My little Olive - succumbed to Anesthesia nightmare
 

This is my first time to post a thread. My heart is broken and I feel physical pain and sorrow as I write this. Yesterday, my darling little baby girl, Olive died while undergoing surgery for spaying. She would have been 8 months old this Jan. 27. I am filled with grief, but at the same time my mind is reelling in shock. WHY WHY did this happen? Is this more common than I know?? Olive was a tiny girl, only 2 lbs 13 oz, but very strong and playful.

My vet used the "safest" gas anethesia, and he used the lowest level possible. He said that if he used any lower, she would wake up. Immediately after the spay surgery, he moved on to remove 4 of her puppy teeth. It is my understanding that this is common --- to spay and remove puppy teeth at the same time, so that the puppy goes under only once. By the third teeth, her little heart stopped beating. They immediately tried to get her heart started again. Her heart started beating for a few minutes, then it started to slow down, until it stopped again. Little Olive could not keep her heart beating.

My worst nightmare came true. You hear about this happening, but never think it will happen to you. WE are brainwashed to "spay the puppy before she comes into her first heat, otherwise she will get breast/ovarian cancer", and are thus pressured to spay early or at least 6 months old, for fear of the first heat. But now I question, what is more un-natural for a puppy, coming into a heat (as God intended for reproduction) or putting a young, small Yorkie puppy under anesthesia?

I wish I had waited until Olive was older, maybe 3.5 lbs or heavier before putting her under anesthesia. But because of the "fear of the first heat", lost my common sense. Growing up, I've had many female dogs that were not spayed until later in life. ALL grew to live long healthy lives.

For those who own very tiny Yorkies out there, do you remember how old or weight they were when they were spayed? I am now completely tramatized, and vow never to spay a female Yorkie until they are over ONE year old (heat or no heat).

As a new comer to YorkieTalk, I am thankful to have found such a wonderful, caring community of Yorkie lovers.

I am so sorry to hear about your baby. :( My heart goes out to you.

I can't help answer too well because mine isn't tiny (nor a full Yorkie), but when she was spayed she weighed approx 4 lbs (full grown now she is 9 lbs). I think she was 4-5 months old (I can look it up, but I think thats a close guess).

I am sure many of our other members will reply to you with more info than I can give, I just wanted to give my condolences to you. :cry8:

:cry:I am so very sorry for your lost. I don't have any experience yet, as my Maddie is only a little over 4mos. old, but I too dred the day that I will have to take her in to have it done.

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your Olive. I know you must be numb with grief at the moment. When the fog clears, I hope you can recall some of the happier moments you shared with her during her short life. She was very fortunate to have had such a loving human mother.
God bless...

I am so sorry for your devastating loss. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your sweet baby.

I am so, so sorry about your Olive. I have heard they need to three pounds for anesthesia, but Olive was so close.

Did you have pre op bloodwork done? A bile acids test? Could she have had an underlying health issue that caused the problem with the anesthesia?

This is devestating I know..and her being so small it is hard to say what went wrong..God thought he needed her is all I can think of..
I also lost a young yorkie.. so I know and feel your heartache..anne

I am so sorry that this happened to your precious little one. :( There are other members here that have also lost their beloved babies in this way. My vet will not spay or neuter until 6 months and a minimum of 5 lbs which is what Doodlebug was when he was neutered. Bogey was 5 lbs and almost 2 years. Indianagirl lost her Jezebel last year following her spay and also feels the way you do. Such a sad and horrible thing to have happened.

Yes, she had pre-op blood work. I even took her to the vet, 2 days before her surgery for a complete checkup. I guess you can never be 100% sure...

I dont have any answers for you, but I wanted to say I am truely sooooo sorry for your loss.

oh, I am so sorry for your loss!

I'm sorry. :(

I just wanted to say that I am so very sorry for your loss!

i am so sorry to hear this...my sympathy to you and your family!

so sorry to hear about your little Olive. My thought are with you and your family.

My sympathy...I am so very sorry for your loss.
Winston was 6 months old and weighed 5 pounds at the time of his neuter and baby teeth removal...he did just fine, thank goodness.
One never knows when or why God will call one home and not another...she's in God's hands now. Rest In Peace, and I hope you are able to find peace.

I am so sorry for your loss of little Olive..:(
Our vet wouldn't spay our rhenny till she was at least 4lbs he said it was too dangerous

I am very sorry that you lost Olive. you did all the right things too. RIP little puppy , sweet Olive.

