Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surgery!

Health topics and issues with Chow Chows.

Moderator: chowadmin

Post Reply
tayslin
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:17 pm

Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surgery!

Post by tayslin »

Hi Friends and fellow Chow Chow lovers,

We sent in our perfectly healthy and most lovable 3 year old male Chow Chow to a well known and experienced vet yesterday for a simple procedure on his eyelids.

He had entropion which free-dog-tips.com, describes as :

"... a condition caused by eyelid abnormality in which the dog's eyelids are turned inwards rather than outwards. This irritates the eye and can even lead to your pet turning blind. If detected in time, entropion can be corrected with surgery. If, after you buy your puppy, you do see inflamed or runny eyes or crusty eyelids, you should take him to the veterinarian immediately.''

We left him there fasted at 2pm. The nurse called at 6pm saying surgery was over and we could pick him by 8pm. At 8pm, he was unresponsive in the cage at the back of the clinic which was fan cooled (no AC). They checked his temperature and it was so high, the thermometer could not give a reading!!
For 2 hours, they tried to bring his temperature down, all this while, they said he had gotten heat stroke and we believed it.
After 2 hours of pouring ice water over his body and using ice packs, his temperature finally normalized but he was still unconscious. All the while we asked the senior vet whether he would be ok and he kept nodding.
At midnight, his temperature began dropping (36 degrees) and he was given towels and a heating pad instead.
Somewhere in between, he vomited once and later and opened and closed his jaw a few times - his pulse was also strong and we had hoped that this were all signs he was awakening.
At 1.30am, he suddenly stiffened and we called the clinic staff in who tried to resuscitate him but he did not make it. We were left in shock, dazed, angry and feeling cheated.
We asked the senior vet how this kind of thing could have happened and he had the audacity to reply if I know this kind of thing will happen, I wouldn't touch your dog! What an abomination!

After leaving there and all of today, we try to reason what had happened and we doubt he had heat stroke as he was not left outside/in the sun etc.

Also found this on free-dog-tips.com today:

"4. Chow Chows have Intolerance to anesthesia: Chow owners are often worried about their pets being intolerant to anesthesia, resulting in complications or even death during surgery. This happens because this breed is said to have small hearts in comparison to their body weight. Since anesthesia is given according to body weight, the dog receives a much larger dose than his heart can handle. Always check to be sure your veterinarian knows about this condition before he uses anesthesia on your Chow Chow."

Please advise if anyone has any experience like this and what is your perception/understanding/advice? Please help! Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.
User avatar
kingalls
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3513
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:09 pm
Location: Central California

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by kingalls »

"4. Chow Chows have Intolerance to anesthesia: Chow owners are often worried about their pets being intolerant to anesthesia, resulting in complications or even death during surgery. This happens because this breed is said to have small hearts in comparison to their body weight. Since anesthesia is given according to body weight, the dog receives a much larger dose than his heart can handle. Always check to be sure your veterinarian knows about this condition before he uses anesthesia on your Chow Chow."

This is very true. I'm so sorry for your loss :cry: Anyone with a Chow should make sure their vet is fully aware of this. Isoflurane gas should be used during the procedure. Recovery is almost immediate. Acepromazine is often used before the procedure - this must be carefully given, too. Many years ago, I had the vet do denture work and while the gas was used, my Chow was still groggy from the acepromazine.
Karen, Kohana, Takoda, and our Chow Angels Nahkohe and Shiloh
tayslin
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:17 pm

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by tayslin »

Hi Friends

Trying to post photos here of Simba, the darling boy we just lost. We are still crying and grieving. He was 3 years old, not yet mated, happy and active. He would prance at butterflies and birds and he loved kids - the neighbourhood children could just fling their arms around him and mind you, his head is twice the size of an adult person's! People around the neighbourhood of all races would stop by just to see him. He cocked his head from side to side when you spoke directly to him. He was our gentle giant, though protective and wary of unfamiliar adults. He was our miracle - ever loving, fiercely loyal and a more obedient companion we will never find.

He blessed our lives with his and we will miss him forever..

The vet practice that supposedly "has 30 years experience" handled the whole thing shamefully.
simba3.jpg
simba3.jpg (146.77 KiB) Viewed 11551 times
simba3.jpg
simba3.jpg (146.77 KiB) Viewed 11551 times
simba3.jpg
simba3.jpg (146.77 KiB) Viewed 11551 times
Attachments
simba1.JPG
simba1.JPG (84.32 KiB) Viewed 11551 times
simba2.JPG
simba2.JPG (148.22 KiB) Viewed 11551 times
trry
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 11:10 am

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by trry »

sorry to hear about your loss. I was unaware of the heart issue so now I know what to ask when my guy is getting neutered.
kaliuma
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:23 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by kaliuma »

So sad, I just can't imagine the shock and pain. RIP beautiful Simba. Peace to you, his loving family.
chica_2626
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 113
Joined: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:03 am

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by chica_2626 »

I am so sorry for your loss but I am thankful that I am now aware of these potential issues with them being put under. Now I'll know to say something for any future procedures. I cannot imagine the shock you are feeling right now, only three years old.
dkas2929
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 11:50 am
Contact:

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by dkas2929 »

tayslin,
I am so sorry for your loss, our prayers go out to you and your family. As for heat stroke Bull**** . That sounds to me like a reaction to
something the doctor (i use that term loosely) gave him. And I don't know about vets but in humans it would be something they
would test for before they started surgery. :(
mpcdeb50
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:58 am

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by mpcdeb50 »

I came on this blog looking to find help from someone on exactly which types of anesthesia to use and in what dosage for Chow surgeries. I did not find this info. Could someone please tell me if you know?

