Surgery

Yesterday Tica had surgury to remove two lumps from her chest. One is just one of those fatty lumps ( but took a 4+ inch incision), but the other went in for biopsy. She is such a stress budget at the vets that she was tearing at her stitches with her hind feet and licking them...basically bleeding all over the place. So I carried her to the car, got her tucked in and drove home occasionally having to give her a stern "stay" command while she whimpered. Took about 3 hrs to calm her down enough to take the "cone of shame" off her (and she wouldn't lick her wounds). We had a pretty calm night, so I am hoping for a relatively good day. But she still needs someone to watch her 24/7 now, to make sure she doesn't mess herself up. Makes it hard to get any work done.

The worst part is having them look at you with the "why did you let them do this to me" look. Yea...I'm anthroporphising...but you know that's what they are thinking.

I refused the "cone of shame" and used a T shirt for Hysson. Of course I watched him and he didn't appear to be scratching.

Older dogs frequently get these skin lumps and after Hysson's second surgery in a year, I decided not to bother with any that weren't in a spot where they'd get irritated. My-daughter-the-veterinarian didn't think he should have any surgery for those lumps, and after the second time I concurred. After the second surgery, Hysson about drove everyone at the vet clinic nuts when coming out of the anesthesia, and he kept alternately whining and howling until late in the evening after I got him home! He also acted uncomfortable for a couple od days afterward, despite pain pills.

Of course any lump that is questionable should be removed and biopsied. I hope the one Tica had turns out to be benign!

I wish her a speedy recovery.

Thanks for the comments and thoughts. I immediately regretted having the fat lump removed, but I think it will be for the best as it was in the way of her backpack straps and caused some grief. Today seems much better and so far I am much less frustrated. I just really needed to vent somewhere, so thanks.

Chris

Yes, that first day is always awful and that's the dog's reaction to the anesthesia. I'm glad you're both doing better! With the second one, the one of vet clinic's techs called me about 2 hours before Hysson was due to go home, held the phone up in the air so I could hear the howling, and said "I don't think Hysson likes it here!" He kept howling and barking for several hours at home, though. It didn't help that in his last few years he developed horrendous separation anxiety!

If the lump is being irritated, it about has to be removed, unless there's a way to alter or pad whatever the lump is rubbing against.

Thanks OM. Tica is, well, similar to Hysson. The Vet knows this so everyone else drops their dogs between 8 and 10 am. Tica gets dropped off at 11am (she is howling when she goes in the back). I get the call from the vet (Tica is howling in the background) that she is ready to pick up at 1:30 pm. Ho boy!

Now the task is making it till this Friday when the stitches come out. She is driving everyone crazy, but I'm sure the stitches are driving her nuts as well.

Got the call from the Doc today on the tumor results. It was a type 2 Mast. For now, removal is the cure.