Millie update

[debih]

Millie has been back to the vets again today for another dilation. All went really well and they were able to dilate to 10mm (or is it 10ml - I'm not sure). I didn't get to speak to the vet - he left me a message on my mobile - so I am not sure how big it should be if it were healthy. I will have to ask him next time.

Anyway, his message said that her osophogus looked pretty healthy and he was really pleased with how it went and he would like her back next Monday to do it again. He also had a look at her leg which seems to be fine and also her ears (she cries now and again when you touch them). There was nothing much there other than some dry skin which looked a little sore (he thinks that is just down to the poor condition that she is in due to the weight loss) so she has cream for her ears now as well.

When I picked her up the nurse showed me how they had been feeding her as that has now changed. We have to feed her much thicker food now - two spoons of one food mixed with one spoon of another food mixed with one spoon of water - and we need to feed it very slowly. She was feeding her from the back of a spoon - a very small amount of food on the back of the spoon, let it go down and then another small amount of food. As the food is thicker it should help keep the stricture open - which is good.

We haven't yet heard anything from the insurance company to see if they are going to accept it as two separate claims but the nurse said that Dan (the vet) was determined that Millie was going to get well and that lack of money wasn't going to stop him from continuing his treatment of her and if he had to do it in his own time and we just paid for the materials rather than the vets time then so be it - and his boss has okayed that with him as Dan put his case across that they have had a lot of money out of the insurance company for her and that she is a good case study for them as they don't often get a dog with a stricture (because of the work involved for the owners and number of operations and cost most owners would not go ahead with it).

She is continuing to put weight on - 12.2 kilos when we weighed her yesterday. Still a long way to go to the 17.5 kilo target but she is going in the right direction.

[shazsha]

Oh, well done Millie!!

It seems that Milie is finally going in the right direction ( we need a cheering smilie!)

She's been lucky too in having you as her owner Debi- there's been a lot of time and worry in getting her this far....I often think that people who don't have pets must think we are crazy in what we'll do for our furry friends!

[Diflower]

Debih that all sounds such good news, it's lovely to read. The weight is going well too

Have a read of the link about spirulina, it's just a powder so wouldn't be tricky to add, and only a total of half a teaspoon per day. It's available on amazon cheaper, but I paid £12.50 for a 100g tub - a teaspoon is 5g so it's 31p a day (I think!).
Then again I might start taking it myself
Huge hugs to Millie and to you for doing all the hard work - and to your lovely vet too
x

[debih]

I often think that people who don't have pets must think we are crazy in what we'll do for our furry friends!

I was thinking the same thing myself this morning when I got up at 5.45am to start feeding her - I am not sure if I will get home at lunchtime so I need to get at least 3/4 tin of food down her this morning before I leave, which meant a very early start!

[Kaz]

What a lovely man your vet is Millie you are a star!!!!

That's very true Shaz - you get a pet thinking they are 'just' a pet, but soon they become one of the family and you would no more think of giving up on them than you would on a child. Hard for those without pets to understand that though, I guess

[Weka]

Fantastic news!

[meriad]

I so agree that many people wouldn't understand why we do what we do for our furries.

Debih; you really have one amazing vet. He and the vet nurses sound fab. And well done re Millie's weight gain... I would have thought that little but steady is probably better anyway so that's really good news. It's all sounding so much more positive - I'm pleased

[miasmum]

Well done to you all. It has been a long, hard slog up that hill but I think you might be able to relax a little soon from the sounds of it xxx