Anyone every heard of this?

[Guest]

I had some pups in a pen next to my grown hounds. It got cold, well cold for Fla (38 degrees) day before Christmas. I put some old towels in the pen with the pups for bedding. I noticed on Monday that one of my grown hounds did not look or act right and took him to my vet on Monday. Dr. thought it could be Parvo or Corona, but could not tell without the blood test, which came back negative. Ruling that out he did an x-ray after putting in some kind of dye and saw that my grown hound somehow managed to get one of the towels and ate it. The threads were tied up in the intestines and stomach. Now the bad part he wanted $1900.00 to do the surgery. I was unable and unwilling to pay that price and had him put the dog to sleep, after vet said nothing else except the surgery could be done to save him. Vet tells me that he has an apprentice who will operate on the dog, if I will give him the dog, in return; so that after the operation he can "adopt" the hound out. Vet says this would be in the best interest of the dog, and that the apprentice would really like to do the surgery. I tell him that if he is really interested in saving the hound that I will pay half (950.00) and get the hound back after the surgery. He says sorry implies all or nothing, and I pay 350.00 for his bill including the disposal fee. Anyone ever heard of a vet doing something like this? Heck of a way to start the new year.

[Hardtime01]

That was my hound, above post is mine forgot to sign in...Mark

[Incahoots]

My mother had a show dog die from eating/chewing up a towel the vet put in the crate. So yes that can and does happen.

As far as vet charging that much for surgery and way he acted. I can't say. Seems pretty steep imo actualy very steep but I'm not a vet so I can't say if he was lieing or acting unprofessional.

[S.R.Patch]

Not sure from your post if you had the hound put down yet or not. I'm sure my farm vet would do the operation & save the hound for the $350. disposal fee you speek of.(check with a farm vet in the area)
If it come down to it, I would pump the hound full of mineral oil from both ends to get things moving(no solid food till it passes). This has worked with pups that plugged themselves up by eatting wood shavings.
Maybe Doc could give you some advice "health" section of the board.
Best of luck with the hound...Patch

[yellowdog]

it is amazing what mineral oil will do....i have used it on dogs several times and cattle too....its great stuff and inexpensive...

[Hardtime01]

Patch,
There are no farm vets in my area only these "pet" ones. I did have the dog put to sleep as the vet said that with all the infection inside that he was suffering. The pups I had in the pen next to him are my new patch pups I bought in SC while there hunting. Hope they will be as good a hound as he was.

[Bob Huffman]

If there is a horseracing track nearby, go talk to the track vets. They will help you. I know there are several in fla. Good luck!!

[S.R.Patch]

Hardtime1,
I don't know first hand, did the hound have a fever, the infection????
I can see where the hound would be bloated, how long had it been since the towels disappeared?had the hound quit eating on it's own??
Sorry for you and the hound. Keep on the lookout for a large animal vet as Bob suggested, they are always good for a second opinion, if you question your regular vets advice.
Hope the puppies turn out well for you...Patch

ps...Yellow dog, we always keep a couple of quarts on hand. Welping pups, unplugging pups, pulling or turning calves to get them inline, yup, good stuff...

[LR Patch]

Sorry to hear that.
1 thing for certin I would find another vet.Just my opion.

[Hardtime01]

Patch,
The vet said that the lining of the intestine had started to rupture which caused the infection to start. I did not know that the towel had been eaten by this dog until the x-ray, as there was no bloating, the dog just appeared to be ill, and dehydrated.

[DDWBeagles]

I had one of those large green nylon tarps stretch over the chainlink top of the kennel to ward off sun and rain. One day I noticed what I thought was worms in one the dogs stool. Under closer investigation, it turned out to be fibers from the tarp as he was chewing on it. Another story, last year I bought one of those preshaped vinyl covered foam mats that go inside the Igloo dog houses. I figured at 2 years old, the dogs had past their puppy chewing phases, as there we several rubber like toys in their kennel that never get touched. Anyway, BIG MISTAKE. Not only were these mats expensive, both dogs shredded theirs the first night. Foam can be lethal for any animal, so I rushed them to the vet that morning. The good news, they weren't eating it, but certainly enjoyed destroying it. Any animal that will eat poop, can't be but so picky in else it ingests.

[gamekeeper]

Mineral oil is good for shaving etc but a towel gets so saturated surgery is the only chance.I have had show dogs eat a sponge I was washing him with when I turned my back and had to have it removed surgically that was years ago and MUCH less money.

[Alabama John]

After what the vet said and what his apprentice wanted, I would have seen the dog dead before I left. If you didn't see it dead, you just might hear it running one day.
Paying $350.00 is a waste as any of your friends, or you could have done it with a .22 for nothing.

[gordonstutzman]

I had a dog that ate one of these rope toys that they give dogs. Cost me
$200.00 from and old country vet to operate but he is still leading the pack. would never know it ever happened.

[S.R.Patch]

Hardtime1,
Again, sorry for your loss, but thanks for posting as it may keep others from making the same mistake and save their grief...
All the best...Patch