It's midnight, and Elsie has not stopped crying since we got home. That's eight hours now. She is really VERY disorientated and upset. I'm sure she's in some discomfort, but I don't think she's in pain, I think she's reacting to the meds. They gave her an opioid injection just before she left and my hunch is that it's that. My Billie had a TERRIBLE reaction to an opioid injection shortly before she died; she became psychotic, hallucinating, didn't know who I was etc. This isn't like that (Billie had a brain tumour, which is probably why she reacted so badly), but it just has a slight echo of it.

I don't think either of us are going to get much sleep, and I've got a class to teach tomorrow, plus all the preparation which I didn't do today cause I was hanging around the vets waiting for Elsie. I just wish I could get her to settle. I've tried comforting her, ignoring her. None of it makes the slightest difference. I think we've just got to wait this one out, but if anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Oh thank you, Holly. That's SO kind! Maybe it is pain. She is on Metacam, and she had the opioid injection right before we left, but she's not on anything extra like tramadol. Perhaps she should be. She's not panting or anything, just crying nonstop. 

Thanks, again, Holly. That's a really helpful link. I just spoke to the emergency vet and they are confident that it's a reaction to the opioids, in which case she should settle in a few hours. They said they wouldn't give her tramadol anyway until the opioid injection had worn off. They said I could try taking her outside and also icing her jaw.

Thanks, Sally. That's extremely useful.

 A rule of thumb is that dysphoric animals are difficult to calm out of their agitated state, and administration of additional opioids does not help this situation, while animals in pain can usually be temporarily distracted or calmed.

This seems to be precisely the opposite of what the vet told me. Unless I misunderstood. Going outside definitely seemed to distract her and she stopped crying while she was walking around. So maybe it is pain? Hell. Though I think (pray) she does seem to be starting to settle, which fits with the timing the opioid wearing off. Eight to ten hours, the vet said. Pleeeeeeease...

She's pretty much settled, just the occasional whimper to keep me on my toes...  Meanwhile, I have four more students' pieces to mark, and then a three hour class in the morning... Meg is the only one who's enjoying this. Every time I open the door to let the Pie out for a soothing wander, Meg rushes past us and off down the garden, barking after the foxes.