Nifty had a really good night and is coping so well. Short walks every 2 hours, which she is enjoying and eating and drinking fine:) Bowel motions very loose, but hoping that is just a side effect of the Meds she is on.
Nifty is progressing well and is quite bright this morning. Has a really good appetite and no puffing/panting, so hope the Fluid buildup is abating:) Scan on Tuesday will show that.
Nifty had a good night. Eating and drinking well, taking all her Meds, and had a good pooh this morning after 2 days of not going. Has had a gentle very short walk and is now sleeping with her cover on as it's pretty cold this morning. She is really happy to be home:)
Lab results are back. We have the most awesome news. Whilst it was serious what Nifty had, there are no signs of Cancer as we feared. They found she had had a Clot in her Lungs which has set off a bacterial response. I am going to pick her up and bring her home at 4pm today. You absolutely can't imagine how happy I am, and whilst she requires ongoing treatment at present, she will be with us for a long time yet XOXO
Nifty is still at Massey Vets. There was an unfortunate incident early hours of Sunday morning when Nifty got out of her E Collar and chewed the Chest drainage tube to bits. They scanned her and saw no pieces left inside her, and have not reinserted another drain. The fluid is still building up, but they say she is managing to breath without labouring, so they are not aspirating at present. She is being scanned every few hours to monitor that. The Lab results will be back today, and after that, Massey Vets will be creating a plan so I can bring Nifty home tomorrow.
3.30pm 26th May 2018. I can't believe the difference in Nifty after my visit today:):) She was soooo happy to see me and was really animated. Fluid is still draining from her chest and I wish that would stop. We haven't got the Lab results back yet and I am praying that what they told me won't show up in them and that they are wrong. I feel so much better about everything now, as it's the first day she has not taken 1 step forward and 2 steps backwards. I tried the Woollen Coat I made her yesterday to help stop her feeling the cold with so much hair shaved off, and it fits her perfectly:) Good Boy Star for being my mannequin for size. I have added photos of Nifty over the past 2 days, in the Gallery section of Givealittle:)
I spent some time with darling Nifty this morning. She has an awful lot going on at the moment, as you can imagine. She is still in their Intensive Care Unit, and whilst she was really happy to see me, she also genuinely loves the Vets caring for her, so I know she is having the best care. We are awaiting the Histopathology results which will come back either today or Monday. The Vet talked to me about what they have now diagnosed her with, so at least I now know what we are dealing with, but will be confirmed by the Lab results from the Lung Lobes they removed. Will update when I know more. Thank you so very much to the people who have, or are donating towards her Vet Bill, which is growing by the day XOXO from Nifty and me.
Nifty had Surgery today and whilst she was in Theatre for a long time, she got through it ok. They removed the Caudal and Middle Lobes of her right Lung. There is a lot more information to update, but they are phoning me back tonight with Histopathology of the Lobes that were removed, so I will have a fuller description later. I can't wait to see her beautiful Blue Eyes in the morning when I can go visit.
Nifty had a deep Ultrasound on her Liver yesterday afternoon and they took a sample of a nodule, the only one they could see on the pictures. These are apparently common in older Dogs and are often benign. The Surgeon and Operating Staff had a long meeting last night to decide the best options for Nifty. They decided they would Operate this morning through her abdomen, rather than her Chest, so they can see her Liver and pass a Camera up through to her Lungs. She is in Theatre at present. They aspirated another 200mls of fluid from her Chest prior to anaesthetic this morning. They will update me again at about 3pm when she is out of the Anaesthetic.
Nifty update 10.30am 23-05-2018...I am feeling gutted, having felt so positive after yesterdays update from Massey....After removing the drain yesterday to see how she would go during the day and overnight, the Thoracic Cavity filled with fluid again and they have so far drawn 1000mls off her, which means she isn't healing herself and still has the problem. So, they are going to continue to drain her today and she is booked for a thoracoscopy and Surgery tomorrow. Outwardly she appears really bright and happy to them. I will update again when I know more.
Udate for Nifty 4.50pm 22-05-2018. Massey have just phoned and they are excited at how well she is doing. They have removed her drip which was replacing electrolytes, and also removed the drain. She is to have another ultra sound in the morning to make sure all is as well, as it appears to be. They tested her for Addisons, but that came back clear:)The super caring staff who really love her, have taken her for walks today for toileting and as she hadn't had a BM for 2 days, they were rapt that she has passed a soft but normal Bowel motion. They have moved her to a larger crate, which she is loving, as she can see more of what is going on. The Vets concurred and have reverted to their original diagnosis of a Spontaneous Lung Torsion, with the very rare situation that it had untwisted itself, however, had she not had the extra Medical/Surgical procedures over the past week, things would have turned out quite differently. Will update again in the morning. XO
Nifty update 9.30am Tuesday 22nd May 2018. Have just had the most awesome news from Massey. Nifty had a very settled night and this morning they gave her another Scan. They can see no air preset in the Thoracic Cavity now, but she has about 1cm of fluid each side of her Lungs. They are going to remove the drain this morning, and monitor her breathing very closely, to see if she is starting to heal herself, which they think she is. Hopefully the fluid doesn't start building up again. The diarrhoea has stopped and she is still eating and drinking well. They will give me another update this afternoon:)
Nifty update 10.30am 21-05-2018.
