On February 21st 2006, Zena went in to have the standard TPLO surgery. Everything went fine with the surgery.

We picked her up on the 23rd and we went back in the room to get her and speak to the student vet about her surgery and the home treatment.

She prescribed her two pills one for pain (DERAMAXX) and one for swelling, this is when the horror begins.

We were NEVER told of the side effects of the DRUG .(NOTHING)

We were only told to give her pills in the morning for swelling, keep her confined so her leg can heal etc… etc…

Friday Morning we gave her the next dose of Deramaxx , she seemed to be her normal self, took the pill with graciousness like we were giving her a treat.(the beef flavor to entice them to take it should tell you something). All still seemed normal during the day and then around 5:00am we heard her getting sick. I thought it was from the half piece of raw chicken I gave her, not thinking it could be the Deramaxx.

Saturday morning 8:00 am; 2ND dose of Deramaxx. Once again she took it graciously (that enticing beef flavor).

9:00 am; the signs start, she was sluggish, not acting herself, just laying around like she had a tummy ache.

9:30 am; I call my local vet and let her know what was happening. She knew I was very concerned because Zena has never acted like this before, so she ask me to bring her in. 11:00 am, I took her in, she examined her tummy and Zena showed discomfort when she pressed on it. My vet then asked my husband Chuck to help hold Zena while she took X-rays. She started taking them and discovered she couldn’t get a clear picture of the organs because there was some fuzziness in the x-rays. She took three more x-rays, still fuzziness in them. The x-ray machine according to her was acting up so she didn’t feel she could get a true reading. Back in the examining room she felt Zena’s tummy again and Zena yelped this time! I knew there was more wrong, but my vet told me she just had a tummy ache and sent me home on some carafate. I asked her “are you sure? I see she is in pain.” Once again, she assured me it was just a tummy ache. She then told me if it gets any worse to take her to the emergency clinic in Frederick. I asked how much worse does it need to get? She told me I would know, leaving me completely unsatisfied with what took place.

I took Zena home gave her the carafate and kept an eye on her. She slept for a while and then wanted to go outside. I asked my husband Chuck how she seemed to him and he noticed she was moving slowly, but seemed ok. We thought the slowness was due to the TPLO surgery.

4:00 pm; she went to our pond and was drinking. Once again nothing seemed out of the norm. She would walk a little and then lay down, once again we thought she was resting because of the leg.

8:00 pm; I went to dinner with my sister.

10:00pm; I received a phone call from my husband letting me know Zena would not eat anything and was acting extremely sluggish. I immediately left and came home only to find my once FULL of LIFE, VIBRANT dog very ill, with not even a head raise at my presence. I noticed her stomach was very distended and swollen and her breathing was very labored. When I felt her, her stomach it was COLD! I felt her paws, they were cold and she was sluggish. I called the emergency clinic and the emergency vet said she should be seen right away. I loaded her up and on the way we went. It’s a thirty minute drive from my house, so I knew time was crucial.

The doctor took her in the back and examined her tummy, (I was not allowed in the back) Zena showed great pain, the x-rays were HAZY. (humm) She could not see her organs so she did a fluid tap to her stomach.

BULLSEYE! FLUID IN THE STOMACH!

The doctor came out and told me they were stabilizing her with IV fluid and then they would need to do surgery to find out where the fluid was coming from. I said just ‘SAVE MY DOG!”

Still even wondering what the heck happened, still not having a clue that it was the Deramaxx, although the emergency doctor (her name is Dr. Loveland) asked me the history, so I told her what she was taking. She just looked and went back to her.

5:30am; emergency surgery started on her. When they opened her up the horror began. The vet tech came out and told me what we were dealing with. QUOTE “there is blood all through her abdominal region and we don’t know where it is coming from so the Dr. is lavaging her to find it (meaning cleaning her up). Her organs are a very angry RED color and they should be a pretty pink.”

