A lot of people ask and wonder what Floyd’s full story was. I’m not a great writer, and it’s honestly really hard to sit down and write every detail from the last three years but I documented things as they came and tried to simplify it for this. I want a spot here for his story for anyone who wants to know. For anyone who feels seen in this story to know that we get it, we have been here, and you’re not alone. My thoughts aren’t the most chronological at times but here it is- buckle up because it’s a long one, even the condensed version.
Floyd’s journey
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Floyd was seen by Dr. K earlier in 2021 and she advised castration as soon as possible due to concerns of undescended testicle. We asked numerous times during visits and calls into the office if imaging was needed to confirm location of the testicle in the abdomen before opening him up. She declined it being necessary despite us being willing to do so with no hesitancy.
On December 23rd, 2021, in the morning, Floyd received the castration and cryptorchid surgery by Dr. K. She called me when it was done to let me know that it went well, except the testicle looked very off and she thought it was cancerous and asked if she could send it out for pathology to confirm, which we agreed to. She at this time told me that she believed her margins were clear though, so we were hopeful that we could get whatever it was under control.
In the afternoon of December 23rd, 2021, we arrived to pick Floyd up. He was noticeably wobbly and unwell, and I asked the tech about this, to which she assured me that he was just off from the anesthetic and gave me discharge instructions with medications. We arrived home, and he wouldn't eat, drink, or move around much.
December 24th, 2021, I placed a call into the vet and advised them he hadn't urinated, eaten, or drank since we brought him home and that he was very lethargic. Dr. T called me back and had us come in, which Floyd received fluids, anti-nausea injection, and she gave us some UD Hills food to help him recover more at home. I again expressed concerns about no urination and she advised it can happen with surgeries and he just needs more time to recover.
December 25th, 2021, I called in again and Dr. T reached out via her personal phone and I advised her still unchanged and rapidly declining. He was still lethargic, not eating and not urinating, and Also not taking his medications. She asked us to come in after her Christmas dinner with her family for some more testing. We went to her office at 11 p.m. so he could be seen.
It was only Floyd, myself, my husband, and Dr. T. She administered more fluids, meds, and performed an x-ray, which she advised looked all normal. She sent us home with meds to entice him to eat more food and nausea/ pain meds.
December 26th, 2021, I called in yet again and advised Floyd was unchanged and getting more lethargic. He had eaten a bit since they had given him a medication to entice him and he was able to take his medications. Dr. T advised us to bring him in the next day and drop him off for monitoring.
December 27th, 2021, we dropped Floyd off to MPV and he was monitored. A few hours later, Dr. T called me and was distressed and stated we needed to get there right away. She stated that his lab work was showing acute severe kidney failure. She recommended we take him to another hospital for emergency exploratory surgery to figure out what went wrong during his initial surgery on December 23rd, 2021. We picked him up and took him to this hospital and they did a surgery where Dr. D discovered Dr. K removed the prostate(which was eventually confirmed via the pathology report she sent out) and tied off his ureters and did a lot of damage to his urinary tract and never actually removed the testicle. So Dr. D ended up doing that for us. Due to the extensive damage left for days, Floyd had developed a uroabdomen and went septic and into kidney failure. They placed a JP drain for the abdomen where urine and blood continued to drain. A feeding tube was also placed as well as three plus lines for fluids and various antibiotics, pain and nausea meds to keep him comfortable. At this point, all of the doctors said they were very surprised that Floyd was even walking and that he was even alive after days in this condition. He was young and wasn’t ready to go yet.
December 28th through December 29th of 2021, Floyd was monitored with the critical care team in that hospital. They watched and his labs continued to get worse again after his initial surgery, and he continued to drain urine into his abdomen and blood. They recommended we take Floyd to a specialty hospital in Washington, D.C. to get more in-depth studies and surgeries done that they could not do there.
We picked Floyd up that evening of December 29, 2021, and headed to Washington, D.C.
