Most importantly, I promised an update on Sheba. For anyone that missed what is going on with her, you can read that post by clicking here. Sheba’s surgery went well, though it took longer than expected due to the nature of the cyst/tumor. Our vet told me that he believes it was an infected cyst. He seemed fairly sure of this, but of course is still sending it to be tested. He also found a couple of other “nodules” close by which he also removed to be tested. He actually described this cyst as “disgusting” and “messy” which is why it took longer than expected to remove it, he had to get it all.
That also meant that he needed to put a drain in to be sure it doesn’t build up fluid and become infected again. That means our poor girl has to stay at the vet’s for at least a couple of days. She is on antibiotics as well. We decided to go visit her that evening. She has a lot of stitches and a huge shaved area. We only stayed a few minutes, she was still pretty loopy from the drugs, though her tail was still thumping on the side of the cage, and she wanted out of there! We gave her lots of kisses and told her to rest up and take care of herself.
I was on the fence about visiting her yesterday. When I called they said that she was much more awake, and not very happy (and of course who could blame her). I didn’t want to rile her up again, and I also didn’t want to keep leaving her. But I also don’t want her to feel we deserted her. I wasn’t sure what was better, and of course the vet tech told me I should do whatever I wanted, but that visiting was mostly for the humans, not the dogs. I decided not to in the end, but may visit today if she is not able to come home yet. I know that she is in good hands and that the techs there are very attentive to her, and she likes them. I wonder what any of you who have been in this situation have done, have you visited if your vet allowed it?
Hopefully Sheba is back to playing in the snow soon! By the way, when we got home from visiting her, Luke was running all around the house, and we’re pretty sure he was looking for her. He’s OK though, but I do think he misses her. Cricket doesn’t play with him the same way Sheba does.
I really had to wrack my brain to come up with my #52Snapshots photo this week! The theme was “create“….a tough one! I liked this quote, but I didn’t even have luck getting a good sunset photo. So this photo was edited on Picmonkey.com using the “Radiance” effect.
In case you’re curious (I was), Romain Rolland was a French writer who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915.
I want to send out a big thank you to our friend Gilligan at Wags Ahoy!, who passed on the Liebster Award to us! It is always nice to be recognized by our fellow bloggers. Gilly is fairly new to the blogging world, and if you don’t know him you should go over and meet this cute little dachshund. We have some questions to answer with this award, which we will get to at a later date. We’ll be re-doing the blog soon and plan to add an awards page where we can proudly display each one.
Have you entered our giveaway for One Dog Organic Bakery dog treats? We are giving away two prize packs of gift certificates and treats, and you can click here to be taken to that post to enter. The whole crew loves these treats and we think you will too!
Thank you to The Lazy Pit Bull for hosting the #52Snapshots of Life photo challenge. Are you joining in the fun? Photos can be shared via blog or social media, just use the hashtags #52Snapshots and #PBSG. You can visit other participants through the links below.
When Gryphon finally returned home after being hit by a car and subsequently had to spend the next few days at the vet, I visited every day, for as long as I could. I was so proud of him for making it home to me and I didn’t want him to think I was punishing him. In retrospect, I was visiting him for me. I missed him while he was gone and was heart broken. Seeing him, even in his weakened state at the vet, healed my heart. Cats are so different though. When I’d visit the techs would tell me he didn’t let them hold him that way or pet him like that. Gryphon needed me for those special kind of cat cuddles. Dogs are not usually as picky. 🙂
Your creat photo is fantastic! That quote is really good. I can see why you were determined to use it. Picmonkey can do some cool stuff that I don’t know how to do in Photoshop but I am so set in my ways trying to learn something new is too much!
I agree….cats are a lot different than dogs and less apt to bond with strangers, I think. But it could depend on the dog too…Sheba loves everyone, but I’d feel worse for Luke since he is shy of strangers.
Oh, I know, learning new things is hard…and it can be time consuming too! I want to get better photo software but between spending the money, and having to learn it, I keep putting it off. I’m so glad you liked my photo, thank you!
Glad surgery went well, I was surprised to hear she stayed over night a couple nights? With a drain in it is messy so I don’t blame them for wanting to keep them, we send ours home because we know the owners would rather have them at home unless it was benificial and better for them to stay. Congrats on your award, I have to do mine also. Hope you get good results on the biopsy’s.
Surgery was Weds. and she didn’t come home until Sat. morning after they took the drain out. As much as I hated not having her home, for me it was better that she was there. I would have been nervous about the drain, and with the mess we would have had to confine her somewhere too. I think they wanted to keep an eye on it to be sure it was draining properly and that what was coming out did not look infected?
Glad to hear that Sheba is doing better. It’s always difficult to have a pet at the vets wanting to be there yet also knowing that it might upset the dog even more. Hope you visit me too at Portraits by NC
Thank you, and thanks for coming to see us! I will come by for a visit!
We’re glad to hear it was only a cyst and that surgery was successful. Wishing Sheba a quick recovery. xx
Thank you! xo
I hope that sweet Sheba is back home with you by now and doing well. I just can’t imagine having to leave Harper Lee at the vet’s office, but our vet is wonderful (like yours) and I know that she would be in very good hands. Your photo is wonderful, and I absolutely love that quote. So worth all the time you spent on the Internet looking for it. 😉 Take care and give Sheba a big kiss on the nose from Harper Lee.