Sorry to hear of the loss of your wonderful dog! It's very hard to find a vet who is familiar with the needs of Chows! We had to travel almost 5 hours to find a vet who routinely cares for Chows, but it was so worth the trip!!
Also, the way they are breeding Chows to have scrunched-up faces, which causes entropion, is reprehensible and so bad for the poor dogs who can't see! We have beautiful open-faced Chows, which is the best type of Chow to breed.
sara
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:34 pm

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by sara »

This opening post mademe cry, I'm so very very sorry for your terrible loss of your beloved Simba, and what a shock for this to happen in a vets surgery, I know how i/we felt when we lost our boy a few months back but at least he died through natural causes and at home in our arms in seemingly no pain.

If as the senior vet is saying he died from heat stroke! why the hell was he left to get heat stroke in a damned vets surgery!!!
Our vets here in cold England has air con, I would expect this in any practice.

I understand your anger, I feel angry for you.I know this is not helpful but its how i feel after reading your shocking story.

So so so very sorry for you too, I know its helpful to find a vet that is familiar with chows, BUT, they are vets, they should be able to perform routine ops and know how to proceed regarding anaesthesia for a particular animal.
I see you went to an experienced vet, in my mind your poor boy should never have suffered heat stroke while he was there.
I don't know what you can do about this awful tragedy, but if you can do something I know it won't bring your poor boy back but it may prevent the tragedy from happening to another animal in this practices care.

I really feel for your loss, Sara
User avatar
Pinoy51
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 470
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 1:49 am
Location: Manila, Philippines

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by Pinoy51 »

I'm so sorry for your loss. Can"t imagine that happening to anyone. I would think that an experienced vet prepares himself for a surgery by reading about the breed. It is unacceptable to make such a sloppy diagnosis after anestisia had been given. It seems very logical to check for procedure complications rather then using an unlogical heatstroke theory.
I know this all not helping to make your loss less painful, but it will help all other Chows here not to follow poor Simba by facing unprepared or unexperienced vets.
RiP Simba.
Best regards
Pinoy51
User avatar
Ciao Chow
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2012 9:20 am

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by Ciao Chow »

Hi dear Friend... I am new here: I have a beautiful black chow chow who has been my best friend for 14 years; she is not doing super good lately, so as I was browsing the net for answers between vet visits, and found this site. Actually, bizarre I never seen it before, since I have been with chow chows for years. This is first post I write here, and In a way, it is Simba who got me to register this morning so I could talk to you. I try to imagine your beautiful Simba laying around in dog heaven along with China, a beautiful cinnamon chow who left me 14 years ago also while at the vet... I will tell her story some other time. I know what you've been through: It is still hard for me to think about that faithful day, when a routine teeth cleaning destroyed my happiness. Days after her passing, I wanted her back so badly that I desperately look for her in the eyes of a 3 months black chow... I took her home with me, and she saw my tears every nights for months. She was so sweet and even invented ball games to make me snap out of it! Still, I was scared that I would never love her as much as I loved China. How foolish of me. Next month, it will be exactly 14 years that our story began. Not only this puppy helped me go through my lost, she has been my pride and joy ever since. Now unfortunately, it's my turn to help her through the harsh reality of her final years, something I didn't get to do for China. Though I know it's not going to be easy to let her go, I feel nothing can be as cruel as loosing my chow chow girl because of the mistake of a veterinarian way too sure of him/herself. I see that it's been a few month since your lost, so I hope you are doing a little better. I did report the incident to State Board right before the end of the limitation time, and an investigation was launched. I hope you are checking into it. The clinic where you went should be banned from doing surgery if they don't have proper climate control, and uninterrupted supervision. That is outrageous, and something should be done about it. Frankly, for me nothing really came out of it: she lied about everything so the truth was hard to prove. She received a letter of reprimand. Not even a slap on the wrist, but at least I made a point to make sure that she would not easily forget how badly she messed up that day. Hopefully, if anything else, it made her realized that every surgery, every injection is never, ever, just a routine one...
NanouetJon
Rank 1
Rank 1
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:59 am
Location: St Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by NanouetJon »

Very sorry for your loss, Simba is a beautiful chow.

Thank you for having the courage to share your story with the community. Education can and will prevent this from happening again. You do us a great favor sharing your story.

Your pain is shared with all of us who love and adore these gentle giants.
Image
User avatar
Merlin
Rank 2
Rank 2
Posts: 728
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:38 am
Location: Ontario

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by Merlin »

Your sad story was sent to me and I really was saddened to hear your account .
Please advise if anyone has any experience like this and what is your perception/understanding/advice? Please help! Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.
Chows and any other brachycephalic breeds ( dogs with short noses and long pallets), should never be anesthetised with Ketamine. The anesthesia of choice for these breeds is Isoflurane, ( because the effects of Isoflurane are reversible, whereas with Ketamine, non reversible), and you could ask your vet for the surgical records to see if Ketamine was used. ( not that it matters at this point)

So sorry for your loss.
NEVER Support Back Yard Breeders & Puppy Mills
Contact Your local Chow Chow Association to find your Breeder of Merit!
Better Yet ! Adopt!
Lovechow
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:26 pm

Re: Help! Our beloved Chow Chow died after simple eye surger

Post by Lovechow »

I am sorry to hear your loss, I can't imagine if i lose my puppy cupcake, RIP Simba
Post Reply