Chin w/broken leg...need info - Paw Talk

Becki · #1 05-21-2002, 01:27 AM

Nicodemus broke his leg tonight and I'm taking him in to have it amputated in the morning. Does anyone know of any web pages or anything I could print out to take with me? I've checked him out, the leg is warm, but not hot...same with his ears, he seems to be eating and drinking, and I have him in a small show cage on cloth for now to restrict his movement. Poor little guy came to me from a fur farm, and has broken this leg before (is was left to heal on its own, and it healed sideways...I'm sure this it how he got it caught) and his tail looks to have been broken at least once as well...poor baby is such a little trooper. I know I need to ask for isoflourane gas by itself but I'm not sure about antibiotics or anything. If you have anything, please post it, I want to take in anything I can, this is a new vet and even though he says he has knowledge of chins, I want to make sure he does it right. Thanks

Becki · #2 05-21-2002, 01:32 AM

Thanks CT!

**Christi** · #3 05-21-2002, 07:16 AM

I agree NO baytril - Sulfa drugs are the safest. I hope all goes well, keep us posted.

Sassy · #4 05-21-2002, 07:20 AM

I agree with Christi and CT "NO BAYTRIL" I personally despise that medicine.

Becki · #5 05-21-2002, 08:01 AM

Ok, thanks guys. I'll let ya know what's going on as soon as I know.

Becki · #6 05-21-2002, 03:53 PM

Ok, I just got back from the vet, he says that Nicky needs to be fasted (not what I heard...any opinions?) so we will do the amputation tomorrow. He will be using Isoflourane, and he gave me arnica anagelsic (again...any comments on this, I've never heard of it) to give him till them. I talked the vet into giving him sulfatrim instead of baytril (think I offended him on that one). my last question for now is about a pain med he wants to give him before the surgury... it's called torbutol (Tor-bue-tall), has anyone heard of this...is it ok for him? The estimate is 350-410, so I'm gonna call around right now...If anyone knows anything about those, please let me know! Thanks everyone!

#7 05-21-2002, 06:38 PM

I will look up these drugs for you. Have all my vet tech stuff packed up, moving, so I am going to have to depend on the internet...I could also call a friend of mine in research and get his opinons if I can't find anything.

Anyway, the fast is a big precaution. DO IT! It has to do with the anestetic. Animals have to fast for the same reason we do, to prevent puking (side effect of most anestetics) and asperating during surgery.

Becki · #8 05-21-2002, 06:47 PM

Thank you VERY much, I haven't been able to find much on these drug with animals...especially the torbutol (aka stadol and butorphanol tartrate). About the fasting, some others I am talking to are ADAMANT that a chin needs to eat right up to surgury

. The fasting makes sense to me (at the very least, I can't see how it could hurt) AND that's what the vet told me to do, so unless someone gives me some concrete info on why he should eat, I'm going to follow orders.

chinkeep · #9 05-22-2002, 02:27 PM

Hi Becki,

As mentioned, the fasting makes sense. THe only surgery that any of my chins have had to have was for an eye laceration, and she ate that morning, don't know about that afternoon.

Nicodemus will do fine with only three legs. A friend of mine has a tripod and he is doing great. It will take a little time for him to adjust, so you should keep him in a smaller cage for several days after the amputation to give him time to heal. After that, introduce him to larger cage and heights in small increments so that he doesn't fall and hurt himself.

Now, for the Baytril issue. Not too long ago I posted/preached about the use of Baytril. Many vets overuse Baytril and it can cause harm/death if not administered properly. I haven't been following threads too closely, so I don't know how old Nicodemus is, but if he is under 18 months, I wouldn't recommend it normally. There are situations however which call for Baytril, and surgical procedures are usually one of them. Since my ragging on Baytril, I have had to treat with it on two occasions and both times there were no complications other than loss of appetite which required hand feeding. My recommendation is, if the vet feels that the situation warrants the use of Baytril, then do what the vet says to do. My only caution is, make sure that the vet doses the Baytril based on his weight. I am not a vet or a vet asst or vet tech, so what I'm telling you is based on experience, a great breeder and two great vets whom I trust my chin's lives to.

I wish you and Nicodemus the best and hope that his surgery goes well.

John

#10 05-22-2002, 04:31 PM

This is a little late but this is what I have.

arnica anagelsic: topical thing, nothing to worry about. It is TOXIC when given any other way

The second one I couldnt find anything on except that it is routinly used in vet surgeries of all kinds. I wouldn't stress any of it to much.

Becki · #11 05-22-2002, 05:18 PM

He's home!!! He seems to be doing fine,but very irritated with the collar. He keeps sticking his right paw (same side as the non leg) into the collar and trying to push it off until he tips over! Poor baby. Jorgha, the arnica is topical only? The vet gave me a liquid with instructions to give him 30cc at a time

.

I also have one more important question, does anyone know how to figure out the dosage for sulfatrim? Nicodemus weighs 15.1 oz (about 428g) and the sulfatrim I have is the pink liquid drops. I do also have benebac to give him. When ricky was getting it, he wieghed about 1 oz less and he was getting 7 drops 2x a day...the vet said to go with that, but he didn't sound very sure, he sounded bothered, so a second opinion would make me feel better.

Yay, my baby's back

Thank you again everyone, you've made this so much easier for me

chinkeep · #12 05-22-2002, 07:09 PM

Becki,

Glad to hear he is home!

I don't mean to offend anyone, but did your vet get his license out of a box of cereal or something? Sorry, but doesn't sound like a good guy to me.

Regarding the Sulfatrim. I just happen to have some on hand and so I went and checked it. 7 drops figures to be about .25ml on a 1cc syringe which is the right dosage. So give him the 7 drops twice a day. Again, I am going on past experience with this. Sulfatrim is not as strong of a drug and therefore even if 7 drops is a couple too many, it won't hurt him. How much Bene-Bac did the vet tell you to give him? It should be about 1/2 gram once per day.

Hope that his recovery goes well!

John

Sassy · #13 05-22-2002, 08:23 PM

I am glad to hear that he is home and all went well. I hope he continues to recover well.

for the little guy.

Becki · #14 05-23-2002, 01:08 AM

I honestly wouldn't be surprised John! I went ahead with the 7 drops (3cc's), and I haven't been giving him the arnica until I find out more about it. The vet didn't even MENTION the bene-bac, not even when we were talking about using the baytril! I just happen to have some from last time I was using the antibiotics...ugh! As soon as Nicky gets his stitches out, I don't think we'll be going back there unless it is a dire emergency that can't wait. I found another vet that has a really good reputation with exotics, and even though it's about an hour and a half away, the trip and the office visit ($16!) is less than the office visit at this vet. I really don't like this guy, IF he talks about anything with me, he talks like I'm an idiot wasting his time....he actually drew a picture to explain to me where the tibia was...come on now!

On the upside, Nicodemus' attitude seems to be getting better (not that I blame him for being ticked off) and he is an absolute angel about taking the sulfatrim. I am a little worried though that he cant get to his food with that dang collar on and he won't take pellets from my hand. I am giving him a little bit of baby food, and holding his water bottle up to his mouth, just to make sure he's drinking, and of course keeping an eye on his weight. Tomorrow I'm going to take his collar off for a bit while I watch him to give him a chance to eat and walk...that stupid collar is really in his way.

SomeBunny · #15 05-23-2002, 01:18 AM

the poor boy it is so hard when you are trying to give them the best care but sometimes (like the collar) it gets in the way...hope he recups fast so he doesnt have to wear it long.