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BLOAT - A survivor's story

We are survivors here. Jake bloated last September 29, 2000. He was 9 years old and knowing what was happening at the onset, definitely was adjacent to his life being saved! My vets were waiting for us when we got there, they tubed him and released an unbelievable amount of air and gas, then they x-rayed, at which time, my vet was humble enough to know this was a bigger job than he was capable of handling. That's one of the things I love about him; he is so honest about himself. His fall goeth before his pride!

He bought us enough time to get Jake to the specialist that handles bloat emergencies but it was still very close. We had "no" minutes to spare when they met us at the door of the clinic with Jake in tow.....his gums were already purple and he collapsed right as we walked in. He walked over to the doctor, looked at him and started falling sideways. I screamed as the doctor put his arms around Jake to soften his fall. I begged him to save my boy but he didn't give me the luxury of falling apart. With only two of them there, they needed our help to get Jake on the table. His stomach was pushing against his lungs and he couldn't breath. I had to hold his head because he was too big to fit on the nearest table. I held the oxygen mask on his muzzle while the doctor stuck his side to release some air out of his stomach. No time for tubing; he needed the pure oxygen anway to get the color back in his gums. I had no idea how heavy his head could be. My back was killing me by the time they had him stabilized and ready to put on the surgery table. By that time, another surgeon came in and they went to work.I have to say, the girl that was there worked like clockwork. They were good together. By the time the doctor had Jake's gums in the pink again, his girl Friday had the IV's in Jake's legs, had him shaved and iodined for surgery. Absolutely no time was wasted.

We took him into the surgery room and we watched as they strapped him onto the table which was somewhat disturbing because, once again, we were standing there helpless. With no work to do, the panic came rushing back. That's when they made us go out into the waiting room and wait. It was a very l-o-n-g night!
He was still alive when the sun came up and the doctor said it was time to transport him back to our other vet for convalescence but he did not expect Jake to make it. We had to run home, get the truck with the topper on and it had a mattress in it, grab blankets and pillows and go back. All the time we were praying that he would still be alive when we got back. The drive was in silence, clutching each other's hands. My sister, bless her heart, was at the house with the other dogs waiting for us and she had coffee ready for us.

We raced back and there was the surgeon, laying on the floor with Jake, both sleeping and both very much alive...HaHaHa....Jake lifted his head and whaled which made me drop to my knees and kiss his face. When he put his head back and nuzzled the doctor's face, it was sweet, as if he was saying "thanks pal". I don't think that I will ever forget that!

So, on a stretcher he went with doctors papers and instructions for my regular vet. He was tucked up all nice and comfy into the bed in the back of our truck. It was funny, all of us in the back of the truck sitting under the topper resting for a minute after getting Jake settled (he does weigh 173lbs.) The doc panicked when I first said we had to go home and get the truck. There was no way we could get him back in the car! Right away he said that he had to be kept warm! I think he thought that we were going to transport him in an open bed of the truck! hahaha When he saw how plush the inside of the bed was with the topper and the comfy bed, all homemade quilts and pillows, he was happy. He said, yeah this is real nice....all I said was "well yeah, what'd ya think we'd take him home in the back of an old pickup? My dogs are my babies!!!!"

We were happy to report back to him that Jake was on the mend. My vet talked to him on the phone while we were in route to him and told us when we arrived that he was really "impressed with that young man."

We heaved a sigh of relief when the 31 staples came out. I still have all 31 by the way. The biopsy they took of his intestines came back negative. The best news is he is still with us today. He has made it to his 10th birthday and not doing too bad.

Wow, did this turn into an epic or what? Anyway, that's our story! One last thing, we now own our own stretcher. After borrowing the clinic's stretcher, we realized it was a 'must have' for the next broken baby we have to carry..........

Written by Nancy Hall and reprinted with permission.

Our Dear Departed Jake... I loved you all your life big boy, And I'll miss you for the rest of mine... "Dogs Never Lie About Love" This last is a memorial to Jake from his Mom, Nancy. Jake crossed the Rainbow bridge 1/02. Not related to a bloat just because it was his time.

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