Chewie just got out of surgery :o(
 

Oh, I'll try a short version.

Early this morning, Chewie (my large polydactyl cat) was choking in the hallway and spitting up. Went to check on him and he had a 2-foot length of dental floss coming out of his mouth. I soon discovered it went down his throat.

My vet wasn't open yet so rushed him to a university vet. After almost 2 hours they told me they were certain his intestines were all jumbled up from taking the floss into the intestinal system and that the surgery would be over $2000.

Well I just burst out crying. They ended up calling my vet at that point, explained what was going on and I talked to his nurse who said it would be about $500, with no guarantee but that I could make payments.

(As it was, it had already cost me $250+ at the university vet.) So now I'll have another $500 on top of that! oi vey

So, bundled up Chewie and took him out there and my vet had forgotten how huge Chewie is and almost refused to do it. He said it would be like operating on an over 300-lb human.

Anyway, he also said Chewie might have to be put down, depending on how badly the intestines were involved.

I had come in here to ask for prayers! but just got a call from the nurse saying they had closed Chewie up, he was alive, and would have to stay with them til next week.

The floss had made it all the way into his large intestine. They had to cut open the intestines in 6 different places in order to get all of it out. It took an incision from his chest all the way down into the abdomen.

I'm still so sick to my stomach after all this but...Chewie is alive!

This is Chewie. He's bigger than Bruna.


.

(((((((Doody & Chewie)))))))

Lots of prayers and hugs. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

It's gonna be ALRIGHT
 

Doody....I know what you are going thru! One of our chihuahua's found a backdoor way into Daddy's workshop...ate some copper wire strands that had fallen on the floor. One night he started doing a funny head-stand dance and vomiting. We rushed to the on call vets office...20 miles away.
They xrayed him and said they thought he had pancreatitis, and that he was in no danger, just take him to our vet in the morning...and 350.00 later we left.
The next morning I was in the parking lot when the vet unlocked the door, gave them the xray, and they said why didnt they operate???

:thud:

they showed me the films and said...these are foreign objects...Alex needs surgery STAT! Took them hours, they found 1 lil piece of wire, which was like a needle, the other they couldn't find. We had to pray it would pass. So, in church I lifted my chihuahua for prayers....we went on poop inspection patrol every day...and 3 days later the other piece of wire passed!

Im glad your baby is gonna be getting better...if I could I'd send you the money today...

((Curious)) thank you. :hug: Havin a hard time, just keep bursting into tears! :o Chewie is one of those sweetest cats alive. He just lives to give love and get love, it's all he wants. (Well, except obviously wants food as well.)

Chewie is the one who since I took him in as a baby, lays behind my head on the pillow every night and head butts, kneads and purrs until he falls. asleep.

aww, Doody. You've had so much happening and now this has happened. It's just awful. I'm so sorry. I hope he makes a fast recovery. You take care of yourself there. Too much on your plate at present. Know that we're all thinking about you there. :hug:

Thank you Just Drea and Lara. I gotta go rest my head for a bit, it hurts.

Thanks so much.

Lordy, Doody...you've been through the ringer with the animals!! Your cat looks very much like my Gracie...size wise. Gracie is gray but she weighs well over 20 pounds. It's all I can do to lift her.

I'm so glad the operation was successful and Chewie is on the road to recovery.

Isn't it amazing what we'll do for our furry family?! There's nothing I wouldn't do for either of my cats. Yes, I know they're animals but they're also part of our family and bring us so much happiness.

I'm still praying for Chewie...and you, too. Get some rest!!

oh, I am so sorry...
 

How awful....I want to help.

I'm sending you a PM.

Sending positive thoughts to your "baby".

doody {{{{{HUGS}}}} you've been through so much lately... I'm so sorry about Chewie. I'll for sure say a prayer for him and you too....:hug:
vicky

Oh no! I'm just know reading about Chewie. I'm so sorry Doody, I know how much he means to you. :hug:

Oh no ((((((Doody)))))) I am so sorry! I hope you are OK. Chewie is where he needs to be right now. He is is good hands.

Thank goodness you were home when it happened. Dental Floss and elastic bands are notorious for these problems with the feline furkids in my house.

Dottie:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

Well, thank you, all of you! Guess it all stressed me out for I have a whopper headache and my tummy is mad. :o

Chewie had to have found a loose roll of floss on the floor somewhere. My vet said there were feet and feet and feet of it, and all wadded up in the 6 locations they had to cut open. Took them 3 hours.

And they said high end cost would be around $450-500. Well, I'd say that's a far cry from the vet hospital's charge of a minimum of $2000. It was $252.50 just for them to tell me what was going on. :rolleyes: Dont' worry, where there is a will there is a way.

I just continue to be amazed by all of our NT members.

((Mrs. D)), you are just too kind. I got your message and I cannot accept. All these years of knowing you from both BrainTalk and now NT, you just continue to keep me in awe of how wonderful you are.

But...you and hubby can adopt me maybe? I keep asking Mr. and Mrs. Alffe and I guess adoption is out of the question for them. :D

Tonight and tomorrow I am babysitting Otto. Kids went to Kansas City for the night. Otto continues to have no movement in the hind quarters, but we don't give up hope. Poor little guy. Makes my heart hurt watching him drag his legs.

