Waitng, waiting, waiting, waiting for results...

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by kjc

Tink wants to show you all her footy Tinkerbell PJs...


Attachment 340416 Attachment 340417

She looks adorable! I'm so happy to read her updates ! Hugs to you, Tink, and the whole fam.

[lisaly]

I love hearing these updates about Tink and the rest of your little ones. She is such a cutie, especially in her feety pajamas. I hope Tink and her mamma's wishes come true. Who says life shouldn't be like a fairytale? I wish all of you many, many happy and healhy moments together.

[yorkieusa]

Cute pics. I love that you are keeping a diary of sorts of this. I really like to see the updates.

[107barney]

How is Tink coming along?

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by kjc

No reason she will not live a long and happy life! O Boy! O Happy Day!



Thank you all so much for your prayers, positive thoughts and continued, unfailing support!
Kathy & Tinkerbell

I am seeing your update just now, wonderful news!! Congratulations to Tinkerbell and you! *happy dances*

[kjc]

Tink continued to do well, each day adding back the old behaviors that were forgotten when she wasn't feeling 100%. Well, now, by my estimates, she's at about 130% recovered! Can't even see her incision, still chases cars, owns and polices all the toys, and is back to being 'Queen' of the house, and we decided to continue with individual walks... she really likes the one-on-one attention.

She finished the Amoxy for the E-coli infection, then started the Ursodiol. She puked a few times, so I played around with the best time to give it to her (ie: before/after/during a meal, 2 hrs after a meal, etc.). she does best with it after a meal, beyond 2 hrs. No more puking.

So we wait 30 days, and took her in last week for her U/A. Here we go again: E-coli still present. It is RESISTANT to Amoxicillin! I am confused. Did the BC Surgeon not do a C&S at the time of surgery? So my regular vet wants to put her on Baytril. I have to get him to call the surgeon about the Ursodiol, as the surgeon didn't want her on both at the same time (too much for her tummy?)

Also, my Regular vet was extremely upset when he reviewed the surgery report: about the huge shunt that he saw on the ultrasound not being fixed. At that point he quit talking to me and said that he would get to the bottom of this and find out just what is going on so they can make Tinkerbell all better. He mentioned a possible typo by the stenographer (who types up the surgery notes), but assured me he would ask the questions of the surgeon and find out for sure.

At our appointment, he said they are 'still out' on the final surgical report findings, so nothing has been decided for sure yet.

For me, I don't know what to think, or who to believe, or if I believe anything I've been told to date about Tink's condition. I find this situation with the E-coli a bit baffling... but overall it doesn't surprise me, knowing the mix up mentioned above..

Just kind of sitting here shaking my head...

[ladyjane]

I am also confused. Who diagnosed the UTI in the first place and prescribed the Amoxycillin?
If her surgery was three months ago how is it 30 days?
Am I lost here?
My vet would be the one doing urine c & s on my pups...not a surgeon. Usually all diagnostics are done by the vets and sent to the surgeons...the surgeons do the surgery and the vets follow up with medical issues. Surely the surgeon sent a report to your vet before now?
Did I miss something in your post? I don't see how the surgeon is at fault here on the UTI and it's treatment. I also am totally confused as I have been for the past two years about Tinkerbell and her LS. Didn't you say that nothing could be done since she now has multiple shunts?? and that the surgeon only did the bladder stones? Yep..totally confused.
If indeed the surgeon (Dr. Rob) has missed something here, I hope that you will be posting the name so that others are aware.
What I will say is that e Coli is a very common cause of UTIs and that often it is not knocked out with the first antibiotic. Surely a C&S now and the right antibiotic will do the trick. Prayers for Tinkerbell.

[Ellie May]

Wouldn't the C/S be on your itemized bill (receipt)? The receipts here show everything done.

Was a cystotomy done at the same time? I think sometimes urine is taken around the time of surgery and sent for U/A and/or C/S. Did the surgeon suspect a UTI? If no C/S was done and only one antibio has been tried, I wouldn't be surprised that it hasn't cleared (or returned).

What kind of stones were they? Did the surgeon say how likely they are to return? Or was this a kidney infection?

