I'll try to keep this short, but I really could use some advice. And please be honest!
My 5 month old yorkie has been having some on and off vomiting/illness issues for a while. A few weeks ago, they did an exploratory surgery to ensure she didn't have something in her intestines. She didn't. They concluded it was a virus because her lymph nodes were very swollen. Her biopsies came back normal. For the past 2 weeks, she was the picture of health. She had her staples out last Wednesday, no vomiting for 2 weeks, just doing really well. On Saturday, she started vomiting again. I was so upset. We went back to the vet, and she was so bad she had to stay. They did x-rays today and GET THIS. She didn't have a blockage before, but apparently in the past couple of days she swallowed what they think is a pebble, and it is caught in her stomach. I could just die. And the irony of this is not lost on me, trust me - she had an exploratory when she didn't need one and NOW she needs one. Unbelievable. (I did see the x-rays, and the pebble is definitely something she ingested in the past couple of days - it has not been there all along.)
So, by tomorrow morning I have to decide whether to have them do an endoscopy (go down her throat and try to remove the pebble that way) or surgery, again. The endoscopy would be the better alternative, naturally, because there will be no incision, no scar, no healing, no cone, etc. But the catch is that the endoscopy isn't a sure thing. They might put her under, go in, and not be able to get it out. The surgery, while more invasive and a longer healing period, will guarantee they get it. The surgeon seems pretty sure he can get it out via endoscopy, but he won't know for sure until he tries.
I just don't know what to do. She just had a surgery!!! And she's only 5 months. I HATE, HATE, HATE the idea of her having another surgery. But heaven forbid the endoscopy isn't successful and then they have to do the surgery anyway. That would be a lot for poor Violet, plus a HUGE bill for me.
So, if you were in my shoes, what would you do? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
And yes, I do feel like the absolute worst mommy in the whole world. I have no clue how she got a pebble - I never saw her with anything in her mouth, and my floors are super clean. The guilt I'm feeling is indescribable. I went to visit her tonight and I just hate seeing her so sick. I can hardly stop crying.