((((((((((((((Doody))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) you know I am thinking of you. You've been through it lately, haven't you? Well....I am here if I can do anything.
Loves ya, lady....
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

Glad He'll Be OK
 

Was sorry to hear what you've had to go through with Chewie....sounds like he has the right name! Our Munchie has to be watched closely, she'll eat anything!

Know about high vet bills, Bearbear broke his leg and we're up to about $2200 already, its been 8 1/2 weeks and no sign of healing yet, they went in last week and pinned it and he'll be like this an additional 10 - 16 weeks...vet said as tiny as his bones are..it'll probably be closer to 16 weeks. Chihuahuas get pretty costly when it comes to vet bills....but he's my service dog and worth every penny!;) Bearbear is the one in my avatar....crossing fingers....vet also said that if it doesn't heal this time, he'll lose the leg....but I'll still have him, and he can still be a service dog.....he's my ears!

I'm so sorry about your precious fur baby Doody. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. :hug: Fur babies are so important in our lives. I have a dog who is blind and death and I don't know what I'm going to do when the time comes. I have a cat too who follows me around all day, just like a dog. :hug:

"But...you and hubby can adopt me maybe? I keep asking Mr. and Mrs. Alffe and I guess adoption is out of the question for them. :D"


I think Mrs.D and her hubby are a lot younger than Mr.Alffe and me. :D But you'd be a proud addition to any family. :hug:

Thank you all! I just called the vet's office but got a young assistant. She said Chewie is very quiet and they are giving him fluids. He is alive! She said the doc would call me back with any more details.

Thank you ((Ducky)) ((HappyFeet)) ((CrystalSword)). ROFL Ms. Alffe, but wait. I'm almost as old as you, so 3 old farts could help take care of each other? :D

Chrystal! A professor friend of mine at work has rescued italian greyhounds. One broke her leg very badly last year. Surgery, pins, just like your's. They also said they may have to amputate. But she finally has come around and walks, with quite a limp, but she did finally start walking. It took her about 3 months to get to that point. Prayers for your baby to be as successful.

LOL I never thought of that! Actually, my daughter named him Chewbaca because of his huge feet and well, general hugeness. He reminded her of Chewie in StarWars.

So you aren't going to call him Flossy? :p

:hug:

doody, flattery will get you nowhere! *grin I am at least a decade older than you are! (way to heal Chewie!)

ROFL, oh SHUSH you 2!

ahhhh...

Chewie Floss Muncher.

:p

LOL :p

Well, doc just called me a bit ago. He said keep praying for Chewie because he's not out of the woods.

He's running a high temp. They are pushing fluids, B vitamins, heavy antibiotics. He described the surgery in more detail to me and well...stunning what they had to do. I can't even imagine how I would feel after having an incision from stem to stern, my guts pulled out and 6 incisions, and having lord knows how many feet of floss removed from my guts. Doc said he took lumps of floss out at a couple of points.

:thud:

Praying for my Chew Chew.

I'm praying for the little (big) guy. And for you too Doody. :hug:

Doody, I'm so sorrry to hear about Chewie. You and Chewie are in my thoughts and prayers. Take care of yourself and get some rest. Hugs and doxie kisses, Doxie Mama

Oh, I am so sorry to hear this. Let me know if there is some way I can help you!!!

Thank you!
 

Thanks for the well wishes for Bearbear...he's the black and tan dog in my avatar. He is my life....besides hubby, children and grandchildren! Munchie and I aren't as close as Bearbear and I are but then she is my husband's service dog.

Sure hope that Chewie makes it, sounds, and looks like a neat cat, even though I am not really a cat person.

wondering how chewie was today......:hug:

Well, I haven't heard yet today.

The doc did call me both Sat. and Sun. Saturday he didn't sound as optimistic as yesterday, but yesterday he said again that he was cautiously optimistic.

Yesterday Chew drank almost all the water in his bowl. And yesterday was the first time he weakly mewed. He can't get up but did lift his head. And last night he ate a little bit of watered down AD food.

The doc said his white count is very high and he's still running a fever. He also said that he is using an antibiotic that he reserves for 'life and death' matters. He thinks the floss cut into his guts worse than he anticipated.

Well I figure, when you cut that stuff up, there's gotta be some nasty stuff emptying in the cavity????

He told me to keep praying.

Praying Praying praying
 

Doody..I am praying for that fur baby. And you also, I've been thru this and I know first hand how hard it is.....:hug: from me and Abbie, Alex, and Archie

Oh thanks so much.

I talked to doc a bit ago. He is still cautiously optimistic. He said the best news was that Chewie drank more water and ate the AD cat food without vomiting, he held it down. And Chewie seemed more 'with it' than yesterday.

He also used his litter box. But his fever is still present. He is starting today to dose him 2x a day with the high end antibiotic. His white cell count is still high.

But, he was mostly encouraged that he ate and drank without vomiting.

((doody)) Holding you and Chewie in my thoughts and prayers :hug:

That is a good sign.

:hug:

(((((Dear Doody)))))) I just read this. Love and prayers being Chewie's way and yours as well.

I am pulling for precious Chewy.

(Chewie looks like a cat I had years ago named Painter.)

still praying for ((((Chewie)))) and ((((Otto)))) and of course Mama (((((Doody))))

Just saw this. Glad Chewie is better; praying for a complete recovery.