Abot two weeks or so ago, I noticed our old dog, Jilly, had a lump in her right ear-flap. It felt like a fluid-filled blister and there was no external sign of an injury. I left it for a couple of days to see if it would go down on its own but if anything it gradually increased in size. I therefor arranged an appointment with François, our local vet at Chef Boutonne.
On examination, François said it was due to a small blood-vessel broken in the ear-flap and he proceeded to evacuate the blood by drawing it off with a hypodermic. Sounds simple like that, doesn`t it, but it took me, François and the girl on the desk to hold Jilly still and we were all spattered with blood and the poor girl scratched on the arm by Jilly`s claws-- oh it`s not all stroking fluffy bunnies being concerned with animal care! The ear looked normal and the usual injection was given to aid recovery. François did say that it was possible the vessel might continue to leak.
This is what happened, in fact, and a week later it was as bad as ever. A minor op was clearly necessary to suture the leak, and this was fixed for yesterday afternoon. Jilly was once more put on the operating table and I stayed while she received her injection to put her under, less stressful for her like that. Come back at 6.15 was the advice, which I duly did. The nurse on the desk said she hadn`t yet come round so I waited in the waiting room.
Suddenly, there arose a dreadful screaming and howling, I recognised Jilly`s voice. The other clients waiting were somewhat concerned; I was asked to come through immediately and found Jilly most unhappy and expressing her fright freely! I talked to her and hugged her and she calmed briefly then continued her lament. François appeared ( I think he was doing another op) and gave her a Valium injection and suggested I walked her in the back yard. I think he was afraid he would lose all his clients present!
She calmed down but lapsed back into unconsciousness so couldn`t be walked. François was involved with his op and I think we were a bit forgotten out there. Eventually I fetched the Berlingo up close and loaded the comatose Jilly with the aid of the nurse, who had remembered us. She was very sleepy and wobbly all evening, staggering here and there and walking into furniture with her funnel-collar, put on to stop her scratching at the wound, but not very comfortable for Jilly.
She got me up at three last night whining, perhaps to go out but when I tried she would not `perform`. This morning she is much better, starving hungry and `going` much more normally. I have found I have to remove the collar as she can`t choose the ideal spot as normal and can`t or won`t go....All`s well that ends well as long as the op is a success, of course, can`t see under the bandage. Couldn`t face another evening like that!
Bye for now, going to get some lunch
