Do your dogs hurt your stoma?

There are so many wonderful things about life and having people and things that love you.  I know that for me I love my family and count my dogs as being a big part of my family.  They are basically a child.  When people first learn they are going to get an ostomy surgery things can be difficult.  Lots of things happen all at once.  You meet lots of new people and get to know your ostomy nurse and surgeon really well.  They give you massive amounts of information to learn and are generally really good at teaching you what you need to know in a very friendly way.  They will give you great suppliers to get your ostomy gear from.  I personally like to use big corporate ostomy companies because they are really informative and easy to work with.  What most people won't go into detail about is how having ostomy works with having pets.  

We all know that pets and especially dogs have an incredible sense of smell and are generally very acute at picking up that something has changed. Dogs for instance generally have a sense of smell that is 40 times greater than ours! They know that you have a stoma and some are a little too excited about it.  In general, many pets get along just fine and match your emotions and become a great asset and friend for the situation.  Now I have two dogs and they both reacted very differently.  One pet was almost indifferent and really went along with life as absolutely normal as could be.  He was what I will call a very good boy.  On the other hand, one dog was not so good, but it was not the end of the world.  Having a stoma guard can also save any issues too.

My wonderful wife wanted a wild type of dog and now my other dog is a Yorkie breed.  He is a fast-paced dog that is always on the go. That dog breed is also known for being very one-track-minded or hard-headed.  This pet would simply not go away or stop pestering what he smelled.  Even when everything was perfectly sealed and working great thanks to using Hollister OStomy supplies gear the dog would still try to jump all over me when I was on the couch.  So I ended up having to train him very quickly.  I suggest you start by purchasing a lot of your pet's favorite treats.  You simply won't win and train your dog by being mean or forceful.  At this time in your life, it's not a good idea for you either.  Your abdomen muscles are not what they used to be and you are likely more prone to hernia situations as well.  So use kindness and lots of treats to work with your pets as soon as you get home.  They know something is different so treat them for being good with it.

This is a key part of living with a pet and a stoma.  It is being able to have good mental states and a good attitude about hard situations.  Kids are the same way and some are just not where they need to be mentally so you have to adjust.  We have all been there and we all get along just fine. 

Can you have a dog with an ostomy?

I love dogs.  There is nothing better than coming home to a lovely dog that 100% loves you and lives to be with you.  They can make your life joyful and also when they pass they literally feel like a family member is lost.  So is it still Ok to have a pet even with a stoma? It seems like it would be pretty hard to have a dog with a stoma since this topic is so near and dear to me I wanted to go over it.  One thing I really wasn’t told was how to deal with pets when you get an ostomy. I love my dogs and would never get rid of them and to be honest, my ostomy nurse and surgeon were fantastic.  I just didn’t think to tell them I had dogs.  I have two little dogs but let me tell you they have some strength to them. One is a lovely Yorkshire Terrier and the other is a Scottish Terrier. Now the small Yorkshire Terrier is a very hyper dog who is very one-track-minded.  The Scotty is on the opposite end of the spectrum.  He is very calm and concerned but also has the most killer instinct.  That goes along with his nature of being a true hunting animal.  The Scotty is also very loyal and to a fault, he is a protector.  So how does it stand to go outside with my dogs and my ostomy supplies all at the same time?  It can be a bit difficult and there are a few things I should have done better. 

Training really matters.  People can train their dogs in different ways and my wife and I were raised to train our dogs differently.  I have always had very well trained dogs that walk beside me and do not run off after anything.  My wife grew up with the idea that dogs are wild and should be free when they are on a leash.  I was used to using a 6-foot leash and even running with my dogs on a daily basis. My wife always used a 30-foot retractable leash so they could run wild and be free.  Well, let's face it the dogs we got together were not well-trained 6-foot leash dogs.  They are basically wild pulling animals and my wife hates it when I attempt to keep them in line.  So they would always pull and yank and get involved with my ostomy supplies on me and it became a big problem.  

This does not mean you need to be mean and treat the dogs like they are doing wrong.  They were trained by us to be wilder and it is not their fault.  But what it meant was more training by us and using lots and lots of treats for them to change their ways. 

I had to be able to walk them and take them out when needed so we took lots of time and my wife had to do a lot of it to start to train them to behave on a leash. It is simply wise to train your dogs well and don’t let them pull you and injury you. Don't be afraid to have them trained by a family member or even a professional trainer if you have to. 

J pouch Surgery

Usually, a j pouch is done when you’re getting a proctocolectomy that includes the ileal pouch and anal anastomosis. This is usually done in patients that have ulcerative colitis, when the medications don’t control the symptoms. Usually, the surgery does entail making an IPAA pouch, and from there, the colon and rectum are removed, and then, they use the ileum to create a pouch internally that’s like a J shape. 

The procedure 

This procedure is done in up to three types of surgeries, but usually they try to do it within two, sometimes one. The first step is they remove the rectum and colon, keeping the anal sphincter and anus there. The ileum is then created into a J shape and then connected to the top part of the anal area.  They may at this point create a temporary ileostomy to give the pouch a chance to heal before they fully connect all of this.  The ileostomy does involve pulling the small intestine outwards, creating a stoma to help eliminate waste. 

During this, you will have to wear ostomy bags, and it may need to be emptied frequently. You also will need to recover from the surgery over time. So about 8-12 weeks later, you then get another surgery, and this is done once the pouch has healed up from the first surgery. The process for the second surgery is reversing that temporary ileostomy, connecting the small intestine to the J pouch in order to create a normal gastrointestinal tract. Some surgeons may do this in one stage, but usually this isn’t done as much, since there is higher risk for infections. 

Three stages are done usually for those who don’t’ have the best health, who are on a lot of steroids, or who need to get emergency surgery to help with bleeding in the colon, or what’s called a toxic megacolon. The three stage procedure begins with the ileostomy, and then the second is the removal of the rectum and the formation of the J pouch. Your third surgery is to reverse your ileostomy, attach the small intestine that’s there to the pouch itself. 

What to expect

After you get this surgery, you probably are going to feel very sore and tired over time.  Some patients also notice that they can have almost 12 bowel movements a day, which does decrease as time goes on. Some male patients may deal with sexual dysfunction due to nerve damage, which is something they need to talk to the doctor about. 

In female patients, there might be scar tissue around your ovaries along with the fallopian tubes, which can lead to fertility issues. Both genders should talk about sexual functions and how it may impact them, along with when they can resume doing sexual activities with their partner. You also should make sure that you talk to your doctor about the supplies to have at home f you have a temporary ileostomy. They can direct you on the best types of items to use, and of course, how to apply them whenever you need them, making this easier for you as well. 

Complications 

There are a few complications that can happen. Probably the most common though is the pouchitis, which happens in up to half of patients, which includes diarrhea, pain in the abdomen, stool frequency increased, fevers, joint pain, and dehydration. You also may want to be mindful of small bowel obstruction too, which is less commonplace, and usually can sometimes cause issues with the adhesions, which are the bands between the tissues.  Usually, it has to be treated with surgery or IV fluids.