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King Bombo · 10-08-2008, 01:28 AM

An update:

Bombo had pain for a few days post-surgery. Trying to give him pain meds and antibiotics via an injector was a disaster. I got more of the stuff on me than in him. I was also afraid that I would accidentally puncture his repaired palate with the injector! We switched to giving him his meds in a tab I could easily slide down his throat.

After the surgery, he still had water coming out of his nose whenever he drank. Where was the leak? Interesting to note, he was able to eat soft food for the first time without it going into his nasal passages. His appetite was off and he wound up losing about 6 ounces. That may not sound like much, but in this household, we measure everything by the ounce. Bombo's total weight is 3 lbs 5 ounces. We are back up within an ounce of his pre-surgery weight.

Following surgery he was never without congestion. It was worse at night. He snored loudly--more loudly than my husband! At times he woke up wheezing, breathing with his mouth open. For a week, I was up most of the night worrying, listening to his chest with a stethoscope. I had to return to suctioning him at night, in the middle of the night, in the morning, later in the morning, etc. I continued giving him his two antibiotics: the azithromycin and clavamox. His congestion decreased a bit but never went away. Naturally, I was concerned his repair had failed.

At the checkup yesterday, two and a half weeks after surgery, I learned that his palate is 95% repaired --beautifully repaired. But there is a small hole, about 3 mm in length. It is right where the hard palate and soft palate connect. That accounts for why liquids entered the nasal cavity but food did not. Despite the hole, the surgeons were very happy, given how big his cleft had been.

On November 5, Bombo will undergo another surgery to close the small hole. This surgery should be fairly easy. I will be able to take him home right after he comes out of the anesthesia fog. The surgeons are fairly optimistic that it will be successful. Bombo's birthday is Nov 27 and I hope the gift to both of us is a 100% repaired palate.

I have posted photos. They are quite graphic, so be prepared. The photos include his palate before surgery. The little bit of blue and white debris is part of a wee-wee pad he had chewed and gotten stuck in his cleft. The second photo shows the palate after molars from one side of his mouth were removed to allow more tissue to be used for the later surgery. The molar extractions took place one month before the surgery to close the cleft. The third photo is the repaired palate. The whitish portion of the palate is exposed bone from where tissue was taken to form the flap that was stitched over the cleft.

One day, he will have one more surgery ---to be neutered! He is in full adolescent mode and very much in love with a particular stuffed animal.

10-08-2008, 01:28 AM	#22
King Bombo YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: San Francisco Posts: 8	Bombo's update An update: Bombo had pain for a few days post-surgery. Trying to give him pain meds and antibiotics via an injector was a disaster. I got more of the stuff on me than in him. I was also afraid that I would accidentally puncture his repaired palate with the injector! We switched to giving him his meds in a tab I could easily slide down his throat. After the surgery, he still had water coming out of his nose whenever he drank. Where was the leak? Interesting to note, he was able to eat soft food for the first time without it going into his nasal passages. His appetite was off and he wound up losing about 6 ounces. That may not sound like much, but in this household, we measure everything by the ounce. Bombo's total weight is 3 lbs 5 ounces. We are back up within an ounce of his pre-surgery weight. Following surgery he was never without congestion. It was worse at night. He snored loudly--more loudly than my husband! At times he woke up wheezing, breathing with his mouth open. For a week, I was up most of the night worrying, listening to his chest with a stethoscope. I had to return to suctioning him at night, in the middle of the night, in the morning, later in the morning, etc. I continued giving him his two antibiotics: the azithromycin and clavamox. His congestion decreased a bit but never went away. Naturally, I was concerned his repair had failed. At the checkup yesterday, two and a half weeks after surgery, I learned that his palate is 95% repaired --beautifully repaired. But there is a small hole, about 3 mm in length. It is right where the hard palate and soft palate connect. That accounts for why liquids entered the nasal cavity but food did not. Despite the hole, the surgeons were very happy, given how big his cleft had been. On November 5, Bombo will undergo another surgery to close the small hole. This surgery should be fairly easy. I will be able to take him home right after he comes out of the anesthesia fog. The surgeons are fairly optimistic that it will be successful. Bombo's birthday is Nov 27 and I hope the gift to both of us is a 100% repaired palate. I have posted photos. They are quite graphic, so be prepared. The photos include his palate before surgery. The little bit of blue and white debris is part of a wee-wee pad he had chewed and gotten stuck in his cleft. The second photo shows the palate after molars from one side of his mouth were removed to allow more tissue to be used for the later surgery. The molar extractions took place one month before the surgery to close the cleft. The third photo is the repaired palate. The whitish portion of the palate is exposed bone from where tissue was taken to form the flap that was stitched over the cleft. One day, he will have one more surgery ---to be neutered! He is in full adolescent mode and very much in love with a particular stuffed animal.