Sunday, July 15, 2012

Day 35: Chronic Heart Failure and Constipation

               Today was another slow day, filled with a lot of chore responsibilities. We had a few technician appointments again, but no surgeries or any emergencies. There were two new patients in the recovery room that came in sometime last night: the first was a Pomeranian named Zoey (who has a lion haircut—adorable!), who has Chronic Heart Failure, and the second was a Domestic Short-Haired cat named Trixie who was constipated. Zoey was very tired and seemed to be having trouble breathing, so she was placed in a special cage with a plastic window-like door what was hooked up to an oxygen machine, so she would be able to be in the cage and receive the oxygen without any oxygen escaping and/or mixing with the air in the hospital. She began to become more lively as the afternoon came around (and she started to really want pets and attention), and she was, in fact, able to go home later on in the afternoon. Trixie was in a lot of pain, and she was walking around her cage  slowly and in a strange position; either sort of squatting down with her back legs parted, as if she was trying to go to the bathroom as she was walking, or slowly walking on her tip-toes with her back legs stick-straight.  The doctors had been observing her and trying to help her get the stool out of her colon by massaging/pushing her colon while trying to pull the stool out, the same way Dr. Todd had helped Faith from Day 13 (though Trixie wasn't nearly as constipated as Faith had been).  They seemed to be able to get most of the stool out, so she was given some sub-q fluids and was sent home with lots of wee-wee pads covering her carrier (even though they had gotten most of it out, she was still a little constipated and was dripping; however, the doctors said she should be able to get the rest out on her own, which is why she was able to go home).

Zoey, when she first arrived, in the special oxygen cage.

Zoey as she started to feel better later on in the morning (she began picking her head up, looking around, and wagging her tail).

Zoey as she began to feel even better in the sfternoon (she was now getting up, eating, and craving attention and pets).

Zoey as we were getting her ready to go home (patient release).

Trixie, the poor constipated cat.

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