29/12/2024
I want to take a moment to give credit where much more than that is due. In doing what I do, I have dealt with many Animal ERs over the years, in many different states. When I was rushing Boris to the hospital yesterday I was battling which one to take him to because of my bad experiences and feelings of "If I didn't take them there, they would be alive." I remembered that 2 years ago we used VEG when Frankie and Bella caught a groundhog and he needed emergency surgery on his lip and my fosters Danielle and Jeff said it was a great experience on so many levels. Not only was the staff fantastic, courteous and caring, but they have an open concept and you can actually observe the surgery if you wish, so off to Nanuet Boris and I went.
When we arrived they didn't waste time. They took us straight back into the ER and I got to spend the entire time with him, asking any questions I needed to while they assessed him and started tests. The mild sedative didn't work to keep him calm for x-ray so they thought they would have to use a stronger one, which wasn't a great prospect for his condition. Thankfully they didn't need to, but all of a sudden taking he went DOWN to the floor and I thought he was actually about to die. They rushed over and took his vitals and assured me it was just the sedative finally kicking in.
Tests showed that he had fluid in the abdomen, which tested positive for bacteria, coupled with the fact we knew he had a foreign body because he vomited it up on the way to the hospital, It was filled with very dense and harsh materials and, worst of all, rubberbands, all signs pointed to a perforation.
The incredible Dr. Brady said emergency surgery would be necessary. I was able to take as much time as I needed to make a decision that I could live with. I asked her about her ability to do the surgery. She seemed very confident she could do it, but was completely candid that if we found certain things once in, he would need to go to a different type of surgeon and we'd have to make decisions on the table. She was so genuine and kind and told me if I wasn't comfortable she would totally understand if I wanted to go to AMC, which was where I asked about because I've had surgeries there many times. I cannot be happier that AMC wasn't actually intaking any hospitalizations last night, because I don't think anyone could have done a more amazing job and be so hands on with a worried parent the whole time as Dr. B.
I got to watch them prep and scrub and intubate my beautiful man for surgery. Doc came out in the middle and we were all pleasantly shocked to find no perforation. With that, the fluid in the abdomen was a mystery and concerning. She told me also the stomach felt like it was empty, but it's a good idea to do a small incision to make sure we didn't miss anything that could cause a complication later. There seemed to be very minimal to no peristalsis in the intestines, very concerning, as there could be an underlying condition. She discussed taking intestinal biopsies to make sure we have the full picture. I being the worrier I am, didn't want to borrow risk, so I was hesitant to cut the stomach or the intestines. She was so thorough in giving me all the facts to help make my decision, offering to talk to my vet so I could discuss with them first. Hilarious side note, they knew each other and sung each other's praises, which hearing that from Liz helped my nerves. Dr. Prescott told me her thoughts on the situation and we went forward with both. If we missed something and he had to go back to surgery I wouldn't forgive myself.
Everything went amazing. But that's not the end. The gift that is VEG just kept on giving. It is a teaching practice, they use top notch students and have a very safe teaching policy (trust me, I asked MANY questions before saying yes). They asked if they could neuter him for a student lesson, on the house, if the surgery went well and they had time while he was still under. It was incredible to watch. I may or may not have gotten a good laugh from the entire staff outside the OR when I said OMG, they rip the testicles off when they neuter? Apparently, that's just the outer sheath and part of the process LOL
I am so so thankful to whatever higher power pushed me towards the decision to bring Boris to VEG Nanuet. I had an experience a worrier like me could never even dream of going into a situation like that. I honestly thought I was kissing him for the last time when they took him back, instead, I get to bring him home today.
THANK YOU Dr. Brady for being so kind, patient, empathetic, well spoken in your explanations, and most of all for being an incredible veterinarian. To Dr. Tracy Cohen-Grady, thank you for indulging my 90 questions while I was sitting outside the OR. And a very special thanks to all the staff who were extremely attentive to the patients and their families, and for letting me sit with you guys while you were prepping him, and let me in and out a million times while I paced inside and outside the hospital. Truly the best experience I've had to date.
