1x Dog, 1x Grass seed, 5x Vets Appointments & £750 bill!
Discussion
We’ve got an incredibly fit, energetic and healthy 2 year old German Shorthaired Pointer. Last Sunday we noticed a soft marble-sized lump in his jowl –just below his jaw bone. Didn’t seem to be bothering him so we initially thought it was some form of cyst. By Monday it was the size of a golf-ball so off to the vets who said it needed an op to remove it. The op’ was next morning and goes fine -turns out to be a grass seed that had probably worked its way down through a pocket in his gum and gone septic. Vet said she’d seen several similar problems this year with grass seeds embedded in paws, ears, eyes and even a lung.
So far so good. Pooch is a bit dopey from the anaesthetic but otherwise fine so we take him home, armed with a pack of Metacam NSAID/painkillers to take the swelling down. And that’s where the trouble started……next day he’s got a bad stomach so back to the vets who give him some anti-acid tablets to settle his tum and an injection of metacam instead of the tablet version and with instructions to restart the tablets next morning. But, by the next morning he’s in a right old state -literally s
tting and vomiting blood, shaking from head to tail, not eating or drinking, totally lethargic and barely able to stand. Another trip to the vets who diagnose acute allergic reaction to metacam. So more injections of different pain killers, doggy-diarolyte, anti-biotics and pro-biotic gunk.
I’m pleased to report that once off the metacam he actually made a pretty quick recovery and by Saturday (and another vet check) he was well on the mend –just rather skinny after best part of five days of not eating! That just leaves the wife who is completely traumatised after convincing herself that she was losing her boy and me swallowing a £750 vets bill ( hopefully the PetPlan will cover most of it!)
The reaction to metacam was dramatic –really scary. And the weird but is he had metacam once before when he had his nuts chopped off –at that point he had a slight upset tum but was generally OK. This time around it hit really hard and we’ve subsequently heard of numerous other dogs that react badly to it –so why is it cleared for canine use?
So far so good. Pooch is a bit dopey from the anaesthetic but otherwise fine so we take him home, armed with a pack of Metacam NSAID/painkillers to take the swelling down. And that’s where the trouble started……next day he’s got a bad stomach so back to the vets who give him some anti-acid tablets to settle his tum and an injection of metacam instead of the tablet version and with instructions to restart the tablets next morning. But, by the next morning he’s in a right old state -literally s
tting and vomiting blood, shaking from head to tail, not eating or drinking, totally lethargic and barely able to stand. Another trip to the vets who diagnose acute allergic reaction to metacam. So more injections of different pain killers, doggy-diarolyte, anti-biotics and pro-biotic gunk. I’m pleased to report that once off the metacam he actually made a pretty quick recovery and by Saturday (and another vet check) he was well on the mend –just rather skinny after best part of five days of not eating! That just leaves the wife who is completely traumatised after convincing herself that she was losing her boy and me swallowing a £750 vets bill ( hopefully the PetPlan will cover most of it!)
The reaction to metacam was dramatic –really scary. And the weird but is he had metacam once before when he had his nuts chopped off –at that point he had a slight upset tum but was generally OK. This time around it hit really hard and we’ve subsequently heard of numerous other dogs that react badly to it –so why is it cleared for canine use?
Generally metacam works very well in the vast majority of dogs. I have a rottie who can't take metacam or rimadyl without exploding with diarrhoea, but thankfully is ok on two human painkillers which help with his screwed elbow. Most painkillers or NSAIDs as we refer to them have some form of stomach upsetting ability, but this has improved dramatically since I have been qualified, and even more so in the human field as there is a much greater market and complaints can be much more unpleasant. Doesn't really make your experience any easier, but make sure that your record card is marked clearly with DO NOT USE METACAM!! and ask if you think someone might be giving this or Loxicom at the vets. Personally, even though I'm a farm vet, I would have advised an immediate cessation of metacam in any vomitting or diarrhoeic dog including by injection as this has also proved unpleasant for my pooch. Your dog is in a small minority of patients who just cannot tolerate this medication, and possibly rimadyl too so watch for that one too at vet visits.
As regards £750 fee, if no advice regarding possible upset stomach was given, then soom of the remedial care should have been at the vets' expense, in my opinion, but if it was discussed for post-operative pain relief with possible complications then it is taken as an accepted risk (albeit very small).
Sorry not much help but thankfully your dog has recovered and should be able to avoid any repetition or long term effects.
