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Three days post-surgery

Last Wednesday (5/6/09), Jack was admitted to OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital for a full day of testing and observation. He was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) and it was found that both that and his megaesophagus (ME) were caused by the presence of a thymoma - cancerous tumor in his chest. The vets at OSU recommended immediate treatment with Mestinon (pyridiostigmine suspension) for his MG and surgery ASAP (thymectomy/thoracotomy) to remove the thymoma. We went forward with their recommendations.
Jack had been doing extremely badly - not eating or drinking, getting weaker, unable to go on his daily walks that he loves so much. Thanks to the OSU vets, we started to see some improvements. Jack responded super well to the Mestinon - around our house, we call it a miracle drug. He experienced few side effects and almost immediately had better control of his facial and leg muscles. He showed less weakness and was able and willing to eat again. Hallelujah! We were able to spend the next week fattening him up (small amounts every six hours or so, and always vertical feeding, of course) to help him build up strength for surgery. He did very well - had some rough nights with ME symptoms, but the MG symptoms stayed in check and he tolerates the raspberry flavored syrup very well. We resumed our walks together but kept them shorter than usual.

On Wednesday 5/13, we dropped Jack off at OSU for his big surgery. I was so nervous - it's a huge, drastic surgery and we knew he was at risk for aspiration pneumonia (AP) due to his ME condition. Jack and I had a really nice walk that morning and he got to see and smell some horses, which he loved. His strength was back - he was practically pulling me down the street! :) We parted ways and I nervously went off to work. That afternoon, we got the call that Jack's surgery went very well. They removed the thymoma, it was encapsulated (not metastasized) and he was resting comfortably with tons of pain meds in him. We were very optimistic and so was the surgeon! Jack had a pain pump and chest drain and we were told he could come home in a few days when he got them out.

On Thursday 5/14, we went to visit Jack at the OSU pet hospital. He was so glad to see us that his tail did not stop wagging the whole time. He looked pretty rough - mostly shaved, IVs in him, catheterized, big bandage on his chest - but he looked beautiful to us. We stayed with him for several minutes and then he went back into his kennel and we left. He cried as we walked away... it broke our hearts to leave him. "Soon, buddy," we told him, "you can come home soon!" The vets told us it would be another day or so before he was well enough to come home.

On Friday 5/15, we got the great news - Jack was doing so well that he could come home a day early! We were thrilled. We returned to OSU and spoke with the surgeon and vets and students taking care of him. We told them Jack has his own Facebook fan page and invited them to join. They told us he's an amazing dog - which we know! Jack was in high spirits and wagging his tail saying goodbye to everyone. We walked him out to the car and he pottied along the way. His scar is VERY impressive - all the way down the center of his chest, about twelve inches long and approximately 40 surgical staples! Yowza! He is one tough puppy.

Since we've been home, Jack has been resting a lot and feeling better every day. He gets his meds in his meatballs about every six hours and constant supervision. We went for a very short walk this morning and he loved it so we'll definitely do that again. We cannot vertical feed due to his chest incision so we are doing the best we can - having him sit and look up while we hand feed small amounts from above him, and then walk him around for 10-15 mins afterward. It's not ideal, and he's having some ME symptoms/a little regurge, but there's no way we can vertical hold him right now. He's keeping the bulk of it down, thankfully.

Jack is on Tramadol for pain (2 pills every 8 hrs) for MG (.5 ml every 8 hrs), and Famotidine (20 mg every 12 hrs) and Metaclopramide (10 mg every 6 hrs) for ME. We hope to wean him off the meds a little at a time!

I am so happy he's home and so proud of Jack for handling all this like a champ. To be up, walking around and already home from such major surgery is one thing - but he's also trying to chase the ducks in the yard already! I will have my hands full keeping him from doing too much. These dogs of ours are amazing - they really do have hearts even bigger than their megaesophaguses. ;)

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3 Comments

Comment by Lara Kretler on May 21, 2009 at 8:14am: Hi Leanna! Jack is still doing super well. We are starting to see some resolution of his ME symptoms. He had two really good days/nights (minimal drooling and NO regurging or coughing at all!) but then last night he had a rough one with a lot of coughing and a few regurges (water only though, no food). So, we're really feeling good about the surgery and his recovery! One week out as of yesterday and we'd put him at about 70-80% back to normal healthy dog!! :)