December 30th, 2021, Floyd was seen by the specialists and surgeons who did a study to see why he was still declining and then performed a 10+hour surgery which helped to repair his urinary tract along with his bladder that had received a cut in it from the initial surgery, which is why he was still draining fluid into his abdomen. They warned us that due to the extent of his injuries on December 23rd, 2021 with Dr. K, he'd likely be completely urinary incontinent for the rest of his life. We could handle that if he still could be here and happy.
December 31st 2021 through January 8th of 2022, Floyd was monitored in that hospital and was eventually able to come home. Given how hard his kidneys had taken a hit and his whole body did, we were thankful he made it out of surgery being under that long. After that, we went to numerous hospitals in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland repeatedly so Floyd could receive care and specialty surgeries. Due to his altered urinary tract, he had to get multiple surgeries/procedures to implant stents in his ureters, and to help his kidneys to flow better since everything was cut and tied off. Due to his incontinence and the urinary tract issues, he also got a lot of infections from that. So we had to stay on top of checking his values multiple times per month, And also he had to be on a special diet to control his kidney disease that was acute and unable to be reversed since he was left in that state for days, And they didn't get that exploratory surgery done soon enough. So his kidney issues eventually became chronic. So we had to treat that along with any impending infections. We also tried to keep his urinary tract flowing as normally as we could, but it was forever altered in December of 2021 at the initial surgery at MPV clinic with Dr. K. Floyd also had to get an esophageal tube at one point because he was sick and he had to get PICC lines and At one point he had a urinary tract infection that was so bad that we had to get a very strong antibiotic because this bacteria was resistant to pretty much every single antibiotic known. And we were able to see a nutritionist from Washington DC because the food that he was on, he was gaining a lot of weight, which was very uncomfortable for him and affected his quality of life. So we saw a nutritionist, we were able to get a home cooked diet recipe formulated specifically for him. And we cooked him a homemade diet for over a year up until his passing, which actually helped his weight and helped stabilize his kidney values significantly. And he did really well in his last year and had minimal hospital visits and antibiotic treatments.
Until July of 2024, he was seen at a hospital in New Jersey because his values were going up on his kidneys. And it turns out that one of the stents that had been placed a while ago moved and it was affecting his kidney function. So they replaced it but it was difficult. And then he was doing really well for a couple months until I just noticed a slight change in him. And he didn't have any clinical signs and all the doctors, every time he would get sick, think it was interesting because i could always tell before it happened that he was not feeling well or his numbers were creeping up i just could tell even though nobody else could and so I knew something was off and we got him checked at his primary care and we found that the stent moved again so we had to make the decision of what to do at that point and his urinary tract just had been through so much and it from the surgery at mpv clinic by dr k in december 2021 that we
just knew that at some point it was going to be a chronic condition like chronic kidney disease eventually it claims the pet's life despite them trying to fix his urinary system once again. he lived a lot longer than everyone thought he would but should have lived way longer than what he did.
That is a shortened condensed version of floyd's story. He deserved better and things were missed that were glaringly large mistakes that should not have been missed and he was our best friend and his story deserves to be told because he wouldn't want and we don't want anyone to have to go through what we did ever.
Floyd still managed to lead a fairly normal life, he didnt let what happened slow him down one bit. He was happy and did not even know he was different at all even though he wore a diaper now! He took it all like a champ and honestly shocked doctors with how he survived through constant hurdles as long as he did and as well as he did. He was a medical mystery but many say love kept him here as long as it did. I'd like to believe there is some truth there. He fought, so we fought.
We will miss you forever, Floydman.
In memory, in truth, in hope.
With love, for Floyd- always. 🤍🐾🪽
(PS…. Check out the licensing board website if you ever feel off about a vet.. some have complaints…it may be enlightening.)
(PPS….. the states licensing board has been investigating this case for almost two years with no deliberation yet.. which means the vets have been able to practice with no consequences or pauses.. and the vets insurance company Erie refuses to reimburse us for Floyd’s medical costs…)
