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HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Colic in Horses » Large Colon Displacement, and Twists » |
Discussion on Post colic surgical bleeding | |
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 13, 2002 - 9:39 pm: On Monday night my 11-year-old mare was operated on for a caecal entrapment of her jejunum. Twenty feet of it had necrotized and were removed. It was the longest and most terrifying night of my life. But the surgery went well and she seems to be recovering nicely (I am still in shock, but that's another story--GRIN).She had a first-rate surgeon and is being treated in a brand-new state of the art facility. I have every confidence that her care is the best she could get. She is experiencing one complication that has me worried, and hopefully I'll get to chat with the vet about it tomorrow. In the meantime, Dr O--and anyone else with similar experiences--I'd love your opinion. She has passed manure a few times since the surgery, wet, then more solid, then soft again today. She's had very little food until today, when she was given a quart of pellet mash in the am and pm and a quarter flake of hay three tiems a day. Her manure has been bloody since the surgery. Initially she was on heparin to prevent clotting and adhesions, and the heparin was discontinued yesterday. Following that the blood in her manure began to clot, and the vet was pleased with this. She was allowed a couple of walks outside yesterday and a couple of mouthfuls of fresh grass/clover. Today the blood in her manure seemed to have worsened slightly. It is bright red, which leads the vet to believe it may be coming not from the surgical site but farther down, possibly a rectal tear (she was palpated three times rectally on Monday night before her surgery). They kept her quiet today, no walks, lights off. Other than that, her vital signs are all good and returning to normal, her bloodwork shows no sign of anemia, and her incision is healing beautifully. Any opinions? Thanks-- |
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Posted on Friday, Jun 14, 2002 - 9:11 am: Hello Zoe,Man what a week for you and my thoughts and prayers go out to you. If there is a possiblity of a rectal tear the mare should be immediately palpated to determine the extent of the tear and best treatment. THis is best done bare handed to increase the sensitvity of the hands exploring the rectum. DrO |
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Posted on Friday, Jun 14, 2002 - 5:11 pm: Good news--the bleeding stopped! Molly's doing well and continuing to improve--in fact she's so ravenous I'm surprised she hasn't busted out of her stall. We still have a long way to go but I am keeping my fingers crossed and hopefully will be able to report she's out of the woods soon.Zoe |
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Posted on Saturday, Jun 15, 2002 - 2:31 am: Thank goodness, Zoe! Reading these posts made MY gut hurt. |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 19, 2002 - 1:10 pm: Just an update:The official surgeon's report on procedure/conditions reads as follows (this is for You, Dr. O!): Exploratory laparotomy-epiploic foramen hernia with strangulation of the small intestine (distal jejunum). Resection with end-to-end anastomosis (jejunojejunostomy). Here's the good news: Molly came home yesterday. You would never guess what she's been through. She has lost almost no weight, is eating and pooping normally. Her incision is clean as a whistle, with very little swelling. She is alert, active, and ravenous and neither one of us is looking forward to 30 days stall rest and 45 days in a small paddock before she can return to her large field and active duty. The surgeon said he had never in his practice seen a horse bounce back from that type of surgery so dramatically. Let's hear it for Connemara genes! A very happy mom. |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 19, 2002 - 7:52 pm: Happy! |
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 20, 2002 - 12:22 am: Zoe, glad to hear Molly is doing so well.It's not only Connemara genes, it's also them "green" vibes sent from near and far. Along with yours and PT's great care and love. |
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 20, 2002 - 6:56 am: That's great Zoe. The epiploic foramen is one of those places that this happens occasionally. It is a "hole" created by some of the large sheets of connective tissue in the abdomen (the omentum), and the liver.DrO |
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 20, 2002 - 7:14 pm: Zoe,I'm glad to read that things are turning up roses for Molly. Silke says to give Molly an extra carrot from her. Sounds like you've had quite a fright and been through a lot. I'm sending lots of positive, healing thoughts up your way for both you and Molly. Keep us updated on Molly's progress. Chris |
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Posted on Friday, Jun 21, 2002 - 12:25 am: What wonderful news, Zoe! Thank you for keeping us updatedSuzy and Indy |