Sheba says thank you for the big kiss from Miss Lee! She is happy to be home.
And thank you about the photo too….I suppose that was a good distraction from all the worry!
Glad to hear Sheba is out of surgery okay. I understand the dilemma about visiting, luckily our dogs haven’t had to stay at the vets overnight in a long time. The last was Tino and yes, I visited him. And yes, maybe it was for me, but so what 😉 We will keep Sheba in our thoughts (and you too).
Thank you! Everyone’s kind thoughts have been helping! Not seeing Sheba after that first night was really difficult, so I’m not sure what I’ll do next time, but I’m sure hoping there isn’t a next time! We really missed her so much, and it might have been better for me if I had gone.
I am sure glad the surgery was successful and that it was likely just a cyst. I know what you’re talking about, when Gracie was in the hospital for 10 days I visited her every day but one. But when Brian was in the hospital for a few days I opted not to visit because I knew the stress of seeing me leave him again would not be good. Dad Terry.
Our decision might be different with one of the other animals, Sheba is very social and loves everyone. Thank you, Terry!
Great Snapshot you created. When Chizzy was in the hospital, TW visited him but only for a few minutes. She couldn’t stand seeing him in pain like that.
Oh yes, it was tough seeing Sheba with that huge shaved area and all the stitches. Plus she just wanted out of that cage and it really made me feel badly.
We hope Sheba recovers well and can come home soon. And that it is only a “messy” cyst that the vet removed.
I had a cat who had to have major surgery which required a few days stay a the vet. I did visit him when I could. But he was so out of it with pain meds, etc. that I don’t know if he knew I was even there.
Island Cat Mom
Thank you! Sheba wasn’t on any pain meds so I think she would have been fully aware that we were coming and then leaving her again! We opted not to go again, and I think it was the right decision in this case. I think with every situation and pet it could be different.
Hope Sheba recovers soon! I’m kind of torn on the issue. I’d miss Mr. N a lot but he gets sooo excited whenever he sees me after we’ve been apart, he’d probably rip out a stitch or something.
Yes, that was my biggest fear. Plus I knew she was eating well, and I was afraid leaving her again would upset her and then she’d stop eating. I think we made the right decision not to go back again, but it wasn’t easy!
When Callie had her ACL surgeries (both times) she spent the night at the hospital. The vets who did the surgeries called me right after the surgery to tell me all went well and that she was sleeping off the drugs, and she was quite comfortable. And then called me again first thing the next morning to tell me she was doing great and ready to come home. They said I could come visit her if I wanted to, but felt it would be better for her if I just let her get the rest she needed. And while I missed my girl — and Shadow was miserable without her — I decided it was best to just let her rest. I doubt Callie even knew I wasn’t there. She’s an independent girl anyway, so I’m sure she’d have been ok even if she did know I wasn’t there. And like Bev said, a dog can sense its owners stress/worry. Luckily, I have complete faith in the surgeons at the vet specialist hospital so I wasn’t overly concerned about her anyway. Just relieved when it was over with so we could get started on the healing process.
Now that I shared that with you, I’m glad Sheba came through the surgery well and hope she can come home today. I know Luke and Cricket will be happy to see her right along with you and the hubby. Here’s to Sheba’s quick recovery! For me, the hardest part of Callie’s surgery was seeing her legs without all their beautiful Golden fur and feathering. But it has been growing back in nicely. And she has enough now so that she doesn’t shiver like a leaf when we go outside.
It definitely helps that we know our vet and his staff so well, and that Sheba does too. She goes there for grooming and they really treat her like family! That made it easier to decide not to disrupt things by visiting.
Oh yes, poor Sheba, with a huge shaved area! She normally loves to be outside no matter how cold it is, but now she goes out, does her business, and comes right back in! I wondered if we should get her a coat to get her through the rest of the winter.
I’m so sorry she has to stay there – that’s so hard on everyone involved. I do think the “messiness” is a good sign! Of course, I have no knowledge, expertise, or training in any of this, but so far out of all the lumps removed from Emmett and Lucas (legitimately, around 20) the messy ones have all been nothing! Here’s hoping she gets to come home soon and recovers quickly! Sending you a big hug and so many positive thoughts!!!
Thank you so much, Maggie, for all your thoughts! I imagine our vet has removed quite a few of these things so I hope that if he thinks it is a cyst, that he is right. He did repeat that to us when we picked her up, of course telling us that he can’t know for sure though.
Wow! You have a lot going on. I am so glad that Sheba came through surgery okay. Hopefully, she’ll be home to recoup quickly. Sending Golden love. ♥
Thank you, Melissa. Everyone’s kind words like yours help so much! Now she’s home we feel better, though still worried about the test results to come.
