Question from Matese about Cody

[Magnus]

Matese is currently having issues with getting on YT so I've offered to post on her behalf regarding Cody. If you have any advice/suggestions to offer, please do and I will pass it onto her until she can get on the site herself to check the replies.

"They are keeping Cody tonight, hopefully he'll be home tomorrow. When your pet has to stay over night or for several days a tech calls in the morning to give update on dogs progress. I asked her what type of surgery was performed on Cody. All she does is read from a report, she said it was manual, a balloon was inserted and inflated, the blockage i am assuming was cut or scraped off, and sent out for a biopsy.

No stitches inside or outside. The tech told me they put a pain patch on him, on his rear leg, the patch is stapled to him, it's a 72 hour pain patch, and needs to be changed this Sunday. That is my concern, the "stapled" patch. None of the dogs I ever had went through something like this. I never heard of a pain patch or of stapling such a thing like this to a dog, but then again I don't know of anyone's dog that had a blockage in the colon.

Why a pain patch and not a pain pill? The tech said it takes 12 hours for the patch to get the pain med into the blood stream. Does a pain patch work faster then giving a pill for pain? Is a patch better then a pain pill? questions, questions, questions and no answers. Well at least I am happy to know, no scalpel was used, no stitches, I guess the pain is from removing the blockage."

[pstinard]

I found this prescribing information about pain patches:

Your doctor has elected to give your pet the benefit of a Pain Relief Patch

What Is A “Pain Patch?”

The pain patch provides sustained relief to animals who have suffered traumatic injury or chronic pain. It can also prevent pain and ensure a comfortable recuperation for pets undergoing surgery.

Your veterinarian applies a small fentanyl pain relief patch, similar to one that is used in humans, directly to your pet’s skin. Fentanyl, a potent pain relief drug, is slowly released from the patch and absorbed through the skin.

What Does It Do?

This patch is especially useful for minimizing pain associated with surgery, and is usually applied 6 to 24 hours prior to the start of certain surgical procedures. This allows the pain relief medication to reach effective levels in your pet’s blood before the surgery actually takes place, providing “preemptive” pain management. The pain patch is also tremendously effective for giving sustained relief to animals that have suffered a traumatic injury. The patch can also help provide significant relief to animals with acute pain caused by such medical conditions as severe parvovirus enteritis and pancreatitis.

• A single patch can provide relief for as long as 3 to 4 days.
• The patch is safe for both dogs and cats.
• Its use may allow us to discharge your pet sooner from the hospital so that it can more quickly enjoy the comforts of its home and family.

How Is The Patch Applied?

We clip a small area of hair, place the patch directly on the skin, and frequently cover it with a bandage in order to help it stay in place. Your veterinarian will decide the best location for the patch on your pet. Common sites include the top of the neck, in between the shoulder
blades, on the sides of the chest or, for dogs, on a lower leg area.
It is important that your pet is not able to chew or scratch the patch off and swallow it. It is also important that children not be able to pull the patch off. If a protective bandage has been applied and starts to come off, please return to the hospital immediately to have it replaced.

How And When Is The Patch Removed?

Your veterinarian will advise you as to how long the patch should remain in place. Normally, your veterinarian will want you to return to the hospital for removal of the patch. In some cases, your doctor may direct you to remove the patch at home, depending on your pet’s clinical condition and whether or not a recheck examination or application of a new patch will be needed. Please be sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions carefully. If you have difficulty removing the patch due to the sticky surface adhering to your pet’s skin, applying some soothing skin lotion or cream as the patch is peeled back may help. If you do remove the patch at home, the best way to dispose of it is to flush it down a toilet. In some situations, such as cancer or other conditions causing chronic pain, long term use of the patch may be called for. In such cases, you will need to bring your pet to the hospital where we will remove and discard the old patch and apply a new one for you. Be assured that enough of the pain-relieving drug from the old patch will be in your pet’s bloodstream to
keep your pet comfortable until the new patch becomes effective.