As regards £750 fee, if no advice regarding possible upset stomach was given, then soom of the remedial care should have been at the vets' expense, in my opinion, but if it was discussed for post-operative pain relief with possible complications then it is taken as an accepted risk (albeit very small).
Sorry not much help but thankfully your dog has recovered and should be able to avoid any repetition or long term effects.
My vet's bill was £650 to remove an 11lb 8 oz tumor and 3 days at the vets on my bulldog. I am always very dubious when it comes to vets as prices do vary between them in our area.
For example my normal vet for a c section on a french bulldog is £475 in the day time ad you can barley see the scar from the section. Few months ago my vet was away on holiday so rang another vet and they wanted £1400 in day time hours, i went to them as they had a good reputation. Flo had one pup and was taken out dead. Few months later i took her to my normal vet who said the section was that bad she couldnt have another section due to how bad her scarring was.
For example my normal vet for a c section on a french bulldog is £475 in the day time ad you can barley see the scar from the section. Few months ago my vet was away on holiday so rang another vet and they wanted £1400 in day time hours, i went to them as they had a good reputation. Flo had one pup and was taken out dead. Few months later i took her to my normal vet who said the section was that bad she couldnt have another section due to how bad her scarring was.
Batleyred said:
My vet's bill was £650 to remove an 11lb 8 oz tumor and 3 days at the vets on my bulldog. I am always very dubious when it comes to vets as prices do vary between them in our area.
For example my normal vet for a c section on a french bulldog is £475 in the day time ad you can barley see the scar from the section. Few months ago my vet was away on holiday so rang another vet and they wanted £1400 in day time hours, i went to them as they had a good reputation. Flo had one pup and was taken out dead. Few months later i took her to my normal vet who said the section was that bad she couldnt have another section due to how bad her scarring was.
11lb 8oz tumour.......average bulldog weight 40lb..... how did that get so big? I am very dubious when it comes to public criticisms. And how did your normal vet ascertain that the scarring was so bad that further bulldog breeding (pretty profitable breed with multiple mega breed issues with single pup value of £3000), why would you breed any dog that is so reliant on surgical delivery, belgian blue breeders included) Now even with USound scan you could not guarantee impossibility of breeding but surely any sensible breeder would abstain from any unnecessary further action requiring painkillers???For example my normal vet for a c section on a french bulldog is £475 in the day time ad you can barley see the scar from the section. Few months ago my vet was away on holiday so rang another vet and they wanted £1400 in day time hours, i went to them as they had a good reputation. Flo had one pup and was taken out dead. Few months later i took her to my normal vet who said the section was that bad she couldnt have another section due to how bad her scarring was.
I'm really glad to hear your boy has recovered.
But, like any medication, human or animal, some individuals will react badly. I have an allergy to penicillin, but other people can take it with no problems - just because I react badly to it, should it be banned?
Many of my dogs have been treated with Metacam with no issues. One of my parents' dogs, however, can't use it. Whenever I have been prescribed Metacam for one of my dogs, it has always been with the warning that if they have any digestive issues, to cease use. I am surprised, therefore, that your vet prescribed it again after a previous issue and that they further continued after a problem with it this time. I would definitely be querying this with them.
But, like any medication, human or animal, some individuals will react badly. I have an allergy to penicillin, but other people can take it with no problems - just because I react badly to it, should it be banned?
Many of my dogs have been treated with Metacam with no issues. One of my parents' dogs, however, can't use it. Whenever I have been prescribed Metacam for one of my dogs, it has always been with the warning that if they have any digestive issues, to cease use. I am surprised, therefore, that your vet prescribed it again after a previous issue and that they further continued after a problem with it this time. I would definitely be querying this with them.
Our collie is just recovering from pyothorax ... we suspect caused by a grass seed inhaled and then gone septic. Truly horrific and almost lost him ... had a litre of fluid drained from his lungs alone. Had a chest drain and his abdomen was operated on to get rid of the fluid. Almost £3k of vets bills ... thankfully insured .... vet still not 100% sure he's cured but has been on 5 weeks of anti biotics and all seems to have cleared up. At one stage, vet suggested a referral for a chest operation at an estimated £6k - £10k ...
Looks like Fred, our Westie, has got a grass seed stuck inside his ear. After a couple of weeks with cleaning and drops and regular visits to the vets, the swelling has gone down but they still can't see far enough inside. Poor little chap needs to be sedated next week so they can have a look. Hopefully nothing to worry about, but he is still going to get extra cuddles for the next few days.
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff