I know I've been somewhat of a serial-poster these past couple weeks, but as the situation with our Moo continues to evolve, I have come to depend more and more on this community for insight and support.
In a very small nutshell, Moo blocked at the end of November, and has been on a slew of meds and in and out of the vet regularly. He is otherwise normal, but he is still only having small, frequent pees, and is dribbling urine constantly. He is not emptying his bladder fully, and that's a big concern.
Our vet spoke today with an internal medicine specialist, who feels pretty certain that Moo's issue is that there is scar tissue causing stricture in his urethra, preventing him from passing normal streams of urine.
We now have to look at our options very realistically, having spent $2,500 up to this point (most of it racked up on our credit card).
Option 1: Moo could have a stint inserted in his urethra by the specialist. It would remain there his whole life. This is the optimal prognosis, but it also costs $4,000, and quite frankly, is not even the tiniest bit within our means. Thus, we cannot choose this option.
Option 2: Moo could have a balloon inserted in his urethra and gradually blown up to try stretch the urethra open. Chances are more scar tissue would form following the procedure.
Option 3: I asked our vet if PU surgery could still be an option. Her advice is that certainly it's cheaper at $2K (a stretch, but we could probably manage it)...but, she can't guarantee it would 100% work, and that he wouldn't dribble or re-block following. Logistically speaking, this is the most viable option within our means, apart from euthanasia, which makes me absolutely sick to my stomach, but is a reality we now have to consider after over a month of money and stress invested into this situation. She said Moo's not really the typical candidate for PU, as he hasn't re-blocked, and can't really offer me any insight into what his odds are of a positive outcome following the surgery.
Which is why I'm coming here.
Considering our options, and the PU surgery being the most viable choice for us, I am really just looking for firsthand feedback on what kind of outcome to expect following the procedure, especially it being the "less ideal" option. Some have told me it's a customary procedure, no complications, and that life goes on beautifully after! Others have told me to expect a difficult and horrific recovery (I've read my share of accounts here and elsewhere), and that there were more complications that arose after.
We have a big choice to make here, because it boils down to the surgery, or a much harder choice that tears me up to think about...and I guess I'm worried about the possibility that we could spend $2K, and the harder of the choices could still wind up inevitable, with us having already gone past our means. We have already modified Moo's and our lifestyle to help him get better - food, environment, antidepressants - so we are aware that remaining committed to his wellness will help to ensure the procedure's potential success.
I know there are many posts here about personal experiences with PU, but any related the surgery being the result of scar tissue in the urethra, and what the outcomes were from that?
As always, community, thank you in advance for your help. I am so grateful.
In a very small nutshell, Moo blocked at the end of November, and has been on a slew of meds and in and out of the vet regularly. He is otherwise normal, but he is still only having small, frequent pees, and is dribbling urine constantly. He is not emptying his bladder fully, and that's a big concern.
Our vet spoke today with an internal medicine specialist, who feels pretty certain that Moo's issue is that there is scar tissue causing stricture in his urethra, preventing him from passing normal streams of urine.
We now have to look at our options very realistically, having spent $2,500 up to this point (most of it racked up on our credit card).
Option 1: Moo could have a stint inserted in his urethra by the specialist. It would remain there his whole life. This is the optimal prognosis, but it also costs $4,000, and quite frankly, is not even the tiniest bit within our means. Thus, we cannot choose this option.
Option 2: Moo could have a balloon inserted in his urethra and gradually blown up to try stretch the urethra open. Chances are more scar tissue would form following the procedure.
Option 3: I asked our vet if PU surgery could still be an option. Her advice is that certainly it's cheaper at $2K (a stretch, but we could probably manage it)...but, she can't guarantee it would 100% work, and that he wouldn't dribble or re-block following. Logistically speaking, this is the most viable option within our means, apart from euthanasia, which makes me absolutely sick to my stomach, but is a reality we now have to consider after over a month of money and stress invested into this situation. She said Moo's not really the typical candidate for PU, as he hasn't re-blocked, and can't really offer me any insight into what his odds are of a positive outcome following the surgery.
Which is why I'm coming here.
Considering our options, and the PU surgery being the most viable choice for us, I am really just looking for firsthand feedback on what kind of outcome to expect following the procedure, especially it being the "less ideal" option. Some have told me it's a customary procedure, no complications, and that life goes on beautifully after! Others have told me to expect a difficult and horrific recovery (I've read my share of accounts here and elsewhere), and that there were more complications that arose after.
We have a big choice to make here, because it boils down to the surgery, or a much harder choice that tears me up to think about...and I guess I'm worried about the possibility that we could spend $2K, and the harder of the choices could still wind up inevitable, with us having already gone past our means. We have already modified Moo's and our lifestyle to help him get better - food, environment, antidepressants - so we are aware that remaining committed to his wellness will help to ensure the procedure's potential success.
I know there are many posts here about personal experiences with PU, but any related the surgery being the result of scar tissue in the urethra, and what the outcomes were from that?
As always, community, thank you in advance for your help. I am so grateful.