My Poor Baby.... Hopefully Final Update

[Donna K & Quincy]

Two weeks ago I had to take Quincy to the vet because his left eyelid was really swollen, three shots later, an antibiotic, an antihistamine and prednisone and in 24hrs the eye was totally better.  We thought at that time that he may have gotten stung by something and it was just a localized allergic reaction. Fast forward to yesterday and I noticed his eye was really swollen again and after a little poking and prodding around I noticed that he had a lump well above his left eye and the whole side of his head in the temple area was swollen. I was going to wait until Mon to take him to the vet but this morning when he got up it was even more swollen and was obviously bothering him so we took him to the emergency vet. They checked his temp and it was 40.5C which is almost 105F, I had no clue he had a fever and I'm feeling like a bit of an idiot. They shaved the side of his head and there was a large abscess. They made two small incisions and drained a lot of purulent drainage, the vet said it was almost unbelivable how much gunk came out of it. He is now on antibiotics for three weeks and he has pain pills for the next four days and of course the dreaded cone. I almost died when they brought him back to me, he looked like he had been slaughtered, there was blood everywhere. It is amazing how fast this seemed to happen although in hindsight I think there was something going on even before the last vet visit, he would kind of squint and flinch up his face on that side at times. I did feel all around the area at the time but didn't feel anything there. The vet checked his ears and teeth but could find nothing wrong there so we don't really know what is causing it. We have to go back on Friday and if it isn't better or is getting worse they are going to put in a drain and leave it in. I am really praying that it gets better and we don't have to go down that road. I'm glad that we didn't wait till tomorrow as that gets us one day ahead in the treatment. I've given him his pain meds and he is now resting without the cone and he won't be left alone with it off.

When I first took the cone off to try and clean him up he was really agitated and trying to paw his eye but the pain meds are working now and he is being such a good boy. He was really good for the vet and they only used a local anaesthetic instead of really sedating him. It just breaks my heart to look at him and know that he is hurting. I am going to think positive that the antibiotics will work and this will be the end of it. This is a picture taken on Friday and the attachment is a photo taken today that you look if you want. I'd already cleaned him up when it was taken so it's not as bad as it could have been.

 

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UPDATE WED

I'm happy to report that Quincy is feeling much better today and actually was up to going for a short walk for the first time since Saturday. He was reluctant to move and I could barely get him out side to go potty. He just had a bath and his looking and smelling much better because on Sunday he was quite a mess after they drained the abscess. I've attached a pic so you can see the improvement and maybe see why I was a bit freaked out on Sunday. Thank you all for those positive vibes, they are working and of course I think the antibiotics are helping too. :>)

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UPDATE SAT

 Quincy saw the vet on Friday and there was still an abscess there so he had it drained again. This time the vet made a sl larger incision hoping that it will stay open a little longer and to let anything else that is in there drain. I think he has gotten more relief this time around as I am now able to clean it without him flinching away from me. He is eating and drinking normally and he no longer has a fever so I think he is feeling much better. We have two more weeks of antibiotics and I am really hoping the abscess doesn't fill up again because if it does they may have to do surgery and really open it up to look for a foreign body. He is still wearing his cone at night and is getting so used to it that he now waits for me to put it on before he goes to bed. He is looking much better and you can hardly notice the he is all shaved on the side of his head unless you are really close. Here is a pic of us returning from the vet on Fri. He is a really good boy and still doesn't mind going to the vet.

Hopefully Final Update: I am happy to report that Quincy is totally back to his old self, eating, drinking and playing normally. His eye and face are completely back to normal. He still has another 10 days of antibiotics to go and hopefully then we'll be done with this chapter. Quincy and I would like to say thank you for all the hugs and positive healing thoughts, it is so great to have a place to go for support and sympathy. Thank you all for caring about us. Hugs

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Ohhhh, poor sweet fellow! I'm so glad you took him in today, Donna. Hopefully he'll recover quickly and be right back to normal! (I have to confess that this is the biggest reason I'm keeping Lachlan naked these days - he got a sore on his head and his coat is so dogawful thick I couldn't tell if he had any anywhere else so I finally just snatched him bald.)

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thanks Camilla, Jen and Gail, I feel so awful right now, I actually feel sick to my stomach, it looks way worse than it did earlier, he's clearly uncomfortable and he can't have pain meds for almost another two hours. I've been laying on the floor with him trying to keep him calm, I feel so helpless. I'm trying to figure out how I can stay up with him tonight and still stay awake until DH gets home from work tomorrow. Hopefully he'll settle with the pain meds and I can catch a few cat naps. I finally got a little water into him (mixed with apple juice) and about a half cup of food so at least there's a little something in his stomach to buffer all those pills.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Doodle hugs and love to Quincy!  Poor baby and I hope is recovery is quick and without too much pain.  The picture just broke my heart and it looked so inflamed.  Prayers to all of you:)

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thank you Lonnie, your prayers are appreciated.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Donna, I am so sorry this happened to sweet Quincy. I will send positive thoughts your way that he does not have to get the drain in and the antibiotics clear this right up. He still looks beautiful to me, but gosh, I hate to think of him hurting in any way!! Hugs to you, my friend!!

[Margaret & Pebbles]

Poor sweet baby.  When I had my cocker she got what the vet said a spider bite on her chest that abscessed, she had a drain, I felt helpless too.  But she got better and it healed.   Just hate to have our sweet babies go through anything.  Sending hugs and prayers.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thanks Margaret, I hate that helpless feeling. I spent 35 years taking care of sick children you'd think I'd handle this better. :>)

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thanks Laurie, I appreciate those hugs right now. I just got him to drink a little more water and he seems a little more settled so I feel a little more settled too. This has been a tough day for him and for myself and DH too, hopefully things will be a little better tomorrow.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Try to get a little sleep. Can you get him to sleep next to you in bed, so you can hear him if he wakes up? Wish there was something I could do to help. Feel better, Quincy!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Poor baby. So good that you took him to the vet. Hugs to you both!

[BG and Gavin]

Quincy what a brave soldier you are!  I do not know much about absesses Donna, but I have more experience than I want about fevered dogs.  What pain med is he taking?  Gavin was on rimadol (sp) and that really took care of the fever in a hurry and increased his appitite and got him to drink more.  Gavin was also on a long course of antibiotics (although the vet was not exactly sure what he was medicating against) but really once the pain/fever were under control (less that 24 hours) we noticed a big difference.  I layed on the floor in the livingroom with Gavin too until he rested easy as when he was ill, he did not want to be "with the pack" and sleep in our room.  I know that sick feeling you have.  Trust the meds.  I am sure they will take care of everything quickly.  xo

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thanks Linda, Quincy is on Tramadol for the pain but I don't think it will help with the fever. I'm hoping that after a few doses of the antibiotics we'll see an improvement. It looks really awful, much worse now than the picture I posted. I guess he has more swelling from the poking and prodding they did while they were draining the abcess and flushing it out. I just settled him in bed with DH  and I've left the cone off because he was much more agitated with it on, so we'll see how that goes.