# Pyometra surgery - my dog won't eat or drink.



## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

My dog was unwell (not eating) So we took her to the vets on Monday. They said she has an infected uterus and then she had surgery to remove it that day but we took her home later that night. She is a 13 year old border terrier. 

She was back at the vet yesterday (Tuesday) for a checkup. As she was not eating (we couldn't giver her her tablets) they gave her injections. She did manage water through Monday night. But since wasn't taking water or eating.

The vet said to use the syringe and give her water through this every 4 hours. Today (Wednesday) She still has not ate and is on her way to vets today for another check up. Very worried about her not eating. 

She has been resting and getting up every now and then but obviously not herself. She was in very good health for her age prior to this. 

Has anyone else been through anything similar?


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

I had my dog spayed last year for the same thing but she never went off her food , that's unhead of ! She was 14 y.o.
Have you tried her with smelly foods, such as sardines in spring water or roast chicken ( skinned) , sausage , anything she really likes usually, to get her started ? Try hand feeding her little morsels. 
As for the fluids try flavouring her water, a drop of milk, some coconut water, a drop of chicken stock ( not rom stock cubes, too salty ) 
Is she moving about ? I was amazed at my dog's recovery, by 48 hours after the surgery she was leaping around like a puppy !
Ask the vet about an anti-nausea injection and pain killer if she's not able to have her tablets.
Please come back and update us.


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

The vet said she is looking better but he thinks the infection may not be fully away. Although the removed her uterus there may have been some traces of infection left or spread slightly which may be why she is still not wanting to eat so we have to keep up with the antibiotics. 

She got more injections today as she won't take the tablets. We asked if there is any way to get some nutrition in to her and he said to use the syringe with baby food in it so we are going to try that. 

Her vet checkup tomorrow is later on in the day so we think this will be better as she seems to perk up more in the morning once the injections have worn off. So we are hoping she may eat something tomorrow so we can give her her tablets rather than going for injections every day.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Why can't you give her her tablets. If she is not feeling well it will stress her out to keep going to the vets. If you are not sure how to do it, just open her mouth and shove the tablet down the back of her throat, can you get the vet to show you.


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

Blitz said:


> Why can't you give her her tablets. If she is not feeling well it will stress her out to keep going to the vets. If you are not sure how to do it, just open her mouth and shove the tablet down the back of her throat, can you get the vet to show you.


The vet has said to go back for a check up to see how she's progressing each day until they are happy with her progress. They also said not to force her to eat or take any meds as she could end up choking on them.

We have been putting baby food on her top lip so she's having to lick it away but she still won't voluntarily eat anything.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

catrina paton said:


> The vet has said to go back for a check up to see how she's progressing each day until they are happy with her progress. They also said not to force her to eat or take any meds as she could end up choking on them.
> 
> We have been putting baby food on her top lip so she's having to lick it away but she still won't voluntarily eat anything.


But you do not have to make her eat to take tablets.


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

Blitz said:


> But you do not have to make her eat to take tablets.


The vet said not to force a tablet down her throat as she could choke.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

catrina paton said:


> The vet said not to force a tablet down her throat as she could choke.


well yes, that is possible if you forced it down. You put it on the back of the tongue so they have no choice but to swallow.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

You could crush the tablet between two spoons and mix it into some pate or cream cheese which you then wipe on her tongue, so she has to swallow.

I would also buy some glucose powder and add it to her water.

I had a bitch who would not eat or drink after a stroke and this is what I did. She was fourteen at the time, but recovered and lived another three years.


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

Rafa said:


> You could crush the tablet between two spoons and mix it into some pate or cream cheese which you then wipe on her tongue, so she has to swallow.
> 
> I would also buy some glucose powder and add it to her water.
> 
> I had a bitch who would not eat or drink after a stroke and this is what I did. She was fourteen at the time, but recovered and lived another three years.


Thank you this is something we might try tomorrow. Hoping she will be a little less reluctant with soft foods tomorrow. But this will work even in the same way as we have been giving her the baby food. Thanks


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

She’s still not eating by herself and has gotten so skinny. Extremely worried now. She’s got another appointment at the vets on Monday. She’s drinking on her own but not much. The baby food we are managing to give her obviously doesn’t get enough calories in to her so I’ve got pate which I’m going to mix with water and try that tomorrow.

I’m thinking maybe the antibiotics aren’t working? It’s my mum that’s taking her to the vets. Feel so frustrated with this. Don’t know what to do.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

I wonder if the antibiotics are making her feel sick? Is it Noroclav she's on?

May be worth mentioning to your Vet.

Would she drink some soup or runny porridge?


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

Rafa said:


> I wonder if the antibiotics are making her feel sick? Is it Noroclav she's on?
> 
> May be worth mentioning to your Vet.
> 
> Would she drink some soup or runny porridge?


Thanks again for your response ☺. I've been thinking this and hoping that it is this.

My mum has planned on giving her the full 6 days worth up until Tuesday when we had her injected instead on the 1st two days so we technically had two days extra left over. But I've said after tonight's meds are finished not to give her any more as we were only supposed to do from Tuesday to Sunday on the pills anyway.

She's going to ask the vet this tomorrow morning anyway just in case.

It's synuclav she is on. She's also on morphine and tramadol.

I'm just hoping once she's off these meds tomorrow she actually wants to eat something. I'm wondering how long it would take for her appetite to come back if it is due to the meds making her feel sick.

She's had no discharge and her wound is looking great. She's drinking. But due to the little amount she's been managing to eat with us forcing her she's only just passed a runny stool yesterday for the 1st time.

She is a picky dog so has in the last went off her food but obviously never as long as this so it's worrying. She's also got a bit of a sensitive belly as she can end up vomiting and eating grass if we give her anything too rich. But I've ended up getting my mum to mix in beef and pork pate to her baby food to get a higher calorie liquid food in to her as I'm so worried she's going to starve. She wasn't sick thankfully but it was a small amount.

Just hoping that it's just her sensitive stomache and these meds causing her to not eat.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

catrina paton said:


> It's synuclav she is on. She's also on morphine and tramadol.


I feel sure that the above combination of drugs on an empty stomach will be making her feel sick and very disinclined to eat.

Once the antibiotics have cleared her system, you may well find she has some appetite.


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

Rafa said:


> I feel sure that the above combination of drugs on an empty stomach will be making her feel sick and very disinclined to eat.
> 
> Once the antibiotics have cleared her system, you may well find she has some appetite.


I hope so! Thanks.

I also just seen her antibiotics contain penicillin and I remember not being able to take antibiotics that contained penicillin before as they made me feel ill and my bf said the same he couldn't eat on his and had to change them. So this is making me even more hopeful.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

catrina paton said:


> I hope so! Thanks.
> 
> I also just seen her antibiotics contain penicillin and I remember not being able to take antibiotics that contained penicillin before as they made me feel ill and my bf said the same he couldn't eat on his and had to change them. So this is making me even more hopeful.


You need to be very, very careful handling them , allergens can be absorbed through the skin and cause a bad reaction. Vets have always asked if I'm allergic to penicillin - I'm not - and advised wearing gloves to handle the tablets if so.


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## catrina paton (Dec 5, 2018)

SusieRainbow said:


> You need to be very, very careful handling them , allergens can be absorbed through the skin and cause a bad reaction. Vets have always asked if I'm allergic to penicillin - I'm not - and advised wearing gloves to handle the tablets if so.


Oh really. Never realized this but it's my mum giving her them anyway. I don't think I'm allergic either but I had to request different ones as they made me feel sick. Just glad she's finished them tonight.


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