I'm sorry about the mix up with the shunt. Sounds odd. Perhaps the surgeon got in there and decided it was just too risky or whatever, but then what would make him think that? Do you have a copy of the report from the surgeon? Did they do a biopsy while in there?

[zowiandnikasmom]

keeping you & tink in my thoughts and prayers!

[aproctor]

Hi!
I just found and read this entire thread today and about half way through I started crying and then I was so happy for you and Tink and all of your other furbabies! I hope she continues to do well and I am SOOO happy she will live a long and happy life with all of you!!
I have an appt with a specialist tomorrow for my little Lucy - she had high liver enzymes and strange Bile acids tests so we are going to a specialist and I am hoping for the best!
Again, I am happy things are going well for you all!

Hugs for Tink!!

[107barney]

Originally Posted by kjc

Tink continued to do well, each day adding back the old behaviors that were forgotten when she wasn't feeling 100%. Well, now, by my estimates, she's at about 130% recovered! Can't even see her incision, still chases cars, owns and polices all the toys, and is back to being 'Queen' of the house, and we decided to continue with individual walks... she really likes the one-on-one attention.

She finished the Amoxy for the E-coli infection, then started the Ursodiol. She puked a few times, so I played around with the best time to give it to her (ie: before/after/during a meal, 2 hrs after a meal, etc.). she does best with it after a meal, beyond 2 hrs. No more puking.

So we wait 30 days, and took her in last week for her U/A. Here we go again: E-coli still present. It is RESISTANT to Amoxicillin! I am confused. Did the BC Surgeon not do a C&S at the time of surgery? So my regular vet wants to put her on Baytril. I have to get him to call the surgeon about the Ursodiol, as the surgeon didn't want her on both at the same time (too much for her tummy?)

Also, my Regular vet was extremely upset when he reviewed the surgery report: about the huge shunt that he saw on the ultrasound not being fixed. At that point he quit talking to me and said that he would get to the bottom of this and find out just what is going on so they can make Tinkerbell all better. He mentioned a possible typo by the stenographer (who types up the surgery notes), but assured me he would ask the questions of the surgeon and find out for sure.

At our appointment, he said they are 'still out' on the final surgical report findings, so nothing has been decided for sure yet.

For me, I don't know what to think, or who to believe, or if I believe anything I've been told to date about Tink's condition. I find this situation with the E-coli a bit baffling... but overall it doesn't surprise me, knowing the mix up mentioned above..

Just kind of sitting here shaking my head...

I don't think it is a big deal to have amox. fail. Amox failed Teddy as a pup when he had a UTI that he came home with from his breeder so he then went on clavamox and it cleared. Daisy had a UTI and they started with clavamox and we ended up needed 6 weeks simplicef. Your bill should def. itemize C&S .... we do one each time and it is around $100 so I would think you could just quickly look and see?

It's odd to me that there is no final surgical report. Didn't you say she had multiple acquired shunts due to the high blood pressure in her liver and that the shunts could not be surgically repaired? I think you need a new general vet, is this the same one that didn't send Tink to a specialist four years ago? I don't know, it's not sounding right, I'd switch vets for sure.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I am also confused. Who diagnosed the UTI in the first place and prescribed the Amoxycillin?
If her surgery was three months ago how is it 30 days?
Am I lost here?
My vet would be the one doing urine c & s on my pups...not a surgeon. Usually all diagnostics are done by the vets and sent to the surgeons...the surgeons do the surgery and the vets follow up with medical issues. Surely the surgeon sent a report to your vet before now?
Did I miss something in your post? I don't see how the surgeon is at fault here on the UTI and it's treatment. I also am totally confused as I have been for the past two years about Tinkerbell and her LS. Didn't you say that nothing could be done since she now has multiple shunts?? and that the surgeon only did the bladder stones? Yep..totally confused.
If indeed the surgeon (Dr. Rob) has missed something here, I hope that you will be posting the name so that others are aware.
What I will say is that e Coli is a very common cause of UTIs and that often it is not knocked out with the first antibiotic. Surely a C&S now and the right antibiotic will do the trick. Prayers for Tinkerbell.

