Luigi has done well after having all of his parts removed.  He's eating all of his kibbles and is almost back to acting like himself.

Since I put Luigi's story on my blog a few days ago there's been lots of grumbling and barking on about the "stomach tacking" that Dr. Quinn did in Luigi's belly, while she was in there taking the spleen out.

I admit, I didn't know what a stomach tacking was, except that it sounded like it might hurt.

I overheard my dad explaining it to some visitors today:  "Large deep chested dogs are at risk for having their stomachs twist.  It's a condition most people know as 'bloat'.  Since Luigi fits into that category we had Dr. Quinn suture his stomach in the right place so it can never twist.  As a profession, we don't really have a handle on why some dogs get this condition -- but it's life-threatening and requires emergency surgery when it does happen.  The 'prophylactic gastropexy' that Dr. Quinn did, is one of the few ways we have of truly preventing it".

After hearing that, things started to make sense to me.  I was hoping that I wouldn't have to have my stomach tacked and now I know it's just one more reason that small dogs rule.  Dad's story also reminded me of a dog that mother had worked on last year.  His name was Lucky, and he was a yellow lab.  He came in at the end of the day, and his parents thought he was 'bloated'.  Mother confirmed their worst fears with a black and white picture.  But before Lucky could have surgery he 'crashed' as Vonnie would say, and didn't wake back up from the crash. 

It's comforting to know that bloat will never happen to Luigi.  Even more comforting to know that my stomach doesn't have to get any tacks put in it. 

NOTE:  mother says the large black hole on the x-ray is a stomach that is filled with gas, but because it's twisted the gas can't be released. She also says if you think your dog ever has this problem, to call a dog doctor right away, it's very serious.