I'm so sorry for your loss. When Sasha was younger, she was set to be spayed around 6 months of age because that was the vet's policy. She ended up having her first heat cycle a week before the scheduled surgery. I don't believe she got spayed until she was about 8 months old. I ended up changing vets (had some problems with the old one after she came out of heat) and got everything worked out. My heart goes out to you in your time of grief.

My heart goes out to you for the loss of your little Olive:cry:. I'm so sorry for your devastating loss. I will keep you in my thought and prayers.

I am so sorry to hear about little Olive. I hope your good memories of your time together will help you through. I can't imagine the sorrow you must be feeling. ((hugs))

I also have a small girl , 2.5 lbs at 9 months. She is due to be spayed and have teeth removed but I am very afraid for her. I just feel she is so small :( I want to have her spayed for health reasons , but I am afraid for her so I will really have to consider if it's worth the risk.

Im so sorry for your loss

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. :cry8: You have experienced everyones worst nightmare. Losing a baby this way must be devistating. I am very, very sorry. My Trixie goes the begining of Feb. I was scared before I read this now i'm terrified.

Bless your little Olive's heart. Rest in peace little one.

:rbyorkie::littleang

Everybody's kind, compassionate words are like a soothing balm to my heart. Thank you to all for your caring, healing words.

CloesMama, I understand your fear. I don't want anyone to be paranoid of "anesthesia", because there are very good vets out there, and in the end, we have to put our faith in God. All I want to tell you now is, please make sure she is strong and sturdy enough. We all know there are health benefits to spaying a female... however, do not rush to spay just to avoid a first heat, and not consider other factors. Coming into heat is not a death sentence... there are many, many dogs out there who have been spayed after they have come into season. It is natures way for reproduction for dogs. So if you have to wait for your little girl to get heavier/stronger, and feel like you have to wait until she is 1 yr old, then do so. Maybe wait until she is 3 lbs.... or her heart is more developed. Do not make "avoiding her 1st heat" a consideration. Look at all the other factors: her weight, her physical maturity, her health. Do the blood work and any pre-op work. Because she is little, you have to go slow.

Sorry for rambling, but I only wish I didn't rush.... and waited until Olive hit over 3 lbs in weight. I think she would have had a better chance... I only want to share with you what I experience now.

My best wishes and prayers for long life and health for you new baby girl (and to those loving Moms with babies needing to be spayed).
-Charisa

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.

my yorkie was 2.5lbs and 6 months old when she was spayed.

Sometimes things happen and you just don't know why. Your pup could have had liver issues even tho the pre-op blood didn't show anything. she would have needed a special blood test to figure that out.

My heart breaks for you!....I am so sorry you are having to endure this awful pain!.....I can understand your devastation losing your precious Olive in such a way.......I too lost a little one at a vets hands ( not a spay) and I still am dealing with feelings of guilt, anger, sadness, and regrets....What does a person do???.... I wish I could tell you......It's been seven months and I still think about it everyday.......

Olive surely meant the world to you , and I'm sure it feels like you lost a special family member......I wish you the best and I will be thinking of you and your Olive......I surely feel your pain in my heart.........Bless you.......

I am so very sorry for you, this just makes me sick. I can't even imagine the shock and pain you must be going thru now, and all I want to do is send you hugs of comfort.

I have heard of others lost in the same way, and we usually don't know if it was just their small size, or if there was an underlying physical cause. I personally agree with you that we shouldn't be so pressured to get them spayed before the first heat. I have 2 females, a 7 month old and 10 month old, and even though they are both 7#, I have decided to wait until they are a year old to spay.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Rest in peace little Olive; many of our beloved pets are in doggy heaven and will take care of you.

I'm so sorry that happened to you :(
My little girl is just now 8 months old, the last time she was weighed she was just barely over 3lbs, I think this week she may have finally got up to 4 (she feels a little chunkier now) But she hasn't been spayed yet. The vet keeps hounding me with reminders about it. But I am so scared to have it done (plus with my husband laid off now I have to hold off on it anyway)
But I plan on having the bile acid test and blood panel done before I do it too.
I'm so nervous for her to go through it! She will need to have a few teeth pulled too, She has 2 from what I can tell that need to go.

MauiGirl, you are so, so wise in waiting until they are a year old (or older) to spay. I'm making that my new policy, especially for small breeds (and mandatory for tiny puppies). And just think --- that way, you can celebrate their 1st Birthday with a wonderful doggy birthday party. That is something one will never regret.

I am so very sorry for your loss. I will keep you in my thoughts :hug: and prayers :hands: .