My dog has a ruptured diaphragm from an accident. Will she be okay?

Greetings and thank you for your question on Khleo. First, I am very sorry to hear she has a ruptured disk. Generally speaking, yes, surgery is safe. However, there are always risks when an animal is placed under general anesthesia. The risk is greater in dogs with underlying conditions such as kidney disease, liver disease, and cardio dysfunction. The risk of complications is also greater in older dogs. The veterinary office with likely run pre-anesthetic blood work and preform a physical exam to ensure there are no underlying issues. After the surgery, Khelo may need to stay a few days or more in the hospital receiving care and rehabilitation. Once Khleo is home, she may need assistance walking and reliving herself in the yard. She may need to be on medications for several weeks and also receive physical therapy several times a week. She will need your love, care, and support most of all. Best of luck!

I agree with your veterinarian. It’s one thing if a pet has a condition that does not affect the quality of life. It is a completely different story when a pet has a condition that can be corrected and it makes their quality of life worse. You are already seeing the effects of this condition in her inability to eat normally and her weight loss. I gently remind you that veterinarians are not after money. We are entrusted to look out for the best interests of pets because they do not have a voice. Veterinarians have brutally honest conversations with clients every day. If your veterinarian had any misgivings about going to surgery, they would voice them. I do recommend to discuss potential complications however so that everyone is on the same page. Best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear of Hazel's injury. Most animals will recover from a surgery such as this within two weeks provided there are no other major injuries such as a fracture. As long as there are no complications with surgery Hazel could be expected to live a normal healthy life. Your veterinarian will likely prescribe pain medications after surgery to minimize the pain she is in. I would expect her to be pain-free within two weeks. I would discuss your travel plans with your veterinarian but Hazel should be able to travel after the recovery. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Oh my! This sounds like she may have a diaphragmatic hernia due to trauma from the car. A diaphragmatic hernia is common to occur after a hit by car. The stomach and abdominal organs are pushed up into the chest cavity, causing breathing difficulty in many cases and problems keeping down food. Other possible causes of her continuous vomiting is stomach bloat and an intestinal blockage (intussusception). These are all quite serious conditions that are considered medical emergencies. There isn't much you can do for any of these possible scenarios at home unfortunately. She needs radiographs done right away to diagnose the problem and then proper treatment. I would highly recommend taking her in sooner if you can. Best of luck with your pets care and I hope she makes a full recovery.

Oh no, I'm so sorry to read this, poor Rocco! Vets can do amazing things in surgery, and they wouldn't have taken him to surgery if they didn't feel that there was a chance of saving him. Based on this, I would suspect there is a chance he can survive, but without seeing him in person I can't say for certain. He's in the best hands possible at the moment, and I certainly hope he will survive!!

onHi, I will try and cover all the questions about Hiatal Hernia (HH) you have: In most veterinary patients, hiatal herniA (HH) appears to be a congenital or birth defect. Brachycephalic dogs (those with a shortened nose such as English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs) are at an increased risk. Trauma can also cause a HH but much less likely. Diagnosis of HH is most commonly done via fluoroscopy (a moving x-ray study) using radiographic dye. Esophagoscopy and gastroscopy may also be performed. In general treatment options include conservative medical treatment and surgical repair. Medical treatment aims to control clinical signs with with medication, diet changes, and supplements. This will probably reduce the frequency of the clinical signs but may not alleviate the condition. In many cases medical management is attempted initially (around 30 days), but if non-responsive then surgical repair will be done. Bear in mind the information given is general without knowing the specifics of your individual case. Hope that's help.

Clotting problems are relatively common following splenic surgery, but it is certainly unusual to see a stroke. Her prognosis really depends on her neurologic status now and what her brain looks like on an MRI (assuming the stroke occurred in her brain). You can ask about referral to a neurologist for an MRI. Otherwise only time can tell, and some brain injuries can take several months before improvement is seen.