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Foreign object stomach surgery???

7K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  Russellm454 
#1 ·
Yesterday I regrettably gave my 5 month old YLF a frozen beef bone to chew on. I thought it was too large to even worry about her swallowing it...I was wrong. Soon after noticing she swallowed it I brought her to the vet. He took an X-Ray and determined it was best to go ahead perform surgery to remove the bone from her stomach before it moved into the digestive tract where it would cause risk for further expensive complications.

Has anyone had to deal with recovery from this type of surgery? If so, what should I expect? My vet told me she should be isolated to her kennel for 10 days and walked on a leash to go to the bathroom, which would be a tremendous burden for me. Is this a little excessive?

Also, I have heard about squirting hydrogen peroxide in a dog's throat to induce vomiting in the event you notice the dog consumed rat poision. Does anyone know if this applies to foreign objects, such as a bone, as well? I would like to think this is the last time I will have to deal w/ this issue but, if she swallowed that bone, I assume she will swallow similiar things in the future.

Thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
Think of it this way, if you swallowed a big ass chunk of bone would you like your doc. To induce vomiting to you and have you hork it up? First, it may not come out and second, if it does it may do even more damage coming out. Peroxide will induce vomiting, works for a lot of stuff. But a big chunk of bone, not a good idea.

Yes, the days in the kennel and airing of leash for half a month are a drag. But that’s the deal we all make with our scruffy mutts. Do they look at you and say, “That retrieve through the brambles is excessive, is it really necessary?” Conversely, we need to look at their health care the same way they look at a duck.
 
#3 ·
Had a foreign object removed and bowel resection on a young dog, be happy your vet is only recommending 10 days, mine was in the hospital in intensive care for 3 days and barely survived. You did the right thing and got it out fast before damage was done, she's young and will heal quickly but don't rush and do follow your vet's advice, you need to leash walk her and keep her otherwise confined or risk her tearing some internal sutures and that is something you do not want at all. Mine was a year old, it was a one time deal, she's not had any problems again and is 3.5 years old. Since this was a bone and a puppy, not unusual she'd swallow it whole if she could, so you may not have a chronic problem with true "foreign objects" vs a food item in the future, but obviously will have to watch what you give her or what she has access to in the future.

Peroxide only works for vomiting if something was swallowed in the last half hour or so, and not at all for big things that would do more damage coming up. Good luck with your pup, hope all goes well.
 
#7 ·
There are a few veterinarians who do laproscopic surgery. I would look for one to deal with foreign object in stomach. The procedure is much less invasive than conventional surgery.

Good luck,
Robert Milner
 
#9 ·
I agree that laproscopic surgery is less invasive and thus the recovery time is reduced, but how on earth do you think you can get a huge bone out using the tiny cuts and instruments?

To the original poster, Do what the doctor says regarding recovery time. To do anything else puts your dog at risk of developing complications including tearing, internal bleeding, excessive scaring, and infection.
 
#8 ·
the dog will recover nicely. my mom's mutt swallowed a soccer ball whole.....yes a full sized soccer ball. it was deflated, but how she got it down her throat is beyond me. i compared it to the recovery of being spayed. A little more difficult, but she was to her old self again about 7 - 10 days later.
 
#10 ·
She's back at home and the vet reccomends that she does not come out of her pet-porter unless she has to go to the bathroom. She's doing great but she goes nuts when I let her out of the kennel but that is expected b/c she is still a puppy. There is really no good way to keep her from putting a strain on the surgery..I hope it will hold together.
 
#13 ·
She's back at home and the vet reccomends that she does not come out of her pet-porter unless she has to go to the bathroom. She's doing great but she goes nuts when I let her out of the kennel but that is expected b/c she is still a puppy. There is really no good way to keep her from putting a strain on the surgery..I hope it will hold together.
I'd keep her on leash when not kenneled.
 
#11 ·
I'm not an expert on recovery from stomach ops....but my yellow Lab is!

Below is about 6 ounces of PVC draft excluder from a kennel. When it goes in its translucent blue and floppy, Under the influence of stomach acids, it de-plasticises and becomes brittle enough to cut soft tissue. That's a foot ruler for comparison.



Yes, lead walks for ten days, plus sleeping indoors in a crate. After four weeks he'd done an easy half day on a driven shoot, maybe ten birds.

Best of luck

Eug
 
#14 ·
I had to have a golf ball sized chunk of mortar removed from the colon of my dog when he was about 13 months old. It was a pretty invasive surgury and the vet kept him for 1 day and then sent him home on a Friday (last memorial day) the next day (saturday) was the first time he ate since the surgury on Thursday. He ate only scrambled eggs and boliled rice. very bland. He had been let out of the kennel only to go pee. That night I did let him walk around freely and he was pretty stiff so didn't want to run or anything. He went to poop and let out a loud yelp and wouldn't hardly walk. I figured he had torn something inside so called the vet. He had me watch him that night and the next morning he ate and drank fine but was still a little stiff. The vet told me it was amazing how quickly these dogs heal and that he likley just had a little pinch from this being his first BM. Not to be overly informitave but you should be warned. Your pup's first BM post surgury may look like a black tar. That is pretty normal. Believe it or not 7 days post surgury you could never tell he had the surgury. My unprofessional opinion is to keep your pup as calm as possible for the first 3 - 4 days after surgury then gradually let it have more freedom. Stomach surgury may be a bit different than colon surgury like MoJo had but I'd expect your pup to be back to normal in 7 or so days post surgery.

Russ
 
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