Massey have phoned. Nifty is much brighter this morning as the Air and Fluid had decreased a lot from 5cm to 1/2cm, and they are very happy about that. So, because the Scans showed a lot of information on Saturday, and there has been a marked improvement in the Thoracic Cavity, they have decided that they will not scan again or use the Camera today, but will monitor her for the rest of the day to see if her body is starting to repair the Air/Fluid problem. She is to have more Bloods done to check all levels of everything, and whilst her protein is still very low, there has been a small improvement without intervention for that. They have pencilled her in for Theatre tomorrow and will use the camera, then fix whatever the problem is. They will give me another update tonight, as they will then know what the next step will be. This is really positive news and am praying that she continues to improve today:) Thank you again to everyone...you are AWESOME people.
Massey just phoned and the Air is accumulating in Nifty's Pleural Cavity much faster than they can release manually, so they are inserting a continual system to allow her Lungs to expand better. After this mornings update, she started having bouts of panting, so they are monitoring her closely and feel this is the best avenue to go down until tomorrow morning.
Update on Nifty: Nifty had a comfortable night. Massey Vets continued to drain the Lung Fluid and leaking Air overnight. The fluid buildup has decreased a lot, but the Cavity is still filling with air, so they think one of the Lung Lobes is leaking. Tomorrow morning (Monday) they are going to give her another Cat Scan and then decide what to do from there. They are really pleased she is eating and drinking well and is a model patient. I will update Nifty's progress when I know more. Thank you so much to everyone for your support of both Nifty and I. XOXO
Addition to Nifty's earlier update: Her protein levels are still low and are not changing, so they are putting her on a Plasma Drip. If I find out whose Dog donated the Blood to get the Plasma out, I will buy it a nice big juicy bone, because that Dog is Nifty's little Hero:)
Update on Nifty: I have just arrived home from Massey Vets. Things have drastically changed:( They put her under anaesthetic ready for her Cat Scan and subsequent Surgery. They took hundreds of images. Her lungs were so pushed down from Air and Fluid build up, but they were still able to see the vessels leading into the 3 right lobes and the 2 left lobes of her lungs. What they were very surprised about, was they could follow each tube clearly, which showed there was no current torsion, but it could have been there and righted itself. However they found a strange dot in one Lobe, which isn't Cancer and they think it may be a Calcification that has burst and is causing the fluid/air leak. So, they have brought her out of the anaesthetic, the Surgeon had a very long talk with me and decided on Monday, they are going to anaesthetise her again, go into her Lungs with a Camera and then perform whatever surgery she may need. She has them a bit stumped. Her Heart looks good with no heart disease, so she is holding up really well to all the procedures. In the meantime, they have inserted a tube to get the rest of the air and fluid out of her Lungs..they got another 1500ml of air/fluid out this morning and her lungs are starting to inflate again. They will draw off every 4 hours. Was so much to take in, but think I have covered much of what the Surgeon said.
Thank you so much to ALL of the very kind people donating for Nifty's Surgery tomorrow.