I said what does this mean, apparently the fluid was eating up her organs and distributing bacteria all through her organs. I knew it was not good, by the look on the techs face. She said we don’t know where it is coming from yet, then another tech walks out and told us they found the problem, a HOLE the size of a nickel in her stomach! That’s where the fluid escaped from, but the outcome is not good. Immediately my heart sank, and I begged them “JUST SAVE MY DOG”. The lead tech went back in to help the doctor and find out for sure what is happening. An hour passed, but it seemed like forever. Finally the doctor came out. “Mrs. Vahle” she says “I just want you to know about Zenas condition.” She explained again what happened and that it could possibly cost up to 10,000.00 dollars to save her. I told her I didn’t care, just save my dog! I want her back home where she belongs! Another hour passed and the doctor came out and told me that Zena was out of surgery, but her condition is GRAVE and her chance of survival is 20%. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, one day she is fine, the next fighting for her life, it just put me in shear disbelief!

9:00 am, Sunday morning; the vet tech comes to get me so I could see Zena and prepared me for the worse. I went back and there was my once BEAUTIFUL black dog fighting for her life with tubes running out of her stomach, one in her throat and IV’S in 3 of her paws. I stood there once again in just disbelief. The vet tech told me I could stay a few minutes, but she really needed to rest because of what all she went threw. Zena was panting extremely hard. I leaned down in her cage and pulled her big ears back and I told her “Mommies here Zena and I am sorry but the one thing I want you to do is fight for me and stay with me. I Love you and I want you to come back home.” I rubbed her and loved her for a few minutes, but the tech and doctor thought it was a good idea if I went home to get some sleep. The tech told me “No news is good news, we will only call if something is wrong.” For some reason they became my words to live by for the agonizing 7 days that she was fighting for her life. I called Sunday night they told me she was still holding her own.

8:00 am Monday; Zena was transferred within the hospital to the care of Dr. Stephanie Phillips, an intern specialist.

9:00 am; she called to tell me her evaluation of Zena. She told me “she suffered a perforated ulcer and septic peritonitis,” and explained how very sick Zena is. To be prepared, that Zena may not leave the hospital alive. I told her I understand that you have to prepare me for the worst, but I know you will save my dog. I know at that time I was incomplete denial of which way it could go, but I was not allowing any other options. I wanted Zena home. I asked if we could then come visit her later in the afternoon and they told me at anytime, we could visit and stay as long as we would like.

1:00 pm; going to visit Zena. My husband was not prepared for what he was going to see, the tubes, the IV’S, how she was breathing, her lifeless ness etc…
They brought Zena into an exam room and spread a blanket for her to lay on and for us to be able to lay with her. She looked so pathetic, they informed us why she was breathing hard, and why she seemed so out of it, obviously it was due to all the trauma and to the pain medications she was on. The doctor came in and explained that it does not look good, but I assure you….. “we are doing everything possible,” and informed us that Zena had made it through the surgery, and that was a positive sign because of all the poison in her body. She is a very sick dog. I could only cry as Zena lay there fighting.

Then we ask what did this? I don’t understand. That is when she told me the DERAMAXX caused a severe reaction and that is what gave her an ulcer and caused it to rupture. Chuck and I both stood there in amazement; two doses of one pill did this? She (the doctor) assured us YES. She said one pill could do it.

Once again, I repeat I had NO idea of the side effects or Zena would never of received the pill.
She then left the room and let us have our visiting time with Zena. I laid on the blanket with her, I lifted her big floppy ear back and whispered “Mommies here Zena, I need you back home, so fight for me ba ba girl.” I stroked her body and rubbed her ears and prayed to GOD to take the poison out of her body and let her come home with me. I had to lift her to GOD and have complete faith in the doctor. I could not believe this was the beautiful dog I had taken such good care of for 4 years, with not an ounce of problems! We visited Zena for a few hours and then headed home, distraught, once again.

6:00am, Tuesday; “No news is Good news” I called the clinic and asked how she was doing. They told me she was holding her own and made it through another night. I told them we would be down to visit her at lunchtime again. The clinic is a 30 minute drive from our home. We also went down and visited her in the evenings. Same scenario, rubbing her, talking to her, and just letting her know we were there and wanting her to come home .We needed her to keep winning the battle against this horrible drug. The doctor informed us there was regurgitation and they were going to give her carafate through the night to help her throat. Overall, she is slightly improved but is not out of the woods.

Wednesday 3/1; Upon our visit, the doctor informed us she was getting brighter and they were going to give her a small amount of nutrition through her feeding tube.

Thursday, 3/2; She continues to improve and the regurgitation has stopped. She was drinking on her own small amounts and eating.

