Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the replies!

She is grumpy today, we thwarted her plans to rip out all those pesky stitches in the 30 seconds that she didn't have the cone on. She was licking the inside of the cone, almost in her sleep, and it was driving me crazy. She was sleeping on her wound with an icepack under it and looked very settled and convincingly dead to the world. So, i left her without her collar for a moment...three stitches were ripped out with startling efficiency.

The vet laughed and asked if I had any steristrips. I had knee surgery last year so i patched her up with the left overs from my own wound care. Dot was furious, thrashing around trying to sit up and get to her wound. It must be so uncomfortable. Megan has mentioned gabapentin to try and settle the nerves there, I was telling her that sometimes Dot whips around like she's been stung by a bee, is that the old missing leg phantom pain thing?

"I've read of many, many trips to the burger drive-through just for the dog. It's sort of a whatever-it-takes kind of affair at times." 

Shari, this is funny! But, you are so right, you will sell your soul to get the poor little wretch to eat something. I am very excited about seeing her hop around to find the perfect pooping spot in the back garden, she is most particular about this aspect of life and to see her back to her old discerning self will be a grand moment. 

"She was a dog who didn't like to wear things so she wouldn't tolerate a sling around her middle." 

Karen, she tries to bite the sling, so today I let her freestyle it when she was peeing, she dipped down and stood back up afterwards with aplomb, I think we can trust her now but I suspect it will come in handy when we try the stairs. She has always sulked when we put coats on her, the thundershirt is nice when there's fireworks, nail guns or thunder going off around her but her fabulous waterproof, fleeced lined rainjacket seems to suck the will to live from her. Once she gets going and is suitably distracted and stimulated she tolerates it. However, the minute it's taken off she blasts about in celebration.

Time to break out the broth, burger patties and steamed rice!

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Victoria

 "Maggie had to spin to poop, it took 5 or 6 days for her to gain her balance and she was able to poop with her routine- she didn't poop until then!"

Karen, it's so wierd you said that, Dotty has been racing around in circles today and I have had to bite my cheeks to stop bursting out laughing. It looks like she forgets that she is only being propelled on one side and around she goes for a while and then she looks like she thinks, "hang on a minute..." and then she plops down on her bum and looks at me for an explanation.

She is wearing some snazzy satin boxer shorts (from the boys department at our local chainstorie, Farmers), they are size 3 and she looks so cute. Our 20 year old son cut a hole for her tail and proudly dressed her up in them. We are yet to see her walking in them, when she's not looking I will take a photo and post it here for some light relief for everyone.

victoria

Hi there, 

 "if you put the boxers on her upside down, her tail will come out the fly. Boxers for rear amps are often a less-invasive alternative to the cone of shame ."

Thanks, Shari. Because Dot's so little the only boxers that fit her are size 3 for little boys, they don't have an open fly, weirdly. I had to go to the grocery store so left the 20 yr old son with instructions to "unpick the seam around the fly", instead he just hacked a generous hole for her tail which is bit too roomy for the boxers to stay in one place. They kept sliding off her hips as well. Back to the drawing board. 

She is reasonably resigned to the cone after years of itchy bums and rashes on her tummy after groomers clip her too close...and many other Dotty related reasons. she's a nibbler.

I love the story of the clean carpet.

Dot is licking the inside of her cone, it must be a comforting response.

We are going back to the vet today, Dot's butt is still swollen and I am worried. We are icepacking it regularly through the day and trying to encourage a bit more movement to get the lymphatics going. This is a balancing act as I know she needs lots of rest, but she does perk up when we take her out for a hop around, this usually lasts about a minute and then she goes back to her resting position (slumped on haunches and then down into canine croissant). Then she waits for us to take her back inside to her bed.

She is eating like a pig this morning, I'm limiting the quantities to gently reintroduce food to her tummy, but it's so encouraging to see her wolfing away as per the old Dot. She's loving sticky balls of steamed rice.

I'll update after the vet visit.

Victoria