What is Lung Lobe Twisting? Dogs have a considerably different lung configuration that humans. Each lobe is separate from the others, with four located on the right side of the body and three on the left. The lobes are connected to the trachea via a bronchial tube, and blood supply comes to each lobe through separate veins and arteries leading to the heart. The individual nature of the lung lobes in dogs means there is less attachment holding them in place and it is easier for them to become twisted. This is called lung lobe torsion (LLT). It occurs also in humans, but it is more common in dogs. LLT cause serious respiratory problems. The lobe usually twists around the bronchial tube and arterial connection. Its air intake is minimal, but it will continue to fill with blood. Fluid and blood will start to accumulate in the chest cavity, limiting the function of the other healthy lobes, and reducing your dog’s entire oxygen supply. LLT is more common in large, deep-chested breeds; studies have found that the Afghan Hound is 133 times more likely to develop LLT, however, many smaller breeds have also been known to be affected and the condition could occur in any dog. Many cases of LLT are spontaneous, with no known triggering factor, although it’s believed that reduced ligament connections in the chest may be at the root of the problem. Other instances of LLT occur secondary to another disease. Conditions that cause fluid or air to accumulate in the chest cavity put more pressure on the lung lobes and increase the risk of torsion. Pneumonia can contribute to lobe torsion, as well as cancer and Chylothorax, a disease in which intestinal lymphatic fluid is diverted into the chest. LLT can be treated with surgical removal of the affected lobe, and primary, spontaneous conditions have a fairly good outlook. If the lobe torsion is secondary to another disease that is difficult to treat, the prognosis is not as good. When a lung lobe becomes twisted around the bronchial tube and arterial connection this is defined as lung lobe torsion. It is more common in dogs than it is in humans due to the separate nature of each lung lobe. Lung lobe torsion can be a serious and life-threatening condition. Symptoms of Lung Lobe Twisting in Dogs Some dogs can have acute, sudden, respiratory distress, while others will have milder chronic symptoms that are less noticeable. Early treatment is more effective, so see a veterinarian as soon as you notice a difference in your dog’s breathing or exercise level. Difficult or labored breathing (dyspnea) Rapid breathing (tachypnea) Cough Coughing of blood (hemoptysis) Intolerance to exercise Lack of appetite Lethargy Weight loss Vomiting Fever (pyrexia) Pale or bluish mucous membranes Abdominal pain Diarrhea Types There are two types of LLT. Spontaneous A primary condition with no identified cause except possibly genetic factors Secondary Secondary to another disease such as cancer or a respiratory problem that causes fluid in the lungs Causes of Lung Lobe Twisting in Dogs These are some of the factors that may be related to LLT. More common in large, deep-chested breeds of dogs, especially Afghan Hounds Smaller breeds that can also be affected include Pugs, Miniature Poodles, Dachshunds, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire Terriers, Pekinese, Beagles, and mixed breeds Conditions that may cause secondary LLT Trauma Error during surgery Pleural effusion – fluid accumulation in the lungs Severe pneumonia with fluid in the lungs Chylothorax – a type of pleural effusion in which chyle, a milky lymphatic fluid from the intestine, accumulates in the chest Pneumothorax – accumulation of air in the lungs Cancer Diagnosis of Lung Lobe Twisting in Dogs LLT may be suspected based on the symptoms, especially if your dog belongs to a breed that is commonly affected. The veterinarian will evaluate your dog’s symptoms and listen to the lungs through a stethoscope. With LLT, breathing sounds are often absent over the affected lung. Chest x-rays will show fluid in the lungs as well as a darkened, more opaque looking lung, sometimes with an abnormal gas pattern. Severe acute cases will be more obvious and may even show tracheal displacement. If the x-ray is not clear, a CT scan may be ordered for a more definitive diagnosis. Analyzation of a lung fluid sample can help to determine primary conditions, like Chylothorax or cancer. It will also help to detect the presence of bacterial infections that may be causing pneumonia. If you already know your dog has cancer or another condition that causes pleural effusion this may help to explain the reason for LLT. Treatment of Lung Lobe Twisting in Dogs Immediate treatment will focus on stabilizing your dog’s symptoms. Additional oxygen may be necessary for dogs with severe respiratory difficulty. Thoracentesis is an invasive procedure that can help eliminate fluid from the chest so that the non-twisted lung lobes can function more normally. Antibiotics may be given for bacterial pneumonia. Surgical treatment involves removing the lung lobe and securing the bronchial and arterial connections. A stapling device is often used for the lung, while sutures will tie up the connections. Thoracoscopy, a version of endoscopy, may allow for a smaller incision, however, lung lobectomy is still an invasive surgical procedure. A tube to syphon off excess fluid will remain in your dog’s chest for a few days after surgery, and the veterinarian will not send him home until the lungs have stabilized and are functioning normally. If LLT is a secondary condition, the original disease will need to be treated also. Chylothorax can sometimes be ameliorated by surgically redirecting chyle back into gastrointestinal tract, but this is difficult and risky. Cancerous pleural effusion may be treated with chemotherapy or radiation in the early stages. Other treatments will depend on the condition that is causing fluid accumulation. If your dog is not healthy enough for surgery, or the primary condition is untreatable, the veterinarian may recommend euthanasia. Recovery of Lung Lobe Twisting in Dogs Your dog’s chances of recovery will be evaluated by a veterinarian upon diagnosis. Many dogs with primary LLT do make a complete recovery. One study of close to one hundred dogs found that about 50% achieved long-term survival after lobectomy. Conditions that are caught and treated early have a better prognosis. Recovery from secondary LLT will depend on the primary condition.
Read more at: https://wagwalking.com/condition/lung-lobe-twisting
