Hopefully coming home today, need some advice

[peekaboopaige]

Hello everyone!
I have a beautiful, yellow lab/beagle mix who up to last Saturday was very very active.
Here is his current story:
http://angusspine.blogspot.com/

Some questions as we are hoping to take him home today or Monday.

We have both a crate, or a gateless pen. We are going to set him up in a small room, but since his is only a week or so out of surgery, would a pen be best? I saw a pen with an actual door on it for under $50, would that be the best (combine the two?)

Two days ago when he would drag his feet while in the sling they would be side by side, yesterday the were crossed and the toes didn't flip as much to me, but the dog feels his legs are more rigid, do you feel the crossing of the feet shows recovery or regression?

As of today he has no leg movement, but he does have deep pain sensation, so we are hopeful. Have people used the wheels as a short term? Or did you find once in the wheels, always the wheels.

Any advice to his homecoming is appreciated.

[peekaboopaige]

Just received a call that he is off the catheter but not urinating on his own, but that I can take him home today. I am thankful to get him home, but am so anxious about all the worry that is going to come with this.

[CarolC]

Hi, great pictures on your blog. Honestly, my best recmomendation is to let him stay at the vet this weekend and you go in once or twice a day and let them teach you to express his bladder. This would avoid a situation that sometimes happens where the owner takes the dog home and is unable to express and has to drive the dog back to the vet to be expressed. From the expression on his face he looks like he is pretty happy at the vet, so if you can afford 2 more days of hospitalization I would do that. But if you really just want him home, that is understandable too.

I would use a pen for him, it will be too hard getting him in and out of a crate. I never had a pen with a door, I just opened the side where the panels joined. Since you will be slinging him at first, a pen with no door is better since it would be hard to sling him through a door.

We have a lot of information on expressing the bladder. If you would like to watch some videos before you go get your lesson, that will help you visualize what is going on. When you have successfully expressed him at the hospital a couple of times then you will be more confident when you take him home!

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16027 (lots of videos if you scroll to the end)

[peekaboopaige]

Thank you so much for your quick reply. Great advice about not rushing to take him home. Financially Ican have him stay as I have Trupanion Pet Insurance for him so if all goes right I should be getting 90% back (I will believe it when the check is in my hand, as of yesterday my total for services was over $5,600). Staying there may be a better option for another couple days (my kids miss him so!)

I will try the pen first and see how we do. When he goes out I have two steps we need to go down, at 50lbs I can lift him, but I am still a bit nervous. I haven't even discussed wound care with them, though they haven't mentioned any issues with the incision.

Any advice for the transport home? I have a mini van but it's not to say he won't move, and My crate is too tall to be set up in the car.

So glad I found this board.

Thanks,
Paige

[peekaboopaige]

Pup is home. Feeling like I am doing an inadequate job expressing urine not a lot coming out

[CarolC]

Expressing the bladder is something you get better at with practice. If you are getting a little, you will soon get more, it just takes practice. His bladder should be fully emptied 3x a day for his comfort and to prevent the bladder from stretching, and to prevent a urinary infection.

If you continue to have trouble, I would take him back to the vet to have him expressed, and before they empty them, have them give you a hands-on lesson. I would go back to the vet repeatedly if necessary, it's important. Don't feel embarrassed, they are familiar with this situation with owners, and the staff at the veterinary hospital all had to learn to express too and chances are they didn't all get it perfect the first time either, so they will understand.

At the end of this article there are a lot of videos showing different methods of expressing. The article also has many tips on expressing.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16027

[peekaboopaige]

Thanks again....I think each time I am more and more successful.

[CarolC]

That's great! Is he dribbling or leaking any? If so you might want to try male wraps. They are a belt that goes around the belly and fastens with velcro. They hold a bladder control pad (such as Poise) in place and keep the bedding dry.

[peekaboopaige]

He does not appear to be dribbling at all. I do however really dislike the slong they sent him home with. I am looking at the neoprene rear sling for him, wondering if that will help give his penis room to funtion if he does regain urination control. No sure though if I need to wait until a few more weeks post op before I switch slongs, so I need to check with the vet. He has been preferring the crate to a pen, but of course it is harder for me to get him out. I am finding if I put a second bed in front of the crate he will pull himself out a bit and then I can squeeze in a lift his rear.


This is then usually followed by a kiss from hom so it's totally worth it.