Friday, July 8, 2011

BREEZE UPDATE

My vet is going to start renting one of the rooms in the back of the clinic out to me. At an excellent rate, no less.

Willow’s dressing change went well. It was a good thing we did it. The bandage had slipped and was no longer fully supporting the toe. In addition there was a bunch of dirt remaining from the mud puddle party inside the bandage that would have rubbed her skin, and she is already dangerously close to having pressure wounds. This very well may be her last bandage change, so we can avoid any open sores.

Breeze didn’t escape quite so easily. Apparently it was a good thing I brought her in. Though the cut on her toe was not very big, under dime size, it is directly over the knuckle. So every time she took a step the skin pulled open. It was a full-thickness laceration, not really so hard to do on a greyhound toe since there’s not much skin to begin with, so there were tendons visible. The vet recommended stitching it up. We went over options and decided the best way to do so was to knock her out.

He sedated her first, boy did she fight that. After about 20 minutes she was lying next to me (vet visit trick number one – bring a blanket with you into the vet office so the dogs will lie down) with eyes drooping and head bobbing.

When they took her to the back room she did well until they tried to get her through the doors. She still had a bit of fear response going on. So the vet tech handed over the lead and I took her back for them to put her under. It was pretty interesting to watch how quickly the anesthesia worked. She just sunk to the floor, guided by us, like all her bones melted. The procedure went well and fast.

She was so freaked out (“high anxiety” as the vet calls it) when she started waking up, they gave her a bit of valium to help with nerves. When she was released she was still a bit fuzzy so when they brought her out to me she was weaving like she was going through agility poles. It was a slow and cautious drive home since her balance was off, her legs wouldn’t work right and she couldn’t figure out how to lie down. She’s now crashed out on her bed and, something tells me, out for the night.


7 comments:

Angela J. said...

What a week you had, poor you! I hope the rest of the weekend is relaxing. I too have thought about the bubble wrap, LOL.

Sue said...

Glad Willow's dressing change went well. Hope she doesn't get any pressure sores.

Poor Breeze. Hope she isback to her usuual self today.

Our fur babies are such a worry to us and unfortunately and expense as well when the vets are needed.

How Sam Sees It said...

Poor babies, it sounds like they are having a rough day!

Sam

Kristin G. said...

Gosh! I hope everyone is on the mend very soon. Frequent trips to the vet aren't fun for anyone. Hang in there!

houndstooth said...

Oh, poor girls! Blueberry didn't come out of anesthesia well, either.

I was really worried about sores on Blueberry, but we really lucked out. She wasn't allowed any outside walking on her splint without being on a leash, though. If she'd been any other breed of dog, I'm pretty sure she'd have been ordered on crate rest, but since she just laid on the couch all day anyway, they said she could be out, as long as she wasn't up on it much. I hope poor Willow is done with her splint soon! It took Blue almost a week to learn to walk without hers, poor thing! She couldn't get used to the weight not being there, I guess.

Whippet Lover said...

Oh my gosh what a week. I hope it gets easier

Helene said...

all of you need a good long rest...hope the next few weeks are easier and that Breeze has an easier time dealing with all of the things that scare her...