I’m glad to hear that Sheba is on the mend, but sorry that she couldn’t come home right away. I can only imagine how tough that is–I only had to leave Soth overnight at the vet once when I first got him and it was terrible (at least for me). When I went back to get him the next day, he was screaming in the kennel area and I could hear him as soon as I walked in the door, so I know what you mean about not wanting to rile them up–I think me coming and going probably would have added more stress to him, but it would have made me feel better seeing him, so I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have gone for days without checking in and seeing him. I hope that Sheba’s home very, very soon!
The phone calls to the vet’s office helped a lot, hearing that she was doing well and eating there. But it was hard not to see her, and I really didn’t sleep very well for the next two nights with her gone!
I hope Sheba will be home soon and the cyst is just is cyst. After Thunder’s bloat surgery we did visit him the next day and like Sheba he was loopy. We skipped the next day and we picked him up the day after that. We were exhausted from staying up all night that first night so we needed the rest and they were great about answering our questions when we called like 2 x a day to check on him…lol.
Yes, our vet’s office was great too, constantly reassuring me that she was doing fine. The staff there is great and that did make the decision not to visit her again easier.
I would definitely visit! Mom always does when her pets have to stay. Her tail thumping meant she was glad to see you and recognized you. Something like that makes my heart melt. Thanks so much for the update, we’re sorry it became more complicated than expected but we are hoping for good results. Dogs are pack animals don’t forget, and if someone leaves the pack without permission its noticed so I think the other dogs will be relieved when she’s back.
You are right about that, Dolly, everyone seems so much more happy and relaxed now that Sheba is back home!
That has to be so hard!!! I was torn about what I would do, (I haven’t experienced this yet)….and after reading the other comments, I think I agree that it might be more upsetting for Sheba to see you come is she can’t go home. She would be excited to see you and think she was going home and it would be a let down not to go home with you. Hoping she is home SOON!! (((hugs))))
Thank you, Caren! That is what I ended up deciding, even though it wasn’t easy. It seems like we did do the best thing since she was doing well when we picked her up.
Good news about Sheba, I hope she comes home today. I probably wouldn’t visit my dogs, just because it would make me sad to leave them and I would worry it would make them sad for me to leave them. But then that is me. LOL
I thought about visiting the 2nd day, but when I talked to the vet tech, she said at first Sheba wouldn’t eat, but then after spending some time with her and letting her out to wander around with her, she was eating and drinking. I was afraid visiting her and then leaving her again might make her stop eating. It seemed best, even though I was never 100% sure I was doing the right thing!
I love that quote, and may have to re-purpose it, LOL. I am so glad that Sheba is OK. I hope she gets to come home soon, and that the tests all come back negative.
I will hope to see that quote on one of your beautiful photos!
Thank you for your nice thoughts and wishes for Sheba.
First, congrats on the award! Well deserved for sure!
Second, I believe I would have done the same thing as you. My mode of thinking would be that my huskies would be worse off had I kept coming to visit them and leaving them like that. I think you made the right call. Poor sweet pup!! I am glad to hear that the vet thinks it was just a cyst. Hopefully the test says the same thing.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Keep your fingers and paws crossed please!
Thanks for what you said. I suppose it might have been different if she was in a strange place and not our regular vet’s office where she knows everyone. That made me feel much better.
Hope Sheba recovers quickly and that they can remove that drain so she can come home. We’ve been in that situation, too. I get uptight and emotional, but my husband is one of those incredibly calm people, so he’s gone to visit 🙂 I’m always afraid the pet will catch my energy and become overly anxious. Fingers crossed that all the tests will come back benign – and sounds like that is exactly what will happen!
My hubby and I sound like you and yours. Mine is the calm one and I am the frantic worrier.
All is good, the drain is working as it should and everything looks normal. She’s eating and getting very good care. We are hoping the drain will be coming out tomorrow morning and she can come home.
Oh Jan… we have been in the situation before many times…and it depends on the individual animal..with Doc when he had pancreatitis he was in hospital three nights..going to see him would have upset him and so we rang constantly and got updates..when our kitty Simba was in hospital many years ago (he has since left us) after being caught in a rabbit trap..urghhh hubby visited him and it was not good as he got stressed..the vet has told us that really it always depends on the pet..and also a stressed owner can be sensed a mile off..animals tend to go into their most natural behaviours when unwell,they hide their illness or pain..and I think if they see us maybe it can sometimes make it harder for them…such an individual case by case pet by call..i hope Sheba is feeling better soon and that all the results show negative to nasty things..love and hugs and purrs Bev xx
Thank you so much, Bev, all of that makes me feel better. I decided not to visit her, but still felt vaguely guilty about that decision. But after talking to the vet tech this morning, I felt better. Sheba knows her well as she does her grooming, and she is really taking good care of her. I feel like she will rest better without disruption, and then when she does see us, I think she’ll be happy to find out she’s going home. We’re hoping for that tomorrow morning. Thank you for your love and support…it helps so much! xxoo
Hope Sheba can come home. We have never had to spend the night at the vet and would be very sad too if it happened. Create was a tough word for the week, but you did it!
Considering how unfocused I was, I was pretty pleased I accomplished that (I spent a stupid amount of time searching quotes on the internet…LOL). Sheba is not home yet, but we’re hoping for tomorrow morning. Everyone misses her.