Our 7 month old malamute swallowed a squeaker from a dog toy. This weekend has cost us $ 4k for surgery and the total expense is still adding up to over 5k. What a weekend!

Sigh. That sucks. I hope the fuzzy terrorist gets well soon.

I hope he recovers fully.

I know the pain of spending a bundle on a sick animal. Some time back I spent more than $4000 to have a broken leg fixed on a young feral cat in my backyard. (She's fine and comes to the yard every day to get fed. There are 2 other regulars and I don't have a rat or mouse problem.)

flashguy

Thanks for the good thoughts. I think the little guy will be ok.

Good vibes for continued recovery.

Vet didn't think he would pass the squeaker?

About 7 years ago when my American Pit Bull Terrier was around 6 months old, he chewed up and ate half a shower shoe (got a pic in archives somewhere). Threw up much of it but out of concern, took him to the vet and x-rays showed some of it still in there throughout the digestive system.

Vet worked with him to induce more vomiting and gave a whole bunch of enemas over about 24 hours. The vets efforts worked and Mason passed the obstructions. Vet really didn't want to operate on such a young pup and was just as relieved as I was that surgery ultimately wasn't necessary. Vet said if he hadn't passed the obstruction when he did, he was going to HAVE to operate.

This may be a stupid question, but are there no safety standards for dog toys??

First off, hope he recovers. That said I think those squeaker toys should be sent back to China.

That really sucks. My 2 year old Doberman/Rottweiler did the same thing but it was a very hard rubber thing from the neck area of a stuffed duck dog toy. They had to cut him open from his front legs to almost his penis. It took a month for the stitches to heal, they removed the stitches, and my friend came over the next day and opened the front door and called him outside, and he ran 40' before I could stop him and tore the area open again and they had to restitch and took another month to heal and during that period he built up fluid and started wandering around the house and wouldn't stay still dripping bloody fluid all over the house, thank God I had tile floors......I'm no longer friends with that friend as I warned him before he even came over that the dog couldn't go outside without a leash. Try to keep him as stationary as possible (no running or jumping) until it heals really well (couple of weeks after they pull the stitches). It cost me about $3k but that was about 7 years ago.

I hope your little buddy recovers.

Keep him away from really big diamonds....

I hope your pup recovers completely. It's all to common with puppies, not as much with fully grown dogs.

When our Rottie was just 4 months old he swallowed one of my wife's stockings. The vet said they could try to 'float' it out with liquids, but it doesn't always work. The stocking was wrapped around the intestines. It was a critical situation. She had to perform surgery by making two incisions to get the entire stocking out. We were warned that surgery on the abdominal cavity can have complications. He came through it like a champ.

We were in the vet two weeks ago when a 9 week old puppy came in that had swallowed an object. The surgery was successful, but 3 days later those 'complications' appeared and another surgery had to be performed. Not sure of the final outcome. I hope it survived. The owners were very fearful.

Puppies are like any other baby. Everything goes into their mouths.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: az4783054,

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
This may be a stupid question, but are there no safety standards for dog toys??

Bad deal for the pup. One of the stupidest question ever.

quote:

Originally posted by 21bubba:

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
This may be a stupid question, but are there no safety standards for dog toys??

Bad deal for the pup. One of the stupidest question ever.

That was totally uncalled for. Think before you post please.

GTO, I hope all goes well with the pup. They can be a handful at that age.

Jim

I am sorry your puppy had to have surgery. I am also sorry it cost so much much to help it, but grateful the vet was able to save your puppy. I am certain you chose to spend that much because you love the puppy. It says a lot you went that far to save it.

quote:

Originally posted by GTO:
Our 7 month old malamute swallowed a squeaker from a dog toy. This weekend has cost us $ 4k for surgery and the total expense is still adding up to over 5k. What a weekend!

Has your malamute ever done anything like this before?

I remember, when working as a vt, we had a husky/malamute who loved to swallow tennis balls. I can’t recall how many times we did surgery, but it was more than once. Sadly, the neighbor kids thought it was hilarious to see the dog swallow the tennis balls..which is why the multiple surgeries. No idea if pica is common in this breed, and puppies are silly, sweet little things that get into all sorts of mischief
Hope all goes well.

We had a Mastiff that would swallow whole socks, both adult and child sized.

Thankfully he was able to pass them, as we only knew he did this when finding them whole in his stool.

This is why you shouldn't give your dog bones either. They swallow them whole or in parts and cause all kinds of very expensive problems.

Vets love people who give their dogs bones. Helps pay for that lake house.

GTO: Hope the pooch pulls through OK.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by 21bubba:

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
This may be a stupid question, but are there no safety standards for dog toys??

Bad deal for the pup. One of the stupidest question ever.

That was totally uncalled for. Think before you post please.

GTO, I hope all goes well with the pup. They can be a handful at that age.

Jim

He asked I answered.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by irreverent:



Has your malamute ever done anything like this before?

Almost succeeded a month ago. I should have thrown all of his squeak toys in the garbage. My error and we're paying dearly. We have 2 malamutes and spoil them both.

quote:

Originally posted by GTO:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by irreverent:



Has your malamute ever done anything like this before?

Almost succeeded a month ago. I should have thrown all of his squeak toys in the garbage. My error and we're paying dearly. We have 2 malamutes and spoil them both.

Not judging at all. Hindsight is always a second guessing game- if onlys don’t help, just what one does for the future. I will always remember that poor pup that we had to do multiple surgeries on, if only because I’d never encountered pica before, and it certainly wasn’t the owner’s fault there, either. Sounds like your pup has a wonderful home, with some super caring owners.