[Dailydrool] Buford--not sure what to do

[Heidi I Sarver]

Well I took the boy to see an internist today because his bloating/ 
swallowing/gasping is still present.  It's improved but it is clear  
he is not "right."

The internist did a barium swallow today and took a series of x-rays  
showing the barium (in liquid form, mixed with canned food and mixed  
with dry food) move through his esophagus, into and out of his  
stomach.  The hope was to see a change in the positioning of his  
stomach.  And we all know that nothing "bad" ever happens when you're  
at the vet.

We're left with pretty much one option:  surgery.  Tack down his  
stomach and then do a some exploratory via an endoscopy (taking a  
biopsy of his intestines) as well as looking for pyloroplexy (too  
small of an opening between stomach and intestines) and fixing that  
if necessary.  The reason for stomach tacking (gastopexy) is because  
when he was there on May 2nd the xrays showed him all gassy and also  
showed his stomach in a "not normal" position.  The suspicion is that  
Buford has been experiencing a 90 degree stomach twist most of his  
life and for whatever reason it has always flipped back into place.   
If this is true, his ligaments are getting weaker--hence his more  
often cases of bloat.  (He's had bloat episodes most of his life.)

So, I'm at my wits end.  I want to do the right thing; I don't him to  
to struggle the way he has been lately; if this is the answer the  
little bugger might just finally be fixed; if they find other things  
while inside I have to resign myself the to extreme possibility of  
"letting him go" while he's under anesthesia.  Last night we went for  
a 45 minute walk--he trotted almost the whole way; he's constantly  
playing with Della and even with Guinness.  He's so full of life that  
this whole thing is killing me.

If anyone has any thoughts please fire them this way as I need as  
much information as I can before I make this decision.

Drool to all in need and snooters to all.

--heidi
buford, della and guinness the cat