Early morning Saturday, keeping watch over the open door.
I got Ember up about 5 a.m., fed her the first "half pill" for pain management, and our day began.
She did get the suit wet. I'm pretty sure it was from sitting or lying on the dewy grass, but I wanted to check the incision site, as instructed anyway, so I took it off her before puppy nap #1 and washed it.
I could not tell exactly where the incision site was (not a vet, here... where exactly on the shaved area would the cut be?) However, the fact that I couldn't tell says it's not puffy, swollen or overly red!
While her suit was being washed, she wore one of my t-shirts, which made her look chunky from the rear! She did not care, she had a chew stick.
She napped in the t-shirt in the crate from 8:30 to after 10 a.m. She proved that the digestive system was working end to end by both eating and eliminating.
Keeping her from putting her paws up on the counter? Doing my best, with partial success.
Fortunately, she isn't out running around... yet. Being a sedate, good girl, and catching up on her naps, playing with her toys in between outings. It's still a hot Summer outside, heating up by 10 a.m. and at its worst in the late afternoon.
We went on about a half the normal distance morning walk. Ember ate about half a normal breakfast, and played both the Collar Grab game and the ItsYerChoice game with mom, over the course of the day.
She also worked her food/treat muffin tin/toy puzzle, back in the body suit before puppy nap #2.
She gave signals of hunger (chewing on stuff) around 3 p.m., and I put down her dish with leftover breakfast kibble in it. Gobbled right up. I refilled her food puzzle.
She was satisfied and came to nap to the Olympics as part of a puppy pile with mommy! Mommy loves it when she's a quiet "lap puppy" even if not much of her fits on a lap.
After a "test" trip outside a bit after 4 p.m., Mommy made her own supper, putting Ember down until "last call" in her crate.
Last call came a little early so Ember could get her next half pill for pain management at 6:20 p.m.
We survived the first full day of recovery!
Life is good. Spark on!
The incision is slightly above the ‘pee pee’ (NOT a vet term, LOL!) Yes, the fact that there is not any swelling is EXCELLENT.
ReplyDeleteGlad Ember is eating and eliminating! GOOD signs indeed.
Awwwww, nothing better than a warm puppy on the lap!!!
You’re doing a good job!
Hugs
Barb
1crazydog
Oh and PS . . . it's a vertical incision
ReplyDeletebarb
1cd
Thank you! I appreciate the insider's knowledge and will look closely at that area when I check her today.
DeleteIs it possible to just leave the food dish partially filled, out where she has access, and can eat when the hunger pangs hit? People don't get hungry at the same time everyday, and she probably doesn't either. Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteAnything is physically possible, but, depending on which trainer/vet you listen to, some of them are very "down" on "free feeding" (which is what leaving it out all the time is). I was moving in the direction of free feeding when I watched a video by my online "mentor" that recommended against it. Her opinion is that every dog should get at least some food in a bowl at specific meal times, so that if they get boarded they'll understand that kind of eating. And she was also trying to make sure the dog would be food motivated for training sessions.
DeleteWhile she's recovering, I'm certainly offering food more frequently, but this morning, for example, she did not want to eat her breakfast, but did want to do training things and earn treats.
p.s. I think she may have become bored with her regular "kibble". When I started the switch from the lamb and rice formula to a chicken and rice one, she ate more eagerly. I try sprinkling "treat dust" over part of her meal to make it more attractive to her, kind of like putting marshmallows in kids' cereal!
DeleteI love the surgical jacket! What a good idea instead of the cone of shame. Chewy has a collar that resembles a flight neck pillow that he gets to wear more often as he is an obsessive paw licker.
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder whether someone took the idea of the thunder shirt and ran with it for post-surgical use? I asked about the collar, and apparently my vet offers the suit or the cone... so I said we'd try the suit and if she finds a way to get out of it, resort to the other. But so far, she's OK with the suit.
DeleteALICIA363
ReplyDeleteOne down, 13 to go!
Easy does it. Hugs! ❤️
Thanks. Midway through Sunday! One foot in front of the other!
DeleteSurgery suits are great - we “rent” them to clients or encourage the bigger dogs to buy their own, they’re a great alternative to the satellite-dish collars!
ReplyDelete(Val)
I agree, as long as your dog doesn't wriggle out or rip 'em off, and Ember's been very good about that. A cone would make it very hard to get in or out of her crate!
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