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 23, 2002 - 2:53 pm: Round two: :-(Had to take her back into the clinic last night for another surgery. Turns out the site of the anastomosis (where the vet joined the two new clean ends of small intestine together) had constricted, and blocked up, accordioning the intestine behind it. This is the tricky kind of thing that makes small intestinal surgery so risky in horses. Anyhow, he went in again, removed another foot of intestine, and resutured the ends with a different technique, separate stitches instead of one long thread that will allow for a bigger opening and more elasticity. He found no evidence of scarring or adhesions, and good healing, all positive signs. She came out of the anaesthetic and her vital signs are good. He is one phenomenal vet, let me tell you, and I feel extraordinarily fortunate to have a surgeon of his calibre. Of course I am indescribably shaky now and pray that Molly will pull through this second trauma in only a few weeks. It looks good. But for the rest of her life I will panic when she lies down. Send good thoughts and prayers our way. I'll keep y'all updated as things progress. Zoe |
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Posted on Monday, Jun 24, 2002 - 6:17 am: Good Luck Zoe,DrO |
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Posted on Monday, Jun 24, 2002 - 11:03 pm: Wishing the best to you and your brave Molly |
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 25, 2002 - 12:33 pm: Our thoughts and prayers will be with you and Molly, Zoe!Suzy |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 26, 2002 - 10:51 pm: Well, it's two steps forward,one back. Molly had a mild colic episode again last night, which fortunately resolved with IV. It was very hot and humid here, and in the evening she began to look uncomfortable, rolled, did not drink, and left some of her food (VERY unusual for Miss Vacuum Cleaner, even postsurgery). They hooked her up to IV and she perked up again. The vet did a rectal and found no impaction, just some tenderness in the surgical area (surgery was done only 3 days ago). We all hope it was just the heat. But every false move she makes now sets us all into a tizzy. These waiting days are almost the hardest part (next to waiting for the surgery to be over). |
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 27, 2002 - 6:16 am: Thanks for keeping us informed Zoe. These little setbacks are common with colic surgery so we keep our fingers crossed for you.DrO |
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 27, 2002 - 7:30 am: Thanks, Dr. O. That is reassuring. I am beginning to think all my perspective has gone out the window.Pass the ace, please. LOL |
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 2, 2002 - 6:55 am: Update--Molly continues to do excellently. She is on a full feeding schedule, is happy and alert, peeing and pooping fine. She has a great appetite and is actually gaining back some weight now. She's still at the clinic, being watched.I am TERRIFIED of the next two weeks. Thursday (the Fourth, when the clinic has minimal staff) will be the 12th day post surgery, exactly the amount of time after her FIRST surgery when the surgical site shrank and impacted. My vet assured me he used a different techniqe to join the ends of the intestine and it should NOT happen again. Then the following two weeks are the time adhesions may set in. Unfortunately, I will be out of the country (EEK!) visiting my family in Canada--a trip I can't put off--for precisely this amount of time. She will be at the clinic the whole time. On the plus side, when my vet went in the second time, he found no evidence of scarring or adhesions from the first surgery, so maybe she's not prone to them I'd appreciate any extra prayers flying around, and any medical reassurances YOU can give, Dr. O! GRIN. |
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Posted on Tuesday, Jul 2, 2002 - 11:12 pm: Zoe: I'm sure you'd be surprised at how many people you're dragging along with you on this roller coaster ride. It seems to me that Molly is in the best place she could be while you're gone. By now, she's probably made some pretty good friends there too! Best of luck! |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 3, 2002 - 1:47 pm: Just want to add my good luck wishes, also. It is hard enough worrying when you are right there, but when we are gone we imagine things and it gets worse. She could not be at a better place than at a vet clinic.Good luck, Lilo |
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 3, 2002 - 6:54 pm: Thanks, guys! Your support and encouragement is hugely appreciated. Molly is doing well today, despite ferocious heat and humidity. In fact, she is feistier than ever, TROTTING circles in her stall when it's feeding time, and very alert to and curious about possible getaway avenues when I am grazing her outside. I see her again tomorrow (the fateful day) and then first thing Friday, and then we are off on vacation.Will keep you all posted on her progress when I can. |
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Posted on Thursday, Jul 4, 2002 - 11:07 pm: Zoe, you can be sure that you and Molly will be in our thoughts and prayers until her health is fully restored. The WAITING is the pits!Suzy and Indy |
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Posted on Monday, Jul 8, 2002 - 12:07 pm: Zoe, rollercoaster indeed! I have been wondering about Molly, but have failed to e-mail to ask I almost started crying upon reading she'd gone back to surgery, but then beamed to read she's lapping her stall :-D |
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