Ava Update - She's home!!!

[Stacy]

She looks great. She is now sporting 26 staples and her incision is from stem to stern.  But she looks bright, happy, and comfortable. She’s on enough medication that I had to write it all out to time it – she came home with tramadol, Keflex, Prilosec, Carafate, and I’m still doing proviable. I have instructions for ice packs and pretty much total activity restriction for the next 2 weeks. This will end up being 3 ½ weeks in the cone. I might try putting her in a t-shirt while we are sitting on the couch. She doesn’t seem to mind the cone, but it’s so much easier to kiss her without it.

 

The total came to 3600, which isn’t actually as bad as I feared, so I’m happy with that. I love the surgeon. He was so kind. If I had to have a bad outcome from the spay, I am so pleased with the way this has all turned out. I feel like I can breathe again.

I asked him if he was able to speak with my vet. And he had. He sort of hemmed and hawed, and I get it. I know he wanted to say more, but he didn’t feel like he really could. He can’t just throw them under the bus. There are things I would like to say about some doctors that I can’t say publicly either. He said that the vet very matter of factly said, “ok thanks for letting me know.” He said that he had hoped they would call me. But, they didn’t. Part of me wants to call up there and yell at them. But I don’t think at this point there is anything they could say to make me feel better. And I’m not sure that yelling would make me feel better either. Kicking him in the shins might make me feel better, but that’s not socially acceptable. I will obviously be looking for a new vet. In the meantime I think I need a little time and distance from the situation to figure out what to do about the old vet. I’m still so emotional and angry about it that I can’t think clearly. I mean, I really want to do bodily harm to them and that’s not like me.

 

But now Ava’s home and we’re going to snuggle! Thank you all for your kind words. It really helped. Yesterday was a very long day. 

Stacy

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

So glad to hear Ava is home.  I hope she heals very quickly and is back to normal soon. Thank goodness you woke up when you did and got her to the ER in time!

[Stacy]

Thank you! I'm so glad she's here too. I've been laying on the floor reading very old doodlekisses posts all day, because when the dog says she rests better while sleeping with her head on your shoulder you lay on the floor with a sweet doodle head snoring on your shoulder. Who am I kidding? I wouldn't rather be anywhere else. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I get i!  I would be doing the same.  Looking for to the posts that say she is back to normal.  Hang in there!

[Stacy]

It just kills me. I have to work tomorrow. It's a short day, but I really don't want to leave her. Who would have ever thought that when I arranged to have her spayed at the beginning of my 2 weeks off that she would be having a second, more major, surgery right at the end of it. I'm sure she will be fine with her t-shirt and her cone in her comfy pen, but I'm a worrier. Still, she seems better today than she did for days after she was originally spayed. She's eating and drinking and has peed several times and poo'd this evening. She already acts like she would run after the squirrels if I would let her. So I'll give her some tramadol right before I leave and hope she just sleeps until I get back. I should be independently wealthy!

[Stella]

Any chance you could take her with you?? After Hartley was attacked I asked (told) my boss I needed to bring my sick 'fur kid' to work with me (I don't have human children!). It was basically I took him with me or I was going to have to stay home. I put an xpen in the staff room and he slept in there every day for two weeks. Meant I could keep an eye on him. I am a physiotherapist and none of the clients had any idea he was back there!

[Stacy]

Oh, I so wish! But I work in the ER and I don't think there is any way I can convince them that she is my service dog between now and tomorrow. 

What I really want is to qualify for family illness pay to stay home with her. She's my child. Adopted. She has some issues with her gait (walks on 4 legs) and hirsutism (fur) but she's my child! It should count.

[Stella]

Poop, yeah I can see how the ER would be challenging! My boss always bring her sick (human) kids to work with her, which is why I asked to bring my sick 'fur kid' with me! She has a dog, but isn't a dog person if you get my meaning, but she knew if I couldn't bring him I would tell her I wasn't coming to work - pay or no pay!!!

[Stacy]

There are actually 2 therapy dogs in the hospital now. They are golden retrievers. Hunter and Hope. I keep asking for a dog of our own, but they tell me that we can't have one for "infection control" reasons. That makes no sense to me, and I haven't given up. But since Ava really only knows and trusts me so far, I don't think I can just show up with her. 

I have no problem calling in sick for her. I wouldn't even lie. I'd call it a family emergency. It's a family emergency! But tomorrow I had just signed up for a short extra shift. If I don't think she's ready to be left alone all day I will call in for the normal shifts. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am thrilled that Ava is home and doing well, especially in the snuggle department.  I enjoyed the pictures you posted.

[Andrea, Belle and Honey]

I'm so glad to hear that you and Ava are recovering from your ordeal.  I also second the suggestion that you ask the wonderful emergency vet to recommend a new regular vet in your area.  Once my vet of many years told me to just keep my 11 year-old terrier comfortable while she died of a cancerous tumor in her ear that had returned after he had removed it. Instead, I took the dog to a specialty vet, who removed the tumor and some bone around it and it never recurred. (The dog then enjoyed life until she died of a stroke the day before her 16th birthday.) Having lost confidence in the original vet, I changed to a practice recommended by the surgical vet. Over the ensuing years, I have really appreciated that the regular vet readily informs me when symptoms seemed to need specialty care.  Whatever you decide, Happy Snuggling!

[Stacy]

I do plan to ask him when I see him again. I think I have a lead on a new vet, but I want to hear his opinion. He seems like a straight shooter, I think he will tell me the truth. 

What a horrible thing for a vet to say. I'm glad you got a second opinion. 5 years is a lot of extra time to get to spend with your friend. I would have been so sad to think that I had ended her life prematurely.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Happy to hear she is home and recovering. What a nightmare. Have a good rest of your weekend