The surgeon diagnosed the UTI and put her on Amoxy for 30 days, after the results came back from samples taken during her surgery. She was to take the Amoxi for 30 days, then he wanted a UA done 1 month (with my regular vet) after that to be sure the E-coli had cleared. It took a week-10 days for the results to come back from the samples taken during the surgery. The surgeon sent a report to my regular vet the week after the surgery. The surgeon said to me nothing could be done bc of the multiple shunting, and that he did remove small stones from the bladder. My vet wasn't happy with the results of the surgery as written on the report and inquired about the surgery, as things my vet saw on the U/S did not jive with what was written in the surgery report. When I learn the results of the inquiry, I will post them and any appropriate reviews. Hopefully no one has missed anything, and Tink may have had 2 types of E-coli, I don't know, as 2 C&Ss were done, one at the time of her surgery, and one last week. Or the Lab could have messed up. I did not post about all this at the time bc emotions were running high on this thread and I didn't have the heart to be posting anything 'bad' or 'questionable', as this was enough of a roller-coaster ride as it was.

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Wouldn't the C/S be on your itemized bill (receipt)? The receipts here show everything done.

Was a cystotomy done at the same time? I think sometimes urine is taken around the time of surgery and sent for U/A and/or C/S. Did the surgeon suspect a UTI? If no C/S was done and only one antibio has been tried, I wouldn't be surprised that it hasn't cleared (or returned).

What kind of stones were they? Did the surgeon say how likely they are to return? Or was this a kidney infection?

I'm sorry about the mix up with the shunt. Sounds odd. Perhaps the surgeon got in there and decided it was just too risky or whatever, but then what would make him think that? Do you have a copy of the report from the surgeon? Did they do a biopsy while in there?

The surgeon did a Celiotomy with Liver biopsy, cystotomy and calculi removal and found Multiple extrahepatic shunts. He did suspect a UTI, Amonium urates were found, yes likely to recur, kidneys are fine, no stones or infection. I did not get a copy of the report, as I am constantly reminded in this forum that I do not have the appropriate education to be reading and interpreting such things and have decided to leave this up to my vets.

Originally Posted by 107barney

I don't think it is a big deal to have amox. fail. Amox failed Teddy as a pup when he had a UTI that he came home with from his breeder so he then went on clavamox and it cleared. Daisy had a UTI and they started with clavamox and we ended up needed 6 weeks simplicef. Your bill should def. itemize C&S .... we do one each time and it is around $100 so I would think you could just quickly look and see?

It's odd to me that there is no final surgical report. Didn't you say she had multiple acquired shunts due to the high blood pressure in her liver and that the shunts could not be surgically repaired? I think you need a new general vet, is this the same one that didn't send Tink to a specialist four years ago? I don't know, it's not sounding right, I'd switch vets for sure.

I think it is a big deal when one entrusts the care of their pup to a vet specialist and tells them to do whatever needs to be done to get her healthy and one pays for that care and expertise, and with UAs being such an integral part of dogs with LS, it is important to get it right especially when the pup is also trying to recover from just having had major surgery.

There was a final surgical report, that is what is in question as explained above.

My vets had been discussing Tink's case with the vets at the University of Tennesee since she was diagnosed, and they were involved in making up the Treatment Plan for Tink.

I adopted Tink from the Humane Society 2 years ago. She will be 5 years old in September.

[ladyjane]

But I thought the surgery was three months ago. That was my confusion. Perhaps I am just not reading well this morning.
Need coffee badly!

[kjc]

Originally Posted by aproctor

Hi!
I just found and read this entire thread today and about half way through I started crying and then I was so happy for you and Tink and all of your other furbabies! I hope she continues to do well and I am SOOO happy she will live a long and happy life with all of you!!
I have an appt with a specialist tomorrow for my little Lucy - she had high liver enzymes and strange Bile acids tests so we are going to a specialist and I am hoping for the best!
Again, I am happy things are going well for you all!

Hugs for Tink!!

Thankyou... I haven't read your thread... I will today...sorry you're going through this too.

[kjc]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

But I thought the surgery was three months ago. That was my confusion. Perhaps I am just not reading well this morning.
Need coffee badly!

Tink had surgery on March 8, 2011. What is your point? Coffee sounds good.