Angell Memorial Animal Hospital was getting busy when we arrived. Apparently we weren't the only ones picking up our loved one. The staff were very courteous and informative. I was handed his post-surgery discharge papers and a bottle of Metacam for pain and inflammation. We were asked if we wanted an e-collar. Why not? It'll save us another trip if he really is going at his stitches.
Five minutes later I see my baby boy appear. He is wearing the ridiculously large e-collar, lounging forward at his leash, eyes darting back and forth across the room trying his darnest to get the hell away from wherever he just came from. Then he sees us. Oh my, what a scene we made. Have you ever tried to hug an estatic dog with an e-collar on? I was sure his stitches were going to pop out right there in the lobby. Luckily, I was able to undo the string for the e-collar to remove it for a proper reunion hug. Along with his crazy squirming, he was also singing his happy chortle. As he spun around our legs in a spastic happy-dog sort of way, I could hear by standers gasping at the site of his shaved and bruised leg. We left the hospital as soon as we could. I don't even remember what I said to the person who handed me Riley's leash. I hope I said thank you.
I gingerly lifted Riley into the back of my car. Boy was he happy to be back in his car! The ride home was long. Jeffrey drove while I kept an eye on Riley in the back. Everyone was exhausted and couldn't wait to be home.
Upon returning home, we brought him to his pen and I sat in there with him while Jeffrey prepared everyone's dinner. While we waited, I gently massaged his back and rubbed his tummy while I checked out his incision. He has a long incision about 3 inches long on the inside of his knee held together by a row of staples. Though red, it actually looks very clean and healthy. Down by his ankle, there are two more staples. I assume this incision was made for draining the fluid. I have never seen anyone or anything post-operatively so I guess I was shocked to see the discoloration of his skin. I am most alarmed by the amount of fluid that is pouching around his ankle. But everyone tells me this is normal and within a week or two all the swelling and bruising will be going away.
I was happy to see that Riley had a great appetite. He took the Metacam with his food with no issues either. After dinner, he was confused why he was confined to his pen. How can you deny that look of betrayal on his face? We let him out and he found his favorite spot between the coffee table and the couch and passed out. Boy was he exhausted. It was like he hadn't slept the entire time he was in the hospital. I was exhausted as well. Jeffrey got my sleeping bag for me and I spent the night on the couch next to Riley and Sabrina and Mei Mei.
Our first night was not too bad. Riley apparently felt good enough to try out various sleeping arrangements. I was surprised to see him lie with his injured leg underneath him. He was able to easily switch from one side to the other. Around 10 pm, he left the rug and got up onto the couch. Around 11pm, he went to the hardwood floors. Around 11:30pm, he decided it was time to go upstairs and go to bed like we always do. I tried to redirect him back to the rug but he wouldn't settle down. He began to get restless and then the panting started. He would lay down, only to get up again as if something didn't feel right. He made some groaning noises and would sometimes pop up suddenly and lick his stitches. I began to think he was in pain.
I started out with cold compresses to numb the area and try to help with the swelling. I really couldn't tell if it did anything or not, though the extra attention from me seemed enough for him. At around midnight, I probably wasn't able to think very clearly but I tried my best to make him more comfortable. I brought him into his pen and he happily laid down with a big sigh, as if to say, "okay, this place really isn't so bad." After some gentle massage and a warm compress, he seemed to feel better. From 1:30 am all the way through 7 am, he slept quite peacefully in his pen. I didn't even have to shut the gate all the way. I left it open so he wouldn't feel so confined. But all I heard for the rest of the morning was snoring. Poor baby.
After breakfast this morning he decided he was ready to partake in our regular morning routine. He lined up at the door with Sabrina ready to go to the park. *sigh* This is really going to be a long recovery. I supervised him down the front stairs and he seemed to have to problems going #1 and #2. I was relieved. I had heard that some dogs didn't go for almost 48 hours. He was walking on all fours but with a little hitch to reduce the amount of time there was weight on the left leg. I was so afraid he was going to try and stand on his left leg and lift his right to urinate. But he didn't. Right after he was finished with his business, I tried to get him back inside, per post-op instructions. He decided he was going on strike. Too bad. I just picked him up and brought him back inside. Good thing he's only 81 pounds (and thank God for Lion Dance). He still stood at the door after I brought him in though, ready to go to the park. Sorry buddy.
Now he is resting peacefully in his pen. Every so often, he startles awake and looks directly at his leg or licks it. I think he's having pulsating pains in his knee. I wish there was something else I could do. But in a way, I am thankful that he has an awareness of his injury. That may keep him from doing too much too soon. Maybe it will help him restrain himself a bit, or not. I plan to be in an out of the house today for various periods of time just to see how it goes. More for me, I'm sure, than for Riley and Sabrina.
2 comments:
Wow. Animals always amaze me with their ability to recover so much faster and smoother than humans.
No kidding. Though I am very vigilant about not letting him do too much. I think animals often do too much cuz they think they *have* to or to please us. I haven't heard a single whine or cry out of him yet.
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