Thank you all again for your continuing support and well-wishes for
Beuhler, my little guy with the urinary blockage.  For those who missed my
original post, I made a desperate plea for help about ten days ago, because
my vet is out of town for several weeks, and Beuhler was having trouble
urinating.
 
Beuhler had had surgery in mid-January for bladder stones.  He was
recovering nicely from the surgery, but his "plumbing" was still not up
to par.  He was improving somewhat, but then he suddenly regressed, to
the point where he was clearly straining and uncomfortable.  He had an
emergency cystocentesis a week ago Saturday (bladder emptied with a
needle), and he was put back on antibiotics.  But he was clearly
uncomfortable again after a few days, and, at the advice of two folks who
responded to my pleas for help, I took him to see Dr. Paul Kim at the
Ridgefield Park Animal Hospital.  Actually, I called Dr. Kim's office to
make an appointment, and was told to bring Beuhler in immediately, after
I explained the situation, which was life-threatening by this point.
 
Dr. Kim used ultrasound to check Beuhler's condition and recommended PU
surgery (to let him "pee like a girl") based on what he saw and read in
Beuhler's history and in a urinalysis.  Beuhler was continuing to produce
crystals in his urine, which Dr. Kim explained were irritating the bladder
walls and urethra, causing inflamation and swelling of the urethra and
therefore making it difficult for Beuhler to pass urine.  I was resistant
to this surgery, but Dr. Kim very patiently convinced me that it would
probably be the only long-term solution.  Beuhler's prostate is completely
normal, so it was ruled out as a possible cause of the blockage.
Ironically, Beuhler does apparently have an adrenal tumor as well (on the
left side, detected by Dr. Kim's palpation), but this was coincidental to
the urinary problem.
 
So Beuhler had the PU surgery last Wednesday, which provided immediate
relief.  He is still on heavy antibiotics (Baytril and Clavamox) to clear
up a bladder infection resulting from the blockage.  He had lost quite a
bit of weight, but his appetite has picked up over the past few days, and
he is as active as ever.  He was pretty sore after the surgery, but he is
feeling much better already.  When he is fully over the infection and back
to a robust state (and when my wallet heals!), we'll deal with the adrenal
tumor.
 
My thanks go out to Dr. Kim and Yvonne at the Ridgefield Park Animal
Hospital, and again to all of you fmlers who offered advice and support
to help Beuhler through this ordeal.
 
Nancy
[Posted in FML issue 2990]