Friday, 3/3; She did well, was drinking and eating small amounts again on her own. They begin to transition her on oral medications, but in the afternoon she vomited again including her esophageal tube, which was then removed.

Saturday 3/4; Overall, bright and alert. She still has nasal drainage. Unfortunately, she tried to eat and vomited again. The doctor’s concern was that her protein levels would not improve until she can take in oral nutrition. They had to make some changes in her medications and she would receive another transfusion of plasma. They would only offer her small amounts of food.

Sunday 3/5; She had tolerated the water well and they will restart her on food in small amounts. Creatinine, electrolytes and glucose are stable.

Monday 3/6; She has been tolerating the introduction to food and is drinking well. They transitioned her to oral medications and weaned her from the IV fluids. Creatinine is stable and liver values are normal. Albium is improved at 1.7.

Tuesday 3/7; Zena is doing well. She is eating, drinking and taking the oral medications. As such, they will release her to our care. Yeah! I thought. Zena is finally able to come home and make a quick recovery, I was so happy.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; Zena begins to throw up daily, every time we would feed her.

Monday; Another trip to the clinic and an endoscope reveals visual changes in her esophagus. It is secondary to the trauma from the regurgitation. Three strictures, one near her pharynx, one at the thoriac inlet, and one above her cardiac sphincter. They appeared grainy and inflamed. Needless to say, we were not done yet on healing her

To fast forward a little bit, ever since 3/21 Zena has to go have her throat dililated every two weeks until they can get her throat to stay opened at 20mm. We have had improvements and some major setbacks I feed Zena a liquid diet 4 times a day.

4/18; Zena has increased regurgitation The endoscope revealed that the proximal stricture had closed down to 3-4 mm (the size opening of a straw). She was dilated to a 12mm. If it continues to close, she will need to have a feeding tube so the esophagus can rest. What a disappointment to us to make it this far and now she can’t eat.

4/22; I take Zena to see Dr.Mock this time, a holistic doctor to see if there are things to help her throat heal faster. Instead of carafate for her throat, she said try slippery elm bark, it is a coating agent. They also have her on Ozonated olive oil for scar tissue build up, colostrum and probiotics. I thought ok, I will give it a shot. I have nothing else to lose. As soon as we got home that evening, we started giving the things that she had recommended. On a daily schedule: Ozonated olive oil 2x’s daily, slippery elm bark 4x’s daily, colostrum and the probiotics 4x’s, daily with her food

5/3; this is Zenas 3rd dilation curious to see if the holistic was working. We received an excellent report, while the stricture stayed opened a little further this time, the irritation in her throat had improved significantly. She was dilated to 16-18mm. So she did not need the feeding tube. We continue religiously the holistic approach.

5/17; Dilation day again. Clinically, she looks great. The doctor thought she had gained two pounds. The stricture stayed open to 12-14mm on one and 14-16mm on the other. She was dilated to 20mm this time. Upon picking her up, the doctor informed us she was doing quite well and she is due to be dilated on 5/31. The doctor is hoping this will be the last one for her, so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Zena in the past has been a healthy vibrant 120lb Rottweiler/Lab mix, with plenty of personality. After the trauma this drug has done to her, she weighs in at 108lbs and will have to be fed a liquid diet for the rest of her life.

My husband and I know that we are very appreciative and fortunate to have her with us today. This drug has left many people with giant heartaches and feelings of guilt. I went through the same feelings and suffered many panic attacks over this. But I need to tell each and every one of you with guilty feelings “it was NOT your fault!” You should not feel guilty, you are feeling regret for trusting the person who prescribed this. YOU DID NOT DO THIS TO YOUR ANIMAL! The drug companies and the vet prescribing the drug did, because they did not properly inform you of the side effects!

Somehow this drug needs to be taken off the market, but I found out that it is a 100,000,000.00 million dollar a year drug for the company, How sad is that, once again the $ wins out over pain and suffering of defenseless animals. Imagine the poor animals being tested on. They receive 10x’s the initial dose, just to see the effects of the drug. HOW PATHETIC.

I WILL BE A VOICE FOR THE ANIMALS OVER THIS MEDICATION.
I TELL EVERYONE I CAN ABOUT IT.
WE ALL NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
IT IS NOT FAIR TO OUR VOICELESS FRIENDS.

Sincerely,
Pamela Vahle