormonal changes due to the spay. She's more like herself today; loving and calm.
Before going into heat, she also refused food and water for a few days!



KrystalLeigh said:


> Glad to hear that she's eating again! Any improvements with the bladder issue?


Well, yes and no. The pee pad was nearly full when I got up this morning, which of course, isn't normal... However, only one little puddle on the pad had a drop of blood in the center. The rest were normal puddles. I think part of the reason she is peeing so much, is because like I said in response to Karen, she is acting like she is going into heat. She had greatly increased urination beforehand and a bit during her last heat. She would also pee on all her beds/blankets because she was marking them as 'hers'. I'm truly thinking she thinks she's going into heat.


----------



## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

LaceyGirl said:


> Wheeeeee! Lacey refused a bowl of canned food last night, so I offered her a bowl of Ziwipeak instead. She happily ate the WHOLE THING without my assistance. This afternoon, she wolfed down a bowl of Blue Buffalo Freedom! She's finally back on hard food and she wanted MORE!


 !!! thats great, so happy to hear back to eating her regular food. Good girl Lacey


----------



## pam6400 (Oct 5, 2008)

How is little Ms Lacey today?


----------



## LaceyGirl (Jan 10, 2012)

Lacey's much better today. Only 1 pee puddle with blood so far. She is eating her Blue and I think she drank a bit on her own. She's in a VERY excited mood, chasing me around the apartment wagging her tail and smiling at me. She is definitely feeling better. She also has pretty much stopped flailing around trying to eat her belly. No more "cone of shame"!


----------



## 4bsingreece (Apr 11, 2012)

Glad she is feeling better!


----------