Are There Any Side Effects From Patches?

Fentanyl pain relief patches generally produce few side effects. However, if you notice any vomiting, significant lethargy, agitation, an unexpected decrease or lack of an appetite in your pet, please call the hospital immediately and ask to speak to your veterinarian. The doctor will advise you accordingly.

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Magnus

Matese is currently having issues with getting on YT so I've offered to post on her behalf regarding Cody. If you have any advice/suggestions to offer, please do and I will pass it onto her until she can get on the site herself to check the replies.

"They are keeping Cody tonight, hopefully he'll be home tomorrow. When your pet has to stay over night or for several days a tech calls in the morning to give update on dogs progress. I asked her what type of surgery was performed on Cody. All she does is read from a report, she said it was manual, a balloon was inserted and inflated, the blockage i am assuming was cut or scraped off, and sent out for a biopsy.

No stitches inside or outside. The tech told me they put a pain patch on him, on his rear leg, the patch is stapled to him, it's a 72 hour pain patch, and needs to be changed this Sunday. That is my concern, the "stapled" patch. None of the dogs I ever had went through something like this. I never heard of a pain patch or of stapling such a thing like this to a dog, but then again I don't know of anyone's dog that had a blockage in the colon.

Why a pain patch and not a pain pill? The tech said it takes 12 hours for the patch to get the pain med into the blood stream. Does a pain patch work faster then giving a pill for pain? Is a patch better then a pain pill? questions, questions, questions and no answers. Well at least I am happy to know, no scalpel was used, no stitches, I guess the pain is from removing the blockage."

The pain patch provides CONTINUAL pain relief. It gives a more constant supply of pain medication than a pill would. It takes longer than a pill to take effect, but once it does, the effect is continual. I don't know why they would staple it on instead of tape it on, unless it's to be sure that it stays put, but considering that Cody doesn't have any other stitches or incisions, a few staples is probably not going to cause any additional pain.

I hope Cody gets well soon!

[Maximo]

Pain medication patches are common for dogs and humans after surgery. I have never heard of them being stapled to the body. They usually have an adhesive, like a bandaid. Perhaps she mistunderstood the tech/doctor.

Praying for Cody.

[ShowGirlLola]

I googled "dog pain patch staples" and found 2 sites that mentioned stapling it. It doesn't make sense to me either, but I guess it isn't unheard of.

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Pain medication patches are common for dogs and humans after surgery. I have never heard of them being stapled to the body. They usually have an adhesive, like a bandaid. Perhaps she mistunderstood the tech/doctor.

Praying for Cody.

I did some searching, and they do staple pain patches sometimes:

"If we put it on the leg it is covered with a bandage. We will commonly staple the patch to the skin if we put it between the shoulder blades. It will be bandaged for protection and to minimize the chance of contact with other pets and children. Please return in 3 days for us to remove it and dispose of it properly." --From Anesthesia

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by pstinard

I did some searching, and they do staple pain patches sometimes:

"If we put it on the leg it is covered with a bandage. We will commonly staple the patch to the skin if we put it between the shoulder blades. It will be bandaged for protection and to minimize the chance of contact with other pets and children. Please return in 3 days for us to remove it and dispose of it properly." --From Anesthesia

I see. Ouch.

[pink66]

When our lab mix had her CCL surgery the vet stapled the patch to her skin. I was shocked, but Grace, (the lab) never flinched.

[Cherie6446]

When Gina had her surgery she had a patch. I think it works better than pills.

[kjc]

Wow! Prayers going out for Cody! Just have to assume here that he may have been given pain meds during surgery... so a patch would make sense as it wouldn't kick in till the surgery meds were wearing off.

Praying for good biopsy results!

[Verbena]

Sending good thoughts to Cody

[matese]

I would like to thank everyone that offered my Cody boy well wishes and prayers.

[pstinard]

Continuing to pray for a speedy recovery for Cody! From the way you described the surgery and the fact that he was frisky enough to bite the vet techs, I'm encouraged!