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Ellie's Tracheotomy


Mrs Mop

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This was quite a traumatic experience for both Ellie and I and up to now I have only posted it on RDR and one other were I was attacked for doing this, I thought it may help others who need to make the same decision which is why I am putting it up here and if anyone wants to cross post it at any time to help others they are welcome to.

 

On Monday, 5th January Ellie my RDR Staffy, went in to have 2 lumps taken off, the operation went well and she had come round, then she started to struggle to breath. Her breathing was life threatening so one of the Consultants was sent for. I am lucky, my vets have quite a few consultants.

 

Adam put her under again to see what was wrong with her breathing, he found her voicebox badly swollen so put her on a drip to see if it would reduce, unfortunately it didn't, in fact her breathing got worse, so he had no choice but to do a temporary tracheotomy, she was dying :mecry: .

 

Ellie was watched very carefully or 2 days, On Wednesday they tried to cover the hole to see if she could breath on her own, she couldn't so another consultant, Joachim operated on her, shortened her soft pallet which was so long it had damaged her voicebox so he had to do some repair work on that as well. They were then waiting until Friday to see if she was healing well enough to take the tracheotomy out.

 

Thursday the temporary tracheotomy started to cause problems so the decision was made to put a permanent one in, If the vet hadn't done this Ellie would have died. Although this is a permanent tracheotomy she could eventually heal enough for this to be taken out but my vets seem to think this won't happen.

 

Friday Ellie could breath properly, probably the first time in her life she could so was feeling fit and well. Ellie decided that she had been in the kennel long enough and started to destroy it so a bed was put in the corridor where the computers are, with a water bowl, a harness put on Ellie and she was attached to one of the tables. Ellie had a wonderful time, everyone was given lots of Staffy kisses and cuddles and the staff used to play with her as well.

 

Ellie continued to improve over the weekend and had a wonderful time with the staff, even the night staff were playing with her.

 

Monday morning Ellie had to be put back into her kennel because a lot of dogs were coming in for operations and were she was could have been dangerous to her but again she tried to destroy her kennel. It was before 8am when I had a phone call to ask me to go and pick her up as soon as possible, she had been put with the ladies who do the insurance claims and was quiet but couldn't stay there. In fact these ladies were too busy playing with Ellie to do any work. :laugh:

 

A week after she went in Ellie came home.

 

I was terrified, every time she coughed I was there cleaning her up. She came up to bed with me, she had a lovely night's sleep, I couldn't sleep in case her coughing didn't wake me up.

 

Tuesday I took Ellie back to the vets for them to check, she mugged the vet and nurse because she was so pleased to see them, gave them lots of Staffy kisses and cuddles. The vet was really pleased with her progress over night.

 

Ellie can never wear a collar again, she can not have a bath or go swimming or she will drown, but she is able to breath better than she has ever been able to before. She has adapted very well, still coughing but that is supposed to go as well. Adel the vet has a pug with a tracheotomy in who is living a normal dog's life so was able to give me some tips as an owner not a vet.

 

Ellie is doing everthing at a much quicker pace now, she is playing more, races up and down the stairs as only dogs can, and trots everywhere instead of walking.

 

She rarely coughs now but with the snow and dry air I had to moisten the air in the house, washing on radiators is good for this. She has a nebuliser and will sit with her head up when I am using it.

 

I took her back to see Auntie Adel last Wednesday who is delighted with her progress, Ellie only needs to go for her 6 monthly medication check-ups now unless there is a problem. She will be more open to chest infections and I have to take her straight to the vets if she gets one.

 

Adel also said that it is quite common to put a tracheotomy in as a temperary measure but rare for it to be permanent because of the committment needed to the dog. Up to now I can't say the work is a lot, I check to see if she needs cleaning every couple of hours but normally she is cleaned about 3 or 4 times a day, I always clean her first thing of a morning and last thing at night so she doesn't need much during the day.

 

I worried at first if I had made the right decision but seeing her now I have. It all happened so quickly I didn't have time to work out if I wanted to put her through this or not, it was a case of this being done or she died, I am very pleased that I did let them put a tracheotomy in Ellie, her life is so much better now.

 

The cost of all this, including having having the lumps off was £4,900 but my vets have told the insurance company that the breathing problem is completely seperate from the lumbs and was not caused by the operation, so it has been split into two which is a big help to me, her limit is £4,000.

 

If anyone else has to face this, feel free to contact me and ask as many questions as you want.

 

My little Ellie.

 

 

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I'm delighted to hear that Ellie is doing so well.

 

How awful for someone to criticise you when you are only doing your best to help your dog. Shame on them! All of us have to make difficult decisions on behalf of our dogs at times and it's advice and support we need, not abuse.

 

Time has clearly proved your decision to be right. Well done for your commitment with Ellie's care.

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When Ellie's breathing first went, it was a case of tracheotomy or pts, the vets thought it could be reversed at this stage as well, it was only when Joachim, he operated on Merlin's spine last April, went to shorten the soft pallet, they realised just how much damage had been done. Joachim is a wonderful vet as well as having the most gorgeous brown eyes. :laugh:

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It's truly awful when you're faced with a decision you have to make quickly like that. You never know if it's going to be the right thing to do or not. I'm so pleased that for Ellie this has worked out.

 

We had an old Yorkie whose trachea completely collapsed and we nearly lost her. We weren't given the option of a tracheaotomy but maybe it's because she coped ok afterwards. Know what you mean about the dry air and keeping them cool. She managed just fine. So I worry when I hear of others having problems with their Yorkies that they could be pts before their time. It didn't bother Tess in the slightest. Each case is individual of course.

 

:GroupHug:

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With hindsight if I had been able to think about it I probably would have said pts because of the idea of a tracheotomy was frightening and I think it is to most people. This is why I have put Ellie's story up in the hope that if someone else's dog needs this they won't be frightened of it. It is more a case of fear of the unknown than the care needed afterwards.

 

I can't put her in kennels but I never do put my dogs in kennels, I have a caravan and take them with me, she can't wear a collar and can't have a bath or go swimming, she will drown if she does. I have a disc with this on attached to her harness. The TRPD trail harnesses are ideal for a dog with one of these in, the vets used a rope harness on her but thought her own harness was much better. I have had to alter her coats but the jumper knitted by Amy's mother fits really well and is clear of this.

 

If this had been caught earlier a tie back would probably have worked. It seems to be a problem with Staffies that they have long soft pallets and as they get older this relaxes and extends. Adel the vet has a pug with one in, she had been working with this dog for 2 months but when it came to a tracheotomy going in his owners wanted him pts so she adopted him. I have seen this dog and didn't know there was anything wrong with him. She has also adopted 2 dogs with 3 legs whose owners were giving up on thm.

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