My post surgery dog is not eating, is pooping, and is breathing heavy. How can I help her?

Question

My dog's name is Magic (a Pomeranian). She's about 13 years old now. She went through emergency surgery for pyometra (a uterine infection) 4 days ago (Wednesday, Jan. 29th, 2014) and ever since then she has been on homeopathic rescue medicine and Arsenic Antibiotic 200. Even though she has not been eating she is pooping and has really heavy breathing. Why is this happening?

Answer 1

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association lists the complications of pyometra treatment as:

Serious complications can include system wide infection, with shock and toxaemia, organ damage, abdomen infection, and stump infection

For localized infections, you can look at the surgery site. If it's more red/swollen than when you brought her home, she likely has an infection. For systemic infections, you could take her temperature (if it's over 102F or 39C she likely has an infection).

WebMD gives the signs of shock in dogs:

Signs of early shock include panting, rapid heart rate, bounding pulses, and a bright red color to the mucous membranes of the lips, gums, and tongue. Signs of late shock (the ones seen most often) are pale skin and mucous membranes, a drop in body temperature, cold feet and legs, a slow respiratory rate, apathy and depression, unconsciousness, and a weak or absent pulse.

IF ANY OF THESE DESCRIPTIONS MEETS YOUR DOGS SYMPTOMS, YOUR DOG MUST BE SEEN BY A VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY. If your regular vet cannot or will not see your dog, you must look for another. This is a medical emergency.