[kimod74]

My 2 year old yellow lab died suddenly this weekend. He swallowed a rock (we think it must have been this past Thursday but we really don't know when he did it), Friday night he was fine. My husband said he was acting a little funny, wouldn't take his snack, etc. but he still seemed to have his energy etc., so we didn't think much about it. Well, when we woke up Saturday morning he was lying on the floor extremely dehydrated, did not want to move, was breathing rapidly, legs shaky. When he would get up to walk the was dragging his feet and his back legs would not bend, they like went stiff, this is when I called my vet immediately and got an appointment that morning.
We brought my beautiful Mojo in and after waiting another half hour after our scheduled appointment Mojo began deteriorating rapidly. The vet said he couldn't get a proper heartbeat because his heart was beating so fast. Mojo got his strength up and walked back to the vets room to get weighed, but as soon as he stepped off the scale he literally just laid back down and he looked llike he was going to die.
The vet took an Xray and found there was an object (a rock) lodged in his intestines and there were massive gases that were built up in his chest. We decided to have the vet do surgery although he wasn't sure if he would make it through the surgery we thought it best to give our dog a chance at living.
He made it through the surgery and the vet said that he seem kind of alert, although he was medicated up and everything. However there was still a chance that he could still die because he had internal bleeding during the surgery and his blood was poisoned from his organs basically shutting down. We got a call this morning (sunday the 13th) that Mojo did not make it through the night.
Needless to say we are extremely devastated by this incident. How can my healthy, beautiful, vibrant and extremely energetic dog be dead within a period of 10 hours? I just can't believe it. Has anybody had any experience with intestinal blockage and does anyone know what percentage of dogs survive the surgery?
I can't seem to find much information on this, I've heard that there have been owners whose dogs seem fine, then 10 hours later they find them dead due to a blockage of the intestine tract.
I have a hard time thinking this is some freak unfortunate incident that has happened to my dog, I wish there were some other people I could talk to about this.
Thanks for listening.
Kim

 

[bradleysmum]

Hi Kim,

I am so sorry to hear about your tragic loss of your precious lab. It's quite difficult to know what to say in times of hardship, you have my sympathy at this difficult time.

To have happened so suddenly is probably one of the hardest things for you to take in. We have had a couple of our members whose labs have had to have surgery from eating something they shouldn't, one was a case of small stones but i know their lab got through the surgery. I'm sure many people will respond to your post, and you can talk to others who may have been in a similar situation.

It doesn't make the situation easier, but you are not alone in what happened to Mojo, a friend of mine is a Veterinary nurse and last year she had a Lab come in who had swallowed a tennis ball, surgery did not help save it in this case either.

We send our best wishes to you on this sad day, our thoughts are with you.

Julie

 

[Guest]

Hi Kim

So, so sorry to hear about Mojo you are obviously devastated right now about him and it is hard to lose a lab unexpectedly at a young age. Have you thought about going back to your vet and asking for a private appointment to discuss what happened to your lab. I lost my Ollie 1 Nov last year to cancer very suddenly and I went to see my vet afterwards who was kind enough to sit and explain to me why the things that happened to my Ollie happened when they did. It didn’t change the present but it helped me to deal with the events leading up to it.
Always happy to listen if you want to talk and I will be thinking of you at this sad time.

Michaela

 

[branwen]

Hi Kim,Sorry to hear about Mojo,I feel so much for you ,and know how hard it is,I havent experienced blockages,both my other dogs I had to make the decision to let them go Sammy was 141/2 and had a stroke and Benny was 13 and had a brain hemorrage and we had had some fantastic times and lots of unconditional love,you had Mojo for a short time but you gave him so much and he gave you so much back.Remember the good times and you will never forget that love.I still talk to my boys,I just can't understand why your vet made you wait ,surely you should have gone straight in to see them as an emergency. I will be thinking of you and am always here if you need someone.Lynne.

 

[kimod74]

Thank you for the reply's so far

I'd like to thank everyone for their reply's so far they have all been very helpful. I did go back to the vet this morning and found out some more information as to why Mojo did not survive his surgery. Apparently, besides having the rock blockage in his intestine what the real culprit was that he had some sort of infection/bacteria in his stomach, which caused internal bleeding. The rock was just another problem thrown into Mojo's predicament. The infection took advantage of the situation and from what the vet said it caused him to Hemmorage during and after the surgery and this is what in the end killed him. The vet said that if he would have just had the rock they could have removed it and probably part of the intestine and he would have survived, but the infection would have required nearly all of his intestines to be removed and Mojo would not have survived that.
The vet said in 25 years of him being a vet he has never seen this before, quite strange. I am going to call the vet back and get the name of the bacteria or infection if he knows what it was. I had no idea Mojo had an infection....horrible.

Kim O.

 

[Guest]

Kim
So sorry to hear about the lab.
blue200[/list]

 

[Guest]

Kim

I am so sorry to hear about your very sudden sad loss of Mojo.

My parents lost their black lab about six months ago, basically through old age but still heartbreaking for all of us.

Our thoughts are with you

Sam & Corrie

 

[NicolaL]

Dear Kim

I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

I do hope that your fondest memories of Mojo can be of some comfort to you at this very sad time.

Nicola.

 

[Amandajvv]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. This must be such a hard confusing time for you and our thoughts are with you.

 

[bonniesmum]

I got this from this web site and cannot remember who sent it, but it was a great help to me when we lost our 7 month old pup last year.

I will lend you for a while, a pup, God said, a special friend to give,
Her time on earth is short, so love her while she lives.

Maybe for twelve or fourteen years, or maybe two or three,
But will you 'till I call her back, take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to grace your life, and should her stay be brief
You'll always have her memories as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught below I want this pup to learn.

I've looked the whole world over in search of teachers true, And from the folk that crowd life's land, I have chosen you.

Now will you give her all your love nor think the labour vain,
Nor hate me when I come to take my pup back again?

I fancied that I heard them say, "Dear Lord, Thy Will be Done",
For allk the joys this Pup will bring, the risk of grief we'll run.

We'll shelter her with tenderness; we'll love her while we may,
And for the happiness we've kknown forever greatful stay.

But should you call her back much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that caomes, and try to understand.

If, by our love, we've managed, your wishes to achieve,
In memory of her we loved to help us while we grieve.

When our faithful friend departs this world of strife,
We'll have yet another pup, and love her all her life.

 

[cjs]

Kim,
My heart goes out to you and your family. Many years ago my mum's Cairn Terrier collapsed and it turned out that he had swallowed a stone, it was touch and go but he was lucky and pulled through. Since then we have all been a bit paranoid about what the dogs pick up.

Mojo was and always will be part of your family, I'm sure you will never forget all the joy he brought you. We still have lots of photo's up of our dogs, past and present and my six year old little boy knows the names of dogs that he has never met.

Stay stong.

love Clare.

 

[clairiscrazy]

kim

i am so sorry to hear of the loss of your lovely lab i myself lost my choccy lab suddenly last year due to cancer we didnt evem know she had cancer till she went in for a routine op and the vet discovered it ..but it was to far gone for us to do anything for her so she never came out of the anethsetic..today its still very hard to think she is not with us anymore they are such a huge part in your life i am thinking of you at this very sad time *hug* feel free to messaeg me if you want to chat

clair xxx

 

[KT]

Your lost is shared...

Kim,
So sorry to hear about the loss of Mojo. Whether the stone or the infection was the cause, the fact remains that you lost a family member and it hurts.
I'll keep you in my prayers as you get through this difficult time. I will share with you that with the stone, one of my deepest concerns is highlighted. My four month old lab pups are always picking up and/or chewing on whatever they find outside. I even had the landscaper pull up a bunch of plants and bushes they kept chewing on because I didn't know what they and what harm they might do. They chew on firewood, tree branches, rocks, stones, whatever they can find. I constantly check the yard, but they continue to "find" things to chew on. I will attempt more vigilence in the future. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

 

[my4labs]

Kim.

So sorry to hear of your tragic loss, words cant comprehend the way you must be feeling and my heart goes out to you.

 

[mommy]

I am so sorry to hear your dreadful news.......am thinking of you

 

[Hersheys]

I am so sorry to hear you news and I am thinking of you at this difficult time...

 

[Lucysmum]

Can't even imagine what you must be feeling right now - I am so sorry for your loss.

I